Emulating other clubs

[Doha]

Vale has been run as a working Men's club for years.

 

Insufficient numbers of Staff and the ones who are actually employed are evidently

 

1) not very good

2) not given the tools, budget or motivation to actually achieve anything.

 

I would bet that for a large percentage of the current staff, both conditions apply.

 

Even Lee Sinnott identified it. "Root to Branch clearout."

 

This is a business. It needs a viable business plan, the right staff given the right tools, a company operations manual detailing how every aspect of the business is supposed to run, and a management structure with an actual vision and the ability to communicate.

 

Instead we have a Working Men's club where the Chairman

 

/ Gives interviews in the national media advising the fans might racially abuse a black manager if one was hired

/ Completely ostracises the local media for reasons that aren't very clear, and then asked for £10,000 to allow them back

/ Completely ostracises the local Police instead of remaining professional and negotiating terms outside of the public domain

/ Conducts football business on Twitter, offering contract terms to a fake account pretending to be a real footballer

/ Has far too much say in the footballing side of the business and clearly struggles to delegate responsibility and trust

/ Announces to national media he deliberately cut the playing budget to force a manager out, with apparently no forward thought as to what this looks like in the eyes of the International football world. Not good, Norman.

/ This list could go on and on. It really could, for hours.

 

 

I would put it to any Norman Smurthwaite ardent supporter that he has sullied the name of the football club in the wider football industry. I don't think, on the balance of evidence, a strong defence can be put up to argue this.

 

I'm not saying he's incompetent. I'm not accusing him of anything. But the impression I get is he can't trust anyone else with his money and thus insists on having a hand in every part of the business. He's not capable of stretching himself that far and hence the whole thing becomes chaos.

 

I think he's offended at subsidising the club to the tune of £80,000 a month and then the fans aren't coming.

 

The fans aren't coming because the product on and off the pitch is non-league quality. Catering, admin, marketing, it's a disgrace. It is not uncommon for the "caterers" to run out of HOT WATER. Water. South Sudan has more phucking water than the Railway Stand.

 

We lurch from one embarrassment or crisis to another and these embarrassments are then frequently aired and dissected for all to see in local and national media.

 

He either fails to realise this or chooses to ignore it and then moans, usually on Twitter, about the fans not coming. He tried to punish us last season by not making a premier league signing and then claiming on twitter it was due to "lack of interest, crowds weren't high enough." Come on. That is not how to run any business never mind a football club. You provide the product to attract the customer, the customer is not obligated to show up regardless of how dismal the product is. They don't owe you anything.

 

This is what he needs to do

 

1) Externally audit the business and identity the under-performing departments, methods, procedures and staff. He's been here for years and nothing has changed so he either can't do this himself or chooses not to.

 

2) Draw up a company operations manual, with the help of that external management consultancy, detailing exactly how the business must operate, the roles and responsibilities of each staff position, who the accountable managers are, what company SOP's must be followed in interactions with customers. Standardise our communications, the way we talk to customers, write press releases, the choice of font and colour scheme. This is extremely basic stuff.

 

3) Hire new, competent, admin staff to replace the deadwood that has plagued this business for years.

 

4) With the help of that external management consultancy draw up a 1, 2, 5 and 10 year business plan for how growth is to be funded, managed and delivered.

 

5) Hire another two or three executive level positions in the club to manage from the top.

 

6) Restore relationships with local creditors, stakeholders and authorities. Sentinel, Police, Council, Supporters Club. Foster new relationships with local and national businesses, it's not rocket science.

 

7) Retire to Portugal, in the knowledge that the club is being run professionally and has clear aims, goals and a strategy to achieve them. Watch Vale on Sky Sports News in a beach bar knowing he's not doling out £80,000 this month because the business management strategy he put in place at the football club is producing the break even or profit generating income it is capable of and not making losses like it is at the moment.

 

We are historically a lot bigger than Rotherham. Look what happened when they built a new ground and decided to run their business professionally.

 

Look at Burton.

 

Scunthorpe are in the process of considering or building a new ground and are probably going to go up automatically this year.

 

 

 

We're in chaos and it doesn't have to be this way. These are all basic things to get right and he seemingly can't.

[Fosse69]

Excellent post and not a dig but I would say two things, 1) Huddersfield are a single team town and are a far bigger club than the Vale have ever been, and 2) If you think the Lorne Street facilities are working men club style you want to venture up Bycars Lane in the rain and sit in the Railway stand and enjoy the catering at half time !

There is a Rugby League team who share the ground and also the sporting market.

[Santa]

I wish the catering was non-league standard. Some proper tea bars and social clubs when you get into the North West Counties.

[TheSage]

It is a thoughtful post and I'm with you, but as the posters above have pointed out Huddersfield is a much bigger Club than we'll ever be and have won the First Division and FA Cup. 40 years ago they flitted with the top flight and in the late fifties Shankly was their manager. You can count Law and Worthington as past players. The ground is a beauty and shared with the rugby league team. They also host internationals there. It's not really comparable to Port Vale and is a much bigger club I'm afraid. That isn't to say that I don't share your sentiments and think that you've penned a cracking post but it is harder here because we've got SCFC down the road.

 

They did a fantastic job on Saturday - no doubt about the buzz around the place. Seniors could get in for £5 or £6. They get lots of kids involved. I rather like the Dortmund style Wagner has established and the drums and flags. Half time refreshments were of good quality and plentiful and hot. They are a Club on the up and I was hugely impressed by their set up. If we could emulate some of what they do I'd love it.

[Family Stand Terrier]

Vale has been run as a working Men's club for years.

 

Insufficient numbers of Staff and the ones who are actually employed are evidently

 

1) not very good

2) not given the tools, budget or motivation to actually achieve anything.

 

I would bet that for a large percentage of the current staff, both conditions apply.

 

Even Lee Sinnott identified it. "Root to Branch clearout."

 

This is a business. It needs a viable business plan, the right staff given the right tools, a company operations manual detailing how every aspect of the business is supposed to run, and a management structure with an actual vision and the ability to communicate.

 

Instead we have a Working Men's club where the Chairman

 

/ Gives interviews in the national media advising the fans would racially abuse a black manager if one was hired

/ Completely ostracises the local media for reasons that aren't very clear, and then asked for £10,000 to allow them back

/ Completely ostracises the local Police instead of remaining professional and negotiating terms outside of the public domain

/ Conducts football business on Twitter, offering contract terms to a fake account pretending to be a real footballer

/ Has far too much say in the footballing side of the business and clearly struggles to delegate responsibility and trust

/ Announces to national media he deliberately cut the playing budget to force a manager out, with apparently no forward thought as to what this looks like in the eyes of the International football world. Not good, Norman.

/ This list could go on and on. It really could, for hours.

 

 

I would put it to any Norman Smurthwaite ardent supporter that he has sullied the name of the football club in the wider football industry. I don't think, on the balance of evidence, a strong defence can be put up to argue this.

 

I'm not saying he's incompetent. I'm not accusing him of anything. But the impression I get is he can't trust anyone else with his money and thus insists on having a hand in every part of the business. He's not capable of stretching himself that far and hence the whole thing becomes chaos.

 

I think he's offended at subsidising the club to the tune of £80,000 a month and then the fans aren't coming.

 

The fans aren't coming because the product on and off the pitch is non-league quality. Catering, admin, marketing, it's a disgrace. It is not uncommon for the "caterers" to run out of HOT WATER. Water. South Sudan has more phucking water than the Railway Stand.

 

We lurch from one embarrassment or crisis to another and these embarrassments are then frequently aired and dissected for all to see in local and national media.

 

He either fails to realise this or chooses to ignore it and then moans, usually on Twitter, about the fans not coming. He tried to punish us last season by not making a premier league signing and then claiming on twitter it was due to "lack of interest, crowds weren't high enough." Come on. That is not how to run any business never mind a football club. You provide the product to attract the customer, the customer is not obligated to show up regardless of how dismal the product is. They don't owe you anything.

 

This is what he needs to do

 

1) Externally audit the business and identity the underperforming departments, methods, procedures and staff. He's been here for years and nothing has changed so he can't do this himself or chooses not to, to save money on starting afresh.

 

2) Draw up a company operations manual, with the help of that external management consultancy, detailing exactly how the business must operate, the roles and responsibilities of each staff position, who the accountable managers are, what company SOP's must be followed in interactions with customers. Standardise our communications, the way we talk to customers, write press releases, the choice of font and colour scheme. This is extremely basic stuff.

 

3) Hire new, competent, admin staff to replace the deadwood that has plagued this business for years.

 

4) With the help of that external management consultancy draw up a 1, 2, 5 and 10 year business plan for how growth is to be funded, managed and delivered.

 

5) Hire another two or three executive level positions in the club to manage from the top.

 

6) Restore relationships with local creditors, stakeholders and authorities. Sentinel, Police, Council, Supporters Club. Foster new relationships with local and national businesses, it's not rocket science.

 

7) Retire to Portugal, in the knowledge that the club is being run professionally and has clear aims, goals and a strategy to achieve them. Watch Vale on Sky Sports News in a beach bar knowing he's not doling out £80,000 this month because the business management strategy he put in place at the football club is producing the break even or profit generating income it is capable of and not making losses like it is at the moment.

 

We are historically a lot bigger than Rotherham. Look what happened when they built a new ground and decided to run their business professionally.

 

Look at Burton.

 

Scunthorpe are in the process of considering or building a new ground and are probably going to go up automatically this year.

 

 

 

We're in chaos and it doesn't have to be this way. These are all basic things to get right and he seemingly can't.

 

The original post, and this one. Both excellent and show much needed level of intellect. It's quite telling that when Smurf 's supporters post on here, the same can't be said. It's just blind loyalty and support, with no real understanding of the impact he's having on our club. It really could (and should) be so much better.

[beasty77]

If anyone says anything to Smurf on twitter, he just comes back with a cocky arrogant reply, making out everything's fine and we should be grateful blah blah ******* blah. Smurf is doing more harm to this club than good. Non League clubs are run better than us.

[raywalkersbananakick]

Sadly we are lacking a forward thinking football blueprint top to bottom

[Santa]

I think one of the things we need is an end. The Bycars is dead and nobody is willing to make the first move.

[TJHValiant]

Huddersfield for most of the 90s and even 10 years ago were finishing behind us. However the stadium has been good since I started going in 1994 and it is amazing how well it has aged considering it was built 3 years before the Britannia, which I think from a design perspective Huddersfield's is miles better.

 

Vale just need more money. The stadium certainly needs a lot thrown at it. Smurf is running it on an austerity basis.

[Tomo]

No use knocking when there's nobody in (or more likely thinks he knows best). But I totally agree with you leedsvaliant

 

This is the main issue, we all know the problems from top to bottom, there's a massive list, but it doesn't look like we have anyone at the club willing to sort any of them out, feels quite helpless.

[valeboy]

Scunthorpes new 12k capacity ground will cost approx £18m. If we had a similar size, selling the naming rights of each stand and also the ground as a whole, would it be possible to basically get a ground for free??

 

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[Jacko51]

If anyone says anything to Smurf on twitter, he just comes back with a cocky arrogant reply, making out everything's fine and we should be grateful blah blah ******* blah.

 

I had an email exchange with Smurf at the time of the Sentinel ban in the summer. It culminated in him telling me "The best way to follow your Club is to attend not read something in a Newspaper." Not only had I seen every game last season (and been one of the lifer season ticket holders who lost out) I received this on the day when I had spent several hours updating the season stickers on the seats - voluntarily of course - bloody horrible job! I responded rather angrily and haven't heard from him since. It seems that Norman always thinks he knows best and struggles to listen to anyone else.

[Santa]

Scunthorpes new 12k capacity ground will cost approx £18m. If we had a similar size, selling the naming rights of each stand and also the ground as a whole, would it be possible to basically get a ground for free??

 

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How much are you thinking of charging for each stand exactly?

[Fosse69]

How much are you thinking of charging for each stand exactly?

£1M p.a.the lot for 20 years would be one way, within full view of the A500, interest to be paid from the proceeds of a weekly market.

[valeboy]

How much are you thinking of charging for each stand exactly?

£1m a season for 20 years on the ground.

100k a season for each stand.

Just an idea really

 

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