League 2 preparation

[Shropshire_Valiant]

I'd also guess at least one of Garrity and Chislett will be sold as 10+ goals in a poor side from midfield won't be sniffed at by some.

Edited April 17 by Shropshire_Valiant

[JoeB2]

58 minutes ago, Emile said:

It's been a few months since I last engaged with our community here, and I wanted to share why. Supporting our club had begun to feel like a toxic endeavour, and I needed some distance.

Relegation isn't the end of the world for me. While none of us want it to happen, it's a reality of football. We watch for the highs and lows, understanding that success isn't guaranteed. Accepting this fact has made it easier for me to cope with the possibility of relegation.

The turning point for me was the dark cloud that settled over the club last January. Something shifted then, likely due to the club overspending beyond its means, as evidenced by the recent £3.4 million losses. While scaling back was necessary, the subsequent decisions, like removing Colin and sacking a manager for struggling with a depleted squad, felt misguided. Clarke's ability to keep us afloat last season speaks volumes about his managerial prowess. If he had to leave, we needed a replacement with a strong vision for the team.

Unfortunately, the departure of key figures led to chaos on the footballing side. Last year's preseason was a disaster, culminating in a humiliating defeat on the opening day. Concerns about the quality of signings were brushed aside, with dissenting voices labelled as negative.

I held hope that Darren Moore could turn things around, but his tenure has been underwhelming. His interviews offer little insight, and his inability to galvanize the team has been disappointing.

However, I'm optimistic about the future under Matt Hancock's leadership. Whether Moore stays or goes, we need a manager who exudes passion and takes responsibility. Another 'yes man' won't cut it. A thorough overhaul is required, starting with releasing out-of-contract players, sending back the loans, and trying to get rid of some of the contracted players who won't cut it in League Two.

Losing key players like Garrity and Ojo is a possibility, but it's essential to revitalize the team regardless. League Two offers a chance for renewal, even if immediate promotion isn't guaranteed. My hope is for a club we can be proud of again, even if it means settling for mid-table mediocrity next season.

While the road ahead may be challenging, I'm hopeful that with the right leadership and fan support, we can reclaim our pride in being Vale fans once more. See you in August

 

The best post I’ve seen in months and articulates my thoughts perfectly.

Carol inefficiently overspent (with good intentions) and we’ve made a real hash of cost-cutting, resulting in a horrible 18 months in which being a fan has been horrible and folk are lashing out.

We will be OK moving forward, even if it takes a couple of seasons to compete as we undo this mess. 

Well said mate.

[valefan16]

It is the biggest summer Carol has had really. Some discontent in the fan base, a club with a losing culture for 18 months, and a structure that needs rebuilding.

L2 will be quite open, you've lost the big spenders in Wrexham and Stockport, hopefully MK join them, but the rest is much of a muchness. Still many questions, rumours Carol will go big, will Moore be here, if not who?, if Flickers was right about some decent offers made in January will we still have that approach to put this right with a big budget?

Until we are clearer on things like that it is hard to say, the double dip is a worry, FGR have shown what can happen but there seems to be a few clubs in bother down there and 2 spots only, as bad as we have been I do think much of this squad would survive in L2 and would surely strengthen now.

We need to get fans back onside and a positive outlook so does feel it needs a top 7 finish again minimum, if we go down, have a great season and bounce back up this will all soon be forgotten and the place will be buzzing again, easier said than done but certainly has to be a clear target for the club by what means necessary. 

[valeparklife]

No messing about this summer trying to be clever with "progressive ball playing defenders" and "aligning with the values of the club".

Winners.

Let's raid Crawley/Accrington/Newport/Morecambe/Harrogate/Barrow etc for their best players.

Proper men. Aggressive. Hate losing.

[Doha]

6 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

 "aligning with the values of the club".

Pretty much every signing press release for the last 27 months has copied and pasted this drivel. Alongside loads of <ovf censored> about the players being hungry for success, like they were Ben Garrity copies. We've won 5 games since SEPTEMBER so clearly <ovf censored> not.

[davehartshill]

Entire squad needs gutting. Need 6-7 late 20s/ewrly 30s lower league players with experience, fight and a bit about them. We are desperate for a captain amongst them. Also add in 4-5 early-mid 20s lads who have played reasonably regularly in League Two or even League One. Add in a couple of younger lads (maybe from non league) who are hungry to prove themselves.

<ovf censored> this loaning young players from Premier League sides off, at least for now. Pointless having a season long loan if it always comes with an option of “if they’re doing well they’re coming back”. Losing Arblaster and Devine has (arguably) relegated us as with those pair all season we’d probably have stayed up. 

[Bimbleabout]

Yet another clear out.
Then the intense disappointment of signing players we've hardly or never heard of on the cheap. Chuck in a few cheap sicknotes, long term and sporadic, a few loanees who if we're lucky will get half a season out of but the majority of them won't even play for us.
Plus a few that no one else wants no matter what and that will be the 'rebuild'.
Maximum spend 75k
All the others free agents, loanees.
Bring on League 2

[darren1810]

3 hours ago, davehartshill said:

Entire squad needs gutting. Need 6-7 late 20s/ewrly 30s lower league players with experience, fight and a bit about them. We are desperate for a captain amongst them. Also add in 4-5 early-mid 20s lads who have played reasonably regularly in League Two or even League One. Add in a couple of younger lads (maybe from non league) who are hungry to prove themselves.

<ovf censored> this loaning young players from Premier League sides off, at least for now. Pointless having a season long loan if it always comes with an option of “if they’re doing well they’re coming back”. Losing Arblaster and Devine has (arguably) relegated us as with those pair all season we’d probably have stayed up. 

You build your team with proven league one players. The mainstays of the side. The spine.

The cherry on the cake is the loanees.

We got it badly wrong and the mainstays were indeed the loanees. 

The rest is history. 

[TJHValiant]

5 hours ago, valeparklife said:

No messing about this summer trying to be clever with "progressive ball playing defenders" and "aligning with the values of the club".

Winners.

Let's raid Crawley/Accrington/Newport/Morecambe/Harrogate/Barrow etc for their best players.

Proper men. Aggressive. Hate losing.

Hate losing? After having been at those clubs? 
Poor sods must be suicidal! 

[TJHValiant]

9 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

The best post I’ve seen in months and articulates my thoughts perfectly.

Carol inefficiently overspent (with good intentions) and we’ve made a real hash of cost-cutting, resulting in a horrible 18 months in which being a fan has been horrible and folk are lashing out.

We will be OK moving forward, even if it takes a couple of seasons to compete as we undo this mess. 

Well said mate.

Overspent or not spent enough on what was needed? 

[Nippy Naylor]

5 minutes ago, Bimbleabout said:

Yet another clear out.
Then the intense disappointment of signing players we've hardly or never heard of on the cheap. Chuck in a few cheap sicknotes, long term and sporadic, a few loanees who if we're lucky will get half a season out of but the majority of them won't even play for us.
Plus a few that no one else wants no matter what and that will be the 'rebuild'.
Maximum spend 75k
All the others free agents, loanees.
Bring on League 2

That's the spirit , I like your optimism 😬👍

[Valiant62]

Proper women can be aggressive and hate losing as well btw

[Mellor!]

9 minutes ago, Valiant62 said:

Proper women can be aggressive and hate losing as well btw

Appreciate the babe respecting, but can't play in a League 2 men's football team. 

[Packmoor_vale]

We need to show some intent and keep Garrity chizzy ojo depepa rebuild around them if we can get them commit early enough this summer it will help with season tickets start losing them early and the fans are going go into even more meltdown 

[Santa]

Agree with the general sentiment that we need to stop poncing about.