Port Vale boss Jon Brady says he is “baffled” by a fixture schedule until the end of the season that will see them play 12 games in the space of 43 days.
Vale’s run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, in which they will play Premier League Chelsea on 4 April, has been a major factor in the pile-up.
And it means they will play 11 League One games and at least that one cup tie, between taking on Bolton this Saturday and the visit of Lincoln on the final day of the season on Saturday, 2 May.
Stockport County making the final of the Vertu Trophy has also meant their league fixture with Vale had to be fitted in as a midweek game on 28 April.
Brady said Vale had written to the English Football League about the matter, but they turned down the club’s request to extend the season.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had no help from the EFL, which has been really frustrating,” Brady – whose side have just finished a run of four league games and two FA Cup ties in 18 days – told BBC Radio Stoke.
“We’ve written some emails to them and asked if they could help us. It’s due to your care of the players as well.
“As you can see, the group has already been breaking. But it is what it is.”
