Another of our occasional round-ups of former Valiants sees Gavin Massey move to a non-league side and former director of football David Flitcroft linked with a new club.
Massey seals AFC Fylde deal after apparent Vale criticism
Massey seals AFC Fylde deal after apparent Vale criticismGavin Massey has become AFC Fylde’s eleventh signing of the summer. Massey told the local media: “It feels good to be here. I’ve had conversations for a good few weeks now, it’s a good group, so I’m excited.” In what could be seen as a swipe at the Valiants he added: “The gaffer has been really positive towards me which I haven’t had for a while. After I spoke to him, it became a no-brainer to come here, help the team and get back to enjoying my football.”
Massey had a disappointing two year spell with the Vale after high expectations following his move in 2022. His spell wasn’t helped by the player being moved around the side, often out of position. He totalled 98 appearances and four goals before being released at the end of the season.
Flitcroft linked with Carlisle move
Flitcroft linked with Carlisle moveJournalist Alan Nixon, a usually reliable source of information, says former Port Vale director of football David Flitcroft is “in the frame” for a senior role at Carlisle United. Carlisle are reportedly looking to revamp their off pitch structure with the appointment of a head coach and sporting director following the departure of manager Paul Simpson.
Flitcroft left the Valiants in March as his role was subject to sustained criticism from fans after the club slipped into the relegation zone following a number of poor transfer windows.
David Flitcroft at Vale Park
February 2021 – Flitcroft is appointed as Director of Football. He originally applied for the vacant manager’s role before persuading co-owner Carol Shanahan that the club needed a Director of Football, the first in the Vale’s history. A week later, Flitcroft is instrumental in the appointment of Darrell Clarke as manager. Clarke subsequently leads the club to promotion to League One.
Summer 2021 – Flitcroft leads recruitment of twelve new players during the summer which help the club to promotion.
February 2023 – there is criticism of Flitcroft’s recruitment policy after the January window. With Vale in need of forward replacements, the club can only bring in injured veteran Matty Taylor on deadline day.
Summer 2023 – Following the sacking of Darrell Clarke, Flitcroft appoints interim manager Andy Crosby as the permanent manager. Flitcroft says the club will play a possession-based style and will aim to bring in elite loanees by winning the trust of Premier League youngsters. The latter brings the highly acclaimed duo Ollie Arblaster and Alfie Devine to the club.
February 2024 – for the second, successive January transfer window, Flitcroft is criticised after the club fail to bring in any forwards despite having just two senior players available.
March 2024 He duly leaves the club.
Flitcroft….biggest disaster ever to set foor in Vale Park
Followed by Gavin Massey
Both completely useless
Only Jim Gannon and Danny Glover from the past could challenge for these high accreditations
Good luck Carlisle you will need it it’s a wrong move with flitcroft
Poor Carlisle utd,they going have the same sh*t we had for a few years
Anyone who employs the second hand car salesman is destined for disaster the man is a joke
Good riddance to bad rubbish massey was crap he is non league football at best
Well Fylde fans just ignore what Massey says and actually judge him by what he does on the pitch. Prepare to be disappointed, massively so.
Gavin should have kept his comment to himself.
As for David Flintcroft, I believe he was out of his depth.
Let’s all move on.
Flitcroft was a complete disaster at Port Vale ,but only because the Chair put him in an inviolable position with sheer stupidity and failure of director responsible to take due diligence in his and Darren Moore’s appointments
Gavin Massey is one of the worst players I’ve seen in a Vale shirt. Lack of effort,woeful at defending etc etc.
Flitcroft? Fraudcroft.
Carlisle will see Flitcroft’s League 2 promotion successes with Bury (as team manager) and the Vale (as DOF) and may think he’s their man. They’ll need to dig deeper with the respective fan bases, and his efforts with other clubs before committing. They’re on the slide and need assurances of stability. Another sobering example of how football fortunes can quickly and drastically change.
Surprised that this is taken as a slight to Vale. He was released after a not so bad two years, when played in his correct position he could be brilliant. Pro that he was, he had to stick to the game plan and that wasn’t good.
As for the passing game, Vale couldn’t pass to each other and gave the opposition the ball in goal scoring areas. That’s schoolboy stuff not league.
Good luck Gavin, be interesting how it goes. As for the other chap, he didn’t do well at all for us.
Lewie, if Massey says “The gaffer has been really positive towards me which I haven’t had for a while” then that can only be seen as suggesting his “gaffers” at Vale were therefore negative towards him. Calling managers “negative” is hardly a ringing endorsement. So, while not a slight of Vale as a whole, it certainly looks like he didn’t have much time for the managers he played under at the club.
Flitcroft was Recruited as Vale Manager ! – He Decided he wanted instead to have the NON-JOB of Director of Football ! He was Rubbish, Vale Ended up with NO Strikers.
Massey when fit was not someone you could rely on. Awful to watch and lifeless at times. The least said about Flitcroft the better, watch out Carlisle you could be heading for a bumpy ride.