Player Budget to be slashed next season

[eh up nah]

I don't know much about marketing but surely this is a disaster PR wise?

 

Blaming fans for low attendances when he budgeted for 7000 plus on average?! Come on man!!!

 

In the 22 years I've been a season ticket holder, that has happened in one season, maybe! And that was when we got near the Championship Playoffs.

 

As FPN says, ST sales won't do anything if he's publicly saying the squad is going to be cut and then the squad will have to be cut again because of that.

 

Make the most of this season I reckon. Can't see the next one being much fun at the moment.

[Ben]

Funny not so long ago NS was stating that we were in a good financial state we must be really hitting the boards in a small matter of time.

[aspins-revenge]

Agree with the above:

 

Yet another PR masterpiece from Norman Smurthwaite.

 

'Come and watch the vale, we're not very good and we're only going to get worse'

 

Can some-one tape this man's mouth shut.

 

I have less of a problem with him being woefully out of his depth, and more of a problem with his lack of willingness to address it.

[Bycarsbill]

Do you know what I really want?

 

A chairman who is realistic, can type using grammar, can talk to fans without patronising them, doesn't mess about with a manager's contract, doesn't make stupid comments that kill a season and has PR skills.

 

Norman fails all of them criteria. The guy's a fool.

 

Easy to throw purely destructive criticism--how about something a little more constructive. What's your solution? I'm not holding a torch for Norman, nor am I blind to some of the mistakes (particularly on the PR front) that he's made, but I repeat, what's your alternative? Did you call him a "fool" when he bought us out of administration? Perhaps you'd be listened to more, if you had something constructive to offer?!

[melv]

Do you know what I really want?

 

A chairman who is realistic, can type using grammar, can talk to fans without patronising them, doesn't mess about with a manager's contract, doesn't make stupid comments that kill a season and has PR skills.

 

Norman fails all of them criteria. The guy's a fool.

 

I have just tried to imagine NS on Dragons Den with his opening speech,his business plan and his projected forecast income / budget hoping to get investment from one of the dragon's.Pure comedy

[soothsayer]

Well Norman you're not the only one feeling short-changed!!:(

 

Great advert to sell more ST's - NOT.

[Alkie]

Doesn't sound to me like Smurf is putting out the type of message that is likely to fill up some of those unused advertising boards spread all around the pitch. A bit of effort there, coupled with scrapping the development squad could go a long way to filling the defecit.

[Rampant Zebra]

It is a shame we are scrapping the development squad, there are some very good young players in there, just the sort of players we will need for a reduced playing budget. They are just not quite ready for the first team week in week out yet.

[Howjy04]

A little bit more care and investigation into players being brought to the club may help aswell as not retaining League2 players.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I dunno...if he then let slip about owning the ground and the possibility of income from that in the future they might just bite

[melv]

Is is desperately clear to all but NS that the club needs a CEO.

 

His argument is that it would subtract from the budget even further. Would it? Are non-footballing staff part of the playing budget? Would the income generated (and the incompetent staff phucked off to the dole) by a suitable appointment not off-set this?

 

There has never been a long-term solution at Vale.

 

:yes:

 

One with a football club background and understanding would be a huge help.It would free up more time for NS and take a lot of the pressure off as well as reduce his workload.Finger's crossed that he has a plan to do this.

[carl]

If smurfwaite wants an average of 6,700 plus i suggest he stop changing the goalposts and actually brings the attendances up by bringing the cost of admission down.

 

He can do this by bringing the wage bill down. Off you go Micky...I also think the style of football needs to change and the whole approach and attitude towards the opposition...kill two birds with one stone i say.

 

Can we have a return to the days of John Rudge football please or am i just being nostalgic......

[Bells_Biscuit_Tin]

Having just read the NS interview in the sentinal I cant defend the guy any more.

 

Contradiction after contradiction. I want to hear a business plan on how to improve sales not just simply put match day prices up and hope for the best. The fans weren't responsible for costly decisions to have a development squad and ticketmaster he was! Where are all the early initiatives for next season (attend the last 5 games and get 10% off a ST, refer a friend to get a ST and get £50 cash back) are just an example of things that may help.

 

To put in simpler terms if you were an owner of a cake factory and sales dropped would you

A. Moan that your customers need to be eating more cakes or

B. Look at ways to drive sales and improve the product?

 

All vales chairman have one thing in common, None of them left at the right time. Has NS took us as far as he can?

[RayWalkers40yarder]

smurf isn't a football man, hes a businessman in the wrong profession. rule 1, never ever moan at the fanbase for not turning up ( the players haven't been turning up for 3 months moan at them ) . 2. never say the club isn't good enough to go up or stay up - your attendances will plummet ( oh wait a minute ) 3. get a ****ing CEO or sell up to someone prepared to take us all the way back to the championship (because that's the only way youll start to see some return on your investment)

[PVFC Billy]

smurf isn't a football man, hes a businessman in the wrong profession. rule 1, never ever moan at the fanbase for not turning up ( the players haven't been turning up for 3 months moan at them ) . 2. never say the club isn't good enough to go up or stay up - your attendances will plummet ( oh wait a minute ) 3. get a ****ing CEO or sell up to someone prepared to take us all the way back to the championship (because that's the only way youll start to see some return on your investment)

 

Agreed. Sadly all of the cutbacks will make the club even less attractive to the stay away fans. Why would you want to come and watch a team at a club that is in constant turmoil and doesn't know from one minute to the next what it wants to be. Even if you do bring in a CEO with experience how long do you think he will last with Norman overruling everything and not working with them. The man has to understand that this is about having a strategy and making small adjustments along the way. We hop from crisis to crisis. Why would you want to become a supporter at club that operates like that IMO it doesn't matter which league you are in without a positive message and stability you are doomed to continue as we are now.