Alan Vit

So 248 games, is about 20 games per team per season, presumably about 10 home and 10 away. Which leaves about 26 games per team per season, presumably about 13 home and 13 away, untelevised. I read it that the clubs will drop some gate revenue on their home games but pick up some extra TV revenue on their away games. Anyone got a better understanding?

Lydiate, Does the issue affect you or yours? If so, again I suggest that if you think it’s enough of a problem, you could send an email to Matt Hancock to ask him about it.

Lydiate, You seem to be criticising a communication for not improving communication? Maybe the decision hadn’t been made at the time of the Q&A, but is being communicated to supporters now that it has? I don’t know but neither do you. If you think it’s enough of a problem, you could send an email to Matt Hancock to ask him.

@Vtid Thank you, much appreciated

A deserved mention for the England Women's U17s who are through to their Euros final on Saturday and in with a good shout against a talented Spain side. I think the final should be on BBC, but can't find it listed. Let's hope the England U17 lads can do equally well. England beat Poland 2-0 to reach UEFA Women's Under-17s Euros final WWW.BBC.CO.UK

Laptop, as per Fosse69's post. To the best of my knowledge, "hovering" is not a feature on any phones.

I have to say that I like number 9 of 16, the one above that bottom left one.

If I recall correctly, I found it by hovering over the name of the one (KR44) I wanted to block and then the panel which pops up includes an Ignore button.

Wow, they have pushed the boat out there, in getting Lee Gregory to sign this early in the close season.

"... I’d be looking to release / terminate the contracts of 4 players. Jones, Lowe, Grant and Loft. ... I don’t think that would destroy the budget and what’s left should be an ok building block for some quality not quantity additions." If we are to believe the salarysport bods, and if those players are only on a 1-year contract each, paying off those four players would put a c. £550,000 hole in the budget. More, if any of them have 2 years remaining on their contracts - does anyone here know? So that's four new replacement players to bring in with a budget that is down to c. £2.7 million after the proposed 4 payoffs. And when the squad is already, imho, light on senior professionals, and needs other new players in several positions. I can understand why you would want to impose severe surgery after the season just gone. But I really don't envy Carol in working out how to fund the first-team playing budget for the coming season or Darren in working out how best to improve the many areas of the squad which need improvement while still staying within budget. I actually think we are looking at a minimum of a 2-season renovation of the squad, however painful that might be in the short term.

" ... we have to get rid of these players. If other clubs don’t want them, then we need to take the hit and pay them off even if it affects the budget. ... barring Garrity, Chislett, Ripley and some of the young lads, I don’t want to see them in a vale shirt again." Setting aside the youth players / first contract players, your plan is to pay off 14 out of the current 17 (I think?) contracted senior players? That wouldn't just "affect the budget", it would destroy it. If we use the salarysport claims (I don't know how credible they are) as a guideline - Port Vale total wage bill for 2023 is: £3,232,840 per year £62,170 per week Your plan would simply write off c. £2 million of that budget, with a further c. £375,000 still remaining allocated to Garrity, Chislett, Ripley. Leaving c. £850,000 with which Darren Moore is supposed to sign the whole of the rest of the first-team squad, replacing at least 14 players. The only alternative is that you are expecting Carol to find an additional £2 million with which to pay off those players, while still funding the full first-team budget of c. £3.2 million. With respect, that's not in any way realistic.

"You've chosen to ignore content by Killersrevenge44." "You've chosen to ignore content by Killersrevenge44." The Block facility on this messageboard doesn't work very thoroughly, does it? I post something reasonably constructive and well-intentioned. Then along buzzes the annoying midge that is KR44 to reply with yet more comments intended to damage the club and its owners. I assume, because I haven't seen those latest KR44 comments. A fully functional Block facility would not only enable me not to see KR44's nonsense, it would also stop KR44 seeing any of my posts, so that he couldn't quote them and add his customary rubbish.

The Premier League was and is about rich individuals making fortunes, and unscrupulous football governance officials letting them / helping them to do that. Quite a few of the original Premier League clubs have since had major financial problems and nearly gone out of existence. The supposed community football programmes sponsored by the Premier League have never met the various promises. The Premier League is for the few, not the many, and I've no confidence this new football governance bill will do anything to improve the fairness of the set-up to benefit grassroots football. More here - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jul/23/deceit-determination-murdochs-millions-how-premier-league-was-born https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jul/23/premier-league-at-25-sky-tv-deal-club-owners-fans-betrayed

v593, I'm not intending in any way to be rude to you, but have you ever considered the possibility that if you want to help things to get better you sometimes have to be positive and encouraging? Ryan Loft is very probably going to be part of the Vale squad throughout next season. Given that fact, supporters have a choice of two options - 1. Carry on being hostile to him, deriding every effort he makes. Result - he has no confidence and draws a season's wages for mostly sitting on the bench or out of the matchday squad altogether, then leaves Vale. 2. Offer the lad a fresh start, get behind him and encourage him every appearance, and see if he can do better over a decent run of games. Result - at best, he has a better season, and contributes assists and goals for the team. Result - at worst, we are no worse off than 1. above, but at least we played our own part well.

Could I suggest that we put on hold all of the negative comments about Ryan Loft? Whatever his performances and goal record up to present, and whatever any of us think about him, Ryan seems likely to be in the Vale squad throughout next season. One thing I do respect about Ryan is his attitude. Despite masses of derision, up to and including some supporters booing him >onto< the pitch, he never gave less than 100%. The players have been given demanding fitness targets to meet when they report back, so should hit the ground running. We will have a long pre-season starting in or around 1st July. Ryan and other strikers (TBA) will have the benefit of that long pre-season working with the coaches, especially Lee Bradbury for the forwards. If Ryan can use the opportunity to improve his technical skills and his all-round awareness, he can become a very useful squad member over a season of 55 or so games. All our forwards will be playing mostly against poorer League 2 defences. I can see Ryan chipping in very useful contributions, including hopefully finding the net for a decent goal haul over the season.

Anderson on retirement, the future & his send-off Jimmy's own further comments about the decision confirm that it was mutual, because the next Ashes series was a bridge too far. And further confirm that Jimmy is likely to remain in the England set-up as a bowling coach, which is great news. If any player trained and practised well enough to make the very most of their talent and their physical capabilities, it is James Anderson. Passing on those traits to the next generations of bowlers has got to be a big boost for the England team.

Clever indeed when we don’t yet know all of the times and days we will be playing next season nor the times and days when we will be on TV. My best guess, and it is only a guess, is that we’ll be televised maybe 5-6 times per season, and not necessarily be moved to another kick-off time for all of those games. If anyone has a better understanding, please share it.

It will be amusing if Jimmy posts a couple of five-fors at Lord's. I wonder what Brendon McCullum would do then?

I wouldn't see any of KR44's nonsense unless it's quoted. It's blatantly obvious that he is trying to harm the club, for crude self-serving motives, so I blocked him. In case anyone was wondering, I have never even met any of the Shanahans and my only "closeness" to them is that I'm grateful to Carol and Kevin for rescuing and continuing to rebuild our club. I'll be doing all I can to help them.

I doubt the conversation will ever be revealed in more detail. Jimmy's a fierce competitor, so may have been planning to play all this year's Tests, though I doubt even he would have been up for another away Ashes series in 2025-2026, at the age of 43. But anyway, I'm glad that Jimmy will have his well-deserved farewell performance at Lord's.

I don't read it that way, it seems to me to be genuinely mutual. Jimmy turns 42 in July, just after his last Test match, an age when mere mortal seam bowlers have long since been retired. The chosen date gives Jimmy the chance for a big send-off at the home of cricket. And then allows the England coaches and selectors the rest of that Windies series, and the following series against Sri Lanka and NZ, to bring through new seam talent, in preparation for next year's Ashes in Australia, which is always a gruelling tour. There's an excellent Jimmy tribute video on Sky Sports.

England great Anderson to retire this summer The first Test against West Indies at Lord's on 10 July will be his last. Just to say thank you for all of the wonderful memories. Certainly England's greatest ever bowler and arguably the world's greatest ever seam bowler. I hope Jimmy joins the England coaching team.

I read Huddersfield are actually £249 for all parts, unchanged from this season. But with average attendances above 19,000, that's still a relative fortune.

Brian, I've seen your assertions to that effect, but wonder if you have any evidence to confirm that? Please feel free to PM me if you prefer not to post it on the forum.

I haven't insinuated that. I've simply stated the obvious fact that we have to do our bit if the club is to sign better players and achieve the success on the pitch that all genuine supporters want. You tell us that "I will not be buying a season ticket early this season. I will wait to see who we sign before making a decision this season." Fine, that's your decision, one which we have seen each and every time that you have announced it. That doesn't mean that you have to jump on every positive post on the forum and pour your customary negativity all over them.