Time for Norman Smurthwaite to put a genuine price tag on the club and go

[Mattholl]

Mattholl

 

If you have access to information that I don't (and you imply, or at least I infer, that you do) then to quote that information without giving full reference to it detracts from any points that you seek to make. I cannot reply to something which is invisible to me, making a quote without reference of no value.

 

I have already said that local fans (not necessarily in high places, that is an insulting term to ordinary working people and I count myself in that category) anyway local fans will not work with our Chairman, and I have said I cannot blame them. The Chairman has lost the trust and confidence of the majority of the fans. Whether that is right or not is a slightly separate issue, it reflects reality based on the Chairman's behaviour. If the Chairman feels it is the right thing to ostracise his main customer base then I await to see his plans for replacing that customer base.

 

I have posted about how the club can move forward (there are many other ideas floating around) and you choose to ignore that point. I also note that you say the Chairman "doesnt (sic) care". Yes that point is one where we can agree, it is abundantly clear that he does not care that is one of the many problems. Your post above in reply to mine can be judged by any reasonable person as to the motivation about trying to identify a way of helping Port Vale move forward and to offer some realistic appraisal and assessment for our chairman to consider.

 

I am aware of the implications of business, I have been in business for over 40 years and also hold a high level academic qualification in the subject. Our Chairman is in no position to project his achievements as Chairman as reflecting any kind of good business practice. Yes our Chairman can do with it as he wishes, and he may not want to walk away with a loss of £2M, but unless he exercises some realistic business appraisal and analysis his eventual losses will amount to substantially more than £2M.

 

Im not claiming to have any information not already out there what ive talked about in relation to admin and situation is public knowledge. The directors loan claimed by NS is public information. My point is not that I have information, like most here I only have snippets to deal with and people know more than me for sure. My point is that you and a few others keep saying the admins managed to balance the costs and go up, but they didnt have the normal business operating costs to deal with as the council didnt charge, police didnt charge, player wages didnt need paying in full etc.. all costs that the current and previous owners had to deal with so its not realistic to say that it can be done and use that as an example. Other clubs models certainly could be used.. but to get us into a position to use those models would require investment, we don't have a huge amount available to use and at the moment the team needs more investment that marketing and community because marketing and community wont win matches in the next 2 months.

 

Come the summer some major rethinks in business direction and areas of required investment ie the community scheme, marketing, etc.. are required by NS for sure and fans rightly need to ask that he does that constructively.

[Family Stand Terrier]

If someone lies about a liar does that make them better' date=' the same or worse?[/quote']

 

If you're able to understand the series of events and the way they've been described, you'd quite easily see that yourself and Matt have misunderstood, jumped to conclusions, and ran with it as fact. Given the way things have developed over the last 2 weeks, I suppose it's understandable that Smurfs supporters will jump all over any tiny crumb of weakness in an argument, even when they don't exist, as is clearly the case here.

[Family Stand Terrier]

Im not claiming to have any information not already out there what ive talked about in relation to admin and situation is public knowledge. The directors loan claimed by NS is public information. My point is not that I have information, like most here I only have snippets to deal with and people know more than me for sure. My point is that you and a few others keep saying the admins managed to balance the costs and go up, but they didnt have the normal business operating costs to deal with as the council didnt charge, police didnt charge, player wages didnt need paying in full etc.. all costs that the current and previous owners had to deal with so its not realistic to say that it can be done and use that as an example. Other clubs models certainly could be used.. but to get us into a position to use those models would require investment, we don't have a huge amount available to use and at the moment the team needs more investment that marketing and community because marketing and community wont win matches in the next 2 months.

 

Come the summer some major rethinks in business direction and areas of required investment ie the community scheme, marketing, etc.. are required by NS for sure and fans rightly need to ask that he does that constructively.

 

I agree with a lot of that Matt to be fair. The reason these things are being discussed to such lengths now though, are because the Chairman came on here early last week, so the issues that you rightly say need attention in the summer, were raised whilst we had the Chairman's attention. He also instigated the poll, and released several statements both here and on the official website. It's inevitable that following such statements, the fans forum will start to discuss them in detail.

 

I honestly think those discussions last week were carried out in a constructive manner. I for one thanked Smurf for his time (despite recently being insulted by him). However his latest statement showed that he felt differently about how the discussions went, as he referred to "keyboard warriors" and "true fans", which was a shame, as I felt it was something to build on.

[Mattholl]

If you're able to understand the series of events and the way they've been described, you'd quite easily see that yourself and Matt have misunderstood, jumped to conclusions, and ran with it as fact. Given the way things have developed over the last 2 weeks, I suppose it's understandable that Smurfs supporters will jump all over any tiny crumb of weakness in an argument, even when they don't exist, as is clearly the case here.

 

As ive said a few times FST im not a supporter of NS. I just think that the focus and stance taken by a small majority of fans is damaging the club as much as NS. Both the fan group and NS will never get on, but whilst they sit and make lies up about each other the clubs isnt benefiting. I havent misunderstood what was written, I asked how the story could be leaked from the fans and Tim replied with it being a FACT that the fans had been sent the email after the story was published. As ive said what he didnt realise at that point was that he didnt receive the email first hand, it was received by other fans first and then sent out later. However you look at it it isnt a FACT that the fans got it after the story was published. What is a fact is that HE got it after the story was printed. those are two completely different stories, however Tim didnt know he wasnt in the original select group to get the email, it was only when another fan pointed out that a couple of people had in fact had it prior to the story being printed he then started to spin a yarn about me not understanding.

 

As i've said if someone has to lie about a liar then no one comes out on top. Tim might not have being lying he could of only been giving the side of the truth that fitted his arguement, NS is likely doing the same. People in glass house though cant throw stones.

[Erniemossrules]

Much of the budget was blown by Bruno Ribeiro signing poor players on ridiculous wages. Smurf must have approved these signings so is to blame for the present position the club are in.There is no way anyone is going to pay his reputed 6.5 million and he will still have to pay off or keep paying the wages of the massive squad Brown has inherited.He is bluffing regarding the bids he has received and thinks he is being clever by using the supposed Norwegian bid to up the American offer.Good luck Norman but by not investing the 350k in January you will lose even more in value if we are relegated.

[Tomo]

Thread closed; ran its course & no longer constructive.