VALE FANS CONTINUE TO SNAP UP SEATS FOR NEW SEASON
PORT Vale sold 5,577 season tickets by their early bird deadline on Saturday – up on last summer’s 5,100 figure.
The club had hoped to go close to last year’s figures but, with the sharply rising cost of living, say they are taken aback to have beaten that total.
The sales included a late surge, having reached around 3,600 ten days before the deadline. The club also extended the deadline by 48 hours from Thursday June 30 to allow for fans being paid on the Friday and also to coincide with their shirt launch weekend.
The season ticket sales figure doesn’t include corporate and hospitality sales which are expected to be around 550 this year up by around 100 from 12 months ago. That’s because the club’s corporate capacity has increased with the opening of their new top-floor hospitality lounge.
The figures give Vale a lift as they prepare for the new season in League One following promotion through the play-offs in May. Darrell Clarke’s squad reported back for pre-season training on Monday as they prepare for the opening game of the season, at home to Fleetwood Town on July 30.
The squad was joined by new signings, defender Lewis Cass and midfielder Funso Ojo. Also present was attacking midfielder Rory Holden who is training with Vale now his contract is up at Walsall. Vale have a friendly at Kidsgrove Athletic on Thursday, a training camp in Spain and a friendly at Rochdale on July 23. Meanwhile, Vale have sold more than 4,000 of their new home shirts after their official launch at the weekend, well up on the same stage last season.
Chief executive Colin Garlick said Vale are thrilled with the response to the new Errea kit as the club and supporters prepare for the new season in League One.
Fans had placed pre-orders before the weekend and that was followed by a fanzone event on Saturday and Sunday as supporters met captain Tom Conlon, vice captain Tom Pett and owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan.
They could also have their picture taken with the play-off final trophy won at Wembley on May 28 when they saw off Mansfield 3-0. Garlick said: “We have gone over 4,000 shirts on launch weekend, we had some pre orders as well but by the time we got the weekend done it was over 4,000 shirts. That is almost double what we did on launch weekend last year. It is a phenomenal response.”
The home shirt was officially unveiled by Robbie Williams during his gig at Vale Park on June 4. Vale expect their new away kit to be launched by around the end of the month.