The Political Economy of Football V2

Football finance guru Kieran Maguire reports  that  Stockport County lost over £7 million in 23/24. Losses were underwritten by owner Mark Stott putting in £11m in the form of new shares. County spent over £640k on player signings. Total losses over the years now exceed £21 million. Port Vale lost £3.8m in 2023/24. Club does have cash in bank, mainly due to owners lending almost £6.5 million in year to take total loans to just under £15 million. Player purchases were £131k.

Port Vale lost £1.1 million in 21/22 taking total losses to almost £4 million.  Whilst Port Vale are technically insolvent, (like many clubs) support from the owners via loans of over £5.5m allow the club to trade. Port Vale spent £100k on players and almost £1.5m on infrastructure assets in 21/22.

Port Vale have submitted cut down accounts to Companies House, as they are allowed to do as a smaller company.   The club appears to have lost just under £120k in 2019/20. Port Vale signed players for £53k in 2019/20. Football finance guru Kieran Maguire, 'Looks as if Port Vale owe a lot to Stormin' Norman Smurthwaite.'  He is owed just over two and a quarter million pounds.

Port Vale are in a better position than many EFL clubs because of the financial commitment of the club's owners. However, their chief executive says that many lower division clubs genuinely fear they will go out of business: Port Vale

Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite has threatened to put Port Vale into administration if a buyer is not found by May 5th (the club and the ground are owned by separate companies in turn owned by Smurthwaite: Port Vale Carol and Kevin Shanahan, who own Stoke-on-Trent-based IT company Synectics Solutions, have made three attempts to buy the club, the last valued at £4m. Like Roland Duchatelet at Charlton, Smurthwaite is blaming protests by fans for the plight of the club.