Saturday 19th August Fixtures

[NorthernSoul]

The major difference being that Vale could still pay their players. They knew what they could realistically do within the parameters of their income. Yes, many football clubs trade at a loss, but they don't sign players that they know they won't be able to pay. You did. Get out of that one Poirot.

In terms of size, don't take the piss. Wigan won one trophy off the back of an extremely wealthy benefactor. Without that, they'd still be getting 3k crowds. Stop kidding yourself.

The wage problem occurred straight after the tragic death of the owners son in his 20s, he bought the club for him and after his death, he no longer wanted to fund anymore. Had your owner decided not to fund, then you also would have not paid wages on time as your wage bill was too high for your income. Doesn't take Poirot to understand that, however it takes am extremely disrespectful person to come out with your statement out of something which was a consequence of a young man sadly losing his life. They were trying to selll the club very soon after. Will have you have the decency to apologise?

It was only for a short time that crowds dropped to that level late 80s early 90s, financial problems, along with a small stadium in disrepair. Prior to that the attendances in non league were very high and have been for a town of 110k a decent number for over 20 years. Yes, without Dave Whelan, what we have achieved over the last 20 years wouldn't have happened.

Many of the current 92 clubs have benefited from wealthy owners, substantially over half I would say. What Wigan achieved in the last 20 years is significantly above what the majority of League One clubs have done in their entire history and that is fact based on league positions and trophies won.

 

[Craig]

Oh fuck off. Owner didn’t want to pay his employees coz his son died.

 

[kieran_vale]

A comfortable 2-0 win really. Bristol Rovers looked leggy and poor. 70% possession mainly consisted of passes between their back line going no where fast.

We looked the more likely in the final third but had Collins scored it would have been a different story. Jack Stevens the dodgy keeper with an excellent save and a third clean sheet from four. Top of the league

Always said with Jack it’s a confidence thing, recover that which seems to be happening he’s more than decent. He’s a really nice bloke as well and to be fair after his biggest clanger he fronted up to it. Wish him well.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Oh fuck off. Owner didn’t want to pay his employees coz his son died.

Shame some people act hard from beyond a comment.

You are absolute scum for that comment.

 

[Craig]

Shame some people act hard from beyond a comment.

You are absolute scum for that comment.

Why? Not disrespectful towards someone passing. Merely pointing out that you’re dumb for even trying to use that as an excuse for your owner not paying his employees wages. I’ve read some shite on this forum over the years but this is a contender for top spot.

 

[SVH]

Always said with Jack it’s a confidence thing, recover that which seems to be happening he’s more than decent. He’s a really nice bloke as well and to be fair after his biggest clanger he fronted up to it. Wish him well.

From what I’ve seen so far he’s an upgrade on Mitov. Early days though.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Why? Not disrespectful towards someone passing. Merely pointing out that you’re dumb for even trying to use that as an excuse for your owner not paying his employees wages. I’ve read some shite on this forum over the years but this is a contender for top spot.

If you don't think that's disrespectful then there is something wrong with you I'm afraid. The wage problems occurred very soon after and the owner was trying to sell the club very soon after as the owner no longer wanted it, following the tragedy and subsequently stopped putting money in and is why the wage problems occurred so frequently when prior to this there was never a problem. The owner never once visited Wigan and bought it for his family rather than himself as he could afford to with his wealth. He had no connection to the town and wanted rid of the club long before he managed to.

 

[Craig]

It’s not an excuse for not paying your employees wages if you can’t understand that then there is something wrong with you I’m afraid.

 

[kieran_vale]

folletto Just circling back to when your lad went clear in the first half I’ve seen a vlog posted by one of our fans on YouTube and have to say you were right it was a foul and he should have gone so yeah I got that one wrong. Real time it looked a good challenge to me but after seeing a close up it’s not much of a question.

Overall though an enjoyable day at the Valley. Did get a sense from speaking to a couple of Charlton fans on the train from London Bridge that they were pretty underwhelmed to say the least with how things are going. To me I just thought Charltons approach second half was the wrong way to go and caused their own downfall a bit.

For us thought it was a great effort from our midfield especially Funso Ojo and Ethan Chislett, in the case of the former he really controlled things. Pleased to see Wilson get his first in what must be a very long time too, hopefully that can get him going now.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Many of the current 92 clubs have benefited from wealthy owners, substantially over half I would say.

Oh, if only there was an alternative......

 

[Woody OUFC]

First win at Barnsley since April 1993 when Andy Melville scored the winner (an enjoyable away game) and first time we've scored 3 there.

I was at that game in 93, and also the 0-0 when Joey Beauchamps shot hit both posts in the dying minutes.

 

[NorthernSoul]

It’s not an excuse for not paying your employees wages if you can’t understand that then there is something wrong with you I’m afraid.

I'm not saying it's an acceptable excuse, he had the wealth and absolutely should have continued funding in full until a buyer was found and not causing issues financially, especially to lower paid people. I'm just explaining what did happen and unfortunately, he wanted out pronto afterwards and tried to sell the club quickly but it took over a year to do so, with many a late wages and false broken promises.

When you have owners with no connection to a club who decide they don't want to be paying up anymore, then there is not much you can do and you get big problems like we had with money not being transferred over to cover the bills.

That's why having a local owner who actually cares for the club and place is miles better and much more secure.

It's why also tighter regulations need to be in place by the EFL / FA to protect football clubs and the staff and fans of them. Clubs will always be around for a lot longer than the current owners for any club.

 

[E10rifle]

A comfortable 2-0 win really. Bristol Rovers looked leggy and poor.

Hardly a surprise - they’re one of the sides who have started with four away games out of five. Shite fixture planning from the EFL. And yes, I’m fucked off that Orient are starting with 7 of our first 10 games away.

 

[Trapdoor]

Oh, if only there was an alternative......

Yeah it's like people aren't aware that it's possible not to be a criminal.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Sad as that event is, unfortunately business does not stop for personal events. I should know, having my own business. Shit happens in life but that does not excuse not paying people. Most clubs live in some sort of debt, but the difference between Vale and Wigan is that our debt is to the owners, who will never look to recoup that money. They'd also never get into a situation where they didn't have the money to fund the club and people's wages. They could decide to pay ridiculous wages and gamble on promotion to the Championship, but they know that they and the club cannot afford it. Your club paid out wages that they knew weren't sustainable in order to gain a competitive advantage. You cheated. You couldn't possibly sustain those wages. We could have spent a lot more and got promoted easily from league 2 but we would have a situation where we have players that our club and owners cannot afford.

However you try and sell it to yourself and kid yourself it's still cheating and also preventing people from their livelihood. Like I said, you got off lightly.

Your talk of recent success is correct but your fellow fan talked about being the biggest club in the league. You're not even close. If around 12 to 14 of the clubs had the recent success of you, they would dwarf your crowds easily. You've been around for under 100 years and spent a large percentage of that in non league. If the last 30 years hadn't happened, I'd guarantee you'd be getting less than 5k every week. You're a rugby town, even your owner hates football.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Always said with Jack it’s a confidence thing, recover that which seems to be happening he’s more than decent. He’s a really nice bloke as well and to be fair after his biggest clanger he fronted up to it. Wish him well.

He's clearly got something about him to have played at this level. He just never seemed to make a save with us. He didn't seem particularly great at any aspect...maybe it was a confidence thing.

 

[Laker]

Sad as that event is, unfortunately business does not stop for personal events. I should know, having my own business. Shit happens in life but that does not excuse not paying people. Most clubs live in some sort of debt, but the difference between Vale and Wigan is that our debt is to the owners, who will never look to recoup that money. They'd also never get into a situation where they didn't have the money to fund the club and people's wages. They could decide to pay ridiculous wages and gamble on promotion to the Championship, but they know that they and the club cannot afford it. Your club paid out wages that they knew weren't sustainable in order to gain a competitive advantage. You cheated. You couldn't possibly sustain those wages. We could have spent a lot more and got promoted easily from league 2 but we would have a situation where we have players that our club and owners cannot afford.

However you try and sell it to yourself and kid yourself it's still cheating and also preventing people from their livelihood. Like I said, you got off lightly.

Your talk of recent success is correct but your fellow fan talked about being the biggest club in the league. You're not even close. If around 12 to 14 of the clubs had the recent success of you, they would dwarf your crowds easily. You've been around for under 100 years and spent a large percentage of that in non league. If the last 30 years hadn't happened, I'd guarantee you'd be getting less than 5k every week. You're a rugby town, even your owner hates football.

Two seasons ago I went to Wrexham v Solihull on Good Friday (a mate lives there) and Wigan v Cambridge on the Saturday. Both happened to be on tv. The two games had similar crowds (from memory there was less than 500 in it) but whereas Wrexham was a sell out, Wigan definitely was not. And Wigan were top of League 1 at the time and romping towards the title.

They’re a little club in a nice shiny soulless ground that’s far too big for them. See Reading for similar.

 

[kieran_vale]

Just seen a clip of the Cobblers winner. Who is that Peterborough keeper as regardless whether it crossed the line or not that is some of the worst keeping I can remember seeing?

 

[denzel ecfc]

Hardly a surprise - they’re one of the sides who have started with four away games out of five. Shite fixture planning from the EFL. And yes, I’m fucked off that Orient are starting with 7 of our first 10 games away.

Pah, just set off on Thursday.

 

[bigfatron]

Just seen a clip of the Cobblers winner. Who is that Peterborough keeper as regardless whether it crossed the line or not that is some of the worst keeping I can remember seeing?

And so, so funny…

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

Two seasons ago I went to Wrexham v Solihull on Good Friday (a mate lives there) and Wigan v Cambridge on the Saturday. Both happened to be on tv. The two games had similar crowds (from memory there was less than 500 in it) but whereas Wrexham was a sell out, Wigan definitely was not. And Wigan were top of League 1 at the time and romping towards the title.

They’re a little club in a nice shiny soulless ground that’s far too big for them. See Reading for similar.

Springfield Park in late 70's was fun on that mud bank for an away end.

 

[Laker]

Just seen a clip of the Cobblers winner. Who is that Peterborough keeper as regardless whether it crossed the line or not that is some of the worst keeping I can remember seeing?

It’s not Agent Norris. They didn’t invite him back this season after he achieved his mission last season.

 

[Arbury]

Much like last season I didn’t think there was much in it between us and rovers, we just just managed to take our chance when it came, I dare say 2 away games on the trot took its toll on rovers, decent turnout numbers wise from them mind.

Early days but I’m over the moon with the start, long may it continue.

KTF.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Bored shitless of this club and just about ready to wash my hands of it.

I didn't think you were that bad to be honest. First 25 minutes we weren't in it. You were first to every ball. Dodgy penalty aside, you were worthy of the lead. Then for whatever reason, you dropped off and we came back into it.

Second half we started well and got a deserved equaliser. God knows what your defender was thinking for our second, it was amateur defending. Then when you equalised I thought you would go on to win. We kept going and nicked a goal on the break and just about managed to see it out.

You've got some really talented young players but I thought it when you beat us in April and again today, you are so naive as a team. There's lots of enthusiasm but you've got no leaders to marshall and the goal you conceded from your corner was just really rank bad tactics...everyone charged forward and it left you 1v1 at the back against our quickest player. You need an old head on there to marshall everything.

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

I didn't think you were that bad to be honest. First 25 minutes we weren't in it. You were first to every ball. Dodgy penalty aside, you were worthy of the lead. Then for whatever reason, you dropped off and we came back into it.

Second half we started well and got a deserved equaliser. God knows what your defender was thinking for our second, it was amateur defending. Then when you equalised I thought you would go on to win. We kept going and nicked a goal on the break and just about managed to see it out.

You've got some really talented young players but I thought it when you beat us in April and again today, you are so naive as a team. There's lots of enthusiasm but you've got no leaders to marshall and the goal you conceded from your corner was just really rank bad tactics...everyone charged forward and it left you 1v1 at the back against our quickest player. You need an old head on there to marshall everything.

After watching 3 home and one away I've come to the conclusion that there aint that much difference in any of the clubs Ive sin. Bristol,Exeter and Cheltenham at home and Orient away.
All away teams do is set out not to lose at FP and we aint got the class to break them down. Orient away was probably a fluke. Stevenage away next Saturday no idea wha the score will be for that. Todays game was so boring stopping and starting.
15 games unbeaten though so we can't be that far away I keep telling myself

 

[Gassy]

God we were awful, Cambridge well worst their win. Perhaps 2-0 was a bit harsh as they didn’t really threaten the goal, but I’m nit picking.

We were out fought, our thought and out muscled in every department.

Writing it down to one of those days. While Cambridge are a team who disrupt your play, even when we had the freedom and time to do something we nearly always smashed it out for a goal kick or throw in, our passing would have been an embarrassment for non-league standard.

We had a couple of chances to score a goal as well, but just today we weren’t good enough. Definitely a bounce back down to earth

 

[Brox]

Lost 2-0 at Reading. Disappointing afternoon, circumstances on the day robbed us of the opportunity to give a proper account of ourselves but on the balance of play a deserved Reading win.

First half couldn't have gone worse for us. 10 minutes in Kane Smith went off injured, with Luther already injured and no centre backs or wing backs on the bench we were forced into a change of system from a back 5 to a 4 with Nathan Thompson shifting out to right back. 10 minutes after that Thompson picked up a soft yellow card to go with the one he'd picked up for seemingly nothing earlier in the half. After that we were always going to have a mountain to climb, forced to play Alex MacDonald at full back, with 10 men in an unfamiliar system, writing was on the wall.

That said we battled well for the rest of the half and had a couple of half decent openings, including a Pressley header that forced Button into a good save. Reading didn't particularly threaten at that point but were able to take the lead in stoppage time, Ehibhatiomhan heading home from a corner after losing his marker.

Second half was as routine as it comes for Reading. Ehibhatiomhan tapped home a second after Hegyi parried a shot into his path. Could have had plenty more. With 25 or so minutes left we brought Hannam off the bench for his debut, was very much a case of damage limitation at that point.

Well beaten but one of those days. Not sure what we're going to do next weekend - no Thompson, Sweeney and TVC still unavailable, Luther and Smith injured so we're short a right back/wing back as well as a third centre back.

 

[valefan16]

The difference between us losing 1.1 million was that Carol will still pay the debts, and wages are not the reason we lose money, the reason we currently lose money is due to infrastructure that they’ve been working on since taking over, repairing Vale Park, the new Robbie Williams suite (now sold out every game) new training and media facilities, swapping the away end, new tannoy system, fan zone and more importantly the youth system (which we sold a kid to Newcastle for 200k last week and have now 4 new youths in our first team).

All those things have a huge outlay but long terms are to make us more sustainable, more income to be taken, better youth players to sell on etc.

If you’re not willing or able to pay the wages then your right to be punished as it’s unfair on the rest that do.

 

[valefan16]

I didn't think you were that bad to be honest. First 25 minutes we weren't in it. You were first to every ball. Dodgy penalty aside, you were worthy of the lead. Then for whatever reason, you dropped off and we came back into it.

Second half we started well and got a deserved equaliser. God knows what your defender was thinking for our second, it was amateur defending. Then when you equalised I thought you would go on to win. We kept going and nicked a goal on the break and just about managed to see it out.

You've got some really talented young players but I thought it when you beat us in April and again today, you are so naive as a team. There's lots of enthusiasm but you've got no leaders to marshall and the goal you conceded from your corner was just really rank bad tactics...everyone charged forward and it left you 1v1 at the back against our quickest player. You need an old head on there to marshall everything.

Seen the goals, some bad defending from Charlton but great to see we’ve finally added some pace that we need, great work from Thomas for the winner and Chislett has looked a great singing, seems to have continued his form at Wimbledon with 3 goals already.

Funny old game football, two weeks ago tonight I was shell shocked at a 7-0 opening day loss, now we are all buzzing after 7 points against two relegated sides and one of the pre season favourites and cup progression. The “should be beating the likes of Port Vale” from the last three games has been picked up by the players and club and we are enjoying that again tonight! The Ripper even corrected one Charlton fan on twitter!

I expected 0 points looking at the first four league fixtures and expected to be going into Carlisle at home under some pressure to win that one so delighted of course, now we head into a run of kinder fixtures and some actual home games, Carlisle, Burton and Northampton at home with a tricky trip to Oxford with a couple of Crewe games at VP in both cups so let’s see if this is “typical Port Vale” or if we can do it in games where we will largely be favourites and expected to take the initiative rather than the under dog and sitting tight to hit on the counter or high press.

If we can get full back cover and a decent striker in come the end of next week that would set us up really nicely.

 

[BarrieOwl]

The difference between us losing 1.1 million was that Carol will still pay the debts, and wages are not the reason we lose money, the reason we currently lose money is due to infrastructure that they’ve been working on since taking over, repairing Vale Park, the new Robbie Williams suite (now sold out every game) new training and media facilities, swapping the away end, new tannoy system, fan zone and more importantly the youth system (which we sold a kid to Newcastle for 200k last week and have now 4 new youths in our first team).

All those things have a huge outlay but long terms are to make us more sustainable, more income to be taken, better youth players to sell on etc.

If you’re not willing or able to pay the wages then your right to be punished as it’s unfair on the rest that do.

Wouldn't the infrastructure on the Robbie Williams suite be capitalised and therefore not part of the loss