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I haven't read the whole thread so apologies for that. If I put myself into Carols position right now, I would be really struggling emotionally and mentally. Carol had total trust in Dave Flitcroft and he has only been gone for a very short time. I would imagine there is some sort of grieving process she is going through. The video that was recorded of her in the Valiant Suite and then put online has effected her trust in how things are perceived. She will feel that everything she says will be used against her and that leaves her in a very isolated and difficult position when it comes to communication. It was very naïve of her to do what she did in front of paying fans, they are not trusted friends. However, publishing a video of somebody clearly distressed is a pretty awful thing to do and most of us would have been absolutely devastated by it. We feel like we do about the situation as fans, imagine having invested millions and ending up back at square one, how would you feel? Yes there is plenty that Carol herself has done wrong, not least trusting the former DoF, but even if it is her fault she is still a person who needs to come to terms with it all. I am prepared to give her next season. The Shanahan's have the very best interests of the club at heart, even if they are getting it wrong at the moment in various areas. Lets just remember that whilst its ok to criticise what's happened, its not ok to criticise Carol as a person. She probably needs more support right now than ever before.

If you feel that much compassion to Carol then compensate her by reimbursing her with some of the money you extracted from her, when you held a gun to the clubs head.?. This is our club nothing to do with you anymore. Go stick your nose into someone else’s business. Adios.

There has been some directed to her with comments on twitter (x) which obviously you can tag in so they see it and are notified. Shes messed up but doesnt deserve abuse and we need to support her and the club in trying to put things right going forward.

Norman Smurthwaite lecturing us on respectful conduct.

Does that make it right? Why follow the trend? Why waste a wage? Do yourself a favour, if you’re employed by OUR football club, and listen to Tony Pulis on Undr The Cosh. He touches on how the manager should be buying the players and it doesn’t work when someone else buys the players. It’s absolutely scandalous that this was allowed to happen here at Vale. Where a DOF bought the players. A DOF told the manager how to play. A DOF told the manager what formation we will use. A DOF told the manager we are playing our own kids to make money and taking on other teams kids on loan to build relationships. Flitcroft may as well just sat in the dugout every Saturday with the influence and input he was having! And people say “even Forest Green have one”. Yeah. Look where they are. If it’s Moore or whoever. Let that man identify the targets HE wants and nobody else. Let him have the say in contract length. It worked for over 100 years. We are about to go into the 4th division. We’ve already got a ridiculous amount of staff employed at this club. I’ve always said in the lower leagues managers can complicate football with their modern day coaching ideas. I will also say that owners can also complicate football with a DOF, multiple football scientists, other staff who we really don’t need. Just keep it simple. In the last two decades we’ve had Micky Adams and Darrell Clarke who have achieved real success. Clarke probably won’t give us time of day anymore but somebody at the club should be going cap in hand to Micky Adams. Asking for his advice. Even swallow the (what seems to be from the outside) the pompous attitude and go to Popey, Yatesy, Duffy, Hughesy, Birchall, Griff, Dicko, and others and get their advice. What would be an absolute catastrophe is signing “nice lads”, putting little videos out of them basically being told what to say when they sign, hiring a DOF who says I’m signing the players, we will play tippy tappy crap, not put in a tackle, and our formation will be 3-5-2 every week. Been there. Done that. It’s been more of an on field circus this year than under Smurthwaite and I never ever thought I’d say that. Keep it simple. Manager. His targets. His players. Leave him to manage. Stay away from a DOF. Surround ourselves with good old ex pros who love the club who can offer a touch of advice here and there as we go and let’s get back to being Port Vale Football Club again instead of Port Vale Corporate business. All the fans care about is the football. That’s the biggest learning curve that’s needed.

We win tonight, draw at Bolton and lose 4-0 against Cambridge to make it the most Vale relegation ever.

Yep, bang on Tony. Some of the stick has began to seep into the personal, with some laughable comparisons between herself and a pernicious character like Smurthwaite. Folk seem to have forgotten the well-meaning person who is probably going to be feeling a tremendous amount of guilt, in their efforts to lash out at someone for causing relegation. She’s ballsed up and I don’t think we need to spend any more time banging on about them - there’s absolutely no doubt that Carol is well aware of them and will be regretting them massively, both on a personal and financial level. I sincerely hope she takes some time to reflect and rest after a very intense and damaging couple of years. The club and fanbase can survive relegation to League 2 (I’ve already been through it twice in 20 years!) and a break is sorely needed. Relegations happen and mistakes are made I still don’t think we will find an owner who offers us a surer guarantee of a future in this madcap football landscape. To find a local fan, willing to run the club at a loss funded by her own money, is pretty fortunate - the alternative is likely an American hedge-fund on a leveraged buyout. We’ll be sound.

YoUr nOt A rEaL FaN If YoUr NoT tHeRe

The players need to take a long hard look at themselves. For a fan on minimum wage has to work over 2 hours to pay for a match day ticket. A few pints before the game and a pie another 2 hours. Travel to and from say an hour so over 1/2 day of hard work to come to the match. For what - to see this I can’t care attitude from overpaid and under talented privileged bunch of so called phenomenal footballers. Take a long hard look into those stands your not fit to wear the shirt. Even if your not good enough for L1 least show some fight. For all the excuses and reasons worst Vale side I’ve seen in 40 years.

This is starting to annoy me now. The fact we were so public about signing nice people. Look where it’s got us. This has come from the top down. We are a football team. Not a play group. Embarrassing.

To be fair, if you’re at the game and posting on your phone, it just shows how exciting it is. Come on. Get behind the lads! Isn’t that what your type shout every week! It only took 34 seconds for boos to ring around the gaff. Garbage on the pitch. Garbage in the stands.

Stop worrying guys we will stay up. This bunch of players are phenomenal remember.

Probably got more back bone than this Vale squad in them.

Moore needs to go. He is hopeless. He makes me look back almost fondly of the Crosby era watching this. How did he manage to make his efforts look worse?

Shrewbury beating Bolton. We better sit back on Saturday, just in case.

Nobody is giving any “vile stuff” to her. Fans are merely critical at the way she handled things. You, however…… You’re a rogue and a crook and a piece of human scum. Kindly <ovf censored> off.

I’m not going to complain with frozen prices.

I am going to have some time off before considering options for next season regardless of the league we are in.

Challenge accepted. 🙂 Knowing Vale as I do, they are just contrary enough to put on the performance of the season tonight and win (for the first mid-week game in 2 years). And then NOT get absolutely thrashed against Bolton on Saturday. So extending the hope / despair / outright torment to the last game v. Cambridge on 27th April.

I like Darren Moore. I think we have also put in place a good coaching team around him. We haven't sorted out the scouting side of the organisation post Flitcroft. For many supporters like me, the Exeter second half was the final straw with many in this squad of players. It wasn't Darren Moore's fault. Nor was, for example, Smith kicking the ball to the opposition striker soon after kickoff whilst Ripley is out of goal as happened in his first home game. Tonight is a critical moment. If we can somehow stay up, then the approach to next season is different than going down. But fundamentally I believe if Darren Moore has a good set of players for either L1 or L2 he will get some good results. I can see he can coach and he handles public relations well.

Firstly I cannot condemn a Manager who hasn’t even had one transfer window during his tenure. Secondly I don’t blame him going down the tunnel at FT as who wants a load of abuse from fans - I’d do the same! No managerial appointment is guaranteed, all you can go on is past performance and other than Huddersfield, he has a reasonable record. The reason we will be relegated is abysmal recruitment by the previous regime. We decided to offload the likes of Worrall, Pett, Hall, Proctor and Benning for far inferior players.

Moore hasn’t got Arblaster and Devine

Better for Cheltenham to win tonight. If that happens and we win tonight then we are level points with Burton and 2 points ahead of Cheltenham. We can then hope Cheltenham don’t win another game which is a high chance, Burton don’t get another win which is a very high chance and we get at least a draw against either Bolton or Cambridge. I reckon 6 points form our last 3 games and we will stay up but we must win tonight.

Match day 😳 2-1 Vale. Burton 1-1 Cheltenham. Call me mad or super optimistic but until that R is next to our name I’ll cling onto any hope whatsoever 😂 That could be completely shattered by 9.30 tonight!

I’m watching Married at first sight Australia with the Mrs nothing sad about me…..

They can’t be, Peterborough are so fantastic it isn’t even worth trying to score against them.

That's what can happen if you attempt to cross the halfway line . Yet we had apologists on here making out 3-0 was wonderful.

Poor you 😂

Was undecided about tonight but I'll be there, got to show some commitment eh? Hope the bloody team show some as well.

Moore is saving him for Bolton.

You, 7 hours ago

Most important retained list for years. Don't <ovf censored> it up Vale. Again.

I won’t be renewing mine and the better half’s had 2 for the last 10 years can only see us in the bottom half league 2 next season this seasons been shocking missed 10 home games just couldn’t be bothered go will still go half of the away games as it’s a day out can’t believe what’s happened after the euphoria of Wembley

What a rip off!

Here's mine for this season. However I will be renewing two tickets in the hope of a fresh canvas in August and a new striker .

No brainer, Istanbul, based on the fact it has less kebab shops.

We should have appealed that, but like the team on the pitch, just rolled over!

If DM does leave this summer. If Patrick Shanahan, isn’t considered as an applicant for the post, then for me it won’t be a fit and proper process.

I’m amongst the most cynical, pessimistic football fans going, but far weirder things have happened in football than Port Vale getting 4 more points than Burton across the next 3 games.

Unlikely dream land: Tonight Vale win Cheltenham beat Burton. Burton 43 Vale 43 Cheltenham 41 Saturday Vale lose to Bolton Burton lose to Reading Cheltenham lose to Lincoln Burton 43 Vale 43 Cheltenham 41 Tuesday Cheltenham lose to Posh Saturday Vale better Burton’s result There’s probably a 5% chance of it happening, but there it is. Burton have to lose tonight and we have to win, and then we have to pray they don’t win again.

Just to correct you, I have no positive bias towards Clarke and I think if you care to read back through various topics my comments would always acknowledge the fact that Crosby played a big part in our promotion. People seem to forget that the manager isn’t a one man band. When Clarke was in charge he had a team of staff along side him, Crosby being one member of that team. Moving along, I also don’t think Crosby was as bad a manager as many are making out. My own feelings being that he was hamstrung by recruitment and having to buy in to the football philosophy of his boss, David Flitcroft. I’ve said on several occasions that if we add a couple of capable strikers to our current, admittedly poor, squad, Crosby would’ve had enough about him to guide the side to safety, albeit probably not challenge for the play offs.

Nowt . Normal reaction. Drags you down.

I just want this season to end. It’s not fair on the fans. Get Rid of the Manager and all of the players apart from most of the Academy Lads and start again. This lot on show here are Pathetic.

Wycombe are strolling around like it’s a preseason friendly. Pathetic from Vale.

These players are pathetic. It'll turn ugly tonight. No fight. No heart. <ovf censored> THEM ALL OFF.

That’s astounding that all of the defence keep their places after that abortion on Saturday. Big call to not include our most effective attacker in Baylee unless they are now wrapping him up in cotton wool in case he gets injured ahead of any sale in the summer! Uche and Loft should provide some comedy between them anyway.

Ha ha! Really? From what you have seen so far! 😂

I'd prefer DM to make those decisions 👍

I think Crosby would have been a far better manager than Clarke if he had been given the same opportunities.

After many years of supporting the Vale through thick and thin, home and away, for the first time every I really don't want to go tomorrow night, I just don't think I can face it anymore.....what is wrong with me ?