Ben Purkiss: Port Vale defender enjoying role as translator for French players

Sebastien Amoros began his career at Monaco

Joint Port Vale captain Ben Purkiss says brushing up his language skills has helped the club's French players settle into life at Vale Park.

Midfielders Sebastien Amoros, Anthony de Freitas and Quentin Pereira were among a host of foreign signings made by boss Bruno Ribeiro this summer.

The trio have helped lift Vale into fourth in League One after 12 games.

"I translate for them and I enjoy that - it gives me a chance to practise my French," Purkiss told BBC Radio Stoke.

Vale achieved their first ever win at MK Dons on Saturday, their first victory on the road for six months, to continue their impressive start to the season.

Pereira, 24, de Freitas, 22, and 21-year-old Amoros have all played their part, with the latter making his second start in the 1-0 win over the Dons.

"I haven't used my French for about 10 years and they probably need a bit more confidence with their English but they are better than they think," Purkiss, 32, said.

"Sometimes it's difficult with speed at which people talk with accents but they've settle in well - they've got an apartment now together, so they're happy and I think we're seeing that on the pitch."

Away day blues banished

Vale's victory at Stadium MK was their first away from home since beating Gillingham 2-0 on 16 April and the sixth win of the season for Ribeiro's new-look squad.

And Purkiss admitted ending that winless run on the road was a relief ahead of upcoming trips to Sheffield United and Bolton.

"It definitely gives us belief and a platform," he said.

"I spoke to some of the foreign boys and they were saying about the bigger stadiums in England and maybe they rise to the occasion."

Ben Purkiss joined Port Vale in the summer of 2015 after three seasons with Walsall