We spoke to Mark Hughes following the draw with Salford City.
Speaking to CUTV, Mark began:
“I was really pleased. Difficult for us today, clearly after obviously having the disappointment of last week but I just said that they needed to go out and put in a performance that they were proud of and I felt that's what they did, each and every one of them. Give everything, could have been very easy if you weren't of the character that I knew they are.
“They could have just thought well it's one game I don't really need to be engaged in but to a man they had a real go, with good value for it. Yeah, you understand Salford fighting for their lives trying to go for play-off places but very similar to Port Vale where we've gone up against some of the top teams in this league and acquitted ourselves really well.
“And we could have won it, they had a few scrambles, we had opportunities at the other end as well so I thought it was a very good game, I enjoyed the game.
“Obviously from our point of view our home form has been excellent the last few weeks so once again we didn't want to get beat today, we were honest. I think everyone from Salford understood that I was there to get a result today and that's what we've been able to do.”
Mark spoke about the effort the lads put in:
“That's what I demanded and that's what I expected, that's what I got because that's how they've been. The group that predominantly we've worked with in the last few weeks is the group that's really engaged in what we've tried to tell them and really had a go for me and I appreciate each and every one of them for that. It's not been easy, it's been clearly an awful season in terms of the end result but the response to myself and Glyn since we've come in has been really good.”
Mark spoke on his pleasure in the attacking side of the game that he’s seen over the past few weeks:
“Yeah I just think that there's a more positive attitude in terms of their attacking play and their attacking intent. I think we've built on that and asked for that and as a consequence we've looked a really accomplished team at times. It's just a real shame we look back and the reality is we've been relegated but when we go up against teams like we have in recent times we look a very good team at this level and we shouldn't be out of the league but we are unfortunately.”
Georgie Kelly nearly stole the points for United but was denied by a good save. Mark reflected:
“Yeah I was willing Georgie to get that goal, he’s been great since he'd come into the team. I think we all feel if we'd have had his services from the beginning of the season we wouldn't have been in this situation but he's been really unfortunate but since he's come back he's really galvanised the team and led from the front and I'm pleased for him because clearly being out for so long must have been really frustrating for him but he's come back and really made his statement for us.”
Sam Hetherington was on the bench for the Blues today, and Mark had some glowing words to say about the young man:
“Yeah I was really tempted to get him all right, that was the intention, that's why I put him on the bench.
“He's a really good player, will have a big future in the game we feel, he's got a great personality as well, he's well liked by the group so he's one to look out for in the future I'm sure.”
We asked Mark about discussions on the retained/released list:
“Yeah we'll have to see on that, whether or not that's my role or somebody else's role we'll just have to get a little bit of clarity on that but players need to know clearly if it's not me giving the news then it'll be somebody else so it needs to happen because people want a little bit of surety in terms of what they're doing, if they're staying or if they're going, people need to get on with their lives.”
Mark spoke on the reception he received at the end of the game:
“Well I've never really experienced anything like that, clearly I haven't been involved in too many relegation issues but to actually get relegated and some days later we get cheered off the pitch, I mean that's not normal, it's a really special thing that we all felt today so yeah, one to remember.”
