New signing Jack Hay has vowed to treat his move to Vale as a “new chapter” and score the goals to fire his new side to the top end of the Lowland League table.
Hay joins from Spartans and has also enjoyed spells at Borders clubs Gala Fairydean Rovers, Selkirk and Coldstream. He has never struggled to find the net at any of his previous clubs but says he has never felt at home, which he feels is about to change after being afforded a warm welcome at Victoria Park.
Last season’s top scorer Blair Atkinson has returned to parent club Spartans and Hay would appear to be a ready-made replacement. He is confident he can replace Atkinson’s goals and believes that the team should be aiming high in terms of league position.
Hay said: “I have been moving around clubs in the last two years and I have never been comfortable or settled at any. The Vale is a new chapter for me and I have been welcomed with open arms by Chris and his coaching staff and the boys.
“I just want to play football and under Ando I can be confident and flourish as a player. I believe after talks with the Vale it’s the club for me right now.
The striker has never seemed short of self-belief and broke into the Gala Fairydean first team at the tender age of 16, scoring two hat-tricks in the first two rounds of the Scottish Cup and has continued to plunder goals ever since. Upon signing for title-chasing Spartans last season he managed to bag eight goals in three games. And he spoke bullishly about what he can bring to the table with his new side.
He added: “I feel I can bring a lot when I am confident and scoring goals, holding up, winning headers and most of all runs off the shoulders of defenders and scoring goals. But I think the main thing is keeping a cool head and everything else will follow.
“I am confident in myself and I know I can score goals in this league as I have proven this playing at other clubs such as Spartans, Gala and Selkirk. I believe this year I can do the same in a Vale shirt.”
A move from last season’s third placed side, who will have aspirations of a title challenge this time out, to the one who finished 13th may raise some eyebrows but the 23-year-old has faith that his new team-mates can improve substantially upon the last campaign’s showing.
“Ambition is key in any sport but I believe with the team and individuals we have, if we bind as a group and play well and have each other’s backs we will finish top six. It will be a battle every week, but after a few sessions with the boys I believe they are all up for a fight”, said Hay.