Port Vale assistant manager Keith Downing admitted he felt sorry for outgoing boss Dean Glover after the Valiants beat Barnet 2-1 in his final game in charge.
Glover's son Danny netted the penalty which gave the Potteries side victory after Louis Dodds had put them ahead and Vale will now start the search for a new manager.
Downing said: "Dean felt it was not the right thing to come and speak. I think he feels his comments are best kept close to his chest.
"There's been a lot of criticism of his reign over the last seven months, but he's a diligent hard worker and I'm sorry I wasn't able to help him keep his job.
"I don't think it is all doom and gloom. There are some good youngsters who have had a good first or second season of real football.
"In the first half here you saw the potential of Lee Glover and Jamie Lawrie's partnership up front and Louis Dodds coming in from off the line. All these are young lads in the first throes of their football careers."
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