Port Vale damage might have been done despite popular David Flitcroft news: View | OneFootball

Port Vale's director of football, David Flitcroft, has left the club 'mutually' - much to the relief of fans who had been calling for him to go for over a year.

A bungled transfer policy saw the Staffordshire club fail to sign a striker in January, and this, coupled with an over-reliance on loanee youth prospects, finally put paid to the former Barnsley, Swindon Town and Mansfield manager's two-year tenure at Vale.

Thanks to Flitcroft, Vale now face the very real prospect of relegation from League One with a far inferior squad to that which got them promoted to the third tier.

Fan unrest on Port Vale terraces

Fans had been calling for Flitcroft to go for the majority of the season, but the calls got louder following the January transfer window, which saw loan players return to their parent clubs and inferior - and injured - players brought in to replace them.

Supporters finally lost their temper earlier this month during the defeat to Shrewsbury Town, with cries aimed at the directors' box of "David Flitcroft get out of our club" - and banners demanding the same.

However, perhaps what was more telling was the apathetic resignation to defeat against Oxford United, when fans sang songs such as "we were here when we were good", and cheering a wayward effort on goal with a sarcastic "we've had a shot" chant.

January business leaves Port Vale worse off

Flitcroft's January transfer dealings irked Vale fans more than ever, as key players departed without being replaced, and manager Andy Crosby was sacked just four days after the transfer window closed despite being handed an inferior squad.

Crosby had been forced to field a variety of youth team players after losing key men during January. Ollie Arblaster, on loan from Sheffield United, and Alfie Devine, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, had lit up Vale Park earlier in the season, but their recall in January left Vale without any creative spark in midfield, leaving Crosby putting square pegs in round holes.

Youngsters with no previous senior football experience such as Ben Lomax (18), Baylee Dipepa (17) and Jack Shorrock (16) were drafted into first team action, while experienced professionals Lewis Cass and Tom Conlon were allowed to leave the club for Stockport County and Oldham Athletic respectively.

Flitcroft sought to fill the gaps in midfield left by Arblaster's and Devine's departures by signing Jenson Weir on loan from Brighton and Dan Gore on loan from Manchester United. But Weir had struggled earlier in the season to get into an average Blackpool team, while the signing of highly-rated Gore has proved unlucky, with injury limiting him to just one appearance.

Perhaps most embarrassing for Flitcroft was the move for Liverpool's Rhys Williams, who had spent the first part of the season on loan at Aberdeen.

Injury had meant he failed to make an appearance for the Scottish club, but he signed on loan for Vale in January. Just two weeks later, and failing to make a matchday squad, Williams was sent back to Liverpool still injured.

Fans were left wondering how much work Vale's scouting team had put into a player that is now unlikely to feature at all this season.

More worryingly, following an injury to Uche Ikpeazu, Flitcroft failed to sign a striker for the second January in succession, leaving just Ryan Loft and James Wilson as first team strikers.

Flitcroft fails to address issues at both ends of the pitch

Port Vale's striker woes go back far further than January, with Flitcroft failing in his three years to sign a single player capable of scoring goals at League One level. The loan signing of Kian Harratt from Huddersfield in 2022 was a success, but even then Vale were putting their faith in a player with no senior football experience.

Following Harratt's departure, Vale signed Ellis Harrison, who had previously worked with boss Darrell Clarke, but let him leave this summer despite his decent League One season, and replaced him with Ryan Loft, whose goalscoring record was abysmal.

Most worryingly for Vale fans, when Loft signed, Flitcroft spoke at length of Vale's pursuit of the striker, saying: "We have been chasing Ryan throughout the summer, so I am delighted to finally be able to say that he is now a Port Vale player. Ryan’s attributes will improve the squad’s quality at the top end of the pitch with his willingness to run unselfishly for the team, creating space or pressing the opposition aggressively."

Loft has yet to score a League goal for Vale.

Shanahan's odd defence of Flitcroft mocked by fans

With supporters' anger towards Flitcroft at an all-time high, Port Vale owner Carol Shanahan released a strongly worded statement in defence of her director of football.

Shanahan had previously given an interview stating: "Anything that touches the ball is Dave Flitcroft. So, the first team, the academy, and also the pitch, the groundstaff will work for Dave." So, when the results on the pitch went awry, she felt the need to defend him, issuing a statement saying "Since I became chair of Port Vale I have made mistakes. Appointing Dave Flitcroft is not one of them."

The statement was mocked by fans and actually increased the pressure on Shanahan, who had previously been given free rein by fans after saving the club with a huge buy out from rogue owner Norman Smurthwaite.

It now appears that Shanahan has finally listened to the terraces, with Flitcroft leaving his position just hours before a meeting with supporters at Vale Park. However, with Vale second from bottom in League One, and without a win in 2024, it may be that the move to appease fans has come too late for their survival hopes.