Richards reached 10 goals for the season in his last Vale appearance
Port Vale striker Marc Richards has urged fans to stick by the club next year despite this season's poor form.
Vale, who are 17th in League Two and 15 points from the play-offs, sold around 6,500 season tickets in 2008, but will be struggling to reach that mark again.
The 28-year-old forward told BBC Radio Stoke: "We would like the numbers to come back next year. It's been a good boost for us.
"We can only praise them for coming in their numbers, we hope it continues."
On a personal level, Richards has enjoyed a good season, scoring 10 goals in 26 appearances.
But the team have underachieved, something that has disappointed everyone at Port Vale.
"We're a big club in this division," said Richards. "We should be pushing for promotion and we've not been anywhere near that, we've not been good enough.
"There was a lot of hype in the close-season about a promotion push, and for one reason or another it hasn't happened.
"We understand where the fans are coming from. We've got to make it right for them and for ourselves as well."
There's been a couple of games in recent weeks when I've been sat in the stands and the atmosphere has been amazing
Port Vale striker Marc Richards
Richards is hopeful of returning to the team for the match at Brentford on Saturday, having missed almost a month of action with a thigh injury.
His spell on the sidelines has made him even more determined to do well for the supporters.
"There's been a couple of games in recent weeks when I've been sat in the stands and the atmosphere has been amazing," he continued.
"All I wanted to do was get involved in it because the atmosphere at Vale Park was so good."
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