Day Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Smurthwaite has revealed he was beaten up by three supporters outside Vale Park – and has been considering his future at the club ever since. The chairman has announced that he is putting the club up for sale following Sunday's FA Cup defeat at Exeter, but he says that costly defeat was actually the final push in making a decision he has been considering for 20 months. He says he has been 'looking over his shoulder' ever since the incident in April 2014 which he reported to the police but the culprits couldn't be identified on CCTV. Smurthwaite has revealed that being owner of the club has put a huge strain on his family and, for their sake and for his own health, he has decided to sell. He told The Sentinel: "In April 2014 I was beaten up by three Vale fans outside the ground at Vale Park – I had a serious hiding. "That is three people out of 4,000 so you have to get that into context, but I lost two teeth and had stitches. "Some fans turned on my daughter soon after. That has resulted in my son not coming to games and my daughter has to have stewards with her for fear of her own safety. "No one should have to put up with that. "Unfortunately the cameras couldn't make out their faces. We beefed up security but I have been looking over my shoulder since that happened. "The good hiding put me on the back foot and thinking why am I doing this? "My wife feels I should leave. It is a massive responsibility financially but also to fans and staff and also to people in the community who rely on the club." The chairman says he fears for his own health because of the stress of running the club. He says that came to a head during Sunday's 2-0 second round defeat at Exeter. http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Port-Vale-Norman-Smurthwaite-says-beaten-Vale/story-28320647-detail/story.html#ixzz3tkPCXpPp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRam Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Wow. Should sell it to Mike Ashley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kernow Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 They should have just slashed his tyres. Amateurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEL Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Scum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Their owner is actually an active poster on their fan forum: http://www.onevalefan.co.uk/forum/search.php?searchid=81461 Posts under Smurf. Odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRam Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Rather than make a new thread, I thought this would be an interesting addition to this discussion: http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Fans-beat-says-Vale-chairman-Smurthwaite/story-28322658-detail/story.html Essentially, the chairman didn't appoint Jimmy when our own McClaren recommended him for the post in 2014 because he thought Port Vale's fans have "problems with racism". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uttoxram75 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 @Cisse, has he got an alibi? He has previous He's a Vale fan He's been quiet lately..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cisse Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 4 hours ago, uttoxram75 said: @Cisse, has he got an alibi? He has previous He's a Vale fan He's been quiet lately..... Won't comment about alibi but I always do my fighting one on one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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