Pope hits out at negative fans...

[valiant_593]

I dare bet thats made your night

 

What? Watching vale players put next to no effort in and watching my side lose again? Yeah of course that made my night

[Santa]

Pope never normally gets hauled off but that's twice in two games now. You start to wonder where his head is and what Page is seeing in the dressing room.

[mr.hobblesworth]

No doubt Tom was happy for the praise and accolades via Twitter and Facebook when things were going well. Simple answer is get e hell off social media to avoid offensive PM's

 

So if you're receiving hate mail, the answer is to nail your letter box shut? What kind of mentality does someone need to send abusive PMs to Tom Pope?

[Bald Eagle]

So if you're receiving hate mail, the answer is to nail your letter box shut? What kind of mentality does someone need to send abusive PMs to Tom Pope?

 

If the abuse was that bad take it to the police to deal with as they would with hate mail. If you are being hit in the face you would be mad not to take evasive action by moving your head out of harms way - same as un friending people on FB and Twitter.

 

I'm not saying what's happened is right, but Tom can do something about himself also (apart from putting in a half decent performance, which will get people off his back)

[old sage]

I was both angry and appalled to hear Tom describing the abuse that he has had to put up with. Lets get it straight Popey is one of ours and it appears that due to this fact he is getting a double helping of abuse.

It was saddening to hear him say that the moronic comments of a minority is currently affecting his love of the club. I tell you all now if he was to leave at the end of his contract as I feel is now quite likely then we wont get a replacement striker either as good or as loyal to the Black & White shirt.

Personally I blame our wonderful Chairman for this ridiculous state of affairs as it was he who who ran off to the media and implied that Tom was greedy with his contract demands. This turned a few who listened to him turning against the single most loyal player we have had since Sproey and the late Tommy Mac.

For those who believe that Tom isn't fit enough then watch him instead of the ball for a few minutes and you will see that he is running up and down like a fiddlers elbow helping out the defence (and good Lord do they need it) then charging back up front being and getting battered from behind. Then it is he who is running down to put pressure on their keeper. Add to that lot last night he was also expected to run the wide channels. Perhaps this was Tom trying too hard but if I was the boss I would tell him to calm down and just concentrate on getting on the end of some quality crosses, though sadly they are in short supply at the moment. So perhaps he should start trying to hit crosses over for himself!!

 

To sum up I am heartily sick of all the flak that Popey is currently getting from a noisy few on the media networks. Give the lad who after all was the 2nd highest scorer in L1 up to the time of his long injury a break. He needs a little encouragement not the whip.

 

I suppose my trusted 'buddies' will come back with the usual retorts but you know what I aren't listening but sadly Tom does and it obviously hurts!

 

To me Tom will always be one of the legends of Vale Park. The man who's 33 goals got us promoted just 2 years ago and who has scored 27 goals for us since then. I still believe if we 'feed the Pope' the lad will score and I just hope that it is for us in the future!

[old sage]

Pope never normally gets hauled off but that's twice in two games now. You start to wonder where his head is and what Page is seeing in the dressing room.

Not a lot I'm afraid Santa. I think Page is expecting Popey to play in every position. It's a pity he doesn't expect the same from his 'blue eyed boy'

[valiant_593]

So it's everyone else fault other than popes? I didn't see him win a header again last night, now that's nobody else's fault. I agree abuse off private messages isn't on and those sending then must be real cretins, but he has an account on there and should be ready for all the abuse that comes his way just as he accepted praise when playing well. Personally I didn't want him to start last night as I think we are ****** awful to watch when he plays as we resort to the long ball tactic and after last night I certainly don't want him in the 11 come Saturday. You mention his goal record again, yes it's fantastic in league 2 but in league 1 it's very very average, don't forget Williamson has been injured as well this season and scored a similar amount to pope. Pope has what 9/10 league 1 goals this season, not a chance is that a quality return and IMO his link up and hold up play hasn't been as good as usual. Start doing the talking on the pitch please popey.

[vale in the blood]

Last night he looked knackered.... But he was on his own,that's a big part of the reason,only Dodds did his best to support.

But he also doesn't look dangerous anymore when the ball goes into the box,defenders have sussed him out.,but in defence, it is easy if you lump it up all the time...heading practice for a defender.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

I was both angry and appalled to hear Tom describing the abuse that he has had to put up with. Lets get it straight Popey is one of ours and it appears that due to this fact he is getting a double helping of abuse.

It was saddening to hear him say that the moronic comments of a minority is currently affecting his love of the club. I tell you all now if he was to leave at the end of his contract as I feel is now quite likely then we wont get a replacement striker either as good or as loyal to the Black & White shirt.

Personally I blame our wonderful Chairman for this ridiculous state of affairs as it was he who who ran off to the media and implied that Tom was greedy with his contract demands. This turned a few who listened to him turning against the single most loyal player we have had since Sproey and the late Tommy Mac.

For those who believe that Tom isn't fit enough then watch him instead of the ball for a few minutes and you will see that he is running up and down like a fiddlers elbow helping out the defence (and good Lord do they need it) then charging back up front being and getting battered from behind. Then it is he who is running down to put pressure on their keeper. Add to that lot last night he was also expected to run the wide channels. Perhaps this was Tom trying too hard but if I was the boss I would tell him to calm down and just concentrate on getting on the end of some quality crosses, though sadly they are in short supply at the moment. So perhaps he should start trying to hit crosses over for himself!!

 

To sum up I am heartily sick of all the flak that Popey is currently getting from a noisy few on the media networks. Give the lad who after all was the 2nd highest scorer in L1 up to the time of his long injury a break. He needs a little encouragement not the whip.

 

I suppose my trusted 'buddies' will come back with the usual retorts but you know what I aren't listening but sadly Tom does and it obviously hurts!

 

To me Tom will always be one of the legends of Vale Park. The man who's 33 goals got us promoted just 2 years ago and who has scored 27 goals for us since then. I still believe if we 'feed the Pope' the lad will score and I just hope that it is for us in the future!

 

I'm sorry it's embarrasing to blame the man who has put more money into the club in its history for the poor form of one of the players whose earns one of the best contracts of any player in its history.

 

Both people for me should not have spoken about contracts in public so they are both culpable.

 

Personal messages of abuse via facebook and Twitter are ridiculous as fans should stick to critiquing the players on forums such as this.

 

However Pope has one way to answer his critics and that's by performances and most importantly putting the ball in the back of the net which he's failing with at present, the chairman can't be blamed for this aspect as the blame falls firmly at one persons feet - his own.

[cheshirevaliant]

Not a lot I'm afraid Santa. I think Page is expecting Popey to play in every position. It's a pity he doesn't expect the same from his 'blue eyed boy'

 

Playing anywhere other than 5 yards behind the play would be a start.

That said, only Brown and Dodds can pick up their wage packet this week and think to themselves "I've earned this".

[Davebrad]

is interview last night on r.s was embarrassing, just like a schoolboy making excuses to the teacher, every bodies fault but his. Tom and your team mates understand to 4,500 fans you all walk on water, We go work looking forward to match day, the pub, the match, the banter with your mates, the pub after, if our team lose its hell (and on Monday at work with the lardies,) if you,ve lost but played well and given your all fair do's-then its bad luck or the ref. But there's no disguising lack of effort, or willingness to go the extra mile, then you can expect the backlash but only on here and the pitch. When our team run out against Colchester we will be cheering you all, but anything less than 100% and we will let you all know...its our right we,ve paid, and against Crewe, Oldham, Swindon, and Crawley most of you fell way beyond the acceptable, and if your honest you'll agree...

[bookworm]

if he got his finger out and scored a few then he wouldn't get talked about,it's as if some players know they will be released at seasons end so wont put the effort in whilst they remain on the payroll and if they can't be arsed why should the supporters be.

[carl]

 

To me Tom will always be one of the legends of Vale Park. The man who's 33 goals got us promoted just 2 years ago and who has scored 27 goals for us since then. I still believe if we 'feed the Pope' the lad will score and I just hope that it is for us in the future!

 

I think you are being over generous there, calling Pope a 'legend'. We have had players such as Robbie Earle, Robin Van Der Laan, Peter Swann, Lee Mills, Tony Naylor, Ray Walker, are you seriously comparing Tom Pope to players such as these?? I don't think so.

 

Is 27 goals in two years a satisfactory return for our highest paid (allegedly) player? If it is then it is clear to see Vale fans expectations of a players standards have dramatically dropped this last few years. Mind you, we have seen some dross come through the ranks I must admit. But to say Pope is a legend is a ridiculous thing to say when you consider legends of the past.

 

His performances aren't spectacular, and even some of the Pope die hards have started to admit that he is not the same player. Maybe less drinking in the Sneyd Arms and an early Friday night might do the trick who knows??

[mr.hobblesworth]

I think having a Vale player (and fan) ending up as top score in the whole of England, in the top 5 of Europe and ensuring promotion back to League One means that 'legend' status could reasonably be bestowed upon them. I'd definitely put him up there over the likes of Swan and Lee Mills.

[carl]

I think having a Vale player (and fan) ending up as top score in the whole of England, in the top 5 of Europe and ensuring promotion back to League One means that 'legend' status could reasonably be bestowed upon them. I'd definitely put him up there over the likes of Swan and Lee Mills.

 

Swan and Mills played at a higher level and were far far more consistent