So Vale are now safe.

[melv]

So Vale are now safe.Good news.

 

So what next?What the team needs is investment not recut backs.Smurf is 'apparently' in talks with a potential new owner.Now that Vale are safe in this league it make Vale a better prospect than if they had been relegated.So will the Blue one now want more money for the club?

 

If it's going to be sold then this needs doing ASAP so plans can be made for next season.If it's not going to be sold we need investment not more cutbacks,we know what that achieves.Either way Aspo needs to know what his budget will be (now we are safe)So that he knows how much he has and can plan the much needed restructuring that is needed.I know no one an be bought,or sold yet due to the transfer window etc.But now at least some plans can be worked on knowing where we will be next season.Over to you Smurf.

[RailwayRowdy]

So Vale are now safe.Good news.

 

So what next?What the team needs is investment not recut backs.Smurf is 'apparently' in talks with a potential new owner.Now that Vale are safe in this league it make Vale a better prospect than if they had been relegated.So will the Blue one now want more money for the club?

 

If it's going to be sold then this needs doing ASAP so plans can be made for next season.If it's not going to be sold we need investment not more cutbacks,we know what that achieves.Either way Aspo needs to know what his budget will be (now we are safe)So that he knows how much he has and can plan the much needed restructuring that is needed.I know no one an be bought,or sold yet due to the transfer window etc.But now at least some plans can be worked on knowing where we will be next season.Over to you Smurf.

 

First of all, well done and congratulations to Aspin for turning things around.

 

However, the rest is same old, same old. Smurfthwaite won’t sell. Smurfthwaite won’t give Aspin a realistic working budget. Smurfthwaite won’t support fans aspirations. Smurthwaite won’t....etc etc.

 

At the end of the day, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

 

Yes, I’m delighted and relieved that we’ve survived, but will the future hold any hope for progress under The Blue One ?

 

We may not ever be challenging for the Champions League title, but for God’s sake we should NOT be struggling to stay in the Football League.

 

Smurthwaite HAS to go and sell the club as a complete package, including the stadium and not this he’ll “keep the ground for 5 years” bullocks.

 

Sadly, I suspect that this will not happen.

 

However, today belongs to Aspin.

[valefan16]

Hopefully we can build around the decent core of players we have, remove the dead wood and start addressing areas of weakness we have.

 

At this moment in time we need to try and progress and hopefully at the very least finish top half next season, I’m sceptical of wholesale changes as that hasn’t worked the past two seasons however I trust Aspin and Rudge to make better decisions than Brown and Bruno!

[valiant_593]

I'd like to see aspin mix it up for the last few games now. Maybe a few of the younger lads see if they've got what it takes. Maybe bring Angus back get him some league experience.

[werstayinup]

I'd like to see aspin mix it up for the last few games now. Maybe a few of the younger lads see if they've got what it takes. Maybe bring Angus back get him some league experience.

 

I agree with you there,restraints should be off now,so lets try something different

[werstayinup]

Wasn't there something on the news page on here a few weeks back saying we were close to signing a non league starlet but only if we stayed up?? that could be interesting

[QuakerVale]

I'll preface this by saying its mostly fanciful wishes if Smurf doesn't decide what he's doing. Most want him gone (myself included). Some still believe it better the devil you know () and are willing to see him stay. Regardless of who is operating the club, fat needs to be trimmed, and a commitment to first team-quality players needs to be made. In particular, investment must be made especially at LB, Midfield (preferably someone not nearing their retirement), and an experienced FL GK (although Hornby deserves a crack at the spot given his recent run). We could also do with a second striker to pair with Popey...without him this season, there is NO WAY we are still playing League Football next season.

 

My humble suggestion would be to make notable improvements to the quality of our pitch. Players don't want to play on a ground that doesn't drain, or has the ability to turn an ankle on any given step. Our pitch was easily one of the least well-maintained this season in the League. If the quality of the pitch improves, I think it likely the quality of play will follow in step, especially as the team continues to gel under Aspo.

 

In either case, we will see a vastly different Vale team next year. I've no doubt Aspo and Rudgey have their targets set for the summer window (I for one am interested to see what Angus could bring to the attacking half). This window will tell any remaining Vale fans all we need to know about the short-term and long-term future of this club.

[Fosse69]

The pitch is a separate issue, there has been talk of a major replacement, but I believe it needs to be booked a year in advance. Possibly all we can expect is some attention to the drains and slicing again, and hoping for a drier Winter. Maybe someone has heard something? Money of course is a major factor.

[pjg1876]

Hornby, Gibbons, Smith, Montano, Kay, Worrall, Hannant, Pope looks to be a good core for a starting point with Howe, Kelly, Calveley, Turner and Angus as squad players. That’s 13 plus there may be a few who are still under contract such as Davis, Tonge, Pugh, Lainton and Barnett who may be difficult/expensive to move on. Doesn’t leave a lot of room for manoeuvre if we want quality as once we get into September, no more signings until January. Anyway we’ve got 3-4 months without worrying too much.

[CambridgeDon]

Hornby, Gibbons, Smith, Montano, Kay, Worrall, Hannant, Pope looks to be a good core for a starting point with Howe, Kelly, Calveley, Turner and Angus as squad players. That’s 13 plus there may be a few who are still under contract such as Davis, Tonge, Pugh, Lainton and Barnett who may be difficult/expensive to move on. Doesn’t leave a lot of room for manoeuvre if we want quality as once we get into September, no more signings until January. Anyway we’ve got 3-4 months without worrying too much.

 

I'm not so sure Aspo will be so keen to move on the older players such as Pugh, Tongue and, to a lesser extent, Kay. Looks to me as if he sees them as serious assets with the kind of experience lacking in the rest of the squad. You have to have a mixture of both but relying on those three for yet another season would mean we'd get seriously caught out. There's only so far experience will take you once your legs have gone. Hopefully, I'm wrong.

[Valiant in Brum]

I'll preface this by saying its mostly fanciful wishes if Smurf doesn't decide what he's doing. Most want him gone (myself included). Some still believe it better the devil you know () and are willing to see him stay. Regardless of who is operating the club, fat needs to be trimmed, and a commitment to first team-quality players needs to be made. In particular, investment must be made especially at LB, Midfield (preferably someone not nearing their retirement), and an experienced FL GK (although Hornby deserves a crack at the spot given his recent run). We could also do with a second striker to pair with Popey...without him this season, there is NO WAY we are still playing League Football next season.

 

My humble suggestion would be to make notable improvements to the quality of our pitch. Players don't want to play on a ground that doesn't drain, or has the ability to turn an ankle on any given step. Our pitch was easily one of the least well-maintained this season in the League. If the quality of the pitch improves, I think it likely the quality of play will follow in step, especially as the team continues to gel under Aspo.

 

In either case, we will see a vastly different Vale team next year. I've no doubt Aspo and Rudgey have their targets set for the summer window (I for one am interested to see what Angus could bring to the attacking half). This window will tell any remaining Vale fans all we need to know about the short-term and long-term future of this club.

 

They'll have more freedom than in January. Rudge has all the contacts and will have already been spying and eyeing players.

[QuakerVale]

I'll add that I don't mind having Tonge, Pugh, and Kay on our squad. There's just no rational reason they should all be starting for this team in the next campaign. Granted, the wages may dictate some personnel decisions, but rotating these three with a pair of younger midfielders with some pace could actually offer a nice balance and creativity.

 

Aspin, as it has been noted, is a defensive-minded manager. Given the youth we have at Center back, I don't mind having 2 defensive middies, but you have to have a rotation to preserve their legs, and the ability to pair a younger midfielder with some creativity with Worrall to get it to Popey and whomever else we pair in the attacking half.