Shakers World Subscribers can click here to listen to the entire 'Audio' ** interview with Alan Knill

** Due to a problem with the Shakers World Video Camera and associated connections, video interviews are not available for this game.

"If you can't win - don't lose - it sums up last weekend's game at Macclesfield.  Though I do have to say that we did everything that we could to lose the game but thankfully we didn't.  We didn't play particularly well, but it's a point.  Sometimes you have to give the opposition credit and I thought they were pretty good, but we kind of helped that, we just didn't perform.  It's one of those, but we didn't lose and we are fifth in the league."

"They are a big side and you know what to expect from a Keith Alexander team.  I've played against Keith's teams a lot.  They were good and they got the ball forward quickly, but I thought they passed it pretty well once they had the ball.  They were decent, but we have to be better than that.  To go a goal down against a set piece, and then come back straight away, you would have thought we would come back strong, but we never really settled.  We probably didn't deserve to win the game, but we still took a point so I have to be delighted with that."

"We thought it was an opportunity to get three points, but it wasn't to be.  We didn't perform well enough and we can't blame anyone else except ourselves.  We made it clear in the changing room ourselves after the game that yes it was a point, but we have to be better at teams like Macclesfield and away from home, especially if we want to be where we want to be.  Thankfully it could have been a lot worse; we could have come away with nothing."

"Training has been difficult again his week. The training ground on Monday was really bad.  Half was hard and the other hard was soft.  We've been on Astroturf because we couldn't find anywhere to play on Tuesday and Thursday.  It's been really difficult and you want to get on grass and do some more.  We can't find a facility big enough to do the shape work.On Tuesday we had a behind closed door friendly with Manchester United reserves (Bury won 2-1), and their first team pitches have under soil heating so maybe that is the way forward for us!!"

"Illness has had an effect on us this week, though Scotty is ok now and Ryan Cresswell has trained today.   We've had quite a few go down with it.  Domaine Rouse is away with it now, quite a few of the youth team are off with it and their coaching staff.  It's been going around for a while and there isn't too much we can do about it.  Thankfully Ben Futcher has shifted it and he will be ok for the weekend."

"Port Vale are a difficult side to beat away from home, they do have a decent away record and obviously a change in manager from the start of the season.  It will be the same as every week, it doesn't matter who you play, and they are all difficult.  For us, it's as difficult as we want to make it.  If we are on our game, we are capable of beating most teams, but we know that we have to be because Port Vale are a good side."

"Elliott Bennett's loan period finishes soon (03 Jan) and it can be extended.  We are going to try and do that.  He's a good player and he is only going to get better, he's not going to get worse.  He likes it here so we are trying to extend it."

"Brian Barry-Murphy is doubtful with a back problem.  He tweaked his back on Tuesday and is having treatment on it.  We will have a look at him on Friday but he is probably the only one that might not make Saturday."

"We won our last home game 4-0 and I want to carry that on.  We want to stay unbeaten.  Teams are coming here and setting up differently against us, but the idea is not to lose the game.  As long as we can string some points together, whether it be one or three, then consistently, we will be where we are now after Christmas."