Former Portsmouth and Bournemouth striker Lee Bradbury is on the cusp of helping his latest club win automatic promotion from League Two.
Bradbury joined Darren Moore’s coaching staff at Port Vale in March 2024, but they were unable to prevent the club from sliding into the fourth tier.
However, Vale’s 5-0 demolition of Bromley last weekend moved them to the top of the table and within touching distance of making an immediate return to League One.
The sportsbooks linked to some of the top 10 casino sites reviewed by iGaming.com rate Moore’s side as the favourites to claim top spot at the end of the season.
Eight points separates Vale from sixth-placed Notts County with four games remaining and the race to finish in the top three could go down to the wire.
Bradbury’s input as first-team coach could be crucial over the final few games. He previously won promotion as a player with Southend and Bournemouth.
He also enjoyed success as a manager, guiding Havant & Waterlooville into the National League after winning back-to-back promotions.
Moore’s decision to add the Cowes-born coach to his backroom staff has proved to be a masterstroke, with the team benefiting massively from his expertise.
Bradbury’s influence on Lorent Tolaj has been particularly noteworthy, with the Swiss-born forward weighing in with 13 goals and eight assists in 33 league appearances this season.
He netted twice in the thumping victory over Bromley, which extended Vale’s recent winning run to four on the bounce.
The result means that Vale are the only club out of the current 92 teams in England’s top four divisions to have beaten each of the other 91 teams.
While that record matters little in the grand scheme of things, it is a noteworthy landmark in a season which could end up being truly memorable for Vale.
Almost 11,000 people packed into Vale Park for the Bromley game, highlighting the club’s potential to play higher than their current League Two status.
Moore was understandably delighted with the turnout and the manner of the performance, particularly given the club’s recent hectic schedule.
“It was an excellent afternoon for everyone connected with the football club,” Moore said. “It was almost a perfect day in terms of the football and the magnificent support we had.
“It was a memorable day with the five goals but we also look at the concentration of the group and the clean sheet.
“I was pleased and proud with the performance from every one of them. There was a lot of commitment and desire but also that concentration which was really good.
“You put all that into the pot and you get this performance.”
The onus will now be on Moore, Bradbury and the rest of the coaching staff to ensure that Vale capitalise on the position they have worked themselves into.
The remaining four fixtures all have the potential to be banana skins, and the players must avoid taking anything for granted over the final few weeks.
Vale are back in action on Good Friday in a fixture which could have a major bearing on issues at both ends of the League Two table.
They travel north to face a Carlisle United side which is battling to avoid relegation to the National League under manager Mark Hughes.
The Cumbrians are six points adrift of safety with four games remaining, but back-to-back victories over Newport County and Morecambe have boosted their survival hopes.
The former Manchester United striker is adamant that Carlisle can get themselves out of trouble and he will be eager to make life difficult for Vale on Friday.
“We’re talking about belief and the possibility of doing something that no one thought we could,” Hughes said.
“We’ve still got a big job to do here. We’re up against a good team at the weekend in Port Vale, who are going for things that they want to achieve themselves.
“It’s not going to be easy. But since the Newport win and with the fans the way they were on Saturday, that belief is there for everybody to see.
“I always felt that we were on the cusp of something. We just needed something to go right for us, or just a performance that could start it off.
“That belief I keep on talking about – I think we’ve got that now. We’ve just got to keep everybody fit and well and make sure we go again. Because that’s all we can do.
“We can only do and achieve and affect what we can affect.”
Vale finish the season with fixtures against Grimsby Town (H), AFC Wimbledon (A) and Gillingham (H). Moore and Bradbury’s combined experience will be vital to their promotion hopes.
