Starting spot pleases Port Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin

Keeper Martin made 47 starts for Vale last season

Port Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin has said that he is pleased to be playing first team football again.

The former academy graduate, 20, was first choice last season but lost his place to Stuart Tomlinson, who signed from Barrow in the summer.

However with Tomlinson out with a hip injury Martin has received a recall.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "It's been disappointing that I haven't played but while I'm back-up to Tomlinson I'll do that job to the best of my ability."

Martin played in goal for the Vale in their 1-0 win over Rotherham on Tuesday, only his fourth start this season compared to 47 last season.

The win was also the Valiants' first in six games and puts them back within touching distance of the automatic promotion places in League Two.

It's been a shock in the last month with a new manager coming in, but he has a fresh approach and has tried to change the way we play

Chris Martin

And Martin believes his side are still good enough to be serious promotion contenders.

"We've got a great squad and we've been unlucky with injuries. But every team has a blip and we have been in a dip of form," he said.

"Confidence is high, it always has been, but this group of lads have a good team spirit and morale."

It has been a tumultuous start to Jim Gannon's managerial reign, after he replaced Micky Adams in the New Year, with the win over Rotherham being his first as Vale boss.

But Martin says the players are now getting to grips with the new manager's ideas.

"It's been a shock in the last month with a new manager coming in, but he has a fresh approach and has tried to change the way we play.

"The lads have taken to him well and it will take time to adjust to what he is trying to do. His attention to detail is fantastic. More than any other manager I've seen."