This may be an unpopular opinion, but.....

[George]

....I don't want Smurf to sell the club (at least in the near future).

 

He's had his faults, far too many to mention, however what the club needs now more than ever is some stability.

 

He's appointed the 'dream team', has committed to backing them in January and, to his credit, has stayed out of the limelight the last few weeks.

 

If he keeps doing what he's been doing the last few weeks then it's not too late for him to be remembered fondly (or at the least not with too much animosity!) when he eventually does leave.

 

There is no guarantee that a new owner would A) want Aspin and Rudge and B) back then with funds, so Norman, for the good of our immediate future, stick with it and keep doing what you've been doing. Leave the football to the Dream Team, stay out of The press and keep dipping your hand in your pocket when it is needed.

 

Is that too much to ask??

[Heatwave]

Agree with this - provided Norman does keep his nose out of the football side. Past form indicates he won't.

[toyahw]

Norman Smurthwaite bought the club. Behind a front. Wildes. Has chucked a load of debt on the club, and dragged it's reputation to an all time low. And a similar league position. Wish he would **** off.

[Yukon]

This thread is going to get interesting!

[Andy06]

i don't think he will leave anytime soon anyway tbh i don't think he ever did smurfs problem is he lets fire on social media without thinking of the consequences.. if hes to get the fans back on side hes got a lot of bridges to fix on the way

 

he has shown he likes to take 100% control of everything i just hope he stays out of the footballing side now we have aspo and rudgie here

[Bea Smith]

....I don't want Smurf to sell the club (at least in the near future).

 

He's had his faults, far too many to mention, however what the club needs now more than ever is some stability.

 

He's appointed the 'dream team', has committed to backing them in January and, to his credit, has stayed out of the limelight the last few weeks.

 

If he keeps doing what he's been doing the last few weeks then it's not too late for him to be remembered fondly (or at the least not with too much animosity!) when he eventually does leave.

 

There is no guarantee that a new owner would A) want Aspin and Rudge and B) back then with funds, so Norman, for the good of our immediate future, stick with it and keep doing what you've been doing. Leave the football to the Dream Team, stay out of The press and keep dipping your hand in your pocket when it is needed.

 

Is that too much to ask??

 

 

 

Interesting, and there is no reason anyone should not have their own opinion and put it on here especially when it is expressed as well as this.

 

In return, I would ask you to consider the following points though -

 

1. You rightly say that the club needs stability, and most agree that the new management team are a very welcome appointment. However, has Smurf really stayed out of the limelight and will he do so over the next year or so ?

It is very recently that he said he would have to be involved on a day-to-day basis again, so is Garlick staying ? At the very least, given Smurf's manic over-emotional unpredictability, that statement alone is destabalising and was very unwelcome.

 

2. History tends to repeat itself - and it may only need a bad FA Cup result or some bad luck in a few league games, and we will see all the old ridiculous posturing again, Exeter revisited.

 

If he keeps off social media for the rest of the season, completely keeps quiet except for backing his new men in January over transfers, then I will believe you. But we all know he won't.

 

3. If the new owners are Vale fans like Synectics, they are likely to back Aspin and his team and are far more likely to be normal and stable than Norman has been over the last 3 years.

 

Basically, only time will tell - but Smurf has ingrained profiteering and interfering streaks that always mean being cheap, devious, artful and cutting corners.

 

Quite honestly I don't trust him not to try and get by with a disguised cheapskate contribution in January, and to keep out of the things he should keep out of at the club.

 

I hope I am wrong and you are right, but it will need a mighty and enormous shift of mentality for that to be so.

 

I will gladly admit I was wrong if he does keep away and funds Aspin well in January.

[Fosse69]

Only time will tell. In the meantime, hope he enjoys the ride letting someone else do the driving back to where we belong.

[Yukon]

Interesting, and there is no reason anyone should not have their own opinion and put it on here especially when it is expressed as well as this.

 

In return, I would ask you to consider the following points though -

 

1. You rightly say that the club needs stability, and most agree that the new managemnent team ae a very welcome appointment. However, has Smurf really stayed out of the limelight and will he do so over the next year or so ?

It is very recently that he said he would have to be involved on a day-to-day basis again, so is Garlick staying ? At the very least, given Smurf's manic over-emotional unpredictability, that statement alone is destabalising and was very unwelcome.

 

2. History tends to repeat itself - and it may only need a bad FA Cup result or some bad luck in a few league games, and we will see all the old ridiculous posturing again, Exeter revisited. If he keeps off social media for the rest of the season, completely keeps quiet except for backing his new men in January over transfers, then I will believe you. But we all know he won't.

 

3. If the new owners are Vale fans like Synectics, they are likely to back Aspin and his team and are far more likely to be normal and stable than Norman has been over the last 3 years.

 

Basically, only time will tell - but Smurf has an ingrained profiteering streak that always wants to be cheap and cut corners, and quite honestly I don't trust him not to try and get by with a cheapskate contribution in January, and to keep out of the things he should keep out of at the club.

I hope I am wrong and you are right, but it will need a mighty and enormous shift of mentality for that to be so. I will gladly admit I was wrong if he does keep away and funds Aspin well in January.

 

I don’t think you can argue with any of that- proceed with caution is my mantra. As Andyregs says, he isn’t going anywhere, let’s just hope he keeps on like he has so far this season & doesn’t do anything crazy.

[valefan16]

I’d do anything for some stability on and off the field after the last couple of years! Hopefully Aspo and Rudge can turn us around and if Smurf does stay he just lets them get on with it.

 

That happens I’m not fussed if he stays.

[Martino Knockavelli]

....I don't want Smurf to sell the club (at least in the near future).

 

He's had his faults, far too many to mention, however what the club needs now more than ever is some stability.

 

He's appointed the 'dream team', has committed to backing them in January and, to his credit, has stayed out of the limelight the last few weeks.

 

If he keeps doing what he's been doing the last few weeks then it's not too late for him to be remembered fondly (or at the least not with too much animosity!) when he eventually does leave.

 

There is no guarantee that a new owner would A) want Aspin and Rudge and B) back then with funds, so Norman, for the good of our immediate future, stick with it and keep doing what you've been doing. Leave the football to the Dream Team, stay out of The press and keep dipping your hand in your pocket when it is needed.

 

Is that too much to ask??

I've been saying this for ages.

[Santa]

With Norm it's just a matter of time until the next meltdown.

[cheshirevaliant]

A leopard doesn't change its spots. Smurthwaite out.

[George]

Interesting, and there is no reason anyone should not have their own opinion and put it on here especially when it is expressed as well as this.

 

In return, I would ask you to consider the following points though -

 

1. You rightly say that the club needs stability, and most agree that the new management team are a very welcome appointment. However, has Smurf really stayed out of the limelight and will he do so over the next year or so ?

It is very recently that he said he would have to be involved on a day-to-day basis again, so is Garlick staying ? At the very least, given Smurf's manic over-emotional unpredictability, that statement alone is destabalising and was very unwelcome.

 

2. History tends to repeat itself - and it may only need a bad FA Cup result or some bad luck in a few league games, and we will see all the old ridiculous posturing again, Exeter revisited.

 

If he keeps off social media for the rest of the season, completely keeps quiet except for backing his new men in January over transfers, then I will believe you. But we all know he won't.

 

3. If the new owners are Vale fans like Synectics, they are likely to back Aspin and his team and are far more likely to be normal and stable than Norman has been over the last 3 years.

 

Basically, only time will tell - but Smurf has ingrained profiteering and interfering streaks that always mean being cheap, devious, artful and cutting corners.

 

Quite honestly I don't trust him not to try and get by with a disguised cheapskate contribution in January, and to keep out of the things he should keep out of at the club.

 

I hope I am wrong and you are right, but it will need a mighty and enormous shift of mentality for that to be so.

 

I will gladly admit I was wrong if he does keep away and funds Aspin well in January.

 

I find it hard to disagree with this. Actually, I find myself nodding in agreement to most of it.

 

Our recent history all points to Norman cocking it up again. And again.

 

It's probably still the high from Saturday talking, and me just being so desperate for an upturn in our fortunes.

 

He CAN make a success of this. Whether he will or not is totally down to him, and more about what he doesn't do than what he does.

[valiant steve]

He's made some very good decisions in the last few weeks. He has appointed quality football people. He now has to let them take care of the football matters and trust them. He also has to stay off social media. We will have bad days as well as good- that's football. He needs to control his output when he's emotional after bad days or bad weeks. We as supporters don't but he as the owner has to in order to provide a platform for stability. There is a great responsibility that comes with being the owner of a football club. I hope he's now up to it and I also hope the appointments of NA and JR provide us all (NS included) with many more good days than bad over the coming years.

Regarding NS, only time will tell.

[Woakesy]

This thread proves that some people have very short memories and can be bought fairly easily. #UPTHEVALE4EVA