Carol and Kevin Shanahan

Really enjoying Joe’s articles to commemorate the past year at Port Vale FC.

His style of writing certainly evokes the memories very clearly. Thank you Mark Porter for your kind words, it’s a pleasure to work with you and the Supporters Club.

Stay safe everyone.
UTV
Cx

Mark Porter: “We all stood up, looked at one another and said ‘this is it, we’re back’ Over the following weeks various members of the backroom staff will be explaining to us what life is like inside the walls of Vale Park, and how the club has transformed over the past 12 months under the guidance of new ownership. There will be highs, lows, and a pocketful of untold stories.

Freshview have been the supplier of fruit and veg at Synectics and Summit hospitality for as long as I can remember. One of the my first actions when we took over Port Vale was to bring them back on board. They have always provided top level produce at very reasonable prices.

They have been very supportive of the Hubb Foundation for which we (and the families) have been really grateful.

With the closure of so many cafes and restaurants they are substantially down on orders so they are now selling direct to the public. They will even deliver if you are with 10 miles of their warehouse in Wolstanton.

Please support them so they can support you.

Cx

Looks like the BBC has called me out for having a “quiet getaway” in Abersoch! What a wonderful place to be when you find out your life has been put on hold for the next few weeks. Long beach walks with the dogs and Skype meetings it is then (and Corona beer of course 👍🍻😷)

We’re on our way to Wembley not with Port Vale FC (this time 😉🙏🤞) and reflecting on the past.

1st March 1979 I started a new job where one of the salespeople was Kevin Shanahan. For the next 40 years we had many adventures and achieved enough success to allow us to retire, relax and take it easy. Anyone who know us knows that just isn’t us.

1st March 2019 Kevin & I took the plunge went public that we were intending to buy Port Vale and attempt to help the club be as successful as it (and its fans) deserves to be.

1st March 2020 Port Vale enter the League 2 play off positions for the second time this season.

1st March 2021? - 2025? - 2030? Watch this space, if we continue this rate of growth and improvement both on and off the pitch then Port Vale will be where it deserves to be and the trip to Wembley will be altogether different.

UTV
SVA
Cx

Works night out! Makes a change to watch a match without the added pressure of it being ! John Askey standing in for my usual match partner John Rudge. Not much between &

Can’t beat a bit of Strictly! Ladies night out in Nottingham watching some really impressive moves. Kelvin for the Glitterball. @ Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

Not everyone who plays for the badge is male! Good to bump into the Port Vale ladies team as they head off for their match against Eastwood. Go on ladies - Super Vale Away.

..... and sometimes at work you watch a football match! Experiencing the view from the dug out.

In the past as ‘just’ a fan it always frustrated and hurt when lost a match, it could certainly take a shine off the weekend. I really get it, I experienced it much too often.

With the additional responsibility gathered over last year, losing a match takes on a whole new depth.

Seeing and knowing how every player, John’s back room staff, Colin and Claire’s operational teams plus every volunteer and staff member of the club gives their absolute best for the success of the club it is upsetting to see their efforts knocked back. But it happens. It’s football. It’s a beast and a dream of an industry that becomes an addiction more than a choice. As I said, I get it.

Part of the job is being in the public eye, it doesn’t take losing a game, sometimes even when we win, I will receive negative direct messages or be tagged in social media conversations from (a small minority) of fans voicing their displeasure at whatever or whomever is annoying them. Often there is ‘advice’ (often not practicable without a Kings ransom). Sometimes I have a look at what’s being said but often I don’t. Sometimes I really want to answer but I know I won’t. It’s not personal. Everyone in football management gets them and it keeps many people from engaging with the fans, which I find sad as you then miss the people who you do listen to and trust what they say.

This weekend we had a shocker of a game at Swindon so today I have had a day of just FA Cup, family and reading the submissions for the Sentinel Business Awards where I am a judge this week. Tomorrow I shall be at Vale Park where we will all do our very best, on behalf of the fans, to do the club proud on Tuesday against Exeter.

Tonight when I was in my bathroom I looked at my collection of ducks. Yesterday was definitely the punk duck swimming in the wrong direction!