Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite claims his wife 'fears for her life' when she visits Gresty Road. Bookmark. He also installed Colin Garlick as the clubs CEO, and in January stated that Im only really involved now when it comes to prising open the sweetie jar for the money. Mind you, he and supporters were irreconcilable by that point anyway. England women's team manager Phil Neville revealed that his mother Jill, who had been Bury's club secretary, resigned from her job on Friday. If this can be demonstrated, the league will release the withheld funding of just over 500,000. We have estimated He took over as chairman of Port Vale in 2013, having been a key figure in the boardroom as the club secured promotion out of League Two in 201213. Their longest current appointment spans 24 years, 2 months and 1 days at FALCON ALLIANCE LIMITED That ain't going to happen at Port Vale, because if it does, Plan B will be around the corner." [13] Smurthwaite continued to effect changes at the club, controversially axing the system of door-to-door lottery collectors and banishing the Port Vale Community Trust out of Vale Park. The Vale went into administration twice in a decade before Smurthwaite arrived. [17] He appointed Adams's former assistant Rob Page as first team manager in October. Discover Norman Smurthwaites Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. until one minute to midnight to prove they can pay the debts and fund the season or find a new owner who can. Famously known by the Family name Norman Smurthwaite, is a great Business executive. Six-and-a-half years on and Smurthwaite stayed away from Vale's final game under his ownership, away to Bury on Saturday. [16] Despite not wanting him to resign, once Adams left the club Smurthwaite initiated a policy of experimenting with young players in the hope of turning a profit from player sales in the future. The Vale chairman refused to let the matter lie, though, retorting in a series of tweets that while he respected the Crewe chairman, he found visits to Crewes Gresty Road intimidating and said his wife fears for her life due to vulgar and threatening behaviour. Smurthwaite was raised in Radford, Coventry, and bought his own home in the area at the age of 17 after receiving compensation from an industrial accident at Dunlop in 1977. He is not dating anyone. [21] Smurthwaite denied Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis's claim that Smurthwaite threatened to close the club down during the dispute, but retracted his threat to bar police officers from entering the ground during the match. In Smurthwaite's defence, it's not as though all was rosy at the Vale until he turned up. Childish, maybe, but has a Port Vale owner ever thrown his toys out of the pram quite so spectacularly as Smurthwaite did in March when he rang Radio Stoke and threatened to put the club into administration because of protests against him? We need a pledge of 2.7m plus to save Bury.". Smurthwaite went on to issue a statement to condemn "disgraceful abuse" he had received and to urge supporters to not to use "inappropriate language" during protests and to consider the effect of protests on the club and the players; he stated that he was only involved in "major" decisions at the club and left day-to-day decisions to CEO Colin Garlick. Smurthwaite explained that Dale told him he wants at least 1million for his share of the club debt that he and his business partners control. Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite is close to selling up and is now considering buying League Two crisis club Notts County. That combative style was also evident in a couple of dramatic supporters' meetings in which, to Smurthwaite's credit, he's taken unvetted questions from the floor for close to three hours. I have never expressed a desire to leave. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? He bought the Liberty Way stadium off Nuneaton Town in July 2018 and sold Port Vale in May 2019. Port Vale Football Club is officially up for sale, owner Norman Smurthwaite has confirmed. So, Mr Smurthwaite, perhaps next time you go on social media you should engage your brain first. He continued to reveal that he had been physically assaulted by three Vale supporters in April 2014, though Staffordshire Police could find no record of Smurthwaites complaint. [25], Smurthwaite was rumoured to have planned to sack Page live on BT Sport if the club lost an FA Cup First Round replay to Maidenhead United, though he dismissed the rumour as untrue. Smurthwaite renewed his dispute with The Sentinel by banning the newspaper from attending the club's press conference where the successor to Page was named. now please get back to your day job and continue the sterling work in the community." The decision to appoint Michael Brown as permanent manager in the summer of 2017 after Brown had taken over from Ribeiro half way through 2016/17 and taken Vale down, was apparently down to chief executive Colin Garlick. The funds the EFL wants to see are to cover the club's debts to their current and former players and other clubs of just over 700,000, and the almost 1million they are obliged to pay unsecured creditors, such as the taxman, to meet the terms of July's CVA, as well as working capital for the season. [60] When the couple told Smurthwaite they were planning to go public about their offer he texted them to say "sorry not interested. There's no point pretending all would be well if only the owner had been a bit cuddlier. [40] Two months later, Smurthwaite used the OneValeFan fansite to ask supporters to vote whether he should sell the club to one of two hedge funds that he said had met his asking price for the club. Smurthwaite caused controversy by telling a reporter that supporters who only attended away matches (due partly to Vale Parks high ticket costs) disgusted him and that they should go and support another club. That, as desperate Bury fans are well aware, has not happened and the 134-year-old club now have until one minute to midnight to prove they can pay the debts and fund the season or find a new owner who can. He later issued a statement to apologize for his decision to appoint Ribeiro and expressed regret with his own attempts to communicate with fans and keyboard warriors over social media. His plan, however, depended on Bury being allowed to start the season - with a small squad and skeleton staff - and the English Football League handing over the club's share of its central income. In October 2013 Smurthwaite controversially banned local newspaper The Sentinel from all press events after taking objection with the newspaper's reporting a lengthy delay in producing specially presented third-kit shirts to fans who had pre-paid for the items in May. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. He later claimed that he had considered appointing Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as manager, but decided against it partly because he believed that a racist minority of the clubs supporters would make appointing a black manager a bad idea. Popularly known as the Business executive of Unknown. "I pray that common sense today prevails and that somebody is allowed to buy that club and the town has something to be proud of again.". If everything is right I dont see there being a problem, but once again Norman is talking about things instead of doing things.. [3] After promotion from League Two to League One was secured, Smurthwaite said that "I've never had any hobbies to speak of, but buying Port Vale has given me a passion. Smurthwaite responded by stating that the newspaper had been banned for contacting him personally for comment on the story rather than the club's media team, and that he was also frustrated with a Sentinel reporter for attempting to report facts which Smurthwaite had disclosed to the journalist "in confidence". [59] On 1 March, Synectics Solutions owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan revealed that Smurthwaite had rejected their improved offer of 3.5 million for the club. Even Bill Bell, regarded by many as the best chairman in their lifetimes, had to call in the administrators in 2002. Smurthwaite went on to issue a statement to condemn disgraceful abuse he had received and to urge supporters to not to use inappropriate language during protests and to consider the effect of protests on the club and the players; he stated that he was only involved in major decisions at the club and left day-to-day decisions to CEO Colin Garlick. Discover Norman Smurthwaite's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Scroll Down and find everything about him. Something went wrong, please try again later. [8] Smurthwaite responded by stating that the newspaper had been banned for contacting him personally for comment on the story rather than the club's media team, and that he was also frustrated with a Sentinel reporter for attempting to report facts which Smurthwaite had disclosed to the journalist "in confidence". "It could take three months. "Of course, as a local club we want to see our local players do well. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 8 August. During this time the club was serving players unsold pies from matchdays in order to save money. Vale's player budget for this season was the tenth highest in League Two. Norman Smurthwaite's net worth The sale of both the club and the ground to the Shanahans was confirmed on 7 May, ending Smurthwaites seven year reign. He later issued a statement saying that the wage bill budget set by the club in the summer was over-ambitious and that he had been forced to meet the 1 million budget deficit out of his own pocket. . "If Stewart Dale accepted that neither he nor any of his associates get anything from the CVA, or any other payment, then l am willing to step in. (modern), Vale Park has been a hostile venue for Crewe fans, their supporters have claimed in exchanges with Port Vales chairman. The alternative version is how can Vale's plummet down the Football League be acceptable in a period in which they have had the jackpot of the Jordan Hugill sell-on clause - around 1.8m - plus around 200,000 from the Checkatrade Trophy and FA Cup this season. He returned formally to the role of Port Vale chairman the following month. Former Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite says he wants to get back into football, but has pulled out of a bid to buy Wigan Athletic. [44] Three days later he received a bid of 1.25 million for the club, matching his original purchase price in 2012.