The 31-year-old former Accrington Stanley player joined the Sandgrounders in March following an eight-month suspension from the game, handed out by the Football Association after his involvement in a betting scandal.

Although Williams did not feature for the Yellows last season, manager Liam Watson was well aware of the Liverpool-born defender's quality having played with him at Accrington and moved quickly to secure him for the forthcoming Blue Square Bet Premier campaign.

News Williams is joining the Port ranks comes after goalkeeper Steve Dickinson made a sensational return to Haig Avenue over the weekend, coming in as second choice to Tony McMillan.

Southport legend Dickinson has also been promised a testimonial match as part of his comeback.

Meanwhile, Paul Barratt has signed a new one-year-deal with the club having impressed during the second half of the 2009/10 season.

For reaction to Williams' move, Dickinson's return, Barratt's new deal and all the latest Southport FC news, pick up a copy of the Midweek Visiter on Wednesday.
http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southpo....6509134

Around 40 fans attended last night's Vale Supporters' Club meeting at the Leopard Pub in Burslem.

Many expressed their frustration at the eight-man board's decision to reject Mike Newton's £500,000 investment offer last month, despite the club losing around £400,000 last season.

Fans voted in favour of trying to force an Extraordinary General Meeting in a bid to grill the board face to face.

Acting supporters' club chairman Tim Barber, said: "We want to know why investment is being turned away, what is the criteria for suitable investment and what are the board's plans for taking the club forward.

"We can only take a view from the people who attended and they voted unanimously in favour of the points."

Fans also voted for a general change of direction to the club's policy on investment and agreed to invite all eight directors to their next meeting to discuss their concerns.

The supporters' club says it can force an EGM if it gains support from shareholders, who between them own a minimum of 10 per cent, or £113,200, of the total £1.132m shares in the club.

Now they intend to contact every shareholder about their EGM idea, even though the club's AGM is likely to take place in December.

Robbie Williams is the club's largest single shareholder, having purchased £249,000 worth of shares.

The supporters' club vowed to try to contact the pop star through a third party to express their frustrations.

Alan Baker, the club's membership secretary, said: "We want an EGM to facilitate a change of direction.

"We are targeting an amount of shareholders who have purchased around 30,000 shares between them."

Stone-born Newton, who works for a New York-based hedge fund, recently revealed he may offer to buy shares from Vale's directors.

Former Stoke City striker Graham Shaw, who was in line to become Vale's new chief executive if Newton's proposals had been approved, also attended the meeting.

Vale fan Stephen Lockett, from Porthill, said: "Change has to happen.

"The board keeps saying they can't take us any further so it seems bizarre that they turn down the one viable investment option with pretty poor excuses."

Eddie Jackson, from Oakhill, added: "I agree with the idea of an EGM.

"The board seems resistant to change. Mike Newton may or may not offer the best route but at least he has helped to bring the issue to a head."
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/sport....le.html

Stone-born Newton is considering making individual offers to Vale’s eight directors to purchase their shares after the majority rejected his £500,000 investment offer. last month.

But Vale chairman Bratt, who owns £44,120 worth of shares, said: “I’m certainly not going to selling my shares in the club. I won’t sell them to anybody.

“I’m a Port Vale supporter, so my shares will stay in the club.

“The money I put in isn’t ‘risk’ because as far as I’m concerned it’s gone – in effect, it has been given to the club.

“All Mr Newton would be doing by buying the shares is putting money into the directors’ pockets.”

“It won’t be going to the club., so what’s the use of that?”

The board last month voted 5-3 against accepting Newton’s investment proposals.

Bratt voted against Newton along with vice-chairman Peter Jackson, Graham Mudie, Glenn Oliver and Stan Meigh. Mike Lloyd, Paul Humphreys and Mike Thompstone voted for Newtonin favour ofNewton.the New York hedge-fund trader.

Vale’s most recent accounts reveal the board members own a combined £359,400 of the total £1.132m shares in the club.

Under club rules, Newton can own only 24.9 per cent, or £282,000, of the issued shares.

Jackson and Meigh own £150,000 combined shares and Meigh also has £50,020 in his own name. Oliver owns £30,760 and Mudie £500.

Lloyd owns £50,000, while Humphreys and Thompstone have £20,000 and £14,000respectively.

Pop star Robbie Williams is the club’s largest single shareholder with £249,000, but is not a director.

“I can’t speak for the rest of the board,” said Bratt. “But I certainly wouldn’t welcome an approach because I know Mr Newton isn’t right for the club.”

VALE’S reserves are in totesport.com league action at Barnsley tonight (7pm
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/sport....le.html

Ray, who spent eight years with the club between 1949 and 1957, was also guest of honour at a dinner on the Friday night.

Ray said: "It was the best thing that has happened in my life, they called me a legend.

"I was given a five-minute standing ovation, which brought tears to my eyes."

Other guests at the dinner included Gordon Lee, the former Newcastle United and Port Vale manager, and Pete Conway, father of Robbie Williams.

Robbie Williams is a lifelong Port Vale fan and majority shareholder at the club. He had hoped to make it to the dinner to talk to Ray, but was busy and sent Ray his best wishes.

The acclaim continued the next day at the match.

Ray said: "I stood on the balcony in the director's box and was acknowledged by the crowd by people who had never even seen me play.

"It was absolutely out of this world and I will never forget it.

"Ever since I have been inundated with people coming to interview me."

Ray was goalkeeper in the Port Vale team that won the Third Divison (North) title in 1953/4 conceding only 21 goals. The 30 clean sheets he kept in 46 games remains not only a Port Vale record but also a football league record.

It could have been very different for Ray though after an injury early on in his fledgling career.

"My philosophy is you have to be positive. Life is a roundabout of good and bad.

"I broke my wrists early on but then my career really took off when I went to Port Vale," he said.

Ray recalls many of his experiences in his book Hands, Feet and Balls.

His second book, describing his life at Port Vale and elsewhere, called At the End of the Road, is due out next month.
http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/footbal....7392.jp

Williams, a Port Vale supporter, admits he's now getting around in Villa training gear.

Robbie told the Birmingham Mail: “Stephen and I share the same personal trainer, and I met up with him over the summer when he came to stay with me.

“He’d rented a place out there in LA but I said ‘I’ve got a house free, come and stay at mine’.

“I like him and think he’s an amazing player.

“He sent me over some Villa training kit, so I’ll be in that regalia next time I try to lose a few pounds playing football.”
http://www.tribalfootball.com/robbie-....1209991

The singer will appear on the BBC's Football Focus tomorrow to throw down the gauntlet to the former Liverpool defender.

Robbie, 36, said: "Lawro, for the last five seasons I've absolutely battered you. I could do your gig, we'll have a gentlemen's bet this week. What do you think?

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"You win, I give you twenty quid - I win, you give me twenty quid."

Lawro has accepted the bet and has been taking celebrity challenges all season with different famous faces predicting the scores each week.

*Robbie's predictions: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham, Aston Villa 1-0 Birmingham, Blackburn 1-0 Chelsea, Blackpool 0-0 West Brom, Bolton 2-1 Liverpool, Everton 2-1 Stoke, Fulham 2-0 Wigan, Man Utd 2-2 Tottenham, Newcastle 1-1 Sunderland, Wolves 1-2 Man City. Lawro's predictions will be in the Daily Mirror tomorrow.

Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs....jdesSyV

Robbie Williams, pop star, Port Vale fanHe has not enjoyed the same level of success in the United States as he has in England, but celebrity fan Robbie Williams could soon see his beloved Port Vale become an unlikely hit on the other side of the Atlantic.

Having rejected a £500,000 takeover offer from New York businessman Mike Newton in August, the League Two promotion chasers are poised to hold talks with potential investors from the United States.

"Directors will be meeting with potential investors from the United Staes on Friday," read a statement on Port Vale's official website.

"As these talks are a very preliminary stage it would be inappropriate to comment further."

News of potential new investment from the United States has generated excitement amongst Vale's die-hard supporters.

The meeting at Vale Park is set to include the consortium leader, who is from Houston in Texas, plus representatives of his consortium of up to six businessmen, plus legal representatives.

Vale chairman Bill Bratt and his directors are awaiting to hear full details of the offers before considering their next move.

Pop star Williams, along with thousands of other long-suffering Vale fans, have had little to sing about in recent seasons. The Staffordshire club were FA Cup semi-finalists in 1954 while few supporters are still around to recall the club's highest Football League finish in 1930-31 - fifth in the second tier.
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Since being relegated from the Championship in 2000, Vale have struggled both on and off the pitch and their plight has not been helped by neighbours Stoke establishing themselves in the Premier League.

But could the American takeover mark the start of a new golden era for Vale?

Certainly there are signs of progress on the pitch.

Despite operating on a strict budget, manager Micky Adams has moulded together a hard-working side which is pushing to climb out of the basement division.

They have lost just twice in 16 league games and have occupied an automatic promotion spot for the last two months.

Adams' managerial achievements include three promotion campaigns, one each for Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City - the latter taking Leicester into the Premier League.

One of Williams' biggest album successes is entitled 'Sing When You're Winning'.

It has been a long time coming, but will 2011 be a year Williams and his fellow Vale fans finally have something to shout about?

http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2010....heerful

It's the first time since the harsh winter of 1946/47 that we've sat down to our Christmas dinner having only played eight home games.

It certainly makes for a busy new year, and the club coffers must be praying for a respite in the weather for the Boxing Day clash with Lincoln City.

Despite the lack of on-pitch activity, there are plenty of things to discuss about the off-field situation.

I'm pleased there appears to have been an outbreak of sanity in the boardroom, now that they have decided to at least talk to Mo Chaudry and consider his offer.

If they had said that a week ago then there wouldn't have been any of the unpleasantness at the annual meeting.

Most fans I spoke to weren't merely annoyed at Mr Chaudry's offer being rejected – it was just the way it was done.

I know any sort of deal is still quite a way off because first we need an Extraordinary General Meeting to remove the clause which prevents an individual owning more than 24.9 per cent of the club's issued shares.

Just think though, Mr Chaudry is big friends with Phil 'The Power' Taylor, who in turn is mates with Robbie Williams.

Robbie owns almost 50,000 shares, so could make a big difference to any voting if he wanted to.

From the news of change that a lot of people want to happen, to the rumour of a change that nobody wants.

There has been much media speculation about Micky Adams's future now that Sheffield United are searching for a new manager.

Unfortunately for us, that job to Micky is bigger than one in the Premier League, and nothing personal, but I just hope they appoint somebody else as their new manager quickly!

I think we all knew that if we won promotion then Micky would be sought after.

I just don't want it to happen before we are halfway there.
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/sport....le.html