Smurthwate Meeting Ticket Only

[Santa]

Not arguing against the general point but we got a smaller gate (and fewer home fans) v Cambridge this season. The weather probably played a big part on that day.

[Family Stand Terrier]

You're either too young or have a short memory, but we regularly pulled in sub-3000 gates in the late 70s/early 80s, when we were last in this position. I take your point about younger fans not being attracted to Vale but it was the same then as well - a situation that turned round when we started improving under John McGrath and Rudgey.

 

Don't order the wreath just yet. Hopefully he'll be telling us that he's sold the club to someone who'll take us forward.

 

You're right I am too young for those days, I was born in 82. What I will say though is that times have changed since then. The money that Stoke have, the world is much smaller these days with technology (buying a ticket for Stoke or any other prem club is so much easier than it would have been back then), social media, modern stadia, expectations of a "match day experience", customer profiling, marketing, IT etc etc. I just think that the environment we now operate in poses so many more risks to the club, and we'll find it harder and harder to compete. No matter what happens I don't think we'll be able to compete in all of those areas, which is why I think we need to address areas that we have control over, such as; price, merchandise, social media, stadium, commercial sales, hospitality etc. At the moment I just don't think enough is happening in any of those areas, and for me that is down to the man at the top. If he shows no enthusiasm for each of those areas, and for the future of the club, then neither will his employees.

[TheSage]

Norman said months ago that he wasn't going to finance the team any longer and we'd have to make do and mend. The budget - low as it was - got entirely eaten up by Brown last summer, so there was nowt left in the pot for Aspin save for a couple of dirt cheap non leaguers and a string of free loan players, generated by getting rid of the likes of Wilson and several other loan lads.

The cupboard has been bare for some time now and that's why we are where we are. Like last year, we haven't strengthened sufficiently in January. The manager is only as good as the players he has at his disposal and we have no more than 3-4 decent ones of our own at present, hence we're at the bottom of the League.

 

Norman went out on a limb with his ridiculous foreign experiment, having been blinded by a phone call from the failed one. He has then had to pay off most of that squad, plus several plonkers signed by Brown. He's clearly given up on putting his hand in his own pocket having spectacularly failed time and time again over the past 2-3 years. Not so long ago we had a solid league one team and now we're heading towards oblivion, thanks to the silly decisions, nonsensical signings and lack of interest/investement from the owner. He needs to go asap because we're only going in one direction at the moment. Without funds even Pep would struggle here!

 

I just hope that the meeting is polite and enlightening and not ruined by his many vociferous critics who I am sure will have to try very hard to restrain their emotions having seem what's happened to their club lately.

[melv]

One thing that was asked at that meeting was whether or not Norman had kept his promises to Aspin. He passed the question on to Rudgie who didn't answer it!

 

It was like it was to hot to handle. 😉

[bookworm]

I doubt whether anything he says will be worth a wet fart.

[melv]

Norman said months ago that he wasn't going to finance the team any longer and we'd have to make do and mend. The budget - low as it was - got entirely eaten up by Brown last summer, so there was nowt left in the pot for Aspin save for a couple of dirt cheap non leaguers and a string of free loan players, generated by getting rid of the likes of Wilson and several other loan lads.

The cupboard has been bare for some time now and that's why we are where we are. Like last year, we haven't strengthened sufficiently in January. The manager is only as good as the players he has at his disposal and we have no more than 3-4 decent ones of our own at present, hence we're at the bottom of the League.

 

Norman went out on a limb with his ridiculous foreign experiment, having been blinded by a phone call from the failed one. He has then had to pay off most of that squad, plus several plonkers signed by Brown. He's clearly given up on putting his hand in his own pocket having spectacularly failed time and time again over the past 2-3 years. Not so long ago we had a solid league one team and now we're heading towards oblivion, thanks to the silly decisions, nonsensical signings and lack of interest/investement from the owner. He needs to go asap because we're only going in one direction at the moment. Without funds even Pep would struggle here!

 

I just hope that the meeting is polite and enlightening and not ruined by his many vociferous critics who I am sure will have to try very hard to restrain their emotions having seem what's happened to their club lately.

 

Smurf also said that he would pay for 'HIS' mistake for the FAILED Bruno experiment out of his own pocket at no cost to the club.

 

He also said that funde WOULD be available for Aspo during the transfer window.

[QuakerVale]

I really hope someone's taken a hint from Norm's twitter, gone to Littlen's, and customized a bunch of those wooden spoons to read "Sell Up Norm" or something to that effect. The least we can do is treat him like the joke he is, and the joke he threatens to turn this club into.

[mr.hobblesworth]

Is this being broadcast anywhere?

[smithie]

Is this being broadcast anywhere?

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Norman is "there" in the same way Alan Partridge had Roger Moore "live"...by telephone link-up!

[werstayinup]

Is this being broadcast anywhere?

 

The sentinel i think

[rayzer]

I really hope someone's taken a hint from Norm's twitter, gone to Littlen's, and customized a bunch of those wooden spoons to read "Sell Up Norm" or something to that effect. The least we can do is treat him like the joke he is, and the joke he threatens to turn this club into.

 

Like the ones his daughter was offering for sale last week that said "You're a ****.. But you are my ****!" She obviously knows her dad.

[smithie]

I doubt whether anything he says will be worth a wet fart.

 

Sounds familiar.

[valeparklife]

Can someone strap him up to a lie detector?

 

Pointless exercise otherwise unfortunately.

[mickyferns]

Brave of him to do this at all as he knows what he is in for, can't see any way the fans will come away from the meeting upbeat simply cus whatever he says even if it's positive stuff most will not believe anymore cus of his previous broken promises, for this reason I'm still amazed he's doing it! If he turns up......

[Jacko51]

I doubt he’ll be alone.