Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank.

[The French Connection]

Russia?

 

I'm sure that a trumped up allegation!

[Valenick]

Crowds have dwindled for one reason only. The football. Nothing to do, at least to any significant extent, with pies price bickering or pigeon **** on the seats.

 

I'm sure you've used those excuses before nick 🤔

[fairportnick]

I'm sure you've used those excuses before nick 🤔

 

Are you saying that truth becomes lies if you repeat it?

[Valenick]

Thanks for going some way to prove a previous post I made about Smurf's supporters.

 

I think you're getting yourself all worked up without thinking your post through. You start off with "small element" and end by saying they're the reason "crowds have dwindled"? I don't get the link personally, I think you'll need to explain that one a bit better before I can come round to your way of thinking.

 

"Who will buy the club if Smurf goes"? I see this a lot too. It's a statement that was used frequently by Bratt supporters too, along with, "careful what you wish for". When Smurf put the club up for sale this time last year, he had offers. We'll never know how good they were and who they were from. What I do know, is that it was Smurf's judgement that prevented them from taking over, and I can't recall the last time I viewed his judgement as sound.

 

Will I put my hands in my pocket and buy the club? No, for a number of reasons. 1. (this is quite a big one) I haven't the funds at my disposal. 2. If I did, would I pay the valuation Smurf puts on the club? 3. Would I be happy owning the football club and not the ground? (are you happy with that situation by the way, you do know we used to own the ground before Smurf came along don't you?).

 

Are you suggesting with your last point that we should all simply put up and shut up? That we should never comment on (whether that be praise or criticise) Smurf's actions? Is he beyond reproach?

 

I am not 100% anti Smurf, lets be clear about that. I don't put myself into a category of pro or anti. I base my opinion on his actions, rather than the man himself. If he turns things around and becomes a professional football club chairman that leads us in the right way, then he'll get plenty of praise from me. On the odd occasion I've agreed with something he's done, I've praised him on here and on twitter. But those are so infrequent that it rarely happens.

 

If you disagree with my view that's fine, but you've said nothing so far that has brought me around to your way of thinking.

 

So you've only answered 1 question you won't buy the club and we never owned the club or ground the owners do I'm not suggesting you put up or shut up just to stop the negativity you've obviously got no answers to the questions you pose so why give them

[jacko4]

Smurf has tweeted he was in contact with Rob Page yesterday.

[For Us All]

Crowds have dwindled for one reason only. The football. Nothing to do, at least to any significant extent, with pies price bickering or pigeon **** on the seats.

 

Don't forget the new lick of paint? 😁😋

[bycars bootboy]

Are you saying that truth becomes lies if you repeat it?

 

No, what he's saying is your the worst kind of armchair supporter there is.One,who for whatever reason has fallen out of love with his club but still feels a need to be connected in some way,so chooses this forum to release his bitterness and negativity towards the rest of us.What drove Vale out of you Nick?

[Fosse69]

Smurf has tweeted he was in contact with Rob Page yesterday.

Asking for the 3 points back?

[mr.hobblesworth]

Crowds have dwindled for one reason only. The football. Nothing to do, at least to any significant extent, with pies price bickering or pigeon **** on the seats.

 

How do you know a) what the football is/ was like and b) why several hundred fans are staying away? Last season, we had one of the best home records in the division and in the first ten home games, beat some top class (or maybe supposed top class teams) whilst playing some scintillating football blah blah blah. OK, we weren't playing like Barcelona but there was absolutely nothing there to dissuade supporters. I don't want to join in with the catcalls as you seem to be a decent bloke (cue some witless ******** telling me to go join the peace corps) but I really struggle to understand why you have to keep chipping away whilst professing that you're done with the club. To use an analogy I may have posted already, it's like turning up at an exes house and repeatedly shouting through her letterbox that you don't give two hoots about her. It really does come across that you're trying to convince yourself more than anyone else why you don't attend games any more.

[rayzer]

It's also completely the wrong way to approach the issue. Rather than highlighting the fact that Vale have a small racist element and using that as an excuse not to appoint a manager (which was widely condemned by several anti-racism groups) it could have been used as a reason to appoint JFH - in that Vale won't be led by the small racist element and we will appoint the best manager regardless of their race. To educate that minority that the club won't tolerate their behaviour and won't be swayed by their ridiculous views.

 

Quotes from the anti-racism charity Kick it Out: "This is outrageous that because of the possibility of abuse, he has discriminated against Hasselbaink and denied him the opportunity of being Port Vale manager

 

"If there's a problem then it needs to be addressed and tackled. If education is needed then let's do something about it.

 

"It is a sad day for Port Vale Football Club in 2015 when a football club owner admits this.

 

"Are black managers not capable of protecting themselves? The main criteria should be the best person for the job. Owners and decision makers at football clubs have a duty of care to appoint the best candidate."

 

One of the reasons I refuse to go to home games and put money in the chairmans coffers.

 

If he had apologised for the things he had said I could have forgiven him, but being the buffoon he is he does not accept that he ever does any wrong.

[Valenick]

One of the reasons I refuse to go to home games and put money in the chairmans coffers.

 

If he had apologised for the things he had said I could have forgiven him, but being the buffoon he is he does not accept that he ever does any wrong.

 

Seems a few vale fans are whiter than white

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

One of the reasons I refuse to go to home games and put money in the chairmans coffers.

 

If he had apologised for the things he had said I could have forgiven him, but being the buffoon he is he does not accept that he ever does any wrong.

 

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Actual quote: "I didn't take him because of the racial issue the club had got. I didn't think it was fair on him."

 

Saying something like that tars us all with the same brush. I had friends messaging me this story asking what it's like at the club. The impression it gave other fans was like we were one of those Russian clubs throwing bananas on the pitch etc. Completely tarnished our club. The news went global. It was a disgrace.

 

Actual quote continued... "It hasn't been repeated since. Ninety nine per cent of our fans are excellent but a small minority leave us with policing and other issues."

 

No one in reality can claim we haven't had an issue with racism in the last 5 years or so.

[Valenick]

Actual quote continued... "It hasn't been repeated since. Ninety nine per cent of our fans are excellent but a small minority leave us with policing and other issues."

 

No one in reality can claim we haven't had an issue with racism in the last 5 years or so.

 

Stop quoting facts they don't like FACTS

[Family Stand Terrier]

Stop being so blatantly contrary. The point people are making is this was just one of a whole host of incidents that demonstrate how damaging Smurfs actions are to our club. The whole thing was completely avoidable, unnecessary and had seriously negative consequences for the club's image. I reiterate an earlier point, the fact that he failed to predict the backlash, and could not see that he was basically admitting that he didn't appoint someone due to the colour of their skin, shows that Smurf lacks the competence to be able to make such big decisions for Port Vale. If you analyse his actions and comments over the last 12-18 months alone, you'd struggle to list one thing he's done that has had any kind of positive impact on the club.