Taken the shine off – Port Vale owner says “small minority” of troublemakers “not welcome” at the club
Port Vale chair Carol Shanahan has said that the actions of a “small minority” of fans “has taken the shine off” a memorable game.
The Valiants won a place at Wembley after a dramatic penalty shootout but there were some ugly scenes as Vale and Swindon fans confronted each other and there were allegations of Swindon players being confronted and even assaulted by Vale supporters.
The FA has confirmed that it will investigating scenes at the game along with those at several other play-off matches.
We have to keep it in perspective, it was a small minority but that small minority has to be dealt with. They won’t be going to Wembley – and they won’t be coming to Vale Park again…
Shanahan told BBC Radio Stoke: “Everything is recorded. Everything we have done from the day we bought the club is about being a responsible club.
“We work really closely with the police on everything. We will be looking at every single inch of the recording of last night. And anybody we, or the police, identify, that did anything that is not befitting of Port Vale – they will be dealt with. They are not welcome at the club and they are not welcome in the sport.
“I can’t deal with football as a whole, but I can deal with Port Vale – and we are not having it. It’s wrong and players should be able to get off the pitch. We said if there was a pitch invasion ‘you have to get off’ and we had to get them off straight away as their welfare, and the Swindon players’ welfare, is 100 per cent.
“There were a lot of cameras on that crowd last night and we will be looking at every single bit. It’s horrified me and it has taken the shine off – it’s just not right.
“We have to keep it in perspective, it was a small minority but that small minority has to be dealt with. They won’t be going to Wembley – and they won’t be coming to Vale Park again. There is no place for this at all.”