Lessons from the States

Here we go; your standard ‘be patient’ plea from a supporter. You’ve read them all before.

Confession time; over the past few years of my life I have had a nefarious affair on my first long-term love. American Football caught my eye at the beginning of the decade and has captivated me and my group of pals since. With a completely different sporting structure rooted in salary caps and redistributive drafts, it offers a compelling counterpoint to the increasingly free-market ‘soccer’, in which capital trumps all and many clubs, as seen with the recent plight of Bury, throw unsustainable money at the prospect of increased revenue via promotion.

In my time watching the NFL, I became enamored with the Indianapolis Colts. A team with historic success, they had undertaken a slight slump. I’m not trying to compare the 2001 LDV Vans triumph to a Superbowl, but upon reflection there is an element of parallels between my football club, Port Vale, and my NFL franchise, the Colts.

Port Vale have recently entered what is being labelled #ANewEra, with the reviled former chairman being replaced by a local pair of businesspeople who seem committed to rebuilding the club in a sustainable and community-oriented manner. Music to the ears of beleaguered Valiants, optimism and the cliched ‘feel-good factor’ have been the pervasive noises emanating from ST6.

What draws me to mention the Colts in this article, is the immediate comparison that can be seen; the Colts entered #ANewEra over 2 years ago, with the highly unpopular General Manager being replaced by a very smart, sensible man named Chris Ballard, who made it clear from Day 1 he had underlying principles that he would not deviate from; building a culture, growth from within, avoiding expensive gambles, and patience. Ballard wished to build his weak roster up from the ground, obtaining players via the Draft (the redistributive system in which teams select graduated college players in reverse order of last season’s success, ensuring the worst performing teams get access to the most talented young players). Through this, he could build a Colts culture of young, high-character men who would ensure long-term sustainability for the Colts. This came after a General Manager who would throw his available salary cap at the next flavor of the month, whether it be ageing veterans looking for a last pay day, or players with questionable characters. The Colts were in a bit of a spiral, unsure of where they would land and without any real planning to ensure it was on their feet. Short-term solutions to long-term problems resulted in inconsistent results. Does this remind Vale fans of anyone?

Ballard and the Colts’ #ANewEra started fairly dismally; a season in which they saw 4 wins and 12 losses, some mistakes in the drafting process, and criticism from fans and pundits alike that were baffled by Ballard’s refusal to chase the big names for big money. Throughout a woeful first season and questions directed at the core principles that had guided him to a very successful career, Ballard never wavered; he doubled down. He refused to get involved in inflationary bidding wars for established stars; he refused to trade his precious Draft picks away to sign a proven veteran. The next season saw the largest turnaround in franchise history; 10 wins, 6 losses, 2 players obtained from the draft who were deemed the best at their position in the sport, and a run into the playoffs for the first time in 4 years. Nothing had changed from Ballard’s perspective; his guiding principles remained the same. For those who were beseeching him the year before to chase the big money signing, taking a risk of character and salary stability, were left bowing down to the foresight and commitment of a man now regarded as one of the top General Manager’s in the game.

Veering back to football, or soccer. The new owners of Port Vale, Carol and Kevin Shanahan, have been adamant that they will build sustainably, not gambling the club’s stability, as done on many occasions by an erratic previous chairman, in order to get a chance to win the financial prize. They value long-term incremental growth, community engagement, and sustainable revenue streams in order to achieve lasting improvement and success at Vale Park. Carol and Kevin are not going to throw hundreds of thousands at vanity projects or 50/50 projects that could see the club in League 1 or the Conference, with no in between. At the start of this month, had things not gone as planned, Port Vale would have entered insolvency, with its football ground being kept by its former owner and rented back to whoever had bought the club out of administration. A minimum 10 point deduction would greet the 19/20 season, along with a third consecutive relegation battle, further apathy in the fanbase, and a loss of another chunk of the attendances. Non-league would no longer be a worrying, yet distant, concern; it would be the reality, and with it, likely extinction.

I see major lessons to be drawn from my experience as a Colts fan and applied to the #NewEra at Vale Park. This next season is unlikely to be instant unqualified massive success, with crowds of 10,000 returning to the ground to boost a team, backed with millions of funding, slapping up League 2 in a rampant display not seen on these shores in decades. What is far more likely, is that we edge back up to a 5,000 average attendance, finish somewhere around the middle, and some things go well, whilst others do not go as planned. Fans will cheer, and fans will moan, as football wont to do.

The difference now, is that we have owners with set principles and motivations that ensure long term stability and improvement. Patience is of utmost importance in this coming season. The Shanahans were completing tasks after their takeover that should have been completed months before, the club having been paralysed by the previous incumbents’ threat to put the club into insolvency as some banners had hurt his feelings. Attendances had dropped, an over inflated squad beset with professionalism issues, the like of which John Askey had never seen in 30 years in football, compounded an off the field situation that revealed the club had not been in safe hands for the previous six and half years.

As a consequence, I can only ask that Vale fans exercise patience in this current campaign. The task on the hands of our new owners is monumental; the signings might not be as razzle-dazzle as you’d hoped, we may not crack the season ticket numbers we want to, and we might not entrench ourselves in a promotion battle.

However, it is important to reflect on the successes of my American team in the coming seasons; things may not go to plan, or even make a great deal of sense in the coming season. However, long-term, we have a plan, principles, and people who care. People are going to question it, and others are going to demand we pay over the odds for the 29 year old journeyman lower league striker who scored 22 in 2015, but hasn’t managed 10 since. In a sport which is increasingly ‘win for the now, deal with the ramifications later’ (see Bury, Bolton, Notts County), it is high time we turn to the steadfastness and unwavering conviction of Chris Ballard, and my precious Colts.

words Joe Baker, Port Vale fan. You can follow him on twitter  @joebaker97