Smurthwaite: Adams to sign deal this month
Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite says he expects manager Micky Adams to sign a new contract within the next two weeks.
Key points:
- Expects Adams to sign within two weeks
- Player budget set to be £1.9m (down from £2.5m)
- But that £1.9m includes cutting the £300,000 development squad
- Player budget based on 1,000 less season tickets sold
- Season ticket prices frozen
- Adams will sign rolling one-year contract
- But will include compensation clause if manager leaves
Season ticket prices will remain the same as last season but matchday tickets will rise £3 across the board, but only for supporters who pay on the day. Fans who buy their tickets before a matchday can do so at this season’s prices, which are £23 for adults in the Lorne Street Stand, or £22 in other stands. Free tickets will be available for under-nines next season, this season anyone under the age of twelve was admitted free of charge.
Micky has made no unreasonable demands about his contract. There is nothing he has asked for that wasn’t deliverable…
Existing season ticket holders will be able to renew within the next week with new season tickets on sale in May. Smurthwaite told the Sentinel that the player budget will be based on season ticket sales. If there are better than expected sales then the player budget will rise accordingly.
Smurthwaite told the Sentinel: “For those hard-core fans who buy season tickets, they now know the facts.
“The only thing they haven’t seen is the manager’s contract signed.
“That will be signed, subject to Micky and I being available at the same time, in the next couple of weeks. I think by the end of March.
“Micky has made no unreasonable demands about his contract. There is nothing he has asked for that wasn’t deliverable.
“In fact, there is really only one technicality in his contract which is a change , but I felt it was right he had all the information.
“Had I kept that from him until June or July and told him his budget had changed, then he could say it wasn’t what he understood, and all of a sudden we would have a big fight on our hands before the season even started.
“So it was only right he was in an informed position. He has been a big asset to this club.
“Once he has signed a contract there will be a compensation clause which protects the club and gives us financial recompense.
” it would leave me with a headache because I don’t have a Plan B. There was never a Plan B.”
The Adams contract saga has dragged on throughout the season with the manager, at time, contradicting Smurthwaite’s view. It will be interesting to see if Adams agrees with the owner on the projected timescale and how close he is to signing a new deal.