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Port Vale Football Club are a professional football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, which compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Vale are named after the valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal. They have never played top-flight football, and hold the record for the most seasons in the English Football League (112) without reaching the first tier. After playing at the Athletic Ground in Cobridge and The Old Recreation Ground in Hanley, the club returned to Burslem when Vale Park was opened in 1950. Outside the ground is a statue of Roy Sproson, who played 842 competitive games for the club. The club's traditional rivals are Stoke City, and games between the two are known as the Potteries derby.
Andrew McGuigan was a Scottish professional footballer, described as "speedy and tricky".
Frank Stokes was an English professional footballer who played as a full back. He made more than 250 appearances in the Football League playing for Burslem Port Vale and Small Heath / Birmingham between 1898 and 1910. In between these two spells, he spent 1901 to 1903 at Reading and helped the club to finish second in the Southern League in the 1902–03 season. He played in several England trials but was never selected.
William Levi Draycott was an English footballer who played as a right half for Burslem Port Vale, Stoke, Burton Wanderers, Newton Heath, Bedminster, Bristol Rovers, Wellingborough and Luton Town in the 1890s and early 1900s.
Herbert Birchenough was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played 167 league games in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale, Glossop, and Manchester United between 1898 and 1903. His son, Frank, was also a professional footballer who played in goal.
James Peake was a footballer who played inside-left for Burslem Port Vale and Millwall Athletic.
James Beech was an English footballer who played as a centre-half for Burslem Port Vale between 1894 and 1902, making 151 appearances in the Football League.
William Henry Heames was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke. A left-winger, he had an eleven-year career, scoring 28 goals in 249 games in all competitions. His sole honour was a Staffordshire Senior Cup win with Vale in 1898.
Edward McDonald was an English footballer who played at left half for Stoke, Burslem Port Vale, Notts County, and Portsmouth.
Thomas John "Spill" Spilsbury (1874–1947) was a footballer who played 57 games at left-back for Burslem Port Vale.
S. E. Bayley was a footballer who played for Burslem Port Vale between 1897 and 1901.
Thomas Coxon was an English footballer who played in the English Football League for Burslem Port Vale, Stoke, Middlesbrough, Grimsby Town, and Leyton.
John Edward Evans, also known as "Jammer", was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Bury, Burslem Port Vale and Stoke.
The 1898–99 season was Burslem Port Vale's fifth season of football in the English Football League; it followed a two-season absence, which the club spent in the Midland Football League. A solid return to the Football League, they finished in mid-table. They had the strongest defence in the division as they conceded fewer goals than any other team. Instead, a lack of firepower in front of the goal prevented a push for promotion.
The 1899–1900 season was Burslem Port Vale's second consecutive season of football in the English Football League. Another season of charging to the summit of the Second Division table, only to fall into mid-table obscurity, this time the club suffered from low support and subsequently poor finances. Once again, the team maintained a decent defensive record, only to fail miserably in front of goal – the second-lowest total in the league.
The 1901–02 season was Burslem Port Vale's fourth consecutive season of football in the English Football League. The season was an unremarkable mid-table affair, however, was a positive step for the club as they managed to turn a profit without selling any major players.
The 1906–07 season was Burslem Port Vale's ninth consecutive season of football in the English Football League. The club resigned from the league on 14 June 1907.
The 1891–92 season was Burslem Port Vale's second-successive season in the Midland League. They managed to finish third in the table and were rewarded with a place in the Football League for the following season, justifying the club's decision to refuse to listen to offers for star forward Frank McGinnes. They also reached the semi-finals of the Staffordshire Senior Cup and won the North Staffordshire Challenge Cup, though they exited the FA Cup and Birmingham Senior Cup in the first round.
The 1897–98 season was Burslem Port Vale's second season of football in the Midland League. Their league form proved streaky, as they lost seven of their opening nine fixtures but recovered to post nine wins in 12 games from November to March, ending the campaign in fifth-place. However, they proved their worth in the cup competitions, particularly so in the FA Cup, beating Small Heath and eventual Football League First Division champions Sheffield United en route to the second round. In the Birmingham Senior Cup they took First Division side West Bromwich Albion to a second replay, whilst they beat Stoke in the semi-finals of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, losing out to West Bromwich Albion in the final. Their success earned them re-election back into the Football League.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 191. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
- ↑ Tom McFarlane at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ↑ "Stats". fitbastats.com. Retrieved 26 June 2016.