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It’s more obvious by the week that up until his problems, Darrell Clarke was the glue that held this club together.

Over & out for me. The whole Vale situation right now from top to bottom is getting me down. Time to take a break from it all including the forum. Nothing against you guys it’s for my own good. I don’t want be feeling angry & depressed every weekend & talking Vale really isn’t helping. Take care guys, stay safe, look after your loved ones & be happy 👍🏻 I’ll check back in at the end of the season & what a season it will have been 😏

Could have a big rant but at this point it’s pointless. Players are crap. DOF is inept. Owner is clueless. Just let it all unfold.

Flitcroft brought in 5 players in the January window. One never made it onto the pitch before he was sent back to his parent club. Of the others only one started today. That is simply pathetic and he should be on his bike.

I never understand this. Bring out one of our quicker players to the halfway Line and they will bring out two. So with their keeper back, a guy taking the corner and two marking our speed merchant they will only have 7 In our box instead of 9. Does that make sense or am I being daft?

Why do we need a DOF, especially in League 2. We have a manager, a head of recruitment, dozens of other support staff, a CEO and a COO. We could put the DOF salary towards a package for a decent striker?

I agree with Joe. Having been today, this will be my last match this season even as a season ticket holder. More for my own sanity than anything else. But will be their first match next season with renewed hope. It’s what we do!

Have you ever considered doing morale boosting team talks?

My Mum died mate - it's taken a while to come to terms with it. Hasn't stopped me following the horror show from afar though. It's not been an easy couple of months. Thanks for the welcome back, whether it was meant sarcastically or not. I do follow this forum, despite everything.

Well that’s me done. I just can’t watch players jogging around and not prepared to be physical anymore. Every single ball played we played out of defence was contested and under pressure. Every pass played by Shrewsbury the ball receiver had at least 4 yards of space to work with. Sorry but that’s just <ovf censored> basics when your backs are against the wall. On this evidence the spa getaway this week, the new management team, the bloated sports science/physio department and the data analysts are a waste of money along with the man responsible for all of this mess. Flitcroft Out your signings are useless.

Relegation is nailed on now. Shove your 'Championship ready', shove your training hub and shove your campus. Shove your open letters, shove your joint statements, shove your pep talks and 'we need you to get behind the players'. Come out of hiding. Flitcroft is a f*cking coward hiding in his office, refusing to speak to the media, leeching off Carol and the club. Come out and face the fans. Carol, you need to get rid of Flitcroft, own up to your mistakes, which are glaringly obvious anyway instead of glossing over them and stop pretending we are something we are not. We are not Man City. We are stratospheres away from the Championship. These players would genuinely struggle in League Two, players that Flitcroft sanctioned and scouted. At least go down with some dignity and pride and start again next season in League Two on a fresh page without Flitcroft clinging on. It's f*cking embarrassing. They've buried their heads in the sand for far too long and the inevitable is happening, something fans saw coming in November.

See you in a hour mate 👍🏻🤣

Due to some other life stuff that’s happened this week, as well genuinely ruining my weekends with how angry this team made me, I decided not to go today. It’s the first time I’ve willingly not gone to a home game - bar when we starved out V2001. Losing as many games as we have for 14 months is simply damaging for fans with any degree of emotional involvement. I had to remove myself. It felt wrong, I felt that I wasn’t a ‘proper’ fan - but I’ve had a much nicer afternoon than if I’d gone, as opposed to being seething and moody. I’m sure many will criticise me, but I couldn’t deal with another Saturday like this one would inevitably turn out. Feel for the fans who went and had some degree of hope. This is an awful team with absolute no fight, and a manager who, whilst dealt a poor hand, is playing it horrendously. 1 point from 6, is it? It’s appalling, and there are questions he needs to answer next season. Everything I’ve heard from Carol suggests that Flitcroft is going nowhere, and we all need to come to terms with it. We know he’s the problem, but unless she has a Damascene conversion in the next few weeks, he’ll be in situ come August. For now, I’ve got my Saturdays back. I’ll a fool who’ll renew in the summer, but I’m not sure these players are worth the wasted Saturdays till May. The sun is coming, Euros in June, Carol won’t fold us. We will go down and the world won’t end. We’ll be back to 5000 total gates, and probably won’t come straight back up. It’s rubbish, but what else can we do?

Benning wasn't good enough for the vale according to the majority of the fans on here either.

The manager needs to take some blame as well. He's been dealt a poor hand but he's had some more favourable fixtures and we've got one point. We look like we have less of a plan than under crossby. It's a terrible start.

The first and only thing that should be on the club's league two preparation list is giving Flitcroft his P45. Everything else is irrelevant until that's happened.

I agree. Exactly the same for me. I sacked it off to make an Apple Crumble for a family lunch tomorrow, that’s how angry, frustrated, disenchanted (insert own adjective) I’ve become this year. Crumble. Ummm. The writing was on the wall from the word go…. no team should lose 7-0 and in hindsight, the flakiness we saw from that team has been prevalent since, especially since Ollie & Alfie went. For me, the kick up the arse should have come in the aftermath of the Boro game. An historic, massive, winnable game for the club and one of the most abject, lifeless performances I’ve ever seen since the ‘rabbits in the headlights’ 6-0 at Villa Park many moons ago. So here we are. We’ve been sleepwalking back into L2 for 18 months. The number of times people like myself and others have been derided for being naysayers when it’s been as clear as the nose on your face. Flitcroft will take us into the National League, I’ve no doubt about it. One word…. Bury.

Not looking good is it. However, in the spirit of positivity (remember that?) 1 - Congratulations to Baylee Dipepa on his first ever league goal - one he will never forget, even if it was part of a defeat. 2 - I've got 2 tickets to Orient on Tuesday, and...er...well, that's it really, it seemed like a good idea at the time. There's a nice cafe nearby, so at least I'll get fed. 3 - Better days are ahead. We'll go down, Flitcroft will fall on his sword because he failed to deliver, and we will get rid of the players who have let us down and buy some others who will....er...play for the Vale. And I'll rock up and watch them because I always have and I always will. It's not easy this positivity thing is it?

Most of the fans won't be going either

Pleased for Dipepa if nothing else. His first goal at this level will be something that lives with him for the rest of his career and life.

Big rallying call. "Players are fighting". "Get behind us". Fans up for it. 1-0 down in 5 mins.

Just arrived at the Wembley of the North. Oatcakes and a pint. The DJ in the fan zone is giving it large!! Vale win today 2 or 3 nil. You head it here first

For those still clinging to hope that these “phenomenal” players keep us up, we have failed to win in 47 of our last 58 league matches.

Again, trying to find some positivity in this morass of pain. I decided on the New Year to base my beer consumption on the Vale's results - if we won, I'd have a couple of pints, if we drew or lost I would abstain. I've lost a stone and a half. The present Mrs. Lornelounger is furious, since I can now get back into trousers she was going to throw out....

Thanks Carol and DF. Chuffed you’ve managed to put together this phenomenal squad. You 2 are so right and us fans are so blind that we just can’t see it! and we’ve also given Robbie a nice title, and given the riffraff a free drink. all is well in the world of PVFC, and I nearly forgot to mention your OBE!

Gutless. Spineless. Heartless. Take what you want from that but that is my 3 words. When a young lad steps up to give us but a glimmer of hope of 3 points says says it all. David Flitcroft you have left a squad of players totally out of depth and inept of understanding the core values of the hardworking working class people who come and watch this team. This team fights for nothing and I repeat that nothing, but it's okay for them, they'll still get their salary But what about us? Remember that team during out promotion season? Were we the highest scorers in that division? No. Did we perhaps have the best defensive record in that division? No. Were we the best team in that division? - No. Did we have the players with heart and desire to play for the badge? Oh yes. I'll never forget Hartlepool away where we had to really grind for a result and every man and their dog in who represented Port Vale our club come out to the fans and give us recognition and celebrated - I knew then it was our time. That's the complete difference with our promotion team and this team. There is no desire no heart no commitment to the average Joe fan the promotion team but their bodies and heart on the line for their goals and even though at times the goals seem hard or unreachable they never gave up. Case in point our day at Wembley. Take all the fight spirit and togetherness out of the team that went up was there enough quality? Perhaps but I am not sure. That can be the difference but I am convinced these players do not give a sh** after today's results and that opinion will stand until the inevitable happens and we end up with the dreaded R against our name.

Personally I don't think the guy's up to the job. Every other club near us or below us, in the league, signed one, two or three strikers. Some on loan, some from lower leagues. Since their signing for others clubs, some have scored against us. Why on earth did we miss out on all these strikers that opposition clubs have mysteriously uncovered? There's got to be a reason, and sadly it can only be that the guy is out of his depth, and is not up to the job. I truly feel sorry for him with the abuse etc, but if you can't do what you're supposed to do, then there's only one answer.

That’s the spirit.

It's so frustrating in as much she recognises she knows nothing about the football industry and quite rightly she looked for someone to run the football side of the business, what I find unbelievable is she takes the first person she comes across without going through an interview process, same with the manager situation, as Jean has said we wont need a DoF next season.

Have read all the Happy Clapper messages on here this week, comments like we can do it, get behind the lads, etc etc. Most of us already knew the game was up weeks ago. We are hopeless throughout the side, we have let Conlon, Pett, Charley, Benning, Worrall go, all better than the current squad. Carol says now is the time to stick together, rubbish,now is the time to explain to the Vale fans, what has happened at our club since Jan 23. We just survived last season, after a non event January transfer window. So what do we do this January, exactly the same, no striker, no LB, no left sided midfield. Why did Carol allow this to happen, was it Flitcrofts ineptitude or Carol not realising funds. The caring Vale fans need to know, what have you done to our club. As for me that’s it, I’m finished. Good luck loyal Valiants, you deserve better.

I posted before how despondent frustrated and totally bemused as to how Fraudcroft could remain at our Club. I suffer, like all Valiants but lately it had made me ill with worry and I wanted to cut ties with my lifetime Club. However after the posts from Bede and others detailing their meeting with Carol plus DM' s rallying call, I felt I owed myself 1 last at seeking some salvage from a bitch of a season. How wrong I was to believe any of the hot air/ trollope! From the moment I saw the team sheet until the dire end of the game I was completely dejected. What an absolute pile of shyite they all are. We are a VERY poor tea. devoid of any leadership, fight, tactics or spirit. Fact. I am now seriously done. Valiants enjoy your lives. I will not be in atte da ce at Vale Park again until Fraudcroft is gone. Over to you Carol as I believe I am far from being the only disconsolate season ticket holder.

Ripley, Garrity and Ojo are the only players anywhere near L1 standard. Why has DM selected Grant and Massey today? Neither would get in a pub team tomorrow morning! Shrewsbury are the third worst team I've seen this season (behind Carlisle and us) and they won today without trying too hard at all. Our formation and tactics were baffling today. Against Shrewsbury, all we needed to do was play the ball into the space down the flanks, behind their full backs, and get in behind them. We did it a couple of times and they were so slow, we had 1 on 1 opportunities to score. Unfortunately, we wasted much of the game faffing around with it at the back and letting the Shrewsbury defenders relax in the sunshine, especially during the first half. Clearly DFs plan of getting DM in as soon as he became available (having been sacked by Huddersfield for 3 wins in 20-odd games) so he could bring Dwight Gayle with him (scuppered by Derby offering him more than we could) has fallen completely flat and not had the effect that everyone was hoping for. I really dislike the fact that DM is the first person off down the tunnel on the final whistle. I've not got much respect for that. I've not got any respect for the way that AC was treated. I've not got any respect for the majority of players who got AC the sack. I've got zero respect for the person responsible for recruitment, the person who got rid of Woz, Harrison, Benning, Conlon, and brought in Grant, Massey, Loft, Sang. Time to plan for next season in L2. If we don't change the person in charge of recruitment, we'll be in a relegation battle again this time next year. I have a lot of respect for Carol and Kevin for saving our great club from NS and certain oblivion. I implore the Shanahans to get rid of any charlatans within the current structure of the club, and do it quickly and decisively, so we can put the previous three abysmal transfer windows behind us and start building again for progress. Our fan base is not big enough for us to be wasting money on pipe dreams and nonsense ideas. We need a motivational manager who can bring the right kind of "characters" into our football team to create a team that we can all be proud of.

All you naysayers just have to remember who brought in Gore from Man U and Williams from Liverpool. They’re massive clubs - how did Flitcroft pull off such deals? We may not have won in 2024, but you need to take the rough with the smooth

I think Flitcroft will leave for the following reasons: 1 - using the criteria of the targets he had to hit like Carol did a while back, he has failed abysmally to provide the last 2 managers with players to keep us up. That's the most important criteria for me - the other criteria Carol said he had hit were nice, but we are a football club when push comes to shove. And he is in charge of all things on the pitch. And that's been shockingly bad. 2 - That fact will hurt him professionally. He has to look Darren Moore in the eye most days, and that won't feel good. He has to explain his failure to Carol (and despite some of the pathetic comments on here about the relationship between Carol and Flitcroft, she will see that he has failed - and you can't just big him up with the successes he has had without pointing out the most glaring, expensive failure - relegation). 3 - So I think he will resign, because he has just had the relegation of the club laid fairly and squarely at his door. I'm assuming he has integrity here, and is ultimately doing his best, but given the budget he has to work with, his best just hasn't cut it. He can make a statement to say "thanks for the promotion, and sorry about the two dire seasons in League 1 - good luck" 4 - if he doesn't resign, he will have to be dismissed, which will hurt him more - so I think he will jump before he is pushed. It gives the club a convenient way of lumping a lot of the blame his way, and starting afresh (which gets a few people off the hook temporarily). The players have to have a look at themselves too, but I'm assuming a lot will leave this summer. 5 - Darren Moore will then be free to do things his way. He took the job on with a DoF who has failed to provide us with the bullets to fire, and I am sure he is champing at the bit to get hold of the club, get in his own players, and get us playing better football again. He didn't sign 5.5 years to be a failure. I wouldn't even be surprised that relegation was always on his mind, and the events of the last few weeks have just confirmed that he has inherited a shitshow not of his making. He will be keen to start afresh without Flitcroft. I hope this is how it plays out in terms of Flitcroft's departure. He simply has to go, by one means or another.

Why does Flitcroft have to be part of this. He messed up Bury. He’s now hellbent of messing up Vale

You’ve got two of the letters right..

Can't blame Moore. Nobody would fix this mess. There is a much bigger problem at our club than the manager, he's the human shield from Flitcroft. Who will probably get the sack thus making it 3 managers reigns than Flitcroft survives.

Hang on the players are not doing enough The Manager can only do so much These players are total fuckin bottle jobs

Benning wasn't good enough for the Vale according to Flitcroft ?

I have just read Tony’s post about the meeting and that he apologised for what was in the statement. I’ve represented my Union in National Negotiations from pay to shift patterns and the reaction to the statement reminds me of the ones put out at work. We regularly fell out with our CEO who called us a bunch of Fuckers from time to time. The statements obvs didn’t reflect that and were quite bland. Then we had then to put up with the moans of our members This reminds me of that. I have utmost respect for the people who went in. You can’t scream and shout and get your own way like certain people on SM and P&G think. It’s a very difficult job. So regardless of how the team plays until the rest of the season FWIW they have my thanks. Last note. What Tony said about slagging people off also importantly applies to the PLAYERS . They aren’t going to play their best if NobbY Nobrains is screaming that insert name here is useless and a <ovf censored>.

I hope the players are more lively than than that pint!

I'd give my left bollock for DC back, which is mad cause I gave my right 1 a few weeks ago for Darren Moore 😆

The free hot chocolate was sihte aswell.

Forums are for grown ups.

Be lucky to shift 1.5k season tickets next season. Never seen such a heartless, spineless, weak as pìss bunch to pull on the shirt. Sinking quicker than the titanic. Atleast we're doing well in the community though 🙄.

Will Nappy, you most reasonable of fans and the least knee jerk person on here, I live in hope. All you seem to do is froth at the mouth. I'm gutted at what is happening at the club, but I don't litter this forum with rage like you do. Opinions are like arseholes, we all have one, and yours is just special. We both want Flitcroft out - Isee it my way, you see it yours. Keep foaming and frothing fella, but look after your mental health eh?

Same. I've booked minibus for Burton and day on ale but I'm done till August. Seen far worse Vale teams than this and we are better placed off the pitch. However I feel a real disconnect with the majority of the team. Obviously some exceptions. Really dislike this side .

Down to you now Shanahan. Your Club is a Disgrace from the Football Side. Do something Positive and Quick or you won’t sell 1500 Season Tickets Listen to the Ale and Vale Podcast and make Flitcroft and Moore listen and realise what you have made True Loyal Vale Fans feel like and then get rid of your Stupid New Club President and all your other useless staff. I have supported Vale since 1963 and have seen some **** but not this bad and best of it you Shanahan won’t admit it.

That’ll be too latte