Ex-Chairman's Statement

[Animal]

TUPE relates only to public services, and while Vale seems to have been run like a charity - at least in terms of the number of points we gave away - I don't think it applies.

 

Incorrect

[Timothius]

He won't fund the club cos this can only be achieved via more loans which will in turn push the price up..a price he knows he won't get. All this supposedly 'ploughing' money is now coming home to roost...not just for him but for the fans too.

 

As to renting the ground from him, given (I assume) we don't currently pay rent and the club relies on his loans to survive where would the money come from to pay this rent? We could not afford to rent elsewhere is we can't afford to be at a free vale park surely? He could use it as leverage of some sort but to what end? My fear is that if he was able to force the club out of business then he would be able to sell the stadium/land...that he'd be able to challenge the covenant if there was no club using the stadium.

 

Said this 4 years ago, got loads of abuse. It doesn't look so ludicrous now does it?

[PV1973]

He hasn't done what the fans wanted.

Of course hes done stuff for his own reasons and I'm not saying he listens to us, but hes seemingly made huge decisions at the beginning and end of this season that the fans have been talking about or calling for on here and social media....... Firstly getting rid of Page and certain players, now hes stepping down and each of these decisions have left us even deeper in the mire.

[Mellor!]

This is probably the worst possible outcome of the way the supporters have treated Smurf in the last few months.

 

Oh **** off.

[Timothius]

His dosh has though Tim.

 

his loans you mean

[Hagrid]

I dont get our fans at all, pissed off if he stays pissed off if he goes. Pissed off if he puts money in, pissed off if he doesnt.

 

Looks like a long summer.

 

Please, try a bit harder.

 

Pissed off if he stays, yes.

 

Pissed off if he goes; not if he did the decent and sane thing, and accept that his incompetence has cost him financially, and this shouldn't have any bearing on the club/prospective buyer. If he sold to a viable business, accepted he'd made mistakes, and accepted a fair valuation of what the club is worth, then fair enough. We move on.

 

However, if he intends to sell us off to whoever will line his pockets the most, and then proceed to rent the ground to them, meaning the club/prospective buyer has to fund the £3.7 million worth of mistakes he's made, as opposed to signing players, ground improvements, etc. Surely we have a right to be pissed off about that?

 

Oh no I forgot. The Smurf Defence League's last stand. Admirable. Tennyson's words are especially pertinent here:

 

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the 5.

"Forward, the Smurf Defence League!

[fairportnick]

Why's Smurthwaite got money then?

 

Because there are people far far stupider than him.

[Fosse69]

Will relations with the Sentinel be resumed?

[JOHNNYAITCH]

How? he is still here, just hiding

 

What was NS particularly criticised for? Was it for not loaning the club enough money or was it for his PR or was it for his decision making in the running of the club? I suggest it was the latter and if we are to believe his statement he isn't doing that any more....so he is gone as far as what he was most criticised for is concerned.

 

The damage is still done and it may get worse before it gets better but in terms of what he was most culpable for he's gone. To expect him to relinquish control over how his money is spent whilst still funding the club is a very unrealistic expectation

 

A rapid sale to someone who will invest and run the club better is our best hope now.

[blinkme]

he was in over his head from day 1

 

i'm far from an expert in club ownership, and this may have already been brought up, but am i right in thinking he separated the club from the ground? what is up for sale?

[melv]

Where's Martino when you need her?

 

Crawled back under his rock and looking for the £900.000 that he told us Smurf was adding to the budget.

[Yukon]

One of the most ludicrous things I've ever read.

 

He hasn't done what the fans wanted. He's selling us, putting no investment in in the meantime, and renting the ground back.

 

How in the **** is up to the fans now? He's mugged us off, has fled the scene, recouping all his money, and somehow the fans have got to sort out the mess.

 

Come on pal.

 

Cake/' eat it springs to mind. I wouldn't put any more money in either

[Davebrad]

Will relations with the Sentinel be resumed?

 

Perhaps we could ask the council for a loan:doh:

[Fosse69]

he was in over his head from day 1

 

i'm far from an expert in club ownership, and this may have already been brought up, but am i right in thinking he separated the club from the ground? what is up for sale?

What people will offer, with or without the ground. I think the main purpose of separating the ground was to keep it out of admin creditors, should that ever happen.

[j_grainger10]

We are going to have to rent Vale Park off him aren't we when he goes? :(