Players leaving? why so sentimental?

[Heatwave]

It is a worry for me because it breaks up a dressing room which supposedly was one of the best in the FL.The majority of players interviewed last season mentioned this and were very complimentary about the team spirit.

 

How much of that was down to Micky though? I still smile when I think of his pre match team talk against Shortwood in the Cup last season. That's the sort of thing that glues a dressing room together.

[blackdog]

Why sentimental? Whilst they have been here they have been part of the Port Vale family and it's always a bit of a sentimental thing when someone leaves the family

 

It's nothing to do with whether they were great or whether we will replace them with better; for a while they were part of this great thing called PVFC

 

99.9% of all footballers look at the bank statement at the end of the month,nothing more nothing less, as for being part of a family with the exception of Popey they hold no affinity with the club they play for, they play for the biggest wedge and the biggest contract.

 

The days of loyalty and one man clubs is a distant memory,the last player I lost sleep over leaving was Brian Horton,after him I understand they all move on eventually.

[valiant_2003]

I'm not so sentimental, though I think it will be difficult to replace Loft.

 

What I do find worrying is how Scunthorpe can attract players away from Vale, we're a bigger club with better history!

[For Us All]

I'm not so sentimental, though I think it will be difficult to replace Loft.

 

What I do find worrying is how Scunthorpe can attract players away from Vale, we're a bigger club with better history!

 

But with lower wages.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

I'm not so sentimental, though I think it will be difficult to replace Loft.

 

What I do find worrying is how Scunthorpe can attract players away from Vale, we're a bigger club with better history!

 

An owner with a family fortune of 340 million quid for a start.

[DazFred]

Lofty has given his reasons & I wish him all the best. I can't fault his effort but don't think he was as good as he has been made out to be.

JMW was an asset but has never stayed at 1 club for long.

Knott would have been a good signing but I think Bradford will have offered more money.

It has reached the stage where it looks like MA has gone to his list of targets if the players offered contracts didn't sign.

For JMW read Moore, for Hugill read Westcarr.

I am sure if the other 4 players offered contracts don't sign then MA can't hang about forever.

Paterson, Paynter, Gardener, Clarke, Parkes, Doyle are all names linked & I for 1, would love to see any of them here. All have played at a higher level so it isn't all gloom & doom.

Hopefully a few more fans will renew now MA has signed & the next 48-72 hours will see the squad developing....

[Valiant62]

I'd have offered Loft and JMW reasonable contracts but not pushed the boat out massively to keep them. I'd actually have been more keen to sign Knott than either and would like to keep hold of Hugill. Changing a third of the squad is a good thing in my opinion, keeps it fresh and most of them are decent but none irreplaceable.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

99.9% of all footballers look at the bank statement at the end of the month,nothing more nothing less

, as for being part of a family with the exception of Popey they hold no affinity with the club they play for, they play for the biggest wedge and the biggest contract.

 

The days of loyalty and one man clubs is a distant memory,the last player I lost sleep over leaving was Brian Horton,after him I understand they all move on eventually.

 

I don't care about any of that....they are whilst they are with us a vital part of the Port Vale family and that is why WE look at them with sentimentality, we treasure there time with us and look back on it fondly (well not in call cases)..I didn't say that the players do.

[andy jones]

It's a worry that we have not been able to afford contracts good enough to keep three of our best players at the club.

 

If there has been a significant cut to the playing budget then we could be looking down not up.

 

The quality of the next three in will dictate our season.

[Ainsworth]

Loft was our Captain, always gave 100%, was very decent at this level... led us to promotion, gave us great service for 5 years.. I will miss him in a white shirt and will give him a good reception when he comes back next year

[andy jones]

Griff, loft, Knott,JMW gone.

 

Got to find a new midfield now as well as defence.

[Rampant Zebra]

There has to be some sentiment involved. I have been to watch games at other clubs and it is not the same as watching Vale. Might see "better" football but without the engagement with "your" players it is not the same. A stable squad of players is important for sucess too, I have seen my local non league club get relegated, mainly due to a succession of on loan and free agent players coming in, and several changes of manager in a short space of time.

[CAVALIER]

No sentiment from me unless they've been a real servant or we want them to move/ they don't want to go. The rest can **** off

[geosname]

Whoever leaves.... good luck to them... and to whoever comes in

[Daddy Pig]

It's a worry that we have not been able to afford contracts good enough to keep three of our best players at the club.

 

If there has been a significant cut to the playing budget then we could be looking down not up.

 

The quality of the next three in will dictate our season.

 

Arguably, over the past copuple of years we have managed to keep our 3 best players - Pope, Lines and Dicko.

 

Loft - the club matched his Gillingham offer which would have meant more money in his pocket had he of stayed due to the local cost of living/mortgages/rents etc, so his decision was purely family driven.

 

JMW took the money and I for one do not want to start shelling our masses of money that we do not have to keep these players. Who know's? Perhaps MA has decided that JMW wasn't top priority so he wasn't budging from his final offer and he has somebody else lined up which could be better for us.

 

Knott - I wish people weren't talking as if he was our player. In fact, he was only on loan. he had a good spell for us yes, but judging by the Wycombe reports, he didn't rip up any trees down there and lets face it, it wouldn't have taken much to stand out in our team during the last couple of months of the season! Clearly, Bradford will have more clout, which is simply driven by the 8,000 additional fans that turn up every week.

 

I only ask for a sustainable club which will still be here for my kids and hopefully grandkids to enjoy! Support the manager. All clubs evolve and all players will move on at some point. If we are lucky with injuries and MA does a great job, we may just get enough decent quality players together to give the top 6 a crack. even in the late 80's when we were promoted to the Championship, there were bigger clubs than us in this league with greater resources, but JR dropped on a balanced team with a few journeymen players combined with some talents which he brought on. This is the nature of sport and why we have to be optimistic. There is no point to sport without believing that you can upset the apple cart. For the past 2 seasons we have done just that!