MBE

At last some common sense on here. The reason most clubs struggle financially is because the owners lose interest OR their primary business starts to run out of money. Every club in the land, except 4, plan to loose money but increase the businesses vale through CAPEX investments. The rest is a decision on wages and whether to fund overspend and convert this into a share issue or an interest free loan. I think it’s pretty obvious our priority as a club has not been off the pitch. That has to change if we are to become a stable L1 club.

This is fact. I not going to say how I know but here are the facts. Colin was contracted to stay with the club to help the transition for Carol and Kevin so they could learn the ropes before doing it ‘their way’. He was due to leave after the pre season anyway but it was bought forward to March because It was unnecessary for him to stay beyond the end of season following structures implemented. The club felt well prepared and informed to tackle pre season duties without his experience. A good man wasn’t tossed aside as you keep putting put it. Please stop peddling this line. It is incorrect. A CEO leaving is not the reason the ship is sinking.

It’s got nothing to do with Colin. It was a bit <ovf censored> and very corporate though how he left. What was worse was how Colin was left to his own devices at half time to say an emotional goodbye. Not a single soul on the pitch with him which I thought was very distasteful. This tells you everything how the club is run at the top. Colin’s enjoying retirement in a sunny climate.

We were desperate for a cheap loan and our previous DoF was obsessed with PL2 player market. Weir was also terrible for Blackpool this season and struggled to get in their side. Poor player. A good example of football nepotism.

I’m neutral with Moore. He inherited Flitcrofts squad, a team full of nice guys who are losers. The squad he was left to work with is pretty embarrassing, quality wise. Limited is probably the best way to describe it. I really don’t think he’s had much to work with and don’t see how anyone could keep this group up. I’ve always tried to be positive as much as possible since he arrived but it was always out of hope. If Moores up for the challenge of a rebuild in L2 then I would be happy for him to do it. If Moore leaves I don’t trust Carol to make the right appointment.

He is absolutely <ovf censored>. He will never ever get anywhere near your 1st team and will be very lucky to play above L2 level next season.

Thankfully I’ve not been able to see our last 2 home games. Looks like we are getting what we what we deserve in relegation. The stats on the season are horrendous. Carol has really <ovf censored> up in my view. Placed too much trust in a DoF who looked like he had all the money and power with unequivocal support and unquestioned, shows more interest in community awards and personal honours than the football side. With piss poor recruitment and extremely top heavy costs in non playing football staff this is a very avoidable relegation which I think is completely self inflicted due to poor decision making by her. Major rethink needed of football structures within the back room teams, to more wisely spend, what’s going to be minimum a reduction of 1million budget. I would try and offload every single player except lads from the academy to rebuild. This group of players are losers. No winning mentality with senior players demanding standards. Too many players in this squad have previous relegation on CV’s. The jury’s also out on the manager for me. The players he inherited are <ovf censored>, I think this is why subs always make us worse but this is Flitcroft’s vision of L1 players so it’s unfair to judge him on this season. I do have a nagging doubt though…the way he talks in press conferences about ‘Port Vale Football Club’ rather than ‘we’ makes me believe he has a relegation release clause. If that’s the case and he does go I’d be very concerned Carol can make the right appointment.

You don’t have any costs outsourcing ramping up or down your resources. There is a reason we are an outlier in the EFL with this approach.

Yeh I get that in 1 year is a change but 2 years running is a bit much. I personally think it’s bad business to bring services in house. You may have an operation saving cost but you can’t ramp up and down quickly depending on circumstances as you increase your employee liabilities fore redundancies etc. should the worse happen. Vale are an outlier in the football league on this approach.

Put this into context.... Shrew bury Town employed in 2022 166 staff and 182 in 2023. Crazy, absolutely crazy.

Don't forget the from 115 staff in 2021 to 246 in 2022 !!! Are we really spending money in the right way? Do we really have the right priorities as a club?

Kasper has gone missing from the squad. Maybe he has been sent back to Barnsley ?

I don’t disagree with anything you have said Hitcher. My argument is Plant along with the other lads are not 1st team ready. Some of the comments I read about him and Walters, Shorrock & Dipepa it’s like fans expect them to be dependable 1st team L1 players and my point is they are simply not. 1st year and 2nd year pros. Fans forget that, I suppose that’s because the state of the squad. Highlights the flawed strategy of the season by the club.

Unpopular opinions Ripley is one of the most overrated keepers I can remember at Vale. Bottom end L1 GK.He wouldn't get any any of the top 8 teams. He's x10 better than Stone and Stephenson from last year which is why fans think he is good. Smith is a fantastics L2 player, he's not a L1 defender. Sell Garrity 1m + to reinvest in the team. Plant, Walters, Shorrock,Dipepa shouldn't be anywhere near the 1st eleven. All players with potential to develop and bring in and out of the match day squads and from the bench here and there.

We are a very limited team thanks to horrendous recruitment so I have zero expectations of results season BUT I do expect the team to be a competitive in EVERY game. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

Carlisle 3 points Fleetwood 1 point Cheltenham 0 points Burton 3 points Shrewsbury 0 points 10 games 7 points. Not going well that strategy is it.

Only positive it wasn’t 8 or 9. Gulf in quality, energy and commitment. How we can be so flat and not put a tackle in all night when you’re in a relegation battle is beyond me. I detest this squad. Weak weak weak. I wouldn’t want to keep any of them. Not one. Have to say I thought Darren Moores tactics were terrible tonight.

Will be delighted with another nil nil draw and a game of zero quality.

Dunna worry. It’s in our own hands. Doesn’t matter what other teams do now.

Thank you Carlisle. Just shows you can do all the mental gymnastics you want but football is unpredictable. After watching Cheltenham for 20 minutes in each half tonight I’m a lot more confident we can stay up. They look very very short up front. I noticed the striker Joe Nuttall was getting the full Ryan Loft treatment being sarcastically cheered.

Sad to see Wilo out for the season. Little bits of genius here and there which most players at this level are not capable of. He’s hasn’t done it enough though given his ability. Probably the last we have seen him in a Vale shirt. The end sums up his last 2 years.

Can’t remember seeing a worst game of football for a long time. Quality for both sides was dreadful, not helped by the wind and a very bobbly looking pitch. At least we are now looking more organised and solid to give us a base to work from. Point away from home is a good point but can’t help but think it’s a wasted opportunity with the way the game played out.

True but doable. Personally I would prefer they don’t get dragged back into it so that final game they have nothing to play for.

Cambridge are still catchable bearing in mind the final home game of the season.

Why did we go away from the basics of clearing the ball and playing the %’s? Pissed around with the ball at the back with pointless possession, no tempo or urgency, pedestrian passing, clueless in the final 3rd, wasteful in front of goal and gave the easiest goals away. Basically we revert back to Crosby style. Disappointing to say the least. Not one player can hold their head up today with that performance. It’s as if some of them think they are good players all of a sudden because they won a game. Darren, Please remind them why the team successful in the previous 2 games and what got them in the bottom 4. Connor, Stay in your box!