Port Vale - 'Top Club'

[Dan Phillips]

Honestly didn't know where to post this, so probably doesn't deserve its own thread but here goes.

This was posted on the Derby County forum a couple of hours ago;

"My mam is a foster carer, last week she took in an 8 year old girl on an emergency placement, the poor ducks been through more **** than most adults but she's bloody bomb proof!

Anyway, she got some terrible news yesterday which would be wrong of me to discuss on here.

Called in this morning and she's sat in the garden in the sun, chatting away to herself. I started messing around with a football and she says "you're not a Stokie are ya"..."no mate Derby, who are you?"..."Vale"

Cut a long story short, got her in the car, short drive to Burslem, into the ticket office, quick word with one of the lads in private and in seconds we were on the pitch, in the tunnel, in the dug out, in the stands!

Met two players, had a load of photos and got a shirt!

Top notch Vale, made a little girls problems disappear for half an hour.

Best team in the West Midlands."

It's little things like this that make you appreciate your club and football in general. We're not the only club that go out of its way to provide for its supporters and it doesn't suddenly make us some angelic, trouble-free role model, but it's positive and refreshing nonetheless.

Anybody else got any other interesting tales of their club doing something out of the ordinary or going that extra mile to do something worthwhile for a supporter or anything similar? Feel free to share.

 

[Murphy]

Our club used to provide a coach out of Burslem when we played Vale away.

Absolute heroes.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Our club used to provide a coach out of Burslem when we played Vale away.

Absolute heroes.

The key thing though - did it survive the onslaught of jagged bricks, irregularly-shaped bits of wood and chipped pebbles?

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

That is a cracking story and well done to all at Vale who made that happen for that little girl.
It is always worth remembering that whilst there are some dickheads at football matches, as there are in all walks of life, 99% of football fans and football people in general are decent people.

By the way, what were you doing on the Derby County forum?

 

[Dan Phillips]

By the way, what were you doing on the Derby County forum?

Somebody posted a screenshot of the post on our unofficial fans Facebook discussion page, so I went on there to see it.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Somebody posted a screenshot of the post on our unofficial fans Facebook discussion page, so I went on there to see it.

That's fair enough, and I was being sincere when I said well done to those at Vale who made it happen.
Nice touch.

 

[Dan Phillips]

That's fair enough, and I was being sincere when I said well done to those at Vale who made it happen.
Nice touch.

Appreciated mate. My feelings on Gillingham FC are common knowledge to those who know me.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Appreciated mate. My feelings on Gillingham FC are common knowledge to those who know me.

As I don't know you I will just hope for the best.
Anyway, when we were getting promoted we never had time to dislike each other, we had Rotherham for that.

 

[Dan Phillips]

As I don't know you I will just hope for the best.
Anyway, when we were getting promoted we never had time to dislike each other, we had Rotherham for that.

Got all the time in the world for GFC mate. Decent club, mostly decent fans from who I've come across. I've got a good friend who supports them and have regularly met him over the past few seasons for a drink. Promotion buddies from League Two. And, believe it or not, one of my favourite away days of the season. Don't give me this shit about no roof on the away end and poor facilities. A few decent boozers nearby, a decent ground and one away game I always enjoy. Haven't had the opportunity to venture into Rochester for a pre-match beer as of yet, but may try to do that in April (which I'm fucking delighted about, may I add) as one of us may need something from the game.

 

[Bottega Don]

Yeah very nice story but posting it here is just a way of looking for praise for Port Vale.

 

[Bananagarner]

That's a lovely story, it was nice of the Vale administration to show that poor girl that no matter how bad things get she doesnt live in Burslem. Probably the perspective she needed. Well done all.

 

[SRNP]

Great stuff that, for a club that normally gets bad publicity it's nice that for once it's a nice story about vale.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Yeah very nice story but posting it here is just a way of looking for praise for Port Vale.

"Anybody else got any other interesting tales of their club doing something out of the ordinary or going that extra mile to do something worthwhile for a supporter or anything similar? Feel free to share."

I'm sure this was an invitation for others to share their stories, rather than to single out Vale, BD.

 

[Mr Elmo]

This was posted on the Derby County forum

Closet fan

On the other hand, nice to hear that.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Dave Whelan once gave my mate a bag of sweets when he was mascot at Wigan vs Crewe. Hero, told him something about a broken leg as well. Man's hospitality was second to none and my mate has cherished that for the rest of his life.

Wigan Athletic - "Top club"

 

[Dan Phillips]

Dave Whelan once gave my mate a bag of sweets when he was mascot at Wigan vs Crewe. Hero, told him something about a broken leg as well. Man's hospitality was second to none and my mate has cherished that for the rest of his life.

Packet of sweets, and a cheeky smile.... He'd fit in well at The Alex.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Packet of sweets, and a cheeky smile.... He'd fit in well at The Alex.

Nah we'll send him our Reserves in Burslem.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Nice story that.

There was a similar story at Wolves recently with a young fan called Joe Thompson, he had a muscle wasting disease that meant he was wheelchair bound, but the club and the players would go out of their way to make him feel part of Wolves. Danny Batth used to go to his house every so often to check up on him and play a few games of FIFA etc. Sadly he recently passed away.

There is more about it here if anyone's interested:
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/06/04/former-wolves-fan-of-the-year-passes-away-aged-13/

 

[RavenBish]

Every club does this shit. Irks me a bit that footballers being nice is some sort of heart-warming story, they're just normal people, especially lower league players - I bet 99% of them would go out of their way for a good cause. I'm not going to applaud a player for giving their shirt to a kid with cancer or spending time to talk to someone. Like, it's just basic humanity innit? Even some of the biggest twats we've had play for us (known twats, proper belters) have done community work or taken part in our annual Easter Egg appeal at the QMC.

I'm not sure if this post is really cynical or sanguine. I think my point is, people in their position (i.e the power to make someone's day with minimal effort in 5 minutes purely because of who they are) should do this sort of stuff and actually they do, so well done them.

 

[GFC4EVA]

Lovely story well done vale

 

[Dan Phillips]

Every club does this shit. Irks me a bit that footballers being nice is some sort of heart-warming story, they're just normal people, especially lower league players - I bet 99% of them would go out of their way for a good cause. I'm not going to applaud a player for giving their shirt to a kid with cancer or spending time to talk to someone. Like, it's just basic humanity innit? Even some of the biggest twats we've had play for us (known twats, proper belters) have done community work or taken part in our annual Easter Egg appeal at the QMC.

I'm not sure if this post is really cynical or sanguine. I think my point is, people in their position (i.e the power to make someone's day with minimal effort in 5 minutes purely because of who they are) should do this sort of stuff and actually they do, so well done them.

In contrast though, there's also some foul people in privileged positions in football who turn a blind eye to these sort of things.

 

[Dion'sHead]

Well done to Port Vale Football Club

 

[Fedora Dale]

Nice one Vale

 

[SeasideKurt]

Yeah very nice story but posting it here is just a way of looking for praise for Port Vale.

Same as you are attention seeking by trying to post something controversial?

Lovely story.

 

[valefan16]

Same as you are attention seeking by trying to post something controversial?

Lovely story.

I believe Bogetta has a hatred of the Vale for some reason. Nice story and shows the benefits of not supporting a big club in the Premier League as you just wouldn't get that.

 

[Bottega Don]

Same as you are attention seeking by trying to post something controversial?

Lovely story.

Don't beg it.

 

[Wootball]

Well done to the club for doing that.

Interesting that the club tries to do their absolute best for their kids, whilst their fans are smashing the windows of our buses in order to terrify ours.

 

[Dion'sHead]

Well done to the club for doing that.

Interesting that the club tries to do their absolute best for their kids, whilst a small miniority of their fans smash the windows of our buses in order to terrify ours.

Edited for you mate. Don't stereotype all of a fanbase because of a few idiots. Crewe has its fair share too

 

[Wootball]

Edited for you mate. Don't stereotype all of a fanbase because of a few idiots. Crewe has its fair share too

Did I claim that Crewe didn't have any idiots supporting them? And were the Vale fans that smashed our bus windows Vale fans or not? And did I say it was every single one of them doing it? How many windows do you think our buses have? My post didn't need a quantitative element, anyone with an amount of brain cells higher than an amoeba could have figured out that I wasn't referring to every single one of their fans.

So, thinking outside of the 'bellend' box that you put yourself in, can you explain what was actually wrong with my post? Or does everyone in your life have to quantify everything they say to you? I like drinking coffee, do I need to explain that I'm not literally drinking every drop of coffee on the planet or would you just assume that I mean I enjoy drinking a cup of coffee every now and again?

 

[The Alex]