39:
256:"The way we viewed it...yes we have paid far too much but you look at it as a business deal. So, as a business person if you were going to assess it, you would say why on earth have you done that! But that isn't how we viewed it. We really viewed it as almost a loved one was held hostage and someone had to pay the ransom. The club would have gone into
282:; CEO Colin Garlick said that the club had voted for the proposal despite meaning they narrowly missed out on the play-offs as it would help to secure the financial future of all the clubs in the division. Shanahan said she "came away shaking" from the vote, but made her decision for "the greater good" of the game. A
286:
study predicted that Vale would have finished seventh and reached the play-offs if the season had played out. To help the local area during the crisis, Shanahan turned the club into a community hub, delivering food and care packages to the north of the city and working closely with the city council,
251:
for more than £5 million in May 2019 following months of negotiation. Initially she and Kevin were co-chairs of the club before Kevin stepped down to leave Carol as the sole chair in
January 2020. The next month she was voted as the fourth best owner in English football in a poll carried out by the
226:
in 2019, leading her to state that "To win an award of this calibre is a fantastic achievement, contributed to by every one of our 360 employees. Of the many awards we have won over the past few years, this is the pinnacle of our work to date." This came two years after
Shanahan was named as
350:, was appointed as the club's new manager. Crosby was sacked on 5 February 2024. With fan opinion turning hostile towards Flitcroft, Shanahan published a lengthy open letter on the club website defending Flitcroft and his achievements as Port Vale's director of football.
227:'Director of the Year for Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility' at the Institute of Directors awards. The Shanahans set up hospitality firm Summit Hospitality after finding they had extra rooms in Synectics' new building. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by
359:
season. At this point, Shanahan apologised to the fans and stated her intent for the club to gain promotion again. She also decided to do less public speaking after she was filmed without her knowledge while giving an after-match speech in the
Valiant Suite.
325:
in May 2021 and named as a member on the EFL Trust Board three months later. She was named as
Community Heroine of the Year at The Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards in April 2022. Clarke returned from a close family bereavement to lead Vale through the
354:
was hired as the club's new manager on a five-and-a-half-year contract, which Moore said was "a testament to the long-term vision of the club". David
Flitcroft was sacked. Port Vale was relegated at the end of the
209:
company
Synectics Solutions in February 1992. Synectics work to prevent fraud and has international clients that include governments, banks, building societies and insurance companies. Originally based in
932:
572:
231:
in 2017 and also became chair of the Port Vale
Foundation Trust. She founded the Hubb Foundation in February 2019, a charitable organisation to help underprivileged children in
346:. She initiated a shake-up in the club's boardroom in April 2023, whilst remaining a "hands on owner". Darrell Clarke was also sacked later that month and his assistant,
546:
205:. She met Kevin Shanahan in 1979, a fellow IT worker. The pair would later marry and have four children – Kate, Rosie, Patrick and Francesca – before founding
1304:
305:
in
January 2021, following a two-month losing run that saw the team drop from the play-off places to 17th in the table. The following month she appointed
1259:
1279:
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201:. She left school without any formal qualifications. At age 17, she became the first female main-frame computer operator at Hoskins Systems in
803:
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28:
403:"CAROL SHANAHAN: HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS - WITH ZERO QUALIFICATIONS from Adrian Goldberg's Talk Show"
190:
456:
335:
228:
782:
1229:
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for services to the community of Stoke-on-Trent during the COVID-19 epidemic. She sacked club
295:
1224:
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211:
206:
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8:
339:
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248:
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in 2015 and had a £1.25 million rejected in May 2017, she and Kevin finally bought out
120:
547:"Carol Shanahan – the 'female Jesus' bringing a sense of community back to Port Vale"
378:"Carol Ann SHANAHAN - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)"
322:
933:"WOMEN OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCES CAROL SHANAHAN OBE AS COMMUNITY HEROINE AWARD WINNER"
306:
1088:
985:
854:
828:
758:"'Work together' - Port Vale owner on financial challenges for League Two clubs"
804:"'From one O-level to an OBE!' - Carol Shanahan awarded for her community work"
732:"League Two: University of Reading experts predict how table would have looked"
680:"Port Vale give up promotion hopes to try to avert League Two financial crisis"
314:
244:
232:
170:
97:
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704:
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882:"Two drama queens, vaccine champ and football club boss get honorary degrees"
194:
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654:"'Someone had to pay the ransom' - Port Vale owners on why they bought club"
521:"'Thank you ma'am' Staffordshire businesses celebrate Queen's Award honour"
351:
318:
265:
Shanahan explained why she felt compelled to buy the Port Vale in May 2019.
602:"'Fantastic' - Port Vale's owners honoured in national vote of supporters"
347:
169:(born December 1957) is an English businesswoman and club chairperson of
960:"Port Vale heading to Wembley after dramatic shoot-out win over Swindon"
270:
Shanahan voted with the chairs of the other League Two clubs to end the
189:
at the age of six to live with her mother, who was the secretary to the
705:"League Two: Port Vale chair left 'shaking' after voting to end season"
321:
a compensation fee to sign Clarke. She was given an honorary degree by
302:
202:
1012:"Major roles for Flitcroft, Hancock and Halkett in Port Vale shake-up"
432:"Carol reveals the secrets behind her and her husband Kevin's success"
1037:"Club Statement | Port Vale part company with manager Darrell Clarke"
283:
219:
495:"Who are Carol and Kevin Shanahan: All about Port Vale's new owners"
182:
63:
1089:"Andy Crosby: Port Vale sack manager after one win in eight games"
215:
38:
573:"WATCH: Burslem-based IT firm makes £1.25m bid to buy Port Vale"
1194:"Questions answered about recruitment, budget and plans"
907:"Carol Shanahan OBE Named as EFL Trust Board Member"
1216:
986:"Vale beat 10-man Mansfield to reach League One"
313:, working alongside new managerial appointment
278:, causing Vale to finish one place outside the
1141:"Port Vale FC Appoint Darren Moore as Manager"
1168:"Apologies and pledges as Vale are relegated"
1063:"Port Vale FC Appoint Andy Crosby as Manager"
1113:
1305:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
791:(Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B67.
855:"Vale name Flitcroft director of football"
292:Officer of the Order of the British Empire
37:
197:that Shanahan first became interested in
1260:Businesspeople in information technology
1191:
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957:
781:
755:
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651:
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599:
570:
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1280:English football chairmen and investors
1114:Shanahan OBE, Carol (7 February 2024).
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593:
425:
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181:Shanahan was born in December 1957 in
1290:Women association football executives
1285:Port Vale F.C. directors and chairmen
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628:"Port Vale's owners unveil new board"
626:Baggaley, Michael (30 January 2020).
619:
600:Baggaley, Michael (6 February 2020).
518:
488:
486:
484:
482:
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457:"IWD20: Seven hats of Carol Shanahan"
429:
238:
218:in 2015, in a large building next to
43:Shanahan in Port Vale colours in 2022
590:
538:
420:
338:was secured with a 3–0 victory over
1255:21st-century English businesspeople
1245:20th-century English businesspeople
829:"Port Vale part company with Askey"
252:'Against League 3' pressure group.
13:
1300:Alumni of Staffordshire University
1270:British hospitality businesspeople
1250:21st-century English businesswomen
1240:20th-century English businesswomen
1010:Baggaley, Michael (4 April 2023).
802:McInnes, Kathie (9 October 2020).
756:Baggaley, Michael (6 April 2020).
475:
222:. The company received one of the
176:
14:
1316:
958:Baggaley, Michael (19 May 2022).
678:Baggaley, Michael (15 May 2020).
652:Baggaley, Michael (11 May 2019).
430:James, Laura (19 November 2019).
274:season after 37 games due to the
1166:Baggaley, Mike (21 April 2024).
493:Baggaley, Michael (7 May 2019).
1185:
1159:
1133:
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1081:
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951:
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880:McInnes, Kathie (19 May 2021).
873:
847:
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775:
749:
723:
697:
671:
645:
545:Winter, Henry (1 August 2019).
147:Kate, Rosie, Patrick, Francesca
730:Pilnick, Brent (17 May 2020).
564:
519:James, Laura (30 April 2019).
512:
449:
370:
330:semi-finals at the end of the
243:Having first attempted to buy
1:
1192:Baggaley, Mike (3 May 2024).
984:Aloia, Andrew (28 May 2022).
571:Baggaley, Mike (5 May 2017).
363:
224:Queen's Awards for Enterprise
1275:English nonprofit executives
276:COVID-19 pandemic in England
7:
1116:"An open letter from Carol"
10:
1321:
382:beta.companieshouse.gov.uk
309:as the club's first ever
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79:
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48:
36:
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1265:English company founders
260:, it would have folded."
229:Staffordshire University
290:Shanahan was appointed
287:schools and charities.
214:, the company moved to
193:club doctor; it was at
171:Port Vale Football Club
268:
296:2020 Birthday Honours
254:
16:English businesswoman
1235:People from Skegness
311:director of football
212:Newcastle-under-Lyme
191:West Bromwich Albion
1295:Women sports owners
328:League Two play-off
1198:Valiant's Substack
1172:Valiant's Substack
1147:. 13 February 2024
788:The London Gazette
249:Norman Smurthwaite
239:Chair of Port Vale
162:Carol Ann Shanahan
121:Norman Smurthwaite
1095:. 5 February 2024
861:. 8 February 2021
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913:. 23 August 2021
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835:. 4 January 2021
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323:Keele University
317:– the club paid
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131:Personal details
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1043:. 17 April 2023
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463:. 10 March 2020
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307:David Flitcroft
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185:. She moved to
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177:Business career
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96:Chairperson of
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939:. 2 April 2022
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436:Stoke Sentinel
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340:Mansfield Town
315:Darrell Clarke
262:
258:administration
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233:Stoke-on-Trent
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25:Carol Shanahan
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1145:Port Vale F.C
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1120:Port Vale F.C
1117:
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1069:. 12 May 2023
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1067:Port Vale F.C
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1041:Port Vale F.C
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711:. 15 May 2020
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60:(age 67)
52:December 1957
51:
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40:
35:
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22:
19:
1201:. Retrieved
1197:
1187:
1175:. Retrieved
1171:
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1149:. Retrieved
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1123:. Retrieved
1119:
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1097:. Retrieved
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1071:. Retrieved
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967:. Retrieved
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941:. Retrieved
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837:. Retrieved
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811:. Retrieved
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765:. Retrieved
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739:. Retrieved
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528:. Retrieved
524:
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502:. Retrieved
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465:. Retrieved
460:
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435:
412:25 September
410:. Retrieved
406:
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385:. Retrieved
381:
372:
352:Darren Moore
289:
269:
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242:
180:
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160:
110:2019–present
105:
18:
1225:1957 births
1151:13 February
783:"No. 63142"
348:Andy Crosby
116:Preceded by
72:Nationality
1219:Categories
1125:7 February
1099:5 February
865:8 February
813:10 October
637:31 January
364:References
303:John Askey
203:Birmingham
80:Occupation
1093:BBC Sport
990:BBC Sport
917:23 August
859:BBC Sport
839:4 January
833:BBC Sport
736:BBC Sport
709:BBC Sport
551:The Times
344:the final
336:Promotion
284:BBC Sport
280:play-offs
245:Port Vale
220:Vale Park
106:In office
98:Port Vale
66:, England
1177:21 April
1047:17 April
663:28 March
611:29 March
556:28 March
530:28 March
504:28 March
467:28 March
441:28 March
387:19 April
334:season.
263:—
199:football
183:Skegness
144:Children
64:Skegness
1021:5 April
943:2 April
767:6 April
357:2023–24
332:2021–22
319:Walsall
300:manager
272:2019–20
216:Burslem
207:fintech
75:British
54: (
1073:12 May
995:28 May
969:20 May
891:19 May
741:17 May
715:17 May
689:15 May
136:Spouse
1203:8 May
582:5 May
1205:2024
1179:2024
1153:2024
1127:2024
1101:2024
1075:2023
1049:2023
1023:2023
997:2022
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945:2022
919:2021
893:2021
867:2021
841:2021
815:2020
769:2020
743:2020
717:2020
691:2020
665:2020
639:2020
613:2020
584:2017
558:2020
532:2020
506:2020
469:2020
443:2020
414:2020
389:2020
56:1957
49:Born
342:in
166:OBE
29:OBE
1221::
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391:.
58:)
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