by Joe Hadden
Today saw Bill Bratt announce that Harlequin Property will be printed across the face of Port Vale shirts for the next 2 seasons in what he called a “record sponsorship deal” for the club.
Harlequin Properties are a property investment company specialising in 5 star hotels in the Caribbean. The company’s spokesman seemed optimistic that they would take the club to higher levels – on and off the pitch – and seemed happy to be part of the Vale.
As for the players, they will be sporting a brand new black and white striped shirt at Vale Park next season, which sprung an “oooohhh” from the crowd there today. The away kit didn’t manage to put everybody quite in as much awe as the home kit did, but marketing manager Mike Aldridge assured us that both of them are going fast.
Eager to impress, Harlequin’s spokespeople continued to praise the Vale, and explained how Vale Park would be fit for the likes of top-flight football. It seemed as if optimism was in the air, as Bill Bratt went on to say; “We didn’t have a very good season, did we… but no one is going to knock Port Vale down”. He said that Stoke people and Port Vale fans in particular are the “best people in the country”
Its not as if Port Vale is Harlequin’s biggest claim to fame though, they are the largest employer of Caribbean Island St. Vincent after the government, and apparently they are taking the property business by storm. Questioners quickly asked whether Burslem could be the next tourist hotspot and while they weren’t giving anything away yet, they did say they “already had plans” and will be making more announcements over the next few weeks.
Afterwards Lee Sinnott mingled with fans and sponsors, and explained that he is “happy his neighbours are in the premiership” but then questioned how this will affect the Valiant’s success next season. Good? Bad? Only time will tell.
Port Vale unveil new strip and sponsor
5000 target close
by Anthony Munday
PORT Vale fans were closing in on the 5,000 season ticket target needed to trigger vastly reduced prices as Friday’s deadline approached.
It promised to be a close call and I really hope they pulled it off to provide everyone involved with the club a massive boost.
Manager Lee Sinnott will be desperate to get as many supporters as possible on board next season and he is already well on the way to rebuilding his team.
Sinnott and his coaching staff had clearly done much leg work before the end of last term as Middlesbrough striker Steve Thompson and utility players Anthony Griffith and Rob Taylor, from Doncaster and Nuneaton respectively, arrived in double quick time.
Wycombe defender Sam Stockley followed soon afterwards and Sinnott also believed he had bagged Brentford’s Craig Pead, only for him to a renege on a pre-contract agreement.
Another midfielder and probably two more defenders are now needed to complete what will inevitably be a much trimmer squad on what we all know will be a smaller budget.
The loss of the ultra-consistent George Pilkington, who is still considering his options, and last season’s player of the year Paul Harsley, who has decamped to Chesterfield, are clearly disappointing.
But no-one could really argue with the release of Dave Mulligan, Joe Cardle, Robin Hulbert, Adam Eckersley or the paid-off Craig Rocastle.
I was a touch surprised to see Jason Talbot also shown the door, leaving Vale without a recognised left-back, but Sinnott has had to make some tough decisions ahead of a campaign during which he will either sink or swim.
The vast majority of the blame for relegation was heaped on Martin Foyle, and rightly so after he blotted his previous good work with some abysmal signings, but Sinnott knows and accepts he will be judged from day one of the new season.
New Port Vale archive at Haywood
What does supporting the Vale mean to you? Are your memories of autumn evenings hurrying home from the match talking excitedly about a win or commiserating after a defeat? Can you recollect the exploits from the past of great goals, defence splitting passes and wonderful saves. If you asked people of a certain age what they can recall of their time supporting a football club that memory will be a variety of descriptions. But all memories help to bring back the past.
The aim of Port Vale Tales funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund is to also to collect the stories of players, families, supporters and people living in the neighbourhood of Port Vale Football Club from the 50s to the 80s. It focuses on a number of themes such as the perspectives of the fans and players, the characters, the traditions and the atmosphere. We therefore have pleasure in announcing the existence of a film and photographic record which illustrates the history of the Vale over the last 50 years.
Professor Ray Johnson from Staffordshire University has kindly donated a great deal of archive film and photographs to Haywood Learning Centre in Burslem. In the future supporters of today and tomorrow can connect with the supporters of the past by the medium of film and memories stored at the centre. The Learning Centre (Telephone 01782 233541) is ensuring that the material is stored and easily available for community use. The opening times of the Learning Centre are
Monday: 8.45am - 5pm
Tuesday: 8.45am - 7pm
Wednesday: 8.45am - 5pm
Thursday: 8.45am - 7pm
Friday: 8.45am- 4.30pm
Saturday 9am-1pm
The archive will be officially opened to the public from Wednesday 28th May from 2pm
While you are there take the opportunity to look at the DVD produced by Haywood high school students with the help of Ray Johnson’s team at Staffs University. The DVD has interviews of supporters and past players talking about the glory years of the Vale.
Life's best medicine
Local books by Fred Hughes
THEY say there’s a book in all of us, it’s just a matter of writing it. It is also said that if you can laugh in the face of adversity then your life will be long and your troubles few. Former Port Vale groundsman Denis Dawson has achieved both measures by publishing many humorous episodes from a very interesting life.
‘Laughter is Life’s Best Medicine’ is Denis’s collection of true stories from his former workplaces, including his long service with Stoke-on-Trent Parks Department. All the anecdotal stories are brought to life in fond narrative, and although names have been changed or excluded completely, there’s no doubt that anyone reading Denis’s stories will recall similar characters or even know them though their disguises.
This is a splendid book packed with hilarious reminiscences: the ghost of Rownhall Farm and ‘shocking’ tales of gravediggers complement social events and quirky procedures from a time that is almost forgotten. Perhaps most interesting for many readers will be the stories connected to Port Vale where Denis was groundsman during the career of manager Sir Stanley Matthews whom he knew well. Names of long-forgotten players abound in the witty and sometime racy text, making a fast-flowing read. He recalls the familiar cash-flow situation within the club. There was an occasion when his wife complained that he had taken the lock from the garden shed to secure the gate at Vale Park. Like everybody who loved Port Vale, Denis loved the club as if it were a member of his family. There were hard times and sad times, yes, but the humour outdoes the gloom.
This is a bumper book of fun. It is one of those volumes that make you laugh out loud and feel better for it.
I’m not going to spoil it by giving away punchlines or naming those who prefer anonymity, but those who know Port Vale will instantly recall the famous trainer who always used the word ‘fizzing’ instead of another, better-known expletive. Denis tells of the occasion when the trainer accused a lead-swinging player of labouring an injury. The player, after missing training for a few games, explained that he thought his left leg was much better. “We’re getting there,” he said. “Fizzing well getting there, fizzing well getting there. My friend I’ve suspected for some time that you were conning this club and today I’ve not touched your injured leg. You fizzing cheat, get out of here now before I fizzing well kick you out.”
As Denis explains, there was more fizzing in the treatment room than in any fizzing mineral factory!
Go treat yourself to a dose of laughing medicine and buy this book £4.95 from Denis Dawson (email Local Edition for contact)
Tracing our heritage
John Webbe follows Burslem's new heritage trail
Have you seen the new information boards around Burslem town centre? Maybe you have seen the bright-green leaflets which proudly shout “Welcome to Burslem, Mother Town of the Potteries”? These two recent additions to the town are linked – they form Burslem’s new heritage trail.
I decided to follow this route last October with my retired parents and my nearly-two-year old daughter as we enjoyed the sun shining bright overhead. There are nine heritage trail boards in total – seven around Burslem town centre and one each at Moorcroft & Middleport Pottery. I am not going to repeat any of the information on the heritage trail boards or in the leaflet, I’ll leave that to you to find out, but believe me, it’s worth it – there’s some fascinating information for even the most hardened Boslemite to learn!
It’s important to know that this new heritage trail, funded by the North Staffs Regen Zone, has not just been imposed on the town – a lot of local businesses have contributed their own histories, others have helped with the design and layout, whilst the vast majority of the text on the leaflet and the information boards has been compiled & factually checked by local historians Fred Hughes and Mervyn Edwards. The result is a credit to all involved.
We started the day at about 10.30am, parking for free on the former Kwik Save on Nile Street, and began the trail at Swan Bank (heritage board number 4), then crossed over onto Market Place (board number 2). Even after reading the information here, I’d recommend just standing and slowly turning around to look at the architecture Burslem is blessed with – Wedgwood’s Big House, the Lloyds TSB bank, Swan Bank Church, The George Hotel, Market Place shops, Ceramica (the Old Town Hall), Overhouse Chambers, Queen’s Theatre, the Prince’s Hall and the former Post Office – what stunning buildings seen from one single spot!
From Market Place, we wandered up Hamil Road, had a look over at Port Vale’s ground & the Children’s Centre under construction, then went into Burslem Park where my daughter ran off to the brand-new play ground excitedly shouting.
The information board (number 3) is over by the Moorland Road entrance near the lake, and after learning more facts about the area, we headed down to Moorland Pottery’s factory shop, and then onto the greenway to walk up to Moorcroft.
If you’ve not been on Burslem greenway, we were impressed – it was very clean and so quiet – no noise from traffic can be heard all the way along and it’s safe enough to let the kids charge up and down.
It’s worth the walk along the greenway to Moorcroft just for the scenery as it’s elevated above local buildings and there’s a fantastic view back over to the Burslem town centre as well. On arrival at Moorcroft (board number 9), we enjoyed a much-needed hot drink from their machine and enjoyed even more the quality designs on show in the Moorcroft shop & the museum (whilst at the same time telling the child: “Please do not touch anything!”).
We headed back towards Burslem along Nile Street, popping into the Moorcroft & Dudson factory shops on the way, and then having a good look at the sad sight that is the former Royal Doulton factory.
We crossed into Queen Street, popped into the shops and admired the grandeur of the School of Art & Wedgwood Institute buildings (board number 5).
After lunch we walked over to learn more facts about the town at St John’s Square (board number 6) and across to Westport Road (board number 1), and then walked down Newcastle Street to visit Middleport Pottery (board number 8) and see the wonderful Burleigh ware in the factory shop. Then we strolled back up towards the town along Furlong Lane, down Woodbank Street, stopped off to read the final board of the tour (board number 7) at the historic St John’s Church and finally back to the car.
Admittedly, with a nearly-two-year old, it was a good walk as the pace of progress is slow, but we managed to get around the town, learnt some really fascinating information, and saw some sights which were new to all of us. I would really recommend getting out there and enjoying this new trail as well – you’ll enjoy it, learn new things about Burslem & its fantastic history, you will feel the energy of this wonderful area.
A time to get and a time to lose
INTERVIEW
by
Matt Pointon
Those words from Ecclesiastes are literally becoming true in one Burslem church for the long-serving Minister of Swan Bank Methodist Mission, Rev. John Hibberts stepped down after 24 years at the helm to be replaced by the Rev. Ashley Cooper.
“I have been at the Minister at Swan Bank since September 1983,” John told me, “and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I think that worship should be modern, you shouldn’t go to church and step back in time, and we are very modern with a band and some lively worship. A church needs to get with it in order to survive and over the years that I have been at Swan Bank we have flourished.”
The Rev. John’s success however, has not been solely within the walls of the church. He is a chaplain to various other institutions including the George Hotel, HMYOI Werrington and, most famously, Port Vale F.C. “Swan Bank is a Mission church you see,” John explained, “and that means getting out and serving the community. A church needs to scratch where people itch and not tell people where to scratch.”
I aked John is, being an avid Port Vale fan did not shake his faith at times due to their perennial lack of success. “Now,” he said with a smile, “I don’t believe that Port Vale will never be successful and indeed, I believe they are successful now, even if this is not shown in the results. Football is an ordinary game for ordinary people and Port Vale is a club that caters for ordinary people well.”
On the subject of missions, John recently went to Ghana to assist with a Methodist mission there. When I asked him what he had gained from the experience, he said that it helped him to “recognise the importance of the poor, no matter what the colour of their skin. The thing is, I am an ordinary bloke and I want to help ordinary people wherever they might be.”
That such a man as John is ‘ordinary’ I am not sure, but the Swan Bank of today stands as a testament to his commitment. The Rev. Ashley agrees. “I am thankful to John for all that he has done and very excited at coming to such a great church that is at the heart of the community and is one of the hearts of the community. I only hope that I can continue to build up the congregation and find new ways of addressing the needs of the local people.” A local lad with 4 years ministerial experience in Chester and a similar time in Kidsgrove behind him, I have no doubt that those challenges will be met and that Swan Bank will continue to thrive.