75% of Vale fans say #backthelifers
75% of fans who voted on a poll on the OVF website think the club were wrong to end the life-time season ticket offer.
Earlier this month, OVF launched the #backthelifers campaign calling on Port Vale FC to reverse its decision.
In addition to our poll, we also asked fans to use the Twitter hashtag #backthelifers in support of our campaign.
Here are a selection of some of the tweets received:
Port Vale cancel 'lifer' season tickets. #Pompey honoured 101 lifers despite 2 administrations. http://t.co/ULkmy5ykOZ #backthelifers #pvfc
— Duncan Hart (@pompeydunc) July 4, 2014
Fans at #pvfc out of pocket after club cancels "lifer" season ticket deal. Campaign by @onevalefan #backthelifers http://t.co/8VRDAzRXai
— The FSF (@The_FSF) July 3, 2014
#backthelifers #vtid come on do the honorable thing vale and reinstate the tickets .
— petej (@PetejPjvale) July 2, 2014
@NLValiants support the lifers. Crazy decision? @OfficialPVFC @CommercialPVFC @onevalefan @smurfpvfc another PR disaster #backthelifers
— NorthLondonValiants (@NLValiants) July 1, 2014
Drittligist @portvale bringt seine Fans auf die Barrikaden: http://t.co/Uh2u47O5Sq #backthelifers
— Fanzeit (@fanzeit) July 3, 2014
Outrageous behaviour by Port Vale. #backthelifers http://t.co/mHzZUVisvn
— Nigel Hughes (@Ear_I_Am) July 3, 2014
What is this about?
In 2005, 15 dedicated Port Vale fans paid between £1,500 and £8,000 for life-time season tickets. At the time, the club was in desperate need of money and their contribution was immeasurable.
Since that date, the club has changed hands but previous owners (such as administrators Begsbies-Traynor) honoured the agreement. However, despite a letter saying that the deal would be honoured, the club has now called a halt to the life-time season ticket deal.
OVF’s response to this decision is below.
OVF opinion
While the club is entitled to end the lifetime offer in principle, we believe that common sense and common courtesy should have prevailed instead.
Is the club really that desperate for money that it is prepared to disenfranchise some of its elite supporters for the sake of a few extra thousand pounds each season?
Is the club really that desperate for money that it is prepared to disenfranchise some of its elite supporters for the sake of a few extra thousand pounds each season?
Port Vale FC tells us that we should be proud of our history and these individuals by putting their hands in their pockets at our hour of need should be honoured and celebrated, not treated as financial cash cows. The fact that the club couldn’t even be bothered to address these individuals by name shows a lack of concern and courtesy.
This news also does not cover the former board and chairman Bill Bratt with glory. Bratt made false promises that these tickets would last for life and clearly they have not. Will he and his board members now return that falsely obtained money to the fans?
OVF urges the club to reconsider this move and reinstall the lifetime offer. We owe it to this unique and loyal bunch of fans.