As Port Vale head disastrously to League Two, with just three wins in their last 29 league games, fans’ anger has turned to the boardroom and is aimed at one man in particular.

David Flitcroft has been the club’s director of football for three years, but in that time has systematically dismantled a capable squad and instead opted for inexperienced loan signings and made questionable transfer decisions.

Following The Valiants’ latest defeat, at home to fellow relegation strugglers Shrewsbury Town, fans in the Hamil Road end of Vale Park vented their frustration at the final whistle, turning to the executive boxes where Flitcroft sits with cries of ‘David Flitcroft get out of our club’. That chant was the only one that can be reported by Football League World. Fans also brought banners to the Shrewsbury game, and more protests are being planned by supporters groups at future matches.

Port Vale managers pay the price for Flitcroft’s mistakes

When Flitcroft was hired as director of football in February 2021, he appointed Darrell Clarke as manager, who eventually guided them to the promised land of League One. However, rather than strengthen what was a solid team, Flitcroft dallied in the transfer market, meaning that Vale started the following campaign with just Jamie Proctor and 17-year-old midfielder Tommy McDermott up front.

Flitcroft acted late in the day to sign Ellis Harrison, but he constantly sold managers short, opting for loans for the likes of Mipo Odubeko, Danny Butterworth, and Denis Politic to fill the gaps up front, rather than actually sign a striker. Without a regular goal-scoring forward, and Vale looking weaker in defence following the departure of Connor Hall, the club saw their form slide alarmingly, and Clarke was sacked towards the end of the 2022-23 campaign, replaced by assistant Andy Crosby.

Despite somehow surviving in League One, Flitcroft didn’t learn his lesson in the summer. Out went the aforementioned Proctor, as well as club stalwart David Worrall and left-back Mal Benning. Flitcroft opted for a raft of young loan signings, including Josh Thomas from Swansea City, who hadn’t yet made his professional debut, as well as Ollie Arblaster from Sheffield United and Alfie Devine from Tottenham Hotspur.