[New Manager is ?]

Wow.  Such a big name appointment has obviously generated loads of positivity from fans, which has got to help the team short term.  Top marks to Carol, Flickers and whoever else got this one over the line.  DM just needs to somehow add a player or two and shore up our leaky defence.  Beyond that all managers need a slice of luck.  Fingers crossed on that score.

[Cheltenham (A) match thread - 17th Feb]

Hopefully take a good following.  Nice round of applause for Daryl before kick off then two fingers at the final whistle as we walk away with 3 points in the bag.

[New Manager is ?]

27 minutes ago, saintvaliant said:

There are no free hits in our situation. Every game is now a cup final.

Tomorrow is a tough one but on any given day any side in this league can beat any other.

Correct, and if we don’t win then don’t lose.

[Peterborough (A) match thread - 10th March]

1 hour ago, rider1308 said:

Can't see beyond anything but another defeat from the tippy Tappy roll over and tittle my belly brigade. Division 4 here we come !!!!!

To be fair we’ve not been “tippy tappy” lately, although we are soft centred as you say.

[David Flitcroft Out]

7 hours ago, Doha said:

bullsh1t.

3 horrendous windows. Loft. Crosby appointed without interviewing externally. Dire, dire football, playing wingbacks when we don't actually have any. 3 wins in 5 months and we're in the relegation zone and our forward line every second half is an actual child who did his GCSEs last summer, but it's alright because DF is building an office overlooking the training pitches. FFS does anyone at the club actually have a grip of reality?

We never NEEDED to appoint Crosby. 

It isn't a gameshow.

 

The only thing horrendous about the windows is our continued inability to sign proven forwards.  There has been some good recruitment, albeit this time we’re short at LWB.  The likes of Ripley, Chislett, Arblaster, Devine aren’t bad recruits.

We played good football, with wingbacks early in the season.  Injuries have had a major impact although we have been too rigidly fixed to a system.  The plan all along is to get our own young players into the team.  Sadly the best of these, James Plant, is another on the injury list.

They’re not simply building an “office”, it’s a facility for the players, including moving the gym to allow Lorne St stand to be fully opened.

We NEEDED to appoint a coach/manager and Crosby, for whatever reason, got the gig.  It didn’t work out.  You’re right it’s not a gameshow, it’s life, and things don’t always go to script.

 

[David Flitcroft Out]

3 hours ago, Killersrevenge44 said:

If you fail at your job you get the sack. 

Usually if a person fails at their job, targets don't get met which means people higher up whom are responsible for those targets, become culpable. 

Swing it any way you want. Players... Dof is culpable

Dof... Owner is culpable

Owner... The fans become culpable for not protesting. 

Flitcroft, fair enough on the player recruitment side and clearly, for whatever reason, the Crosby appointment didn’t work out.  On the flip side, you have to give him credit for the appointment of Clarke, and with it promotion, or are you ignoring that?  I’m not a fan of Flickers but I’ll back Carol’s judgement for a while longer.  If we’re relegated then the inquest can be held at that point.  Up ‘til then the team need support from the stands.

You seem to have an agenda against the owners.  I think you’re way out of touch with the vast majority of our fans on that score.  It’s easy to come on here spouting drivel so why not make your point, stand outside the main entrance at the next home game and protest away to your hearts content.

[David Flitcroft Out]

2 hours ago, philpvfc said:

I didn’t think Flitcroft was involved in the off field stuff, I thought he was responsible for the playing side. Clarke was decent and the right choice but he’s had more backing than any ,manager I can record in 35 years of watching the Vale, and I don’t think Crosby is as bad as a lot make out, maybe he shouldn’t have got the job but I think with better signings he would have easily kept us up as well as getting us further than ever in the League cup. Port Vale have been going backwards since December 22 on the pitch, why? I don’t think it is our owners, some may blame Crosby, myself I blame whoever is responsible for the players we are bringing in. We survived by a few points last season, and nearly all the season was under Clarke, our squad is now worse so what do people expect. If Flitcroft is in charge of the playing side he should be in charge on what players we bring in and controlling the budget, he has failed miserably and will most likely continue to fail with whichever manager we have.

Flitcroft is involved in the whole football side not just the first team.  The first team recruitment has left us short, simple as that.

[David Flitcroft Out]

3 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

A lot of words to say 'they appointed the wrong guy in a massive blunder, without speaking to anyone else'.

That’s what you should be said in the first place then there would’ve been no reply from me, wordy or otherwise.  The only thing I’d add is that even you can’t see the future so name whoever you want as manager it’s only ever best guess, so Crosby, Clarke or anyone else could succeed or fail, we’d never know unless they’re given the chance, and more importantly, the tools to do the job, that last bit is down to the DoF and his recruitment team. Oh, and a slice of luck.  Crosby wasn’t blessed with that either.

[David Flitcroft Out]

14 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

There's no such thing as 'earning your chance'. The opportunity to manage PVFC is not a reward for hard work.

You appoint the best manager, not share us out like a toy at a children's party. It wasn't Crosby's 'go'.

He didn't even talk to anyone else. He, rather arrogantly, assumed we had the best candidate already here, and he didn't need to bother even reading any CVs. A lot of Vale fans pointed out that this was both an awful process, and that Crosby probably wasn't up to it.

We can't defend an appointment which so many average fans correctly saw as not good. Let's not put excuses in place for a massive mistake. Pressure is on him to undo his balls up with this next appointment.

Your first sentence is patently wrong.  If I give someone a job it’s in the belief that they’ve earned their chance, usually, in this case, by having a proven good track record in football, as was the case with DC.  But it’s not simply an individuals CV, there are also many other factors which come into play.  In Crosbys case the club knew the character of the man and already had trust in him.  They obviously thought his coaching and man management skills were good, having observed them first hand. He knew the workings of the club and the blue print.  He knew the players and they seemingly had a lot of respect for him.  You only have to listen to Ojo in his latest interview.  The club decided to offer Crosby the role based on these factors.  It was less of a risk than employing a manager based on his CV, an interview and a few recommendations, which is where we are right now.  Whoever gets the job will have “earned their chance” in the eyes of the club.  There’s a lot of pressure to get it right but one look at them lot down the road will tell you all you need to know about how easy it is to recruit a successful manager in football.

[David Flitcroft Out]

1 hour ago, valeitup said:

That was in no way a dubious penalty and the team was good for a point yesterday against a team that must be riding very high.

I don't mean to single you out, MBE, but we do need to stop stacking the deck against Flitcroft. He's got a mixed record in his job, and the last few months have been particularly concerning, but he now has an opportunity to get a very big decision right.

Flitcroft’s overall record isn’t mixed, it’s good.  All the off field stuff is heading in the right direction.  He got 1 managerial appointment right, and without an unforeseen tragedy we wouldn’t have needed to appoint Crosby, who in my view had earned his chance.  The elephant in the room is the striker saga.

[Stevenage (H) match thread - 10th Feb]

8 hours ago, Killersrevenge44 said:

Of course.

 

But many 'with a brain' understand the poor context of the situation the club is in. Some do not,but appear to be in a minority.

The ultimate investment has to be the team. 'Pumping money in or not'...it won't make a difference when relaegation comes along and a full season of lost revenue meaning no return on investment..

 

Enjoy the match

 

Everybody can see our position in the league table but the point is where would we be without the significant investment from the owners these past few years?  Probably still in the league below, or maybe lower than that.  Some fans seem have very short memories.

I did enjoy the match, thanks.  Did you?

[David Flitcroft Out]

10 hours ago, worldsendvalefan said:

Better footballers want better wages. They will put up with moderate training facilities

Nobody said wages weren’t the main driver.  Someone suggested training facilities don’t matter, which is a load of bo77ocks.

[David Flitcroft Out]

4 minutes ago, smithie said:

So not really supporting are they? 

Exactly this.

[Stevenage (H) match thread - 10th Feb]

9 hours ago, Killersrevenge44 said:

Come off it. 

Many were grateful to the owners when they 'saved' the club as you put it. 

But time moves on and lots of water passed under the bridge. No movement in the January windows, players leaving left right and centre, exclusivity shown to small percentages of the fan base whilst many others paying top dollar prices to get wet walking to a portacabin

No investment on the playing side, abstract letters defending the indefensible. 

Where is Port Vale going as a club? Why should supporters renew their sts if there is no effort or ambition or let's face it, transparency from the dof.

 

Disgusting how the fans are treat at the moment. 

If you’ve got a brain you’ll still be grateful to our owner.  They did save the club and continue to pump their own money in.

The fundamental issue is player recruitment, where money has been spent but the key areas are still lacking, massively so up front.

The portacabin situation is a recent and temporary situation, an inconvenience.

I’ll still renew our ST’s come what may.  Rough with the smooth and all that.👍🏻 

[Stevenage (H) match thread - 10th Feb]

43 minutes ago, Wrex said:

Did you know Steve Evans is utterly insane?

His record suggests he knows a darn sight more about football than all of us on here put together sunshine. 👍🏻

[David Flitcroft Out]

12 minutes ago, Nippy Naylor said:

I would train on a park football pitch as long as I got a good wage at the end of the month 

 we won't attract many better

footballers if we go down though 

I'm sure they won't be arsed about 

the championship ready facilities either 

You can pass that onto whoever you want  too 

There's a good chap 😆👍

 

I’ll have a guess here but that’s because you aren’t a professional footballer, and likely never played footballer at all.

Meanwhile, back here on planet earth, training facilities matter whatever the sport.  That’s why you don’t see many professional golfers training down their local crazy golf course.  Even pub teams will get on the astroturf, 3G or go indoors in winter to be able to train.  Think about that for a second then feel free to go back to your ramblings.

[David Flitcroft Out]

11 minutes ago, Nippy Naylor said:

Engage your brain , the product on the pitch keeps the punters coming through the turnstiles but at the moment the product is shyte , Bo##ock# to the training facilities 

We are more interested in better footballers coming into the club, be a good chap and pass it on to the hierarchy 

Better footballers want decent training facilities, be a good chap and pass it on to the other dim wits.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

1 hour ago, Killersrevenge44 said:

Where's the money? January window...nothing. Players leaving left right and centre. Something isn't working

Basically what’s not working is player recruitment and first team management, the rest of it is pretty solid barring the odd blip with our old stadium. 👍🏻

[An Open Letter from Carol]

1 hour ago, AndyGeorge said:

It doesn't seem possible to keep the fans happy.

It’s impossible to keep all the fans happy, you only have to read some of the prophets on here to see that.  To harangue the owners to the extent some are on here is absolutely potty.  Mistakes have been made but the bitterness evident in some of the posts says much about the characters behind the words they write.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

37 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Great that’s she has finally broken the radio silence. Sadly the contents of the letter is pure bs. 

The contents aren’t pure bs though are they?  Carol has just listed positive achievements, which as far as I can see are facts.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

2 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

Conversely though that can be switched around and say that he was with DC all along thus was as culpable during our shocking post January slump. 

Most managers getting sacked involves the whole backroom team going also . We were the exception not the rule when we chose not to do so. 

It could indeed but the consensus seems to be that DC was not in a great place mentally at that time.  Also we’d had yet another <ovf censored> January window.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

1 minute ago, Vtid said:

She doesn’t class him as one of her admitted mistakes tho? Pair of them cuddled upto one another right now having a cuppa it’s disgusting 

Disgusting?  Someone having a cuppa?  Let’s hope there isn’t a war.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

24 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

Crosby was not witch hunted by anyone. 

It's a results business. He only lasted as long as he did because as usual we dithered and the cup run.

He was certainly not a victim or scapegoat although he was hampered in the transfer market as was Clarke. 

Maybe not witch hunted but some fans wanted to stick with Clarke in the first place and derided the appointment of Crosby from the off as a “cheap option”, so not a great place to start.  Easy for some to forget he was part of the team that took us up and overlook that maybe the club took the view that it maintained some continuity and subsequently he deserved a crack at the job permanently.  Who knows?  No question results haven’t been good enough albeit injuries and recruitment are mitigating circumstances.  Nobody can say Crosby enjoyed much luck during his short time in the hot seat but ultimately he had his chance and failed.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

10 minutes ago, Warren said:

I was pleased to see the breadth of projects Flitcroft has been involved with. It does justify his senior role existing and likely salary it carries. But the main requirement is successful football and preferably entertainment. Now on that one over the last 18 months he can't point to success. He is currently overseeing a serious failure. 

Without a doubt.  Very likely a catastrophic failure which will result in our relegation and the financial implications that entails.  That said, the damage is done, we can’t sign anyone to significantly improve the team so we’re essentially waiting for the injured players to return whilst praying for “new manager bounce”.  The immediate thing now is for fans to fully back the team and keep the Flitcroft protests low key.  Flitcroft leaving tomorrow won’t help keep us up.  There’ll be plenty of time for recriminations and a more suitable time in my view.  Even if we do manage a miracle the fans won’t forget.

[An Open Letter from Carol]

I fully appreciate what Carol and Kevin have done for our club, love them to bits.  The letter makes a decent read and lays out some valid points without really explaining why the squad is so poor right now which is the basic issue here.  Recruitment, overall poor since we gained promotion and only one person to blame for that.  It’s a real shame that for all the undoubted good it’s the football side that’s come unstuck.  Having thought about it I’ll stick with Carol, which means sticking with Flitcroft.  I’ll see who we appoint as manager and his staff and the impact they have on the team, hopefully with the addition of a free agent or two, although I’m not holding my breath on that one. For me supporting the team is more important right now than one individual in the club so I aim to back the team and won’t be shouting for Flitcroft’s head until we’re mathematically relegated, which I think is nailed on, at which point I’ll jump on the band wagon but not before.  This isn’t to denigrate those who wish to protest in any way.  Quite clearly the guy has shafted us but Flitcroft leaving now won’t have any impact on us staying up apart from improving the atmosphere short term.