Carol Shanahan OBE
Co-Owner and Chair
Dear Valiants,
I’m not quite sure where to start. This season has truly taken us through every emotion imaginable, but boy has it been worth it in the end! We’ve laughed, cried, celebrated and commiserated, but have come through it back where we belong. If last year was the snake, this year has been the ladder, and what a journey it’s been.
What Darren and this group of players have achieved has been remarkable, and as I’ve said to them all a number of times, there’s no-one else I’d want representing this football club. Every one of them has been a credit to Port Vale and I’m so proud of them for getting us promoted - and not only that, without the added stress of the Play-Offs! I'm equally proud of how they've grown as people and feel delighted to share this moment with their families, who have been there every step of the way.
That also goes for our incredible staff and team of volunteers, led by our CEO Matt Hancock, who have more than played their part in the success of this season, so a big thank you to them on behalf of Kevin and I. Collectively, we've all put our heart and soul into the club, and between our men's and women's teams, Academy and Foundation, have so much to be proud of. We’ve improved the way the club runs as a whole and started to produce a clear vision for the future of the club and our community, earning the recognition of the football world in the process.
Next week marks six years since we bought the club and the change we’ve seen in that time has been amazing. We fell in love with Port Vale and the local community more than a decade ago and this season has reminded us why we got involved in the first place. On a personal level, it has allowed me to grow as a person and a leader, and it’s been one I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.
In many ways, I think we are stronger now than we have ever been, and what better way to enter our 150th anniversary year! So, enjoy the celebrations (we certainly will) and we’ll look forward to seeing you back here in August to do it all over again.
As ever, thanks for your support and UTV!
Carol x
Darren Moore
First-team manager
To all Vale supporters,
As I write this, I can’t help but feel a huge sense of happiness and gratitude for what we’ve achieved together this season.
Last summer, we set out to restore pride Port Vale and give you - the supporters - a team that represents you, and I’m delighted to say we’ve done that. We’ve built a squad that plays for you and plays for the badge, and for me that’s as pleasing as anything else.
I want to thank you, firstly, for your incredible support at Vale Park and across the country throughout the season. You shouldn’t underestimate the positive impact that you’ve had on me and this group of players; your backing energises us and drives us on every day.
I also want to thank you on a more personal level, for trusting in me and giving me the opportunity to rebuild the connection that we can now see and feel so strongly. Fist pumps at the end of a game were certainly new to me before I got the call from Carol to come to the club, but believe me when I say those celebrations after securing promotion against AFC Wimbledon will live with me forever.
I would also like to thank the Owners, as well as my coaching and back-room staff and the office staff and volunteers at the club for their incredible hard work and support this season. It has been a true collective effort and every single person has contributed to our success.
Football at this level will always be unpredictable but we’ve continued to believe in our approach and found a level of consistency that has got us where we all wanted to be. For me, the game is all about creating memories and so I hope you savour this moment, because you deserve it.
I’m honoured and proud to represent this football club and already look forward to seeing you back at Vale Park next season, as we celebrate a truly special milestone in Port Vale history.
Thank you once again,
Darren
Matt Hancock
CEO
Dear Valiants,
What an incredible season!
I feel proud and privileged to be writing this message to you as we celebrate our promotion back to League One, and want to start by thanking you for your support, right the way through the campaign. You’ve backed us in your numbers, both home and away, and these last few home games in particular have been a real highlight for me personally. To see Vale Park so busy and loud has been fantastic, and I know it’s made all the difference to the players on the pitch.
We’ve spoken a lot about the cultural re-set that the club has been through over the last 12 months, and days like yesterday really show just how far we’ve come in a short space of time. We made plenty of important changes before the start of this season and I believe we now have the high-performance culture we wanted both on and off the pitch, without losing the things that make this club so special. You’ve been right at the heart of that, and the introduction of our first-ever Supporter Advisory Board at the start of the season has given us a fantastic foundation to move forward into our 150th anniversary year.
I want to say a huge thank you to Carol and Kevin for their ongoing support and guidance too - we’re incredibly lucky to have owners who are so committed to the club, both financially and emotionally, and I’m delighted that their efforts have also been celebrated.
Finally, I’ve made no secret of the fact that the reason I first got involved with Vale was because of what football can do to change people’s lives, and I’m so proud of the work we’re continuing to do off the pitch that makes us the EFL’s community club. Success for Port Vale has a direct positive impact on the people and businesses in Burslem and beyond, so I’m delighted that the effects of what we’ve achieved will be felt for some time in our local area.
Up the Vale!
Matt