While arch-rivals Stoke City continue to establish themselves in the Premier League, Port Vale and celebrity supporter Robbie Williams have had little to sing about.

Languishing in League Two, the club have not had a promotion to celebrate since they went up to the second tier in 1994.

Since then, the only way has been down, with the club finishing even finishing a few places from dropping out of the league last season.

This season though times are changing. Manager Micky Adams has instilled a winning mentality into his players and his side are perched second in the table behind leaders Chesterfield.

Now all their fans want for Christmas is to see Adams resist the attentions of managerless Sheffield United.

Adams is strongly being linked with the vacancy at his hometown club with his pedigree higher up the league ladder – having taken Leicester City into the Premier League - a big pull for the Blades' board.

There is never a good time for a manager to jump ship and move elsewhere, but Adamss' potential departure could have a terminal effect at Vale Park.

And the former Southampton full back hasn't exactly flat batted the speculation linking him with the job at Bramall Lane.
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Adams said: "I'm a Sheffield boy, I watched Sheffield as a young boy, I played for the junior team, my mum, my brother and sister are based in Sheffield, Port Vale are doing great - I'd be disappointed if I wasn't linked with it.

"The most important reason I'm being linked with the job is because Vale are going great guns. I enjoy working at Vale. I am not sitting at home worrying and checking my phone every two minutes, waiting for Sheffield United to call.

"And until my chairman and the board say they have had an approach from Sheffield United, or any other club, I'll just get on with my job here and I am pleased to be doing it.

"The fans can rest assured that Micky Adams is doing what he was doing three weeks ago, before all this nonsense started, and that's preparing for our next game."

Despite operating on a shoestring budget, Adams has slowly but surely formed a hard-working side which is pushing to climb out of the basement division.

They have lost just three times in 19 league games and have occupied an automatic promotion spot for the almost three months.

With the prolific pairing of Justin and Marc Richards scoring goals for fun, it appears only complacency can stop Vale from leaving the bottom division behind come May.

Yet Adams, who has also enjoyed productive managerial spells with Brighton and Coventry, deserves another shot higher up the league ladder himself.

He boasts a record that is too good to be managing in English football's bottom division.

But over this festive period those worried Vale fans will be praying it's with them, rather than with Sheffield United, that Adams eventually achieves that goal.
http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2010....heffiel

Taylor is ready to follow in the footsteps of fellow celebrity supporter Robbie Williams and invest big money in their home town football club, says the Daily Mail.

The 15-times world champion is all set to pump funds into League Two Port Vale after throwing his weight behind a multi-million pound takeover bid.

Like Robbie, Potteries-born Phil has been a lifelong supporter of Vale, and is now backing a move by high-profile millionaire businessman Mo Chaudry to buy the hard-up Stoke-on-Trent club.

Currently, Take That star Robbie is Vale's biggest shareholder after investing £250,000 in the club. Taylor joked about his celebrity pal: "He might have invested his money but Robbie never attends the matches - unlike me!"

He added: "But seriously we both want what his best for Vale which is why I would be ready to invest and help Mo."
http://www.tribalfootball.com/article....1463951

We want you back for good - that's the message from Port Vale fans who want Take That star Robbie Williams to save their club from administration.

Supporters believe their most famous supporter could save the day as the club struggles with debts of £3million.

They are making a last ditch appeal to the Take That star to use his celebrity status and 25 per cent share in the club to back a new takeover bid which would haul it out of the red.
Famous fan: Robbie Williams is proud of his Port Vale allegiance... but proud enough to invest?

Williams, 37, was born in Stoke-on-Trent and is a lifelong fan of Port Vale but has not been seen at a game since he took then fiancie Ayda Field to see them play at Brentford two years ago.

The singer is currently busy rehearsing for the band's European tour which starts in May but his family still live locally and are still going to matches.

His father, Pete Conway, was even spotted at the last home match, chatting with Mo Chaudry, the Newcastle-based businessman planning a £2million takeover of the club.
I'll Take That: Williams already owns a hefty share in the club of his home town

Fans have launched a campaign Black and Gold Until Its Sold, which is similar to the Manchester United campaign against its owners, the Glazers, and uses the traditional club colours to make a point.

The League Two club has recently witnessed a sting of demonstrations from supporters venting their anger against the chairman, Bill Bratt MBE, about the way it is being run.

Campaign spokesman, Alan Baker, said: 'We're making an appeal to Robbie to help us change direction. Everyone knows this is Robbie Williams team. He's got very strong local connections.

'We've always appreciated the help he gave us seven years ago but now we need him more than ever. All were saying is Robbie Williams, we know you're on a different planet but we want your endorsement. Please, endorse the Mo Chaudry bid or just endorse change at Port Vale!

'I hope he wants to help change our club. We have tried protesting at matches but its getting a bit predictable.

'Now that Robbie is back in the UK with Take That we want him back. We hope he will get involved locally again.

'We can't reach the Robbie Williams empire on our own but we have to try, by making this appeal.'
Rare joy: Port Vale's Justin Richards celebrates with the home fans

Rare joy: Port Vale's Justin Richards celebrates with the home fans

Williams already has experience attracting support of a different kind - after gangs of female fans flocked to the Vale Park ground in the mid 90s, just to get a glimpse of him.

The club sank into administration in 2001 following relegation but in 2003 its fortunes changed when it became one of the first support owned clubs in the league as Valiant 2001 took control from receivers.

Among the 800 shareholding fans, Williams has the largest slice, owning 24.9 per cent which is worth around £250,000.

The board of seven directors helped the club with a cash injection in 2003 but since then it has been in steady decline and is saddled with £3million of debt.

Chaudry plans to gain at least a 51 per cent controlling stake in Vale, with an initial commitment to buy £1.21m of new shares, which could rise to £2m in the future.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....mrYNtV7

The Potteries pop star became Vale's majority stakeholder when he bought shares worth £249,000 in 2006.

And now Vale Supporters' Club have called on Williams to help them oust the club's six-man board by handing over his proxy vote.

They want Williams to use his share to back a favoured takeover bid at a future extraordinary general meeting.

In their letter, which was sent to Williams's representatives last Friday, the supporters' club says: "Vale is at a crossroads and needs the help of Robbie Williams as he is the club's major shareholder.

"For any takeover bid to be successful Robbie needs to exercise his vote as a shareholder at the EGM.

"Failing to take an interest and not using his vote plays into the board's hand as it would be as good as a vote for the directors.

"With this in mind, we're asking if this issue can be brought to Robbie's attention so he can make an informed decision that will benefit the club he has supported all his life.

"Abstaining from the voting process could also put his shareholding at risk as the current financial state of the club is precarious.

"If Robbie needs someone to give his proxy to there are many people who would willingly accept it."

However, the club are against the proxy going to the club board, saying "they are currently acting in their own self-interest and not in the interests of the shareholders and fans".

The appeal follows weeks of protests against the board in the wake of their failure to accept Mo Chaudry's takeover bid.

Chaudry wants to acquire a 51 per cent controlling stake in the club, and is prepared to pay up to £1.21m to do so.

The club's letter also highlights the recent poll of shareholders conducted by fans' group North London Valiants.

More than 84 per cent of respondents said they were prepared to use their shares to call an EGM, and 73 per cent backed businessman Mo Chaudry's bid to buy the football club.

The results were based on responses from 40.5 per cent – or 339 – of Vale's shareholders.

The letter added: "North London Valiants group recently canvassed shareholders and an overwhelming number voted in favour of Mr Chaudry's bid and for removing the current board.

"On the back of this they have sufficient pledges to force an EGM where the relevant issues will be voted on.

"Mr Chaudry is being treated appallingly in his efforts to invest much-needed cash into the club and also take it forward on and off the field.

"The board, despite proclaiming the club is 'For Us All' are hanging on for grim death instead of putting the proposals to the club's shareholders as they have promised to do many times in the past if a large bid came in."

Williams has consistently backed the board in the past, but whether he would allow directors to vote on his behalf on such a touchy issue as a takeover remains unclear.
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/footbal....e.html?

С ним же

The Tunstall-born pop star purchased £249,000 worth of shares to become Vale's majority stakeholder in 2006.

Fans' groups Port Vale Supporters' Club and the North London Valiants wrote to Williams's representatives last week appealing for him to consider supporting their bid to bring about regime change.

The groups wanted Williams to cast his share votes in favour of a preferred takeover bid or hand over his proxy to them at a future Extraordinary General Meeting.
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Their request follows continued protests against the board in the wake of Mo Chaudry's protracted takeover bid.

But Williams has revealed he will abstain from voting on any future takeover bid in an open letter to the board and fans.

Williams said: "Back in 2006, I invested in Port Vale when the club came to me needing money.

"I was happy to help the club because it's a big part of my childhood and roots.

"I made it clear at the time that because I live in Los Angeles, I would not be able to follow the Vale closely enough to be involved in the running of the club or called on to be involved in any future decision-making.

"That position has not changed and I do not feel well informed or close enough to the current debate to vote either way.

"I will therefore respectfully be abstaining from any vote on the future ownership and running of the club."

Newcastle businessman Chaudry wants to gain at least a 51 per cent controlling stake in the club and is willing to buy £1.21m of new shares.

The NLV are trying to force the club to call an EGM by gaining support from shareholders who own at least 10 per cent of the club's issued shares.

Tim Barber, who is a member of the fans-led "Black and Gold Until It's Sold" anti-board campaign, said: "I'm not surprised by Robbie's response.

"If he handed his proxy vote to the pro-change fans it would be of huge benefit to us.

"I will send his representatives the board's "blueprint for the future" shareholders' letter and Mo Chaudry's overview business plan in the hope he'll reconsider."
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/sport....le.html

The singer invited ASTON, MARVIN, ORITSE, JB and a pal to play against his five-a-side team in LA and handed the youngsters a footballing lesson.

They played six games, ten minutes each way, and JLS were thumped 4-2.

Robbie was never going to regard the games as friendlies.

The Port Vale fan takes his football seriously. Robbie and his team were already in kits and doing their stretches when the boyband turned up.

JLS didn't even have any boots and had to ask a pal to run out and buy four pairs.

Once they got under way Robbie's team turned on the style.

To rub more salt into the wounds, every time Robbie scored he pulled off some of JLS's dance moves.

A source said: "Robbie has been playing for years and practises all the time - and it showed. The boys put in a few good tackles and didn't stop running but Rob walked the ball round them.

"You know what he's like, a huge mickey-taker. But it went down well when he copied their dance routines."

It wouldn't have been pretty if Aston Marvin had won - it might have been enough to send Robbie back into rehab.

His wife AYDA can't even compete with his love for the beautiful game.

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She moved out during the World Cup last year because she was so fed up of footie on TV.

Here's a pic of the boys after the final whistle.

At least everyone has a smile on their chops.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....in.html

Shareholders will have a chance to remove the current board in a ballot after a a request by supporters’ group North London Valiants.

The voting system works on a one share, one vote basis with 51 per cent needed to disband the current board.

Popstar and major shareholder Robbie Williams has already said he will not be voting.

In a recent statement Williams declared: “I will be abstaining from any vote on the future ownership and running of the club.”
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/schools....ale-egm