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Current Port Vale Owner. Very upset at the clubs exit from the FA Cup at the hands of (subsequently) super jammy Exeter. Said by some to have interest in the Gulls as he has a holiday home this way. Should we be worried or mildly flattered.?

Has now put Port Vale up for sale. Has apparently put 800k (all into the playing side).

Christ with the situation we are in whats there to be worried about? Snatch his hand off - can anything be worse than it is now.

^This. It has reached the point where the club is no longer a going concern in the hands of the current owners however well meaning they are. Any serious investor must be considered regardless of geographical connections or motive. The club to me is pretty much dead anyway (in its current form) so I don't see we have anything to lose. I just hope the current incumbents aren't too stubborn to consider a serious takeover which I fear they may be.

Well, if he does come in with an offer and some money he'd be getting a cheap bargain, though he'd have to regard it as a longer-term investment (if investment is the right word). But it's certainly what we need to get the club moving in the right direction again, and the current board should jump at the chance. I only pray that nobody's ego or greed will stand in the way of a potential deal, but I'm optimistic about that, since they've all declared their love for the club...

brucie wrote: can anything be worse than it is now.

Yes.

Alchemy attempts to convert base metals into gold.

ALCHEMY LAND LIMITED attempts to convert land currently occupied by football clubs into pots of gold.

tufcjon wrote: Yes.

Alchemy attempts to convert base metals into gold.

ALCHEMY LAND LIMITED attempts to convert land currently occupied by football clubs into pots of gold.

That is the name of Norman Smurthwaite's company, registered at Port Vale's ground. Presumably it owns Vale Park? I don't know that this company explicitly exists to do what you say, has it done this to any ground? He bought Port Vale when it was in administration & then separated ownership of the ground from the club, which to be fair is a perfectly rational thing to do if you want to protect your assets.

I share your concern, but we don't really have evidence that he wants to just convert grounds into pots of gold. Unless you have? He has run Port Vale for a fair while now, unlike the leeches that bought Hereford.

I agree with brucie.

Is the rumour just because he has a holiday home in the area or more substantial than that? Just don't want to get my hopes up (but badly want to ) as I think we all agree under the current regime (board and manager) the game is up literally .

Clive Bissel wrote:Is the rumour just because he has a holiday home in the area or more substantial than that? Just don't want to get my hopes up (but badly want to ) as I think we all agree under the current regime (board and manager) the game is up literally .

He has been at our last 2 games apparently, in the directors box on Saturday.

Sounds promising fingers crossed!!!!

**grasp at any straw**

Wern't those random posters from a few weeks back (I forget their names thankfully) associated with Smurthwaite?

Accordingly.

He has gone from the monster at the gates to the white knight riding in to save us!

I think all of us right now realise it might be time to push all in as take the gamble as soon we will have no chips left and we will be forced to leave the table anyway!

PhilGull wrote:Wern't those random posters from a few weeks back (I forget their names thankfully) associated with Smurthwaite?

Yes.

He has allegedly been at our last two home games and according to one of the other sites his car was seen at the Braintree away game. Whether this means anything or not who knows.
The options appear to be as follows:

1. Get bought out by a bloke with money (such as Smurthwaite) who it was rumoured was going to buy us out earlier in the season, Invest 1 million in the team and install Micky Adams as manager. On the other hand he may turn out to be the devil in disguise and clean us out.

2. Continue with the current owners who are well intentioned, but completely clueless with regard to running a football club and are completely financially hamstrung. We continue with a useless management duo - lose every other game between now and the end of the season and get relegated by the end of January.

I am not saying there is any other option (other than option 2) - but if there is we have to take it surely.