Carol Shanahan
{{short description|English businesswoman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Carol Shanahan
OBE
| image = Carol_shanahan.jpg
| caption = Shanahan in Port Vale colours in 2022
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|12|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Skegness, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| nationality = British
| occupation = Businessperson
| module = {{Infobox officeholder
|embed = yes
|office = Chairperson of Port Vale
|term_start = 2019
|term_end = present
|predecessor = Norman Smurthwaite
| spouse = Kevin Shanahan
| children = Kate, Rosie, Patrick, Francesca
}}
}}
Carol Ann Shanahan {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (born 27 December 1957) is an English businesswoman and club chairperson of Port Vale Football Club.
Business career
Shanahan was born in December 1957{{cite web |title=Carol Ann SHANAHAN - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House) |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/efOCkzDTiyiUKTmNkU7mrgavpfc/appointments |website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk |accessdate=19 April 2020 |language=en}} in Skegness. She moved to West Bromwich at the age of six to live with her mother, who was the secretary to the West Bromwich Albion club doctor; it was at The Hawthorns that Shanahan first became interested in football.{{cite web |title=CAROL SHANAHAN: HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS - WITH ZERO QUALIFICATIONS from Adrian Goldberg's Talk Show |url=https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/adrian-goldbergs-talk-show/e/70004686?autoplay=true |website=www.stitcher.com |accessdate=25 September 2020 |language=en}} She left school without any formal qualifications. At age 17, she became the first female main-frame computer operator at Hoskins Systems in Birmingham.{{cite news |last1=James |first1=Laura |title=Carol reveals the secrets behind her and her husband Kevin's success |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/team-two-one-little-office-3549273 |accessdate=28 March 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=19 November 2019}}{{cite news |title=IWD20: Seven hats of Carol Shanahan |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2020/march/iwd20-carol-shanahan/ |accessdate=28 March 2020 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=10 March 2020 |language=en-gb}} She met Kevin Shanahan in 1979, a fellow IT worker.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Who are Carol and Kevin Shanahan: All about Port Vale's new owners |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kevin-carol-shanahan-port-vale-2839162 |accessdate=28 March 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=7 May 2019}} The pair would later marry and have four children – Kate, Rosie, Patrick and Francesca – before founding fintech company Synectics Solutions in February 1992. Synectics works to prevent fraud and has international clients, including governments, banks, building societies, and insurance companies.
Originally based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, the company moved to Burslem in 2015, in a large building next to Vale Park. The company received one of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 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."{{cite news |last1=James |first1=Laura |title='Thank you ma'am' Staffordshire businesses celebrate Queen's Award honour |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/business/thank-you-maam-staffordshire-businesses-2810166 |accessdate=28 March 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=30 April 2019}} This came two years after Shanahan was named as 'Director of the Year for Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility' at the Institute of Directors awards.{{cite news |last1=Winter |first1=Henry |title=Carol Shanahan – the ‘female Jesus’ bringing a sense of community back to Port Vale |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/carol-shanahan-the-female-jesus-bringing-a-sense-of-community-back-to-port-vale-t38c559p5 |access-date=28 March 2020 |work=The Times |date=1 August 2019 |language=en}} 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 Staffordshire University 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 Stoke-on-Trent. She sold her controlling interest in Synectics in 2024, though remained on the board of directors along with her daughter, Rosie.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Ready for Swindon challenge |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/ready-for-swindon-challenge |access-date=6 February 2025 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=6 February 2025}}
Chair of Port Vale
Having first attempted to buy Port Vale in 2015 and had a £1.25 million bid rejected in May 2017, she and Kevin finally bought out Norman Smurthwaite for more than £5 million in May 2019 following months of negotiation.{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Mike|title=WATCH: Burslem-based IT firm makes £1.25m bid to buy Port Vale|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/burslem-based-it-firm-makes-1-25m-bid-to-buy-port-vale-from-norman-smurthwaite/story-30313230-detail/story.html|accessdate=5 May 2017|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=5 May 2017}} Initially she and Kevin were co-chairs of the club before Kevin stepped down to leave Carol as the sole chair in January 2020.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Port Vale's owners unveil new board |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-owners-new-board-3793935 |accessdate=31 January 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=30 January 2020}} The next month she was voted as the fourth best owner in English football in a poll carried out by the 'Against League 3' pressure group.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title='Fantastic' - Port Vale's owners honoured in national vote of supporters |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fantastic-port-vales-owners-honoured-3815935 |accessdate=29 March 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=6 February 2020}}
{{Blockquote|"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 administration, it would have folded."|Shanahan explained why she felt compelled to buy the Port Vale in May 2019.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title='Someone had to pay the ransom' - Port Vale owners on why they bought club |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-shanahans-owners-club-2858130 |accessdate=28 March 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=11 May 2019}}}}
Shanahan voted with the chairs of the other League Two clubs to end the 2019–20 season after 37 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, causing Vale to finish one place outside the play-offs; 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.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Port Vale give up promotion hopes to try to avert League Two financial crisis |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-give-up-promotion-4138375 |accessdate=15 May 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=15 May 2020}} Shanahan said she "came away shaking" from the vote, but made her decision for "the greater good" of the game.{{cite news |title=League Two: Port Vale chair left 'shaking' after voting to end season |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52680382 |accessdate=17 May 2020 |work=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2020}} A BBC Sport study predicted that Vale would have finished seventh and reached the play-offs if the season had played out.{{cite news |last1=Pilnick |first1=Brent |title=League Two: University of Reading experts predict how table would have looked |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52646128 |accessdate=17 May 2020 |work=BBC Sport |date=17 May 2020}} 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, schools and charities.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title='Work together' - Port Vale owner on financial challenges for League Two clubs |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/work-together-port-vale-owner-4023108 |accessdate=6 April 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=6 April 2020}}
Shanahan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to the community of Stoke-on-Trent during the COVID-19 epidemic.{{London Gazette|issue=63142|supp=y|page=B67|date=10 October 2020}}{{cite news |last1=McInnes |first1=Kathie |title='From one O-level to an OBE!' - Carol Shanahan awarded for her community work |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/queens-birthday-honours-obe-staffordshire-4592976 |accessdate=10 October 2020 |work=StokeonTrentLive |date=9 October 2020}} She sacked club manager John Askey in January 2021, following a two-month losing run that saw the team drop from the play-off places to 17th in the table.{{cite news |title=Port Vale part company with Askey |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55535613 |access-date=4 January 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=4 January 2021}} The following month she appointed David Flitcroft as the club's first ever director of football, working alongside new managerial appointment Darrell Clarke – the club paid Walsall a compensation fee to sign Clarke.{{cite news |title=Vale name Flitcroft director of football |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55979525 |access-date=8 February 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=8 February 2021}} She was given an honorary degree by Keele University in May 2021 and named as a member on the EFL Trust Board three months later.{{cite news |last1=McInnes |first1=Kathie |title=Two drama queens, vaccine champ and football club boss get honorary degrees |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/two-drama-queens-vaccine-champion-5430332 |access-date=19 May 2021 |work=StokeonTrentLive |date=2021-05-19 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Carol Shanahan OBE Named as EFL Trust Board Member |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2021/august/carol-shanahan-obe-named-as-efl-trust-board-member/ |access-date=23 August 2021 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=23 August 2021 |language=en-gb}} She was named as Community Heroine of the Year at The Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards in April 2022.{{cite news |title=WOMEN OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCES CAROL SHANAHAN OBE AS COMMUNITY HEROINE AWARD WINNER |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2022/april/women-of-the-year-announces-carol-shanahan-obe-as-community-heroine-award-winner-at-40th-anniversary-ceremony/ |access-date=2 April 2022 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=2 April 2022 |language=en-gb}} Clarke returned from a close family bereavement to lead Vale through the League Two play-off semi-finals at the end of the 2021–22 season.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Port Vale heading to Wembley after dramatic shoot-out win over Swindon |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-heading-wembley-after-7105187 |access-date=20 May 2022 |work=StokeonTrentLive |date=19 May 2022 |language=en}} Promotion was secured with a 3–0 victory over Mansfield Town in the final.{{cite news |last1=Aloia |first1=Andrew |title=Vale beat 10-man Mansfield to reach League One |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61532410 |access-date=28 May 2022 |work=BBC Sport |date=28 May 2022}}
She initiated a shake-up in the club's boardroom in April 2023, whilst remaining a "hands on owner".{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Major roles for Flitcroft, Hancock and Halkett in Port Vale shake-up |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-carol-shanahan-interview-8324137 |access-date=5 April 2023 |work=StokeonTrentLive |date=4 April 2023 |language=en}} Darrell Clarke was also sacked later that month and his assistant, Andy Crosby, was appointed as the club's new manager.{{cite news |title=Club Statement {{!}} Port Vale part company with manager Darrell Clarke |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2023/april/club-statement--port-vale-part-company-with-manager-darrell-clarke/ |access-date=17 April 2023 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=17 April 2023 |language=en-gb}}{{cite news |title=Port Vale FC Appoint Andy Crosby as Manager |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2023/may/port-vale-fc-appoint-andy-crosby-as-manager/ |access-date=12 May 2023 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=12 May 2023 |language=en-gb}} Crosby was sacked on 5 February 2024.{{cite news |title=Andy Crosby: Port Vale sack manager after one win in eight games |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68209580 |access-date=5 February 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=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.{{cite news |last1=Shanahan OBE |first1=Carol |title=An open letter from Carol |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2024/february/an-open-letter-from-carol/ |access-date=7 February 2024 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=7 February 2024 |language=en-gb}} Darren Moore 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".{{cite web|url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2024/february/port-vale-fc-appoint-darren-moore-as-manager/|title=Port Vale FC Appoint Darren Moore as Manager|website = Port Vale F.C.|date=13 February 2024|accessdate=13 February 2024}} David Flitcroft was sacked. Port Vale was relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season. At this point, Shanahan apologised to the fans and stated her intent for the club to gain promotion again.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Apologies and pledges as Vale are relegated |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/apologies-and-pledges-as-vale-are |access-date=21 April 2024 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=21 April 2024}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Questions answered about recruitment, budget and plans |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/questions-answered-about-recruitment |access-date=8 May 2024 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=3 May 2024}} The club secured an immediate promotion in the 2024–25 season and Shanahan stated that they were stronger than they had been the previous time they went up.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Preparing for League One |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/preparing-for-league-one |access-date=28 April 2025 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=28 April 2025}} Both Shanahan and the club itself were awarded Honorary Freedom of Stoke-on-Trent in recognition of eminent services to the city.{{cite news |title=Port Vale and Carol Shanahan OBE to be awarded Honorary Freedom of Stoke-on-Trent {{!}} Port Vale FC |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/port-vale-and-carol-shanahan-obe-be-awarded-honorary-freedom-stoke-trent |access-date=3 June 2025 |work=Port Vale FC |date=3 June 2025 |language=en}}
References
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Category:20th-century English businesswomen
Category:20th-century English businesspeople
Category:21st-century English businesswomen
Category:21st-century English businesspeople
Category:Businesspeople in information technology
Category:English company founders
Category:British hospitality businesspeople
Category:English nonprofit executives
Category:English football chairmen and investors
Category:Port Vale F.C. directors and chairmen
Category:Women association football executives