Vale owner says he didn’t appoint Michael Brown and there are no immediate plans to sell the club

Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite says he won’t sell the club until it is a better position and he wasn’t responsible for the appointment of Michael Brown.

In a wide-ranging interview on BBC Radio Stoke Smurthwaite commented that CEO Colin Garlick decided to employ manager Michael Brown but it was his decision to sack him.

I will only sell the football club when it is in a better place than when I bought it. It will not go out of the league I won’t let it…

Smurthwaite told the radio station: “I failed the club that was a big mistake.”

“There are brilliant people at Port Vale… but unfortunately there are a very small minority who want to inflict harm.

“I’m the fall guy, I’m the guy that makes decisions, I’m the guy who’s responsible, I don’t deny that but I did what I said I was going to do, I appointed someone to run the club I continue to support the club financially.”

On Michael Brown’s appointment he said: “Personally, I didn’t want to appoint Michael Brown in the summer but I walked away from the club…I genuinely believe that if he was given the right time and tuition he would make a very good manager but… I did not think it was right . I gave the authority and responsibility to a man I trust .”

Smurthwaite claims that there was a clash between former manager Rob Page and Michael Brown but “I made sure Michael Brown was relieved of his player’s contract… I made sure he wasn’t got rid off.”

” was by far the best candidate and still is the best candidate to run the football club.

“Colin rang me tonight because of the small minority of scumbags I cannot even go to the football club on my own. The police wanted to come back into the ground for security reasons but I refused as a matter of principle to see the club incur a cost because of me. I listen to you instead.

“So, I didn’t appoint him but I didn’t stand in the way of anyone because I gave my word and walked away from the day-to-day running of the football club.”

On potentially appointing Micky Adams as a replacement for Brown he commented: “Micky Adams is the only person who has made me feel safe and is one of the very few people in football that I actually trust.  But why Micky would want to come back now I’m not sure.”

On his role he said: “I made a mistake I will carry to my grave if that small minority I would been at the club now pumping serious amounts of money in to attempt to get us back

“I will only sell the football club when it is in a better place than when I bought it. It will not go out of the league I won’t let it.”