smurthwaite

[vale@rocks]

Fair enough mate your decision but part of being a supporter of a lower-league football club like Port Vale, to me, is as much a commitment as it is a pleasure (when we're doing well). Port Vale needs everyone of us more than we need the club. Big clubs don't care who comes and who goes, people will turn up. If everyone starts turning their back on the club when it's grim watching and hard times, there will be no Port Vale before long. I know a few people who've stopped going the games and it really does bother me. A few year's ago they're the people I'd of called die-hard's.

 

You're clearly still interested in the Vale, I'm making a plea to you now - get back down Vale Park mate and get behind Port Vale, not the players, the chairman - the club itself!

 

Spot on. Totally agree.

[Samwelo]

Fair enough mate your decision but part of being a supporter of a lower-league football club like Port Vale, to me, is as much a commitment as it is a pleasure (when we're doing well). Port Vale needs everyone of us more than we need the club. Big clubs don't care who comes and who goes, people will turn up. If everyone starts turning their back on the club when it's grim watching and hard times, there will be no Port Vale before long. I know a few people who've stopped going the games and it really does bother me. A few year's ago they're the people I'd of called die-hard's.

 

You're clearly still interested in the Vale, I'm making a plea to you now - get back down Vale Park mate and get behind Port Vale, not the players, the chairman - the club itself!

 

Well said, you want to 'support' a lower league team, then you need to go and support. Not sit at home and whinge on here.

[onestepatatime]

Fans are fans, no matter what some may accept. Fans come in all shapes, sizes, beliefs, creeds, colours. Some may attend matches even when they lose loved ones the same day of a match, some will attend even if they can't really afford to, some will attend come what may, some will buy season tickets even if they only attend a few games, some will attend only if the sun shines, some will go without proper food to enable them to attend a game, some will travel miles, some will not attend games but still have an affinity with the Club, some will sit on their hands tight lipped, some will be vociferous throughout games, some will not associate themselves with certain sections of the fan base, some will criticise anything that gets in their vision, some will forgive players that are totally out of sorts one game. All fans are equal and there to support their favourites. No matter what prejudices some may have with fellow fans we are all Valiants now and forever. Smurf Aspin, players and staff will not be here as long as the vast majority of us. We should set aside politics and weird goings on at our Club and simply show that without us fans there would be no Port Vale. Love for our Club should completely override any problems, questions we may have at the running of the Club. We are the lifeblood of Port Vale FC. United we can proceed forward. United we can show the powers that be that Valiants are here and will remain here to support the Vale. Petty differences, queries over ownership/ managership/ playing squad are really insignificant overall in the whole picture of supporting our favourites. Vale Park has to rock with the amalgamation of fans whoever and whatever background we have. Football is a game to be enjoyed whilst we have breath in our bodies. Life is far too short to involve or worry ourselves about the workings of the owner or present custodian of our fantastic Club. Yes Smurf may be eccentric, stark staring bonkers, a con man or simply a very niaive out of his depth temporary overlords of Port Vale FC but simply us fans are so much better than him. We LOVE our Club and have/ will been/be here eternally. Fellow Valiants I adore each and every one of you. I am so proud to call myself a Port Vale fan and sit/ stand alongside all of you. We have the best Club in the world ( our world) and we should simply enjoy supporting the Club until our final chant is uttered at Vale Park. UTV. VTID.

[melv]

10 pts for managing to call me a clown and accusing me of having spat at fellow Valiants. Not got time for you emotional types who throw round insults and accusations. Were we not looking good for promotion the season of the protests then?

 

 

We were also in and around the play offs from League 1 to the Championship in 2014.(Since then we went from League 1 down to League and only Just survived relegation again.)Here is a little task for you.In what way has the club progressed since 2014?

[Hagrid]

Am I allowed to whinge if I go to every game?

[Hagrid]

10 pts for managing to call me a clown and accusing me of having spat at fellow Valiants. Not got time for you emotional types who throw round insults and accusations. Were we not looking good for promotion the season of the protests then?

 

Can assure you Kev, I typed that post with a clear head and no emotional clouding.

 

We were looking good until the Micky Adams jumped ship. Are you implying that without any form of unrest/protests then V2001s replacement for Adams (Jim Gannon!!!) would have lead us to promotion?

[Hagrid]

Why are people appealing/criticising to those who have lost their love for the club? You can't force them to spend £23 to come watch probably the most horrendous period in the club's existence in a decrepit stadium at the wrong end of the 4th tier. Well-meaning and rousing posts aren't going to reignite a flame that died a while back.

 

I know loads that don't come as often as they do, don't come at all, or come but with less attachment/motivation.

 

There's one reason and one reason only we're losing fans. Remove the source of the problem, get us running like a professional outfit, spend the money the club has on good players, and the lost souls will be tempted back, or we'll attract new ones.

 

There is a real problem of attendance but we're approaching it the wrong way. Attack the source.

[TJHValiant]

Why are people appealing/criticising to those who have lost their love for the club? You can't force them to spend £23 to come watch probably the most horrendous period in the club's existence in a decrepit stadium at the wrong end of the 4th tier. Well-meaning and rousing posts aren't going to reignite a flame that died a while back.

 

I know loads that don't come as often as they do, don't come at all, or come but with less attachment/motivation.

 

There's one reason and one reason only we're losing fans. Remove the source of the problem, get us running like a professional outfit, spend the money the club has on good players, and the lost souls will be tempted back, or we'll attract new ones.

 

There is a real problem of attendance but we're approaching it the wrong way. Attack the source.

 

Completely agree and the points raised are actually quite easy to deal with if the person pulling the strings is motivated.

 

I remember when Adams was hired. I’m sure most people saw a new golden era on the way then because we had a strong recruitment process and Adams’ track record at higher levels was far superior to anything we had appointed in my memory.

 

So it proved.

 

Since then we have hired inexperienced, managers and the returns are notably worse.

 

This isn’t rocket science and I doubt a surprise to many.

 

Yes, Adams was originally a Bratt era move but let’s all face reality, Smurf is as bad.

[mbycars]

All I wonder is why didn't the demos at M U, the march against the Venkys at Blackburn, the boycott at Blackpool and the actions of Coventry's fans against their owners split their fanbase?

 

Add on to that the Storming of the directors box at Sjoke and the actions of the Hammers fans. In my opinion the whole issue regarding B & G etc is just a misguided and pathetic excuse by less loyal Vale fans against the demonstrators who by their actions showed just how much they really care.

 

I'm proud that I showed my passion against such poor control of the finances at Port Vale.

 

I would like to turn the argument on it's head and suggest it was the 'I just want to watch the Vale' element that split the fanbase with their lack of concern and general show of apathy.

 

How do you know it hasn't?

[Thevalefan]

Why are people appealing/criticising to those who have lost their love for the club? You can't force them to spend £23 to come watch probably the most horrendous period in the club's existence in a decrepit stadium at the wrong end of the 4th tier. Well-meaning and rousing posts aren't going to reignite a flame that died a while back.

 

I know loads that don't come as often as they do, don't come at all, or come but with less attachment/motivation.

 

There's one reason and one reason only we're losing fans. Remove the source of the problem, get us running like a professional outfit, spend the money the club has on good players, and the lost souls will be tempted back, or we'll attract new ones.

 

There is a real problem of attendance but we're approaching it the wrong way. Attack the source.

 

Even in saying what I did, which was more a plea than a criticism - I support everything you say particularly regarding the fat controller of the club.

 

I've lost the love I used to have for it. Vale Park has just 'lost' whatever it was we had a few years back. I blame Smurfgit

[Iron Curtain]

With the Sunderland game being televised, the club will receive another nice little windfall from the TV money.

 

Does anyone actually believe this will be reinvested back into the club? ... or do we think it will be used to chip off the balance that Norman has in his head which he has to clear before he can sell the club as a reasonable valuation and not lose on this deal.

 

I know what I think will happen. Norman cares more about not losing on this deal than he does about Port Vale.

[Santa]

With the Sunderland game being televised, the club will receive another nice little windfall from the TV money.

 

Does anyone actually believe this will be reinvested back into the club? ... or do we think it will be used to chip off the balance that Norman has in his head which he has to clear before he can sell the club as a reasonable valuation and not lose on this deal.

 

I know what I think will happen. Norman cares more about not losing on this deal than he does about Port Vale.

For an indication, look at how much of the Hugill sell-on clause money we've received so far, and then look at how much of that has been put back into the team.

 

There's your answer.

[Smugsy]

With the Sunderland game being televised, the club will receive another nice little windfall from the TV money.

 

Does anyone actually believe this will be reinvested back into the club? ... or do we think it will be used to chip off the balance that Norman has in his head which he has to clear before he can sell the club as a reasonable valuation and not lose on this deal.

 

I know what I think will happen. Norman cares more about not losing on this deal than he does about Port Vale.

 

We had a far greater sum come into the club with the Hugill transfer and that has made no impact whatsoever. So will the FA Cup windfall be reinvested? Not in a million years.

[smithie]

I'd hate to derail our efforts to win the game on the day, but this is a great chance to let the nation know what we think of our owner.

[Santa]

Didn't he claim to be a Sunderland fan as well when he first took over, before settling on Coventry?