Dear Valiants,
In my message to you last week, I said that if we were able to tell you more about the changes we're making behind the scenes, then we would. I wasn't able to give as much detail as I'd have liked last week, with a lot important conversations still ongoing, but I'm pleased to say we're now in a position to share more with you.
I can now tell you that we'll be appointing a Sporting Director, who will have overall responsibility for the football department. Their job will be to help us build a football operation that is more consistent and sustainable, and one that gives us the best possible chance of success on the pitch.
The Sporting Director appointment will be subject to the Independent Football Regulator’s approval. While that process is under way, we are discussing with the Regulator what work the individual may be able to do in an advisory capacity. We’ll confirm the appointment and share more about the next steps when we’re able to.
The Sporting Director will look at the whole football operation, including its current structure, processes and people, and make recommendations based on what they believe is best for the football club. They will also be responsible for developing a clear and consistent footballing philosophy, although that philosophy can't belong to one person. Staff, managers and players will change over time, but we need to be clear about the type of club we want to be and the type of players and people we want representing it.
The Sporting Director will work alongside me as Chief Executive day-to-day and will be ultimately accountable to the Board.
My job is to lead the club as a whole, including its financial sustainability and organisational performance. I'll continue to oversee the football budget and final financial sign-off on players, alongside our Head of Finance, but the footballing decisions around recruitment and how we build the squad will sit with the Sporting Director.
The Manager remains responsible for the day-to-day coaching and management of the First Team, including training, match preparation, team selection and tactics. The Sporting Director will support, challenge, and ensure the wider football operation gives the First Team the best possible platform to succeed.
It's important that these responsibilities are clear. Everyone should know who is responsible for making a decision and who's accountable for it.
We've already made changes within the recruitment department, and bringing in a Sporting Director gives us experienced leadership to look properly at how the football side of the club operates.
None of this changes the fact that we need better results on the pitch. Seven games is early in a 46-game season, but it's also seven games in which we haven't performed well enough. I believe you deserve to understand what we're doing and why, and that we will continue to make decisions based on what we believe is best for Port Vale.
At the start of the season, I committed to giving you quarterly updates, alongside regular communication from other members of the Senior Leadership Team. That remains our approach, but it doesn't mean I will only speak publicly four times a year. Where there's something important to communicate, I'll continue to provide updates.
With these developments in mind, we’ve taken the decision to push tomorrow’s Supporter Forum back to a new date in the near future, to allow you to meet the new Sporting Director and ask them questions in person. We’ll make sure that tickets remain valid for the new date and look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you for your support.
Matt Hancock
CEO
