Please dont blame SEO

[old sage]

With tonight's game being one of the most attractive fixtures of the season. I am one of many who is wondering how the fans will react after the latest goings on. Whilst I won't be going to watch the game I bear no grudge against those that do. Many of whom will no doubt be demonstrating after the game with us 'Starve em out' fans.(Especially if we lose)

I must admit that I fear the reaction of the fans who listen to Lloyd and actually believe him when he points the finger of blame at the protesters.

Lets be blunt it isn't the stay away fans who have run up the huge debts that the club is now wallowing and looks like drowning in. No this lies fairly and squarely on a board whose business skills are nil.

 

The truth is the club's attendances still dwarf many of the clubs in the lower tiers of the Football League and they seem to be coping far better than we have under the banner of V2001 and some actually manage to pay out a transfer fee to purchase players. Yes you can pay for a new player but our board prefer to pay out large fees to directors of the club and not on good footballers!!.

 

Many have said leave it to the EGM....That would be good if we were dealing with honourable people but we are actually talking about some of the most horrible directors in football. They are proving that they dont give a flying f*** about either us or the club.

So tonight please don't verbally attack the protesters because they are simply fighting to get us all a better future.They are simply using a different tactic than some of you others. Which is the right one??. Only time will tell I believe.

[FRITTER]

I share your concerns,i have the impression that many fans wish to protest but do not agree with seo. i just hope there is no trouble between fans,if there is then it us game over for me

[hardlypotter]

With tonight's game being one of the most attractive fixtures of the season. I am one of many who is wondering how the fans will react after the latest goings on. Whilst I won't be going to watch the game I bear no grudge against those that do. Many of whom will no doubt be demonstrating after the game with us 'Starve em out' fans.(Especially if we lose)

I must admit that I fear the reaction of the fans who listen to Lloyd and actually believe him when he points the finger of blame at the protesters.

Lets be blunt it isn't the stay away fans who have run up the huge debts that the club is now wallowing and looks like drowning in. No this lies fairly and squarely on a board whose business skills are nil.

 

The truth is the club's attendances still dwarf many of the clubs in the lower tiers of the Football League and they seem to be coping far better than we have under the banner of V2001 and some actually manage to pay out a transfer fee to purchase players. Yes you can pay for a new player but our board prefer to pay out large fees to directors of the club and not on good footballers!!.

 

Many have said leave it to the EGM....That would be good if we were dealing with honourable people but we are actually talking about some of the most horrible directors in football. They are proving that they dont give a flying f*** about either us or the club.

So tonight please don't verbally attack the protesters because they are simply fighting to get us all a better future.They are simply using a different tactic than some of you others. Which is the right one??. Only time will tell I believe.

 

OS. I have followed many of your posts with great interest often with a heavy heart seeing another local football club suffer at the wrong hands. Two points I would make:-

1. Some clubs with lower attendances but seemingly thriving in League Two are supported by a chairman or their board with considerable disposable finance, few assets (such as Swindon or Cheltenham). Some clubs, don't have the legacy of poor off the field management having coped within their means or rid themselves of bad boards and bad debts.

2. The protesters are wanting an alternative future, whether it is better only time, if allowed, will tell.

 

Good luck.

[For Us All]

If there is any trouble tonight it will come from the freeloaders who will be desperate to cling on to their perks.

[Edge81]

Dunno, I won't be there as I'm starving them out!

[For Us All]

Dunno, I won't be there as I'm starving them out!

 

Same here.

[Mellor!]

SEO has to take some blame. The aim was to starve the club of funds so much it would make the directors leave. This is now happening. Surely SEO knew it would be bad for the playing side? However, I'd rather sacrafice one season and know that the future could be bright after the board have gone, rather than go up this season with the same board, no fans and almost hating my own club.

[Birdy]

SEO has to take some blame. The aim was to starve the club of funds so much it would make the directors leave. This is now happening. Surely SEO knew it would be bad for the playing side? However, I'd rather sacrafice one season and know that the future could be bright after the board have gone, rather than go up this season with the same board, no fans and almost hating my own club.

 

I disagree Mel, you were SEO, remember but the pull was too much. I am not blaming any of the fans pro or anti SEO, it's non of the fans fault and it's the usual lack of accountability the board has thrown at us over the last eighteen months. Let's remember nothing, absolutely nothing has been their fault and they are not to blame for anything according to MOLD.

 

There are many ways the board and club could have avoided this; investment, dialogue with fans and shareholders, the last EGM, the protests, the attendances and the list goes on.

 

I expect a backlash from some quarters who do not want to view the whole situation in a balanced manner. This will be used as a stark reminder to all FC BOD across the country, ignore you fan base at your peril. If anyone on any side starts pointing the finger at fellow fans then it's a avoiding the real circles of responsibility, the board past and present 100%.

[tisdeano]

To blame SeO you have to also be able to blame every fan than turned up to the Crawley game....

 

Thats daft

 

One set of people who are definately not to blame are the fans, who I think over the past 5 years have put up with a right load of **** and still forked out hard earned money

[parks]

SEO are to 'blame' for the club getting to administration this quickly and I wholeheartedly applaud them for that.

The club were dying a slow death under the present and current board, borrowing a pound here and a pound there.

This scenario was going to happen one way or another with fans just getting more disenchanted as time went on and potentially losing more fans in the long-term through pure frustration.

Of course there are still fans who think the powers that be are doing their best for the club and that SEO is killing the club but these people really are clueless and a real minority now.

SEO has almost achieved its aims and I hope other clubs who find themselves in a similar situation take note!

Administration has been the best and only course available for Port Vale for over a year now in my opinion purely because Bratt, Jackson et al then Miller Deakin et al have been acting in their own best interests instead of the clubs.

[old sage]

SEO has to take some blame. The aim was to starve the club of funds so much it would make the directors leave. This is now happening. Surely SEO knew it would be bad for the playing side? However, I'd rather sacrafice one season and know that the future could be bright after the board have gone, rather than go up this season with the same board, no fans and almost hating my own club.

I understand what you are saying Mel but the board should have acted in a decent manner and left before the rot was too deeply set in their devious ways.

It doesnt take a genius to see that a club losing over 1/4 million a year is bleeding to death. What did the board do?. Deny that SEO was affecting them above the loss of 200-300 ST's and then pay a big useless Chairman over £150,000+ a year including perks.

No the SEO campaign was just the warning loud and clear. Those that didn't protest but stay away have had an even bigger effect over the passed couple of years. No one blames them though do they and that's quite right as well because if they aren't getting value for money then surely that is their choice. The SEO folk are clearly the ones that will return if changes are made but will a large ammount of those who choose to sit at home?.

[Spunk Trumpet]

My dad is not SEO. He has cut down on his games by about 80% though because he has lost all passion due to the people who have run our club into the ground.

 

I suspect there are many more like him.

[Trampilot]

Blame SEO for admin?

 

In that case are all season ticket holders blamed for keeping the board in office?

 

The risk of admin was always there with SEO. Then again the risk of admin was always there with Bratt & co.

[valetillidye]

I dont think that the attitude towards SEO is half as bad as you think OS.

 

At the begining of the season yes, but as the season has progressed we have lurched from one crisis to another and the press out of the local media has become more and more anti board by the week. I'm of the honest opinion that a lot of those who didn't support SEO in August now have a lot of admiration for the SEO'rs

[Birdy]

So by some we are only going into admin because of what has happened in the last eight months? Was the club not in debt by £3M before SEO and spiralling downwards? Did they not turn down countless investment opportunities pre SEO? Did the fans revolt not start at previous AGMs and surrounding other dubious decisions (appointing Glover as manager)?

 

Any business that has a relatively small customer base needs to listen to them and their concerns otherwise that customer base will walk away, it is economic suicide to do otherwise.

 

It's not just the last 6, 8, 12 or 18 months, this mismanagement of the club happened well before B&G or SEO.

 

Some of the statements on here are as daft as Bratts one in the Sentinel yesterday.