Port Vale manager Jon Brady expressed bewilderment after the league confirmed a schedule that forces his side to contest 12 games within 43 days. The congested run includes a fourth‑round FA Cup tie against Premier League side Chelsea on 4 April, sandwiched between regular League One fixtures. Brady told BBC Radio Stoke the timetable leaves little room for recovery this season.

The fixture pile‑up stems from Vale’s deep FA Cup run and Stockport County’s appearance in the Vertu Trophy final, which pushed the Vale‑County league clash into a mid‑week slot on 28 April. Vale appealed to the EFL for an extension to the season, but the governing body rejected the request, offering no relief to the squad.

Brady warned that the relentless schedule is already testing player fitness, noting a stretch of four league games and two cup ties in just 18 days. With the final league match against Lincoln scheduled for 2 May, the manager insists the club must manage squad rotation carefully. The lack of accommodation from the league leaves Vale facing a grueling finish to their campaign.