Port Vale boss Jon Brady has described the standard of football from his players this season as heart-breaking. The club's relegation to League Two was confirmed after a defeat to Cardiff.

What happened?

The Valiants went down 2-1 to Plymouth on Saturday, leaving them second-bottom with two games left.

Why it matters for Port Vale

Brady took over a side who were bottom when he replaced Darren Moore as boss in January. Despite an improvement in results and an FA Cup quarter-final run, Vale were condemned to an immediate return to the fourth tier. | Stat | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 22nd in League One, 38 pts, 9W-11D-21L from 41 games | | Recent form | WDWLL | | Last result | Port Vale 0-2 Lincoln (2026-05-02) |

What comes next?

A paucity of goals has been a major factor in Vale's third relegation in 11 seasons. Only Sheffield Wednesday have scored fewer than the Valiants' tally of 34 league goals in the EFL this season. Brady believes the club will need to invest to improve the squad ready for League Two next season. The group gives everything they've got, but if the quality isn't good enough then you're consistently not good enough. Vale complete an intense run of five games in 12 days with a trip to play-off chasers Stockport on Tuesday before hosting champions Lincoln on Saturday.