OVF’s end-of-term Port Vale report
We were delighted to be contacted by the Guardian and asked to contribute to their League Two end-of-term report. Here’s what Rob Fielding had to say on how the Vale had performed…
Port Vale
Dream or nightmare? I won’t be talking much about matters on the pitch here. I don’t know where to begin in describing the antics of our despicable and unscrupulous board. There’s been false investment promises, directorships “paid” for through “nil-paid” shares (IOUs to you and me), supporters treated with contempt and the club crashing into administration… and that’s just a brief summary. Enough was enough and luckily pretty much the entire fanbase united behind the superb Supporters Club to see the club through the dark days of administration. Now we’re cautiously optimistic that new owner-elect Keith Ryder will allow us to concentrate on matters on the pitch (and perhaps a promotion tilt) next campaign.
Top marks Doug Loft has impressed anywhere he’s played and he was deservedly made player of the year
Bottom of the class Can I nominate the Vale board? Clueless, self-serving and came perilously close to destroying this football club.
The gaffer Off the pitch he really shouldn’t have entered the boardroom to shore up our disgrace of a board. On the pitch, he’s probably the best Vale manager since Brian Horton.
Best moment During the Burton match (just before the club went into administration), the entire home crowd stood up for a rendition of “Stand up if you love the Vale” It was a hugely emotionally charged moment when the Vale fans made it clear to all concerned that we were united and determined to save the club.
Worst moment Take your pick… the chairman mortgaging the ground to the Gibraltar equivalent of Wonga, the club plunging into administration or the deception of shareholders over “nil-paid” shares or indeed club “investment”.
Best fans Accrington Stanley are a fantastic club with fantastic supporters. They endeared themselves to Vale fans by barring our board from their club on spurious “safety” grounds.
Worst fans: With all the distractions of the Premier League, Sky TV and so on, it take a lot of commitment to support a lower league club. So, no-one.
Rob Fielding, One Vale Fan
Read the views of other League Two bloggers through this link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/football-league-blog/2012/may/11/league-two-2011-12-season-review