by Steve Shaw

PORT Vale chairman Bill Bratt will today attempt to kick-start talks with Harlequin Property over their proposal to invest substantial funds into the ailing club.

Earlier this year the Basildon-based property developer proposed injecting around £500,000 in the club to become its majority stakeholder.

However, more than three months of protracted negotiations have failed to bring about an agreement.

Now Bratt says he will seek further talks with Harlequin chairman Dave Ames today, but he insists the deal remains alive and well.

Bratt said: "I would like Harlequin to come into the club because they are decent people who have already helped the club tremendously.

"The deal is not dead, there are no major stumbling blocks and we are still talking.

"Hopefully we will get to a decision within the next month, or before the start of the season.

"We need a definitive answer because if it doesn't happen we will have to look at other things.

"If it does, then we will listen to their ideas on how to push the club forward."

Talks were delayed while Bratt, below, recovered from back surgery, and he admits everything is still up for discussion, including the formation of the club's board.

The imminent resignation of Vale joint vice-chairman Dave Smith will see the board cut from nine members to eight, but a deal with Harlequin seems certain to see it further slashed to just Meanwhile, ongoing talks could see Harlequin renegotiate their investment package as their initial £500,000 proposal is not set in stone. But if an agreement is struck the club's board will almost certainly be slashed to four or five directors.

Two seats on a new-look board are likely to be allocated to Harlequin representatives, meaning that at least three members of the current board will have to step aside.

Although nine will soon become eight, after joint-vice chairman Dave Smith yesterday confirmed he was standing down as a director after joining the board in May 2003.

Bratt paid tribute to Smith, saying: "Dave has been a very influential member of the board who was involved with Robbie Williams's investment and in attracting the money that enabled us to create our children's centre at Vale Park.

"People don't realise the work he does behind the scenes, like doing the printing and artwork for our season ticket leaflets for free."

Meanwhile, the price of Vale season tickets will rise today. An adult ticket will now cost rising from May/June's price of £229 to £319, while those for 14 to 18-year-olds will be priced at increase from £99 to £135, while nine-to-13-year-olds rise from £60 to £78.

Under-nines can still get free season tickets.

So far, the club have sold just over 3,600 season tickets.

Club secretary Bill Lodey said: "A football club without its fans is nothing. A special thanks goes to them, especially in view of our disappointing season last year."

THE Vale squad were due to report back for pre-season training this morning when new boss Micky Adams will meet his players for the first time.

And in a break from tradition stretching back at least 30 years, Vale will not start pre-season with a first-day workout at Westport Lake.

Adams is taking a different path to his predecessors by putting his men through their paces at Hanley's Forest Park.