pete vale

For one, I'd never support Stoke and secondly, forget about the early 'love-in' with Carol. I do appreciate the fact that the Shanahan's came in and 'saved' the club when they did. I'm merely talking about the here and now, grave errors have been made on and off the pitch, there is no getting away from that. You are right, it's my choice and my money. I'm hurting like many others and it is my opinion based on supporting Vale for 49 years. I'm not a happy clapper.

It seems like 'mistake after mistake'. DM is not the answer, Hate to say it.

I genuinely bought in to the Shanahan's, events of the last 12 months have tarnished that. Many things have contributed to my thoughts on and off the pitch. I have a big decision to make after 49 years. I've had enough and feel totally disillusioned with all at the Vale top to bottom. The culture and ideals at the top have seeped through to the playing side, leaving a rotten underbelly and supporters alienated.

The talk about the campus, and Synectics maybe expanding (increasing investment, etc) did to some degree made me a little paranoid thinking back to the V2001 and Smurthwaite days (Remember Smurf's flats idea?) Usually people with money - make money. Carol and Kevin are no fools. I only hope that there is no ulterior motive. It may just be a case of making the wrong decisions in recruitment and to a degree being mislead and sold a dream by DF. We will see in the coming months. Talk is cheap as they say, many bridges need to be built imo. Sad and you would never have predicted this back in summer 2022.

Much better than he did. I'm sure Crosby would have, people like Clarke definitely would have. Not for me.

Well said. Talk is cheap. I have no confidence that any credible decision makers within the club exist - end of. At the moment the lunatics have taken over the asylum. I certainly wouldn't place my faith in DM from what I've seen.

Problem is though that now much of the fan base has lost confidence in the decision making at Vale. I have lost confidence in DM, I expected much more tbh. We have an abysmal squad many of which are still under contract. Lose Garrity, Ripley and a few of the young lads and it's hello National League. I think any communications with supporters need to be clear. It hurts knowing this was going to happen. What hurts more is that those in charge allowed it to and don't look capable of doing anything about it.

Done nothing to suggest he has a future at the Vale. Dismal.

Is there any rumour that the max wage at Port Vale is set at £3,500 a week? I'd heard a few are on more than that?

I'll keep it simple. Moore has not impressed, he should have done better. Another error from the phenomenal dream team in recruitment. Not for me.

I was happy that we got Moore, though not so sure the timing of Crosby's departure was beneficial to anyone. 15 games later having witnessed a weak underbelly, lack of desire and professionalism at times, my thoughts now are that Moore is not the man and never will be. I assume Crosby told Carol and Flitcroft a few home truths prior to his sacking. For me Moore's appointment counts as one of very many critical errors of judgement from the top. Between them they have ruined what should have been a pathway onwards and upwards following May 22's promotion. Instead the wound became 'open' in January2023 until such time as now there is no hope of recovery. Moore has not impressed and regardless of people's thoughts on Andy Crosby, I firmly believe he would have done better, Arblaster or no Arblaster.

According to Flitcroft and Carol. Not many wonderful characters and human beings out there in the second half v Exeter mate. Come to mention it after 2-2 not many human beings there at all! Unbelievable capitulation of what "was" or appeared to be a football club on the up in May 2022. January 2023 showed the true colours, the rest has just followed suit. It could get worse. Carol is quiet.

Oh, either way, poor judgement mate. What a shambles. Clueless.

At least he got some minutes the lad from Liverpool was not even fit. Top class recruitment from our demised DOF. Shambles right through the place.

Well said. Garrity will be fine, deserves success, as for us....

Agree.

An intelligent post that Joe. Thank you.

It's hard to believe how what looked to be a positive thriving business has capitulated to such a degree. You could not make it up. 'It's like Terry Mcdermott once said to me "How do you make a million in a football club/ ans: Invest £10 million", he lost money in shares at Newcastle and Celtic I believe.

Garrity is our best player, sadly he'll be off.

Can someone with accountancy accumen explain to me the reasoning behind the said £3M+ loss and loans outstanding owed. I'm told that the Shanahan's have ploughed up to £12 million into the club (I may be wrong on the exact amount). I assume this is classed as a loan (to their own business?) and recoverable either by sale or can it be offset in the Synectics accounts in some guise. We must have made decent profit in hospitality and merchandising. I remember Smurthwaite 'creaming off' the profit from catering/ hospitality etc and languishing the debt onto another side of the business, namely Port Vale FC? How does it work in the finance world. To me it's a mess that could have been avoided to this extent. To me people with an existing, successful business don't walk into another venture and totally screw it up, football knowledge or not? Money is money afterall. It is a very surreal, strange situation, one not witnessed before? Or is the current situation merely a 'wolf in sheeps clothing scenario'? Hard to believe, I'd hate to think we've been hoodwinked. I do hope as a footnote that DM was not recruited off the back of a 3 hour face-time interview?

Basically they are clueless my friend. Mutton dressed as lamb. Not an ounce of common sense about the place.

There is nice signage for the RW Suite entrance though so we'll be fine sir......El Presidente will ride again....

Can't argue with any of that personally. We are not privy to what appeared to be "pie-in-the-sky" ideals of academy funding and the 'campus', let alone the loan and use of Premier League 2 youngsters - not viable in my opinion at this level at this moment in time. Yes, there needs to be a focus on youth and making the club sustainable for years to come commercially and professionally football-wise. Look at the effect on the fan base in regards to changes in the ticket office/ club shop as an example, not to mention the Paddock portaloos and exit debacles. A good example again today. We walked into the shop at 2.20pm today to look at and possibly purchase merchandise - no chance!! The queue was massive with I assume people arriving late and wanting match tickets? You could not view merchandise and even if you did try to purchase you would have probably missed kick-off? There are many issues/ examples of a distinct lack of common-sense about the place. The second half performance today was without question as bad if not worse than any performance I have witnessed since first attending in 1975. I struggle to reason exactly as to why things have unravelled so quickly and at such cost to the Shanahans financially. It is obviously poor decision making on both the playing side and future structure modelling of the club. Some comments from within particularly in regard to Flitcroft "going nowhere" were derogatory and condescending to the fan base, were these said comments merely a defence of the indefensible or born of arrogance from an inner circle environment that clearly had a 'plan' of sorts and the rest can go to 'hell in a hand cart whatever may'? That said this is an embarrassing, expensive, harsh lesson to learn leaving the club in financial woe and it's fan base totally demoralised at a time when this certainly shouldn't be the case following on from the euphoria of the 2022 promotion. Sad, very sad.

Had it not been for injury he would be playing at a higher level. I agree we can't carry injury prone players and it remains to be seen what happens this summer window.