Ex-Latics director in new Vale role

DEANE SMALLEY . . . will miss the early stages of pre-season training.

FORMER Athletic director Mike Newton is heading for a new role in football.

The 40-year-old New York-based financial trader, who departed after just a year with Athletic following the final game of last season, is bidding to invest what is described as a "significant six-figure sum" in Coca-Cola League Two club Port Vale.

Newton hails from Stoke-on-Trent and hopes to claim a place on the club's board of directors.

"I'm coming back to the UK in either the second or third week of July to make a formal proposal to the board, and then they will make a final decision," said Newton, who approached Vale after resigning as a director at League One side Athletic at the end of last season.

"I will be outlining a more detailed proposal and it's up to me to convince the directors that this is the best thing for Port Vale.

"My only motivation is to make the club as competitive as possible on the field.

"I enjoyed my time as a director at Oldham and I've been impressed with the people at Vale.

"If I can help move the club forward, I'm happy to do that."

Newton originally became involved with Athletic through his professional relationship with Simon Corney's Tel Aviv-based cousin Neil.

But friction behind the scenes led to him tendering his resignation at Boundary Park in the aftermath of the last-day 2-0 home defeat by Charlton Athletic.

“I have done my best to sort out issues and have worked hard for the club and am disappointed I can’t take my involvement further," Newton said at the time.

Meanwhile, Athletic winger Deane Smalley is set to start his pre-season training programme late.

The 21-year-old cut short a holiday in Cyprus to have a muscle-release operation in his groin, but the surgery is minor and should not bite too much into his overall preparations for Athletic's new campaign.

Athletic have put on hold plans to move Bank Holiday Monday home fixtures against Rochdale and Walsall.

Club officials will discuss the dates — January 3 and April 25 at Boundary Park — with manager Paul Dickov and the Greater Manchester Police before making final decisions.