Bill Bratt
Encyclopedia
William Amos "Bill" Bratt MBE
(born 1945) is the former chairman of Port Vale Football Club
, who served the club in this post from 2003 to 2011.
After decades working in the insurance
industry, Bratt turned his attention to his hometown club Port Vale, after the club were facing dark times. Leading the 'Valiant 2001' supporter's trust, he gained control from the administrators and previous chairman Bill Bell in 2003. He then faced a constant battle to steady the club's finances whilst also advancing through the leagues. Though the team fared poorly on the pitch throughout his reign, falling to the bottom tier of the Football League
, he managed to keep the club afloat financially, though still the club continued to lose money. He left the club after fan protests against his chairmanship, having helped to secure an £8 million investment into the club.
was a World War II
veteran who was taken by the Japanese
as a prisoner of war
. After the war his father appeared to be mentally scarred from his time in POW camps
and regularly beat him
, he apologised to his son whilst on his deathbed
. He died in the 1960s of cancer
.
He lived in numerous children's homes in the Penkhull
area, before becoming a miner
at Chatterley Whitfield pit. The charity
he received from members of the church
helped to instil Christian
beliefs that he holds to this day (as of June 2009). From an early age he was a Port Vale
supporter
, something which would have a significant impact upon his life in the future.
over a 30 year period.
During this time he also started a family - a son and a daughter.
of fans and local businessmen under the banner "Valiant 2001", started by Charles Machin, which started moves towards attaining ownership of the club, including several offers that were rejected by chairman Bill Bell. The club went into administration
under Bell in December 2002. Valiant 2001 eventually secured control of the club after a long and drawn-out process as the 2002–03 season
neared its close. Their takeover bid beat that of a 'mystery bidder'. Bratt had been a life-long supporter of the club when he took the chairman position in 2003.
The Valiant2001 Charter, drafted by Charles Machin, listed ten points:
Bratt put a large portion of the clubs shares up for sale in February 2006. Robbie Williams
bought £240,000 worth of the £250,000 worth of available shares in the club. Castle Comfort Stairlifts
, the club's sponsors, at the same time bought the remainder for £10,000. Three months later Bratt also took up the role of Chief executive officer
.
Under Bratt's chairmanship, the club were relegated to the bottom tier of English league football after a dismal 2007–08 season
. Bratt and his board of directors appointed five managers throughout their reign; Martin Foyle
in 2004, Lee Sinnott
in 2007, Dean Glover
in 2008, Micky Adams
in 2009, Jim Gannon
in 2011, and Adams again in 2011.
, closer to relegation than the play-offs, many Vale fans organized protests against manager Glover and the board, including Bratt. With talks of fresh investment from shirt sponsors Harlequin Property
came rumours on the internet
that the company were planning to demolish Vale Park
and build a supermarket
, paying off Bratt to ensure his compliance. Bratt passionately denied these accusations, seemingly angered by the suggestion and claimed that if he were to comply with the protesters demands and remove himself and the rest of the V-2001 directors from the Board, then the club would fold as bank
s and creditor
s would seek their money. He also reiterated his prior statements by stating that he would be prepared to leave his position if the right offer were to be made.
As Chairman he was sometimes criticized for the perceived unprofessional practices of the board. Critics citing the phone vote that was arranged to sack Sinnott and the way in which experienced midfielder
Dave Brammer was released- informing him via voicemail
. Sinnott later took the club to court for breach of contract. The appointment of Dean Glover was also unpopular with fans. Protests formed by fans against Glover and the board gave Bratt little option than to sack Glover, with season ticket sales seriously affected by disillusioned supporters. With a serious dent into his reputation he built as a player at the club, Glover left the club completely, however Bratt and the board stayed in place despite growing resentment from some corners.
Bratt was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. In the summer of 2009 he collapsed and was paralysed
from the waist down, he made a full recovery though after undergoing surgery at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire
. Despite the club's recent troubles on the pitch, Bratt was delighted with the overwhelming support he received from the fans during his recovery: "I have had lots of cards, text messages
and phone calls
, so I'd like to thank everyone for that."
In July 2009, Bratt spoke out to publicly deny rumours spread on Vale fan sites, specifically rumours of sponsorship deals with Basement Jaxx
and Maplin Electronics
. Bratt said the rumours were "inaccurate, spurious and damaging", claiming the speculation could damage genuine and confidential negotiations. The next month he was able to say "we got the right man" in appointing Micky Adams, following a 2-1 win over Sheffield United
in the League Cup
. There also came statements that shirt sponsors Harlequin Property
would invest £500,000 into the club, though this never materialized. Reports that Andy Townsend
would be appointed as a football advisor also surfaced, but never transpired.
Bratt stated that he planned to stand down at the end of the 2009–10
season. However when investor Mike Newton was willing to invest £400,000 in the club and take the chair of the board at the season's end, Bratt claimed to be unhappy with Newton's policy of negotiating in public (who had by then upped his offer to £500,000), and so Bratt remained chairman for the 2010–11
season. Newton claimed that his "efforts to become chairman and to invest in the club have been hampered and made almost impossible" by Bratt and his board, and said that the reasons giving to reject his investment were "one long round of excuses". Bratt also denied claims by Newton that the club were heading for administration
under his leadership. In September 2010 Bratt gave up his role as Chief Executive, but remained as Chairman, denying that this decision was influenced by the recent Newton takeover bid. By this time the club's debts were estimated at around £2m
, a level described by Bratt as "manageable".
In September 2010 Bratt owned £44,120 of the club's £1.132m shares, with the nine man board's total share value at £359,400. In December 2010 local businessman and Water World
owner Mo Chaudry went public with his investment proposal for the club, however Bratt said it was the first he had heard of the proposal, despite Chandry's legal advisor's claims they had spoken and that "it was made clear to me the club wasn't interested in selling to Mo Chaudry." The board swiftly and unanimously rejected the £1.3 million proposal. Following another anti-board protest from Vale supporters and the resignation of director Mike Thompstone, Bratt and his team decided to re-examine the Chaudry bid. In January 2011, another group of prospective investors, this time a group of Texas
businessmen, announced they had pulled out of talks with Bratt's board. The group said: "the deal is completely dead because the directors don't want to sell the club... we believe they [the Vale] are run by the wrong people... [and] we didn't get anything apart from a cup of tea before watching a game." Fans began a protest movement called "Black and Gold Until it's Sold" - inspired by Manchester United
's anti-Glazer scarf protest - in which fans wear black and gold scarves to symbolize their opposition to Bratt and the board. Despite this Chaudry's takeover deadline passed without comment from the Vale board, though another director, Paul Humphreys, resigned his position. After the board shunned a further joint offer by Chaudry and Mark Sims, Sims stated that he was "thoroughly disillusioned with the current board and, as a lifelong fan, I'm devastated by this season's promotion failure and the demise of our club over the past decade."
After an Extraordinary General Meeting
was called on 1 June 2011, Bratt and his four fellow directors faced a vote to remove them. With major shareholders Robbie Williams
and Broxap owner Robert Lee throwing their support behind Chaudry, few believed Bratt could survive the EGM. Despite a vote of no confidence in the board and directors Peter Jackson and Stan Meigh being voted out, Bratt and two other directors survived their individual votes. This was thanks to a last minute decision by Lee to sell to an unnamed director and not Chaudry. Despite this, Bratt resigned as chairman on 29 July 2011, citing his wish to unite the fans and to leave behind the "hate" levelled at him in "the last 12 months" by his detractors. The remained a director, and he was a member of the board in September 2011, when it was announced that sports construction firm Blue Sky International were planning to plough £5 million into the club in twelve months, as well as a further £2.5 million by 2016. This sum would secure the long-term future of the club. He resigned as a director in October 2011.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1945) is the former chairman of Port Vale Football Club
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, who served the club in this post from 2003 to 2011.
After decades working in the insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
industry, Bratt turned his attention to his hometown club Port Vale, after the club were facing dark times. Leading the 'Valiant 2001' supporter's trust, he gained control from the administrators and previous chairman Bill Bell in 2003. He then faced a constant battle to steady the club's finances whilst also advancing through the leagues. Though the team fared poorly on the pitch throughout his reign, falling to the bottom tier of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, he managed to keep the club afloat financially, though still the club continued to lose money. He left the club after fan protests against his chairmanship, having helped to secure an £8 million investment into the club.
Early life
Bratt's stepfatherStepfamily
A stepfamily, also known as a blended family or reconstituted family, is a family in which one or both members of the couple have children from a previous relationship...
was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran who was taken by the Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. After the war his father appeared to be mentally scarred from his time in POW camps
Japanese war crimes
Japanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism, primarily during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Some of the incidents have also been described as an Asian Holocaust and Japanese war atrocities...
and regularly beat him
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
, he apologised to his son whilst on his deathbed
Last words
Last words are a person's final words spoken before death.Last Words may also refer to:* Last Words , an Australian punk band* Last Words , a memoir by George Carlin* Last Words , a 1968 short film directed by Werner Herzog...
. He died in the 1960s of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
He lived in numerous children's homes in the Penkhull
Penkhull
Penkhull is a township within Stoke-upon-Trent in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the English county of Staffordshire. The Domesday Book records it as two hides of land in the Hundred of Pirehill and that it was held by Earl Algar....
area, before becoming a miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
at Chatterley Whitfield pit. The charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
he received from members of the church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
helped to instil Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
beliefs that he holds to this day (as of June 2009). From an early age he was a Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
supporter
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
, something which would have a significant impact upon his life in the future.
Business life
Bratt worked in several coal-mines, but was forced to retire after a motorcycle accident severely damaged his left hand; he is now without a left thumb. He then tried several jobs, including selling encyclopaedias. However, Bratt built up his business acumen and earned a healthy income as an insurance brokerInsurance broker
An insurance broker finds sources for contracts of insurance on behalf of their customers. The three largest insurance brokers in the world, by revenue, are Aon, Marsh & McLennan, and Willis Group Holdings.-Purpose of insurance brokers:...
over a 30 year period.
During this time he also started a family - a son and a daughter.
Early years
In 2001, Bratt was involved with a consortiumConsortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of fans and local businessmen under the banner "Valiant 2001", started by Charles Machin, which started moves towards attaining ownership of the club, including several offers that were rejected by chairman Bill Bell. The club went into administration
Administration (British football)
Sports clubs in the United Kingdom, most often in football, sometimes choose to enter administration when they are unable to pay off outstanding debts. Under the Insolvency Act 1986 a business will face a winding up order bringing them to court and if it is shown that a business cannot pay debts as...
under Bell in December 2002. Valiant 2001 eventually secured control of the club after a long and drawn-out process as the 2002–03 season
2002–03 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2002–03 season was Port Vale's ninety-first season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in the Second Division. Another poor season, Brian Horton's side avoided relegation with a seventeenth place finish...
neared its close. Their takeover bid beat that of a 'mystery bidder'. Bratt had been a life-long supporter of the club when he took the chairman position in 2003.
The Valiant2001 Charter, drafted by Charles Machin, listed ten points:
- One: Set aside a £1.5 million first-team budget
- Two: Introduce supporter-friendly ticket pricing
- Three: Complete the Lorne Street stand
- Four: Sort out the pitch (install under-soil heating)
- Five: Make savings of over £80,000
- Six: Make Port Vale a fan-friendly football club
- Seven: Make Port Vale a community-friendly football club
- Eight: Run the club openly and democratically (at least 2 supporter-directors on the board)
- Nine: Improve the club's relations
- Ten: Be open, honest, professional and accountable
Bratt put a large portion of the clubs shares up for sale in February 2006. Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
bought £240,000 worth of the £250,000 worth of available shares in the club. Castle Comfort Stairlifts
Castle Comfort Stairlifts
Castle Comfort Stairlifts is a North Staffordshire based organisation serving the disability sector.-Formation:Founded in 1997 by Keith Robert Simpson, the aim of the company was twofold: to provide orthopaedic chairs, adjustable beds, wheelchairs and stairlifts to elderly and disabled people, and...
, the club's sponsors, at the same time bought the remainder for £10,000. Three months later Bratt also took up the role of Chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
.
Under Bratt's chairmanship, the club were relegated to the bottom tier of English league football after a dismal 2007–08 season
2007–08 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2007–08 season was Port Vale's ninety-sixth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in League One. Vale finished second-from-bottom, and were relegated, some twelve points from safety. Manager Martin Foyle left the club in September, and Lee Sinnott failed to...
. Bratt and his board of directors appointed five managers throughout their reign; Martin Foyle
Martin Foyle
Martin John Foyle is an English former footballer, turned football manager. In his 20 year playing career he played 533 League games, scoring 155 goals...
in 2004, Lee Sinnott
Lee Sinnott
Lee Sinnott is an English former professional footballer turned football manager, who is in charge at Conference North side Altrincham....
in 2007, Dean Glover
Dean Glover
Dean Victor Glover is an English former footballer and football manager. A cultured and stylish defender, he had the ball control skills of a midfielder. He played 457 league games in a seventeen year career in the Football League.He started his career at Aston Villa in 1980, before he moved on to...
in 2008, Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
in 2009, Jim Gannon
Jim Gannon
James Paul "Jim" Gannon is a former footballer and football manager, who is now Director of football and manager of Conference National team Stockport County...
in 2011, and Adams again in 2011.
Troubled relationship with the fans
In February 2009, with the club languishing near the bottom of the Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, closer to relegation than the play-offs, many Vale fans organized protests against manager Glover and the board, including Bratt. With talks of fresh investment from shirt sponsors Harlequin Property
Harlequin Property
-Overview:Harlequin Property is an international property investment agent that specialises in luxury resorts in the Caribbean. They are the primary agent for Harlequin Hotels & Resorts, operator of the 5 star Buccament Bay Resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines....
came rumours on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
that the company were planning to demolish Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
and build a supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, paying off Bratt to ensure his compliance. Bratt passionately denied these accusations, seemingly angered by the suggestion and claimed that if he were to comply with the protesters demands and remove himself and the rest of the V-2001 directors from the Board, then the club would fold as bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s and creditor
Creditor
A creditor is a party that has a claim to the services of a second party. It is a person or institution to whom money is owed. The first party, in general, has provided some property or service to the second party under the assumption that the second party will return an equivalent property or...
s would seek their money. He also reiterated his prior statements by stating that he would be prepared to leave his position if the right offer were to be made.
As Chairman he was sometimes criticized for the perceived unprofessional practices of the board. Critics citing the phone vote that was arranged to sack Sinnott and the way in which experienced midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
Dave Brammer was released- informing him via voicemail
Voicemail
Voicemail is a computer based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to individuals, organizations, products and services, using an ordinary telephone...
. Sinnott later took the club to court for breach of contract. The appointment of Dean Glover was also unpopular with fans. Protests formed by fans against Glover and the board gave Bratt little option than to sack Glover, with season ticket sales seriously affected by disillusioned supporters. With a serious dent into his reputation he built as a player at the club, Glover left the club completely, however Bratt and the board stayed in place despite growing resentment from some corners.
Bratt was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. In the summer of 2009 he collapsed and was paralysed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
from the waist down, he made a full recovery though after undergoing surgery at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire
University Hospital of North Staffordshire
The University Hospital of North Staffordshire is a major teaching & research hospital in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, England, near the border with Newcastle-under-Lyme...
. Despite the club's recent troubles on the pitch, Bratt was delighted with the overwhelming support he received from the fans during his recovery: "I have had lots of cards, text messages
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
and phone calls
Telephone call
A telephone call is a connection over a telephone network between the calling party and the called party.-Information transmission:A telephone call may carry ordinary voice transmission using a telephone, data transmission when the calling party and called party are using modems, or facsimile...
, so I'd like to thank everyone for that."
In July 2009, Bratt spoke out to publicly deny rumours spread on Vale fan sites, specifically rumours of sponsorship deals with Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
and Maplin Electronics
Maplin Electronics
Maplin Electronics is a retailer of electronic goods in the UK and Ireland. As of December 2010, there are 180 Maplin Electronics stores in the United Kingdom...
. Bratt said the rumours were "inaccurate, spurious and damaging", claiming the speculation could damage genuine and confidential negotiations. The next month he was able to say "we got the right man" in appointing Micky Adams, following a 2-1 win over Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
. There also came statements that shirt sponsors Harlequin Property
Harlequin Property
-Overview:Harlequin Property is an international property investment agent that specialises in luxury resorts in the Caribbean. They are the primary agent for Harlequin Hotels & Resorts, operator of the 5 star Buccament Bay Resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines....
would invest £500,000 into the club, though this never materialized. Reports that Andy Townsend
Andy Townsend
Andrew "Andy" David Townsend is a former professional footballer, who played in two World Cups for the Republic of Ireland and is now a television and radio pundit....
would be appointed as a football advisor also surfaced, but never transpired.
Bratt stated that he planned to stand down at the end of the 2009–10
2009–10 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-eighth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in League Two. Micky Adams received plaudits for his first full season in charge. He took a squad of players that had previously been near the bottom of the division and made...
season. However when investor Mike Newton was willing to invest £400,000 in the club and take the chair of the board at the season's end, Bratt claimed to be unhappy with Newton's policy of negotiating in public (who had by then upped his offer to £500,000), and so Bratt remained chairman for the 2010–11
2010–11 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Port Vale's ninety-ninth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in League Two. Vale enjoyed a solid start to the campaign, looking like good prospects for promotion. However Micky Adams left the club in December to take charge of Sheffield...
season. Newton claimed that his "efforts to become chairman and to invest in the club have been hampered and made almost impossible" by Bratt and his board, and said that the reasons giving to reject his investment were "one long round of excuses". Bratt also denied claims by Newton that the club were heading for administration
Administration (British football)
Sports clubs in the United Kingdom, most often in football, sometimes choose to enter administration when they are unable to pay off outstanding debts. Under the Insolvency Act 1986 a business will face a winding up order bringing them to court and if it is shown that a business cannot pay debts as...
under his leadership. In September 2010 Bratt gave up his role as Chief Executive, but remained as Chairman, denying that this decision was influenced by the recent Newton takeover bid. By this time the club's debts were estimated at around £2m
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
, a level described by Bratt as "manageable".
In September 2010 Bratt owned £44,120 of the club's £1.132m shares, with the nine man board's total share value at £359,400. In December 2010 local businessman and Water World
Water World, Stoke-on-Trent
WaterWorld attracts 400,000 visitors per year. The park first opened in 1989 and is generally open year round, but is closed for a few days of the week during term time....
owner Mo Chaudry went public with his investment proposal for the club, however Bratt said it was the first he had heard of the proposal, despite Chandry's legal advisor's claims they had spoken and that "it was made clear to me the club wasn't interested in selling to Mo Chaudry." The board swiftly and unanimously rejected the £1.3 million proposal. Following another anti-board protest from Vale supporters and the resignation of director Mike Thompstone, Bratt and his team decided to re-examine the Chaudry bid. In January 2011, another group of prospective investors, this time a group of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
businessmen, announced they had pulled out of talks with Bratt's board. The group said: "the deal is completely dead because the directors don't want to sell the club... we believe they [the Vale] are run by the wrong people... [and] we didn't get anything apart from a cup of tea before watching a game." Fans began a protest movement called "Black and Gold Until it's Sold" - inspired by Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's anti-Glazer scarf protest - in which fans wear black and gold scarves to symbolize their opposition to Bratt and the board. Despite this Chaudry's takeover deadline passed without comment from the Vale board, though another director, Paul Humphreys, resigned his position. After the board shunned a further joint offer by Chaudry and Mark Sims, Sims stated that he was "thoroughly disillusioned with the current board and, as a lifelong fan, I'm devastated by this season's promotion failure and the demise of our club over the past decade."
After an Extraordinary General Meeting
Extraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting, commonly abbreviated as EGM, is a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders of a company, or employees of an official body, which occurs at an irregular time. The term is usually used where the group would ordinarily hold an annual general meeting , but...
was called on 1 June 2011, Bratt and his four fellow directors faced a vote to remove them. With major shareholders Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
and Broxap owner Robert Lee throwing their support behind Chaudry, few believed Bratt could survive the EGM. Despite a vote of no confidence in the board and directors Peter Jackson and Stan Meigh being voted out, Bratt and two other directors survived their individual votes. This was thanks to a last minute decision by Lee to sell to an unnamed director and not Chaudry. Despite this, Bratt resigned as chairman on 29 July 2011, citing his wish to unite the fans and to leave behind the "hate" levelled at him in "the last 12 months" by his detractors. The remained a director, and he was a member of the board in September 2011, when it was announced that sports construction firm Blue Sky International were planning to plough £5 million into the club in twelve months, as well as a further £2.5 million by 2016. This sum would secure the long-term future of the club. He resigned as a director in October 2011.
External links
- Valiant2001's website (web archive)
- 'The Valiants are not going to go into administration' Interview with The Sentinel (07/03/2009)