Vale in the community.

[Conrad]

Smurfs latest stunt, he has kicked the vale in the community out of their vp offices. A local business man at tonight's sc meeting has offered them free office space at his Burslem premises. I must admit I was a big smurf fan, but am begining to have my doubts.

[ELDERBEZZA]

:doh:What next?

[blackdog]

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Vale-community-scheme-leave-Vale-Park-dispute/story-21448202-detail/story.html

 

[Conrad]

The vale in the community has enough funds for 2 months, with the free office space offer, possibly 3/4 months, after that the 5 employees are out of a job.

[smithie]

Maybe wait to hear both sides of the story before judging whether this is the right move or not ?

 

If you read the Sentinel article, it does say that the club allow them to use the club badge and have free accommodation etc.

 

It's not something the club has to do, and if the Vale in the Community set-up isn't performing well enough then NS is right to ask the awkward questions.

 

Against a backdrop of lost season-ticket sales and thus lost revenue, he's obviously going to look at all areas of outlay.

[Conrad]

Maybe wait to hear both sides of the story before judging whether this is the right move or not ?

 

If you read the Sentinel article, it does say that the club allow them to use the club badge and have free accommodation etc.

 

It's not something the club has to do, and if the Vale in the Community set-up isn't performing well enough then NS is right to ask the awkward questions.

 

Against a backdrop of lost season-ticket sales and thus lost revenue, he's obviously going to look at all areas of outlay.

 

To be fair the sentinel article wasn't mentioned at the sc meeting, but the chair of the sc has been trying for months via phone, e mail text and voice mail but all attempts have been ignored. Had she not been ignored maybe smurf could have given his side of the story.

[mattyboy]

We can't have it all ways can we?

We're either in the camp of "Vale are useless at engaging with the kids in the north of the city" or the camp of "Vale in the Community are doing a great job" - I've read the former so often on this forum, so the same people can't now defend the very organisation that was supposed to be doing it

The Sentinel story appears to be about how commercial the community work is. With my own young kids I've used some of the facilities etc from VITC and they appear to me to be operating in a very understated way indeed. Let's hope it gets better, but don't pretend that because it has honourable aims that it was actually any good.

Let's see if Norman can move this and do some good for both The Community and The Club - judge it in a few years time.

Having seen Norman giving out certificates at The Haywood Academy awards night at Victoria Hall TWO YEARS RUNNING now I think the bloke gets it - he's not at this event at 9pm at night for the good of his health is he? I'm sure he does countless other things that I won't personally be aware of. Support the bloke. If the old Vale in the Community is dead, I can't see many of us noticing - can you? Let's hope we notice the new initiatives - it won't be hard to improve now will it?

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

We can't have it all ways can we?

We're either in the camp of "Vale are useless at engaging with the kids in the north of the city" or the camp of "Vale in the Community are doing a great job" - I've read the former so often on this forum, so the same people can't now defend the very organisation that was supposed to be doing it

The Sentinel story appears to be about how commercial the community work is. With my own young kids I've used some of the facilities etc from VITC and they appear to me to be operating in a very understated way indeed. Let's hope it gets better, but don't pretend that because it has honourable aims that it was actually any good.

Let's see if Norman can move this and do some good for both The Community and The Club - judge it in a few years time.

Having seen Norman giving out certificates at The Haywood Academy awards night at Victoria Hall TWO YEARS RUNNING now I think the bloke gets it - he's not at this event at 9pm at night for the good of his health is he? I'm sure he does countless other things that I won't personally be aware of. Support the bloke. If the old Vale in the Community is dead, I can't see many of us noticing - can you? Let's hope we notice the new initiatives - it won't be hard to improve now will it?

 

These are my thoughts currently, it appears to be dramatically under performing and something had to change. Hopefully it will now for the better.

 

I don't personally like/rate Jim Cooper in the slightest and it's now time for his team to show their worth / a new detailed business plan for improvement or the chairman will follow through and create his own.

 

This organisation has to reflect the club and presently it's doing so in a poor and completely under performing manner.

[Santa]

Maybe wait to hear both sides of the story before judging whether this is the right move or not ?

 

If you read the Sentinel article, it does say that the club allow them to use the club badge and have free accommodation etc.

 

It's not something the club has to do, and if the Vale in the Community set-up isn't performing well enough then NS is right to ask the awkward questions.

 

Against a backdrop of lost season-ticket sales and thus lost revenue, he's obviously going to look at all areas of outlay.

Norman has been refusing to sign the relevant paperwork that the Community Trust needs to have in order to function properly.

 

This situation has been ongoing since August last year.

 

Without this paperwork, the Community Trust isn't affiliated to the club at all as far as the football authorities are concerned. It therefore can't tap into the grant funding which is set aside for Football League clubs for their community scheme, which trickles down from the TV money.

 

There is a six figure sum of money that the Community Trust is able to tap into but can't. This is free money that could be used to raise the club's profile in the community, run the soccer schools on a Saturday morning etc., visit schools and hopefully turn a few local kids into Vale fans. Because Norman seemingly doesn't wish to cooperate with them, that money isn't there.

 

It's a very strange state of affairs.

[smithie]

If Vale in the Community are doing a poor job, it's not surprising that the chairman doesn't want them to be representative of the club.

 

For that reason, I'm not surprised that NS doesn't endorse their application for funding if they are going to carry on in the same vein.

 

He may also view their current premises at VP as something could be rented out at commercial rates and thus turn into an income stream.

[Ted]

The headlines are damaging implying that vale don't care about the community. Yet practices since before last august meant that this was always on the cards. Im sure the wonderful football disability vale have had, and i include it under that name, wont be lost under the new guise, but if hasn't been working, and it hasn't at all , a body where ego s have ruined relationships and ignored publicity and profile then it's time to regroup and rebrand. Or, forgetting the jargon, just do and commit to work in this eclectic word community. Headline sounds harsh, but vale, ie smurf has to really show a commitment even if the pound sign isn't immediate

[melv]

Norman has been refusing to sign the relevant paperwork that the Community Trust needs to have in order to function properly.

 

This situation has been ongoing since August last year.

 

Without this paperwork, the Community Trust isn't affiliated to the club at all as far as the football authorities are concerned. It therefore can't tap into the grant funding which is set aside for Football League clubs for their community scheme, which trickles down from the TV money.

 

There is a six figure sum of money that the Community Trust is able to tap into but can't. This is free money that could be used to raise the club's profile in the community, run the soccer schools on a Saturday morning etc., visit schools and hopefully turn a few local kids into Vale fans. Because Norman seemingly doesn't wish to cooperate with them, that money isn't there.

 

It's a very strange state of affairs.

 

Great summary of the way it was explained tonight.

 

Add to that,that when money was mentioned and VITC offered to pay the rate then Smurf came out with another reason not to sign.

[Pops]

These are my thoughts currently, it appears to be dramatically under performing and something had to change. Hopefully it will now for the better.

 

I don't personally like/rate Jim Cooper in the slightest and it's now time for his team to show their worth / a new detailed business plan for improvement or the chairman will follow through and create his own.

 

This organisation has to reflect the club and presently it's doing so in a poor and completely under performing manner.

 

You really are an obnoxious fellow.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

You really are an obnoxious fellow.

 

Crikey coming from you that's a massive compliment, where's my award? ;)

 

It's true though sadly Ray, we can't just allowing a massively under performing body to continue in it's current guise as it has been for years when it's reflecting the club especially when we are supposed to try and compete against a PL team.

 

Hopefully the next department he will be running his eye over will be the commercial one.

[melv]

These are my thoughts currently, it appears to be dramatically under performing and something had to change. Hopefully it will now for the better.

 

I don't personally like/rate Jim Cooper in the slightest and it's now time for his team to show their worth / a new detailed business plan for improvement or the chairman will follow through and create his own.

 

This organisation has to reflect the club and presently it's doing so in a poor and completely under performing manner.

 

Is Smurfs plan under performing,lack of ST sales?

 

 

Is the fact you don't like Jim Cooper clouding your judgement?

 

Do you KNOW Smurf's business plan?