In The 'Old Days'

[HappyClapper]

I've been thinking about this for a bit now in respect to people like Jimmy and Old Sage, and no doubt countles others who post on here.

 

I've been going the Vale since 1976. I started going regularly probably around 1978 and the truth is I can't remember a great deal about the teams of that era, although I should.

 

What I DO remember, when I take the time to think about it, is that we really were rubbish. From my memory I remember that we were close to having to apply for re-election (or did we have to?) and that we had no fans AT ALL. I can say this because I can remember when John McGrath came and put the whole squad up for sale and then he started to turn things around. I remember us finally getting promoted on or around my 16th birthday and I was getting excited about having gates over 4,000.

 

Back then, I didn't know much more about the chairman and those in charge other than a name. I can give a couple of surnames but nothing more than that (McPherson? Singer? Lloyd?).

 

So, to the more mature (or those with better memories), why were we SO rubbish back then and why was there such an air of acceptance back then, compared to how things are now? I don't remember people booing at half time when we were ****e, like now, and I don't remember any protests outside the old main entrance, ever! Was it because I was a young 'un or was it a different time?

 

I mean I remember that when we were rubbish in the old days people could stand in 'their spot' without any worry of someone nicking it so there couldn't have been many people there.

 

I'd appreciate something more than current board bashing (and the opposite camp). I'm trying to put some kind of historical perspective on things, just out of interest.

 

Please, don't ignore this thread. Give us some 'war stories' from when we were that bad.

[Pops]

I've been thinking about this for a bit now in respect to people like Jimmy and Old Sage, and no doubt countles others who post on here.

 

I've been going the Vale since 1976. I started going regularly probably around 1978 and the truth is I can't remember a great deal about the teams of that era, although I should.

 

What I DO remember, when I take the time to think about it, is that we really were rubbish. From my memory I remember that we were close to having to apply for re-election (or did we have to?) and that we had no fans AT ALL. I can say this because I can remember when John McGrath came and put the whole squad up for sale and then he started to turn things around. I remember us finally getting promoted on or around my 16th birthday and I was getting excited about having gates over 4,000.

 

Back then, I didn't know much more about the chairman and those in charge other than a name. I can give a couple of surnames but nothing more than that (McPherson? Singer? Lloyd?).

 

So, to the more mature (or those with better memories), why were we SO rubbish back then and why was there such an air of acceptance back then, compared to how things are now? I don't remember people booing at half time when we were ****e, like now, and I don't remember any protests outside the old main entrance, ever! Was it because I was a young 'un or was it a different time?

 

I mean I remember that when we were rubbish in the old days people could stand in 'their spot' without any worry of someone nicking it so there couldn't have been many people there.

 

I'd appreciate something more than current board bashing (and the opposite camp). I'm trying to put some kind of historical perspective on things, just out of interest.

 

Please, don't ignore this thread. Give us some 'war stories' from when we were that bad.

 

We weren't that bad were we? I thought we and the crowd were as one back then.

[valeblue]

We were bad but it was more of a level playing field so money didnt come as much into it as it does now , but from the eightees ,Rudge era we started to climb the leagues and have a few decent cup runs , but since then its gone t***s up.

[geosname]

Possibly because we were never told it was "for us all" "a fan owned club"

Once you take that step its hard as hell to backtrack

[mcfin]

I've been thinking about this for a bit now in respect to people like Jimmy and Old Sage, and no doubt countles others who post on here.

 

I've been going the Vale since 1976. I started going regularly probably around 1978 and the truth is I can't remember a great deal about the teams of that era, although I should.

 

What I DO remember, when I take the time to think about it, is that we really were rubbish. From my memory I remember that we were close to having to apply for re-election (or did we have to?) and that we had no fans AT ALL. I can say this because I can remember when John McGrath came and put the whole squad up for sale and then he started to turn things around. I remember us finally getting promoted on or around my 16th birthday and I was getting excited about having gates over 4,000.

 

Back then, I didn't know much more about the chairman and those in charge other than a name. I can give a couple of surnames but nothing more than that (McPherson? Singer? Lloyd?).

 

So, to the more mature (or those with better memories), why were we SO rubbish back then and why was there such an air of acceptance back then, compared to how things are now? I don't remember people booing at half time when we were ****e, like now, and I don't remember any protests outside the old main entrance, ever! Was it because I was a young 'un or was it a different time?

 

I mean I remember that when we were rubbish in the old days people could stand in 'their spot' without any worry of someone nicking it so there couldn't have been many people there.

 

I'd appreciate something more than current board bashing (and the opposite camp). I'm trying to put some kind of historical perspective on things, just out of interest.

 

Please, don't ignore this thread. Give us some 'war stories' from when we were that bad.

 

unfortunately or fortunately everything changes its so called progress, who'd of thought we would have mobile phones and 3 d tv, its the nature of the beast. i'm afraid.

But in the old days we spent money on players, we clapped them off because we saw that they had put a hard working shift in. Win loose or draw, if you see effort to achieve something fans would clap for that show of effort.

Alot of the problem is players on x amount in wages, more than your normal working class people, so they want to see results. Mr Bell when he took over had his own agenda , but look at the times we had under him, if he sold players some of the money went back into the transfer fund.

The only reason, all the protests started is the board stated they had taken the club as far as they can, then in the next breathe they are turning away investors. Paying customers want results and the mentality of the fans has changed, howmny people in Vale park earn say 2k a week very few so they expect results and promotions, yet other clubs with less income and wages seem to get the best out of their players. Maybe because the players who are on the small contract are hungry to get better ones at better clubs. Put the effort in and get noticed. a means to the end. Some players go stale at the clubs they are at, because they are on good contracts and the fans love them, so why would they move on?

just a little in the way im thinking at the moment

[Werrington]

John MacRath turned PVFC around.....He transformed Port Vale and without him Rudge would not have achieved what he did?

[cplowe1]

We weren't that bad were we? I thought we and the crowd were as one back then.

Between Lee leaving and McGrath arriving (1974-1980?) we were truly atrocious. The thought of players like Bob Delgado, Peter Farrell (a 40k signing believe it or not) and Peter Sutcliffe (I kid you not) still give me nightmares. The crowd were never behind the team, but you are right, for some reason it never really got around to the board. Don't think anyone really thought about it. Plus there was no interweb, so you only got the sentinels view. Personally I just thought at that time that supporting the Vale was about moaning at the players, so it was a golden age in this respect, and hating the s h i t and Walsall.

[cplowe1]

John MacRath turned PVFC around.....He transformed Port Vale and without him Rudge would not have achieved what he did?

Undoubtedly true. Unlucky to get sacked, but history shows.... Rudge inherited a much better situation. When McGrath arrived we were probably the worst ever.

[Fosse69]

We just watched the team, gates determined the quality of a team upto a point, then the max wage kicked in. Some seasons better players came through, stars would be sold. Few people knew who the directors were. To me a poor period after the cup runs of the 60s and Norman Low.

[Tosh]

Looking back the late 70's early 80's era was very bad and was on par to what we have witnessed recently. Only difference back then was that you'd go the game, watch us lose then go the pub after and have a good moan with your mates until enough beer made you couldn't care less:D and then maybe on a Monday morning at work it would be discussed for an hour or so but then everything would be forgotten until the next game, now of course with the Internet it's 24/7, non stop and with a much larger audience which of course intensifies everything greatly!

[Cobridgewhite]

So, to the more mature (or those with better memories), why were we SO rubbish back then and why was there such an air of acceptance back then, compared to how things are now? I don't remember people booing at half time when we were ****e, like now, and I don't remember any protests outside the old main entrance, ever! Was it because I was a young 'un or was it a different time?

 

I mean I remember that when we were rubbish in the old days people could stand in 'their spot' without any worry of someone nicking it so there couldn't have been many people there.

 

I'd appreciate something more than current board bashing (and the opposite camp). I'm trying to put some kind of historical perspective on things, just out of interest.

 

Please, don't ignore this thread. Give us some 'war stories' from when we were that bad.

 

I first went in 1977 on the back of the famous FA Cup run so it wasn't all bad. But from then on there was a steady decline until McGrath got a team together.

 

Why are thing different now ?

 

Maybe because fans realise that things can be a hell of lot better, both on and off the pitch. In the olden days I don't recall us turning away a queue of investors knocking at the door.

 

Maybe the current media and internet shines light into a lot of dark corners and makes fans aware of things that previously they would be unaware of.

 

Maybe because in society today there is generally less patience and deference.

[cplowe1]

Interesting thread, and interesting that the internet came up so many times. A goood thing that we are all so much better informed these days. But a bad thing that so much rumour and inuendo spreads around, mixed in with the facts, and clouds the issues.

[KEV.WILLIE]

I remember us getting relegated, against Colchester i think, there was only about 2300 at the game

 

We struggled to put a side out as I remember!! we only had a squad of about 15 I think

[Birches Head Fred]

Tosh sums it up quite well for me. Certainly the bit about forgetting the footie an hour into a Monday morning. Next time you discussed the Vale would be a Friday.

The Sentinel and Sunday Papers were pretty much the only press coverage for local football.

Can't understand Cplowe moaning about Peter Sutcliffe, scored one of those goals that will always stick in my memory, and generally always played well enough I thought. I will also remember hearing the 'crack' as he broke his leg at Carlisle.

'Cold Feet' Farrell.....well probably the wrst cash we ever spent on a player in my opinion, and £40k in those days was quite a lot for a club like the Vale.

 

Still remember the great man John McGrath saying that Vale were too big for 'this' division and that he was going to take us up........for the first time in years I felt here is a manager who can see what we can see, and I truly believed he could (and did indeed) take us up.

[portvaleofbelvoir]

I started going in this era and we were a very poor team. As I recall the fans weren't slow to show their dislike of poor football but maybe we were also less informed of the boardroom battles.

 

As for the media I do recall the Sentinel's Chris Harper being banned and I can't remember what he said that annoyed the club but I always enjoyed reading his reports.

 

We were short of money then and it's the same now.

 

Our natural position due to crowd sizes is I believe in the lower half of the third tier but occasionally we'll flourish and occasionally we'll struggle. I'm hoping for an upturn!