Richards ended the 2008-09 season as Vale's top scorer with 11 goals

Port Vale striker Marc Richards has said the team will not get carried away with talk of a possible play-off place in League Two this season.

Vale have lost once in six league matches and beaten both Sheffield clubs to reach the Carling Cup third round.

"The fans can talk about it, but as players and professionals it won't be anywhere near our minds," Richards told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We're 10th at the moment and so it's been a half-decent start for us."

Optimism is high around Vale Park following the arrival of Micky Adams in June, and Richards has been quick to praise the impact that his new manager has made at the club.

"We're all a lot fitter this year and that's helping us at the moment," said Richards. "The gaffer has drilled it into us that we're going to be a hard team to beat, and we're doing that while playing a bit of football as well."

I was going to put it the other side, so that's a lesson to anyone Marc Richards on his penalty miss

Despite missing a late penalty, the 27-year-old still managed to take his tally for the season to five in the 4-0 home win over Grimsby on Saturday.

Vale skipper Tommy Fraser's free-kick appeared to go straight into the net, but Richards said the goal should be credited to him.

"Tommy will want to claim it but I definitely got a touch to the ball and it trickled in.

"It could have been two and I was disappointed with the penalty miss. I changed my mind in the run-up because I was going to put it the other side, so that's a lesson to anyone."

Vale's next game is on Saturday, when they travel to Aldershot.

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