Please ditch the chairman bashing, my kids love the Vale and not Stoke.

[tonyh]

He should have known that being a football chairman is a thankless task. Unless you've got bottomless pockets like Abramovich, you'll get stick if the going gets tough.

I just hope any criticism remains constructive.

The abilty to tweet is a mixed blessing.

[StaffordValeFan]

Good post - we need to remember where we were 12 months ago and what Smurf has done for the club

I know that not everything is perfect and I can understand the frustrations of people who have ordered a shirt - it is a poor situation wherever the fault lies and it will doubtless cause people to think twice before ordering things from the club.

However the guy is trying to pull the club into the modern era ( decent club shop, better ticketing etc) and finance an improved squad to back up the promotion he helped achieve last year. We've had years of under investment and this is not going to be fixed in a few months.

We are 9th in league one after 9 games and already some fans have slated the manager, last years top scorer and the now chairman !

[TheJoker]

To be fair I don't think "The shirt" is the issue people we're raising Saturday. Certainly not for me, it's the fact Smurf can at times come across very abrupt and personal, especially of late. Don't get me wrong we all have bad days and the bloke must be under extreme pressure and whilst I love what he's doing for the Club and am fully supportive of him, he is not going do himself any favours with public spats with he local Media or getting involved in arguments on Twitter or forums.

Like others have said, it seems he is trying to deal and take on too much and needs to employ a CEO and PR guy, before he shoots himself in the foot.

 

A taxi driver telling a multi millionaire how to run a business?

[valefan16]

To be fair to Smurf to be a top businessman you have to be a bit of a ****. I've no problem with that as long as we develop on the pitch.

[Fosse69]

A taxi driver telling a multi millionaire how to run a business?

Do not judge a book by its cover.

[Lornelounger]

I can understand Norman being abrupt with some of the complaints he gets. There are those he can do something about, and those he can't. Communication from him needs filtering a bit, but as I said on another post, he is smart enough to know whether we can afford a PR or media bod to hios backroom staff with the present club's finances. The fact that he hasn't appointed one tells me he has other priorities, and I respect that.

And for the record, give me a chairman who can celebrate success over a pint with the club's customers anyday - especially when he has funded that success largely single handedly.

[For Us All]

Thats his problem in a nutshell... he isnt the helmsman, the stoker, the boilerman, the rigger, the stokers mate, the able seaman, the deck hand or the entertainments officer... he is the captain.. he should be in his cabin plotting the logistics of getting to where he wants to be and giving orders to his No1 who passes them down the line to be carried out by the people employed to do that job.

Having the right crew makes life so much easier.

 

My boss gave me a right rollicking once for micro-managing and not delegating enough.

[RayWalkers40yarder]

smurf has already pointed out how many times, that if he were to recruit a ceo he cant spend that money on players, listen guys, i think EVERYONE on here wouldve taken 9th position in the league at this point of the season the lads have been battling hard recently even though the officials have left a LOT to be desired im proud of the team, proud of the people running my beloved Port Vale and SMURF is a true legend in getting this club out of the doldrums and on the way up so please everyone leave him alone to run the club!

 

UP THE VALE!!!!!!!!

[For Us All]

A taxi driver telling a multi millionaire how to run a business?

 

Why not,David Cameron,Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg are all multi-millionaires and every man and his dog try telling them what to do.

[For Us All]

He should have known that being a football chairman is a thankless task. Unless you've got bottomless pockets like Abramovich, you'll get stick if the going gets tough.

I just hope any criticism remains constructive.

The abilty to tweet is a mixed blessing.

 

I think Abramovich has the right idea,never do any interviews and never speak to the press,let the football do the talking.

[Fosse69]

Why not,David Cameron,Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg are all multi-millionaires and every man and his dog try telling them what to do.

But they have never run businesses.

[PGTips]

smurf has already pointed out how many times, that if he were to recruit a ceo he cant spend that money on players, listen guys, i think EVERYONE on here wouldve taken 9th position in the league at this point of the season the lads have been battling hard recently even though the officials have left a LOT to be desired im proud of the team, proud of the people running my beloved Port Vale and SMURF is a true legend in getting this club out of the doldrums and on the way up so please everyone leave him alone to run the club!

 

UP THE VALE!!!!!!!!

 

Here,here.......well said that man .

Best post on here for a long time .

[grebovale]

I take it you guywho are still going on with this debate don't

[grebovale]

I take it you guys who are still going on with this debate don't go out for a normal Sunday drink .. Boring

[TheJoker]

I take it you guys who are still going on with this debate don't go out for a normal Sunday drink .. Boring

 

 

I think having to drink to have a good time is boring.