January window

[Ben]

I thought I was positive but even I don’t see us finishing top half!

 

Do wonder if the owner binned it when he heard the negative news coming from the few that attended the SC meeting? Two wrongs making a right possibly? It’s odd the striker deal would be called off without an alternative.

 

And I thought the same wouldn't be surprised that's the type he is.

[Ben]

I thought I was positive but even I don’t see us finishing top half!

 

Do wonder if the owner binned it when he heard the negative news coming from the few that attended the SC meeting? Two wrongs making a right possibly? It’s odd the striker deal would be called off without an alternative.

 

And I thought the same wouldn't be surprised that's the type he is.

[valefan16]

Not the ideal window...

 

Positives

 

- Defence is even stronger and wasn't the weak point before

- Midfield options, the United and Forest lad both come well rated

- Strike Force more options

 

Negatives

 

- Strike force not proven

- Kids on loan inexperienced

 

We have the players to stay up comfortably as we've kept Leon and Ben for example and Manny and Hannant who we worried would go.

 

Issue imminently is the injuries to key players though and Miller being banned.

[Erniemossrules]

Norman Smurthwaite has run the club for the last seven years and is still unable or incompetent to improve it.

His deliberate actions to run the club into the ground show he is not interested in the future of Port Vale.

Yet there are still people on here supporting him and believing his pathetic excuses.f

Yesterday he had an opportunity to make the fans happy by appointing a Manager and bringing back Marc Richards to help Port Vale to survive.

His childish actions of not doing either to spite the fans who criticise him just to show he is in charge are pathetic.

He really deserves the wrath he attracts from the fans who are now growing stronger in the hate of the guy.

Soon he will be unable to attend matches at Port Vale or away matches due to constant abuse from the fans.

It has shown this week that he is the problem and can’t blame Neil Aspin for his shortcomings of not being a competent and sensible owner.

He is now like an unwanted fa@t in a lift.

[Goal Drought]

It has shown this week that he is the problem and can’t blame Neil Aspin for his shortcomings of not being a competent and sensible owner.

Of course Aspin’s entirely to blame without Smurf Whitfield and at least one of Worrall and Montano would have been gone yesterday. This together with Angus (Aspin choice) and Barnett who could easily have deputised for Pope.

We would have eventually played 9-0-1 under Aspin.

[Andyregs]

According to players who have played with leek lad (and a few former and current vale players), he is apparently a class above. Probably more technically gifted than our current players. Reckon he could go on to bigger things and has been raving about him all season. Just needs to get his fitness up to professional levels which explains him training with us but playing for leek (which was also part of he deal which enabled us to sign him). Moaning about this lad, especially some directly on social media are lashing out at the wrong person.

[TheSage]

To be honest with you, at the moment I'm more concerned about our league status this season than worrying about who might become a decent player for us in years to come, though of course I wish all our new signings well.

 

I would hazard a guess that at least 95% of posters on here wanted us this month to sign 1-2 quality, proven, experienced players in the final third. Particularly with Pope injured. Quality over quantity - as Rob's sensible article indicated several weeks ago.

But we just haven't done that! Yet again we've gone for lads costing next to nothing with little or no experience of league two football.

Howkins I was delighted about but he was an Aspin signing. He'd got Angol lined up as well but that fell through when Aspin went.

 

The window is now shut. We have no manager. We have no experienced striker/playmaker signed. Just a handful of inexperienced kids, like Hardcastle, to cover injuries. We already have a VERY inexperienced team. Look at the XI who finished the Newport game.

 

Also cast back your minds to the season we went down under Brown. We then had 7-8 serious long term injuries after January and that cost us our league one place. Players like Knopps and Guy and Walker and others. All crocked. If this happens again - god forbid - then we're down.

If Pope (again) or Brown or Harris get injured, then what?

 

We're on a knife edge and all because the owner [who "knows nothing about football" remember] did not have a manager lined up and has not signed quality players in the window, breaking his promises on the record that he was giving the manager 400k to strengthen the squad.

 

The more I reflect on the last 48 hours the more I'm beginning to think that Aspin jumped ship because NS reneged on his all promises, wanted to take charge of player recruitment on the cheap and refused to sanction moves for better players on higher wages. I suspect Aspin did not want to be the one to take Port Vale down and he could see the way the wind was blowing under NS.

 

It has been a disastrous window. A complete and utter underwhelming mess. But we've saved money and the wage bill is lower now than it was in December, so NS will be delighted I'm sure.

[Rampant Zebra]

To be honest with you, at the moment I'm more concerned about our league status this season than worrying about who might become a decent player for us in years to come, though of course I wish all our new signings well.

 

I would hazard a guess that at least 95% of posters on here wanted us this month to sign 1-2 quality, proven, experienced players in the final third. Particularly with Pope injured. Quality over quantity - as Rob's sensible article indicated several weeks ago.

But we just haven't done that! Yet again we've gone for lads costing next to nothing with little or no experience of league two football.

Howkins I was delighted about but he was an Aspin signing. He'd got Angol lined up as well but that fell through when Aspin went.

 

The window is now shut. We have no manager. We have no experienced striker/playmaker signed. Just a handful of inexperienced kids, like Hardcastle, to cover injuries. We already have a VERY inexperienced team. Look at the XI who finished the Newport game.

 

Also cast back your minds to the season we went down under Brown. We then had 7-8 serious long term injuries after January and that cost us our league one place. Players like Knopps and Guy and Walker and others. All crocked. If this happens again - god forbid - then we're down.

If Pope (again) or Brown or Harris get injured, then what?

 

We're on a knife edge and all because the owner [who "knows nothing about football" remember] did not have a manager lined up and has not signed quality players in the window, breaking his promises on the record that he was giving the manager 400k to strengthen the squad.

 

The more I reflect on the last 48 hours the more I'm beginning to think that Aspin jumped ship because NS reneged on his all promises, wanted to take charge of player recruitment on the cheap and refused to sanction moves for better players on higher wages. I suspect Aspin did not want to be the one to take Port Vale down and he could see the way the wind was blowing under NS.

 

It has been a disastrous window. A complete and utter underwhelming mess. But we've saved money and the wage bill is lower now than it was in December, so NS will be delighted I'm sure.

 

Hardcastle has gone! You are pretty spot on with the rest though...

[blackdog]

 

The more I reflect on the last 48 hours the more I'm beginning to think that Aspin jumped ship because NS reneged on his all promises, wanted to take charge of player recruitment on the cheap and refused to sanction moves for better players on higher wages. I suspect Aspin did not want to be the one to take Port Vale down and he could see the way the wind was blowing under NS.

 

BOOM.....In a nutshell.

[Regal Beagle]

According to players who have played with leek lad (and a few former and current vale players), he is apparently a class above. Probably more technically gifted than our current players. Reckon he could go on to bigger things and has been raving about him all season. Just needs to get his fitness up to professional levels which explains him training with us but playing for leek (which was also part of he deal which enabled us to sign him). Moaning about this lad, especially some directly on social media are lashing out at the wrong person.

 

Couldn't agree more with the last sentence. Everyone is angry, lashing out at other fans, existing players or new signings is not constructive and will divide the fanbase.

[Jacko51]

Am I understanding this correctly - some of you are saying that the reason why the Richards deal was pulled was because our Chairman suddenly realised the fans didn't like him????

[Santa]

Do wonder if the owner binned it when he heard the negative news coming from the few that attended the SC meeting? Two wrongs making a right possibly? It’s odd the striker deal would be called off without an alternative.

Poor little lamb.

 

Is that what it's come to? We have to be nice to him, Or Else ?

 

It speaks volumes about the man if he'd readily cut of his nose to spite his face. He's the owner of a professional football club, and, in the absence of even a nominated caretaker manager, he's ostensibly in charge of team affairs.

 

To be honest here mate I'm sat here chuckling away at the idea of this. Don't be mean to Norman everyone!

[WalterJ]

 

What is going on?!

 

I don't know what manager told him to sign these players. I would image none considering we don't actually have one currently.

 

You know exactly what my point was a few weeks ago Jacko, so please don't project your anger at the Vale situation on to me. I've never claimed that Smurf does not make the signings and you know it.

 

As for the 6 loanees, we did the same with Brown. It's stupid.

 

Practically all signings in our league have been loans so why is stupid? I will support these players who have come to Vale and think they do add to the squad and can improve it. Once Pope is fit, Millar back we also have the Cardiff lad and Elliott. Howkins is a shoe in, the other two midfielders will bring a bit of class and pressure on older legs in the team. Don’t knock players till you have seen them. If I was any kind of player I wouldn’t sign for Vale after seeing the vitriol fished out on here!

[Regal Beagle]

Practically all signings in our league have been loans so why is stupid? I will support these players who have come to Vale and think they do add to the squad and can improve it. Once Pope is fit, Millar back we also have the Cardiff lad and Elliott. Howkins is a shoe in, the other two midfielders will bring a bit of class and pressure on older legs in the team. Don’t knock players till you have seen them. If I was any kind of player I wouldn’t sign for Vale after seeing the vitriol fished out on here!

 

Not knocking any of the players, they'll have my full support as will the new manager or any caretaker manager.

 

We've got 6 loanees and we can only name 5 in the match day squad, that is what I meant when I said it was stupid.

[smithie]

Poor little lamb.

 

Is that what it's come to? We have to be nice to him, Or Else ?

 

To be honest here mate I'm sat here chuckling away at the idea of this. Don't be mean to Norman everyone!

 

That's exactly how it's been ever since people had the temerity to even question him. Who can forget his "If I go, you lot are fxcked" line at the supporters meeting?

 

Yes, he really did say "you lot". That's what he thinks of the fans. I always cringed at his "sweetie jar" nonsense, as if we are little kids should be excited at him spending some money on us.

 

Absolute and total ************ of a bloke.