Port Vale 5000 success

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I invited the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham to Port Vale to witness first hand the Port Vale 5,000 promotion to make football matches more affordable. We needed all the help we could get to sell 5,000 tickets and that's why we wanted the Secretary of State here. 

The Secretary of State visited Port Vale and joined a forum of key people in Burslem to hear how the club plays a vital role in community life and the importance of the 5,000 scheme.

The Secretary of State praised the clubs efforts and called for more football clubs to follow Port Vale's lead and make match tickets affordable for families, and criticised how financial backing in football has been more tot eh Premiership clubs. He gave his full support behind the Port Vale's campaign to sign up 5,000 season ticket holders.

When The Secretary of State arrived Port Vale Football Club were 200 tickets short of reaching its target. But by the end of the day, the club had reached and exceeded its target. As a result, Port Vale's seasons ticket price of £323 will be slashed to just £183 - or less than £8-a-game.

During the forum Burslem artist Rob Pointon, who has been undertaking a collection of speed portraits for charity, painted a portrait of the Secretary of State along with the Chairman and myself. Mr Pointon will be auctioning the painting off in aid of the Port Vale 5,000 campaign.