Vale fans should support the Whitehawk petition

[robf]

I believe Port Vale fans should sign a petition that Whitehawk fans have started.

 

In brief, the club want to change their name to Brighton City. Clearly, it's for commercial reasons and to cash in on the local area.

 

However, fans want to keep the club's unique name and point out that it was "Whitehawk" not "Brighton City" that won countless non-league titles to get to where they are,

 

I think that as supporters of another club with a unique name (imagine the outcry if someone tried to make us "Stoke United" or similar) we should support another club with a unique name.

 

The petition is here if you want to sign it - https://www.change.org/p/whitehawk-fc-owners-no-to-whitehawk-fc-being-renamed-brighton-city-fc

[robf]

As an update. Whitehawk have agreed to drop their proposed name change and consult the fans over what they want the club to be called:

 

http://whitehawkfc.com/club-statement-name-change/

[mbycars]

Brighton East End sounds good but I believe Brighton & HA have objected to them using the name Brighton! incredible.

[Fosse69]

I could see an objection to Brighton City, but not Brighton Whitehawk which would identify the location but also retain their history.

[Heatwave]

Just after the war we nearly became Stoke United. Glad we didn't.

[Bea Smith]

Great news that Whitehawk will still have a unique name of... Whitehawk.

 

How about Vale playing a friendly against them pre-season 2016-17 as 3 teams without a place name ?

[robf]

Just after the war we nearly became Stoke United. Glad we didn't.

 

I've not heard that one although in 1935 there was a campaign to change the club's name. A name change was actually narrowly approved by the supporters but the FA delayed the process. At the next meeting the board proposed the name "Stoke North End" but the supporters preferred "Hanley Port Vale". By this time, the FA had printed next season's fixtures with the name "Port Vale" on them so the process gradually petered out.

 

The full story of it is in this feature - http://www.onevalefan.co.uk/site/2014/01/how-port-vale-nearly-became-stoke-north-end/

 

And I have a feature lined up on how we almost (it's a big "almost" as I don't think there was ever much chance of it happening) became Stoke City (before the current Stoke City took the name up)...

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Interestingly (or maybe not) the area that is the home of Whitehawk FC was originally known as Whitehawk Bottom and there has been a place there called Whitehawk or similar for centuries. Amazing how these places get their names

 

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/leisure-and-libraries/parks-and-green-spaces/whitehawk-camp