Port Vale defender Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel says the squad know this campaign has not been good enough and understand the importance of bouncing back to League One in 2026-27.
Vale’s immediate return back to League Two has been on the cards for most of a difficult season as they ultimately finished 22nd, 10 points adrift of safety.
Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by champions Lincoln City was their third in their final four games and a 24th loss this term.
“Things haven’t gone right this season and I know that the players know that and the staff know that,” Lawrence-Gabriel told BBC Radio Stoke.
“But next season is about getting us back to where we want be, where the fans want to be – it’s a really important season.”
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After Darren Moore was sacked in December with the club 10 points from safety following 21 games, former Northampton Town boss Jon Brady was brought in.
Despite overseeing an outstanding run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, the 51-year-old Australian could not revive the league form sufficiently and has already highlighted the importance of improving the squad over the summer for their attempt to get back to League One.
Lawrence-Gabriel agreed that the squad does need an upgrade.
“If we can add quality, then that obviously helps us, but I know the club will be doing what they can to strengthen for next season,” he said.
“The players need to come in and make sure that their their names are in the managers minds to start pre-season.”
‘I want to get back to League One’
The former Nottingham Forest and Blackpool full-back has one more year left on his current contract and is hoping he can be part of a shot a promotion next season.
“Obviously my ambition is to play as high as possible but I wouldn’t have come to Port Vale if I thought it was going be easy,” he said.
“I’m always up for a challenge and we’ll speak with the club and there’ll be a plan. I want to be playing in League One so if I’m here next season, like I am, there’s only one thing I want and that is to get back into League One.
“You shouldn’t be at the club if you don’t want to play at the highest level and for us we’ve been we’ve been relegated but we want to get back to League one and be the best we can be.”