Port Vale owner blasted over Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink decision

Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite has been blasted over his “outrageous” decision not to appoint Jimmy Floyd Haselbaink due to fears of racist abuse from the club’s own fans.

Smurthwaite revealed on Wednesday he turned down the opportunity to appoint Hasselbaink as manager in 2013 to protect him from abuse from a "small minority" at Vale Park.

The 55-year-old said talks with the former Chelsea striker took place during the same period in which the club were carrying out their own investigation into racist chanting by their supporters during a home game with Bradford.

Hasselbaink, who has just been appointed manager of QPR, took charge of Burton Albion instead and led the club to promotion as League Two champions.

Kick It out expressed its disappointment with Smurthwaite's admission and said the club had denied an opportunity to a manager.

"This is outrageous that we have an owner admitting he wanted to protect a manager because of the possibility of abuse, he has discriminated against Hasselbaink and denied him the opportunity of being Port Vale manager," said Kick It Out Chair, Lord Herman Ouseley

"If there's a problem then it needs to be addressed and tackled. If education is needed then let's do something about it.

"It is a sad day for Port Vale Football Club in 2015 when a football club owner admits this.

"Are black managers not capable of protecting themselves? The main criteria should be the best person for the job. Owners and decision makers at football clubs have a duty of care to appoint the best candidate."

Smurthwaite released a lengthy, wide-ranging statement on the Port Vale website shortly after Kick It Out commented.

As well as dealing with issues such as an alleged assault by supporters in April 2014 and explaining the process of selling the club, the Vale owner touched on the "current frenzy of media attention" in relation to the decision
to overlook Hasselbaink for the manager's job when Micky Adams left.

"Since coming in to run the club day to day in June 2013 I am regularly presented with challenges regarding the conduct of a very small percentage of our fans, which has a much wider impact on the operations of the football club," he said.

"The outcome of both an FA and Kick It Out enquiry regarding the Bradford game nearly resulted in the Railway Paddock being closed for the remainder of that season, which would have put Port Vale into both financial and operational restrictions which could have had a serious impact on the club that season.

"If it was not for the continuing efforts of myself, the club and Ally Simcock, Supporters Club chairman, to reassure the authorities concerned that remedial action be put in place to combat these issues, this could have been the outcome.

"Again a very small minority of our fans let the club down in their actions both home and away which made it very challenging to negotiate reduced police fees for our home games and in turn see higher levels of policing at some of our away venues.

"As a club we are trying to strive to eliminate this small faction which several clubs have but sadly, as stated above, does have an impact in both decision making and operational control of our football club.

"If any Port Vale fan feels I have labelled them as being either a racist or thug I am deeply sorry as this was never my intention or belief."