1906–07 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

Burslem Port Vale
1906–07 season
Chairman Robert Audley
Manager Sam Bennion
Stadium Athletic Ground
Football League Second Division 16th (31 Points)
FA Cup Second Round
Staffordshire Senior Cup Semi-final
Top goalscorer League: Billy Beats (13)
All: Billy Beats (15)
Highest home attendance 10,000 vs Irthlingborough Town (12 January 1906) & Notts County (2 February 1906)
Lowest home attendance 1,500 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (16 March 1907)
Average home league attendance 4,147+
Home colours

The 1906–07 season was Burslem Port Vale's ninth consecutive season (13th overall) of football in the Football League.[1] The club resigned from the league on 14 June 1907.

On the pitch the team put in win or lose performances, and went for a club record 20 games – from 10 September 1906 to 19 January 1907 – without sharing the points (nine wins, eleven losses). Another record was set with a 7–1 win over Irthlingborough Town in the First Round of the FA Cup – their highest ever margin of victory in the competition.

The club folded at the end of the season after the chairman decided that the club had no viable future. However Cobridge Church immediately took on the name of Port Vale, and worked their way back to the Football League for the 1919–20 season.

Bert Eardley waited until a new Port Vale rose from the ashes of the old before he played league football again.
Even the return of Billy Beats couldn't save the club.
Joe Brough would play for Stoke, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, and Bristol City, yet still return to Vale in time for their return to the Football League.
George Price left the professional game when Port Vale ceased to exist.

Overview

Second Division

Despite the club's ever-worsening financial situation, Vale managed to bring back former top scorer, and former England international, Billy Beats; he was appointed captain upon his return.[1] Gambling that big signings would attract big crowds, right-back Hughie Dunn was also brought in from Bristol Rovers; inside-right William Dodds signed from Southwick; with former player Tom Coxon returning from Middlesbrough.[1] Sam Bennion took charge of team affairs after Tommy Clare's wages were too high to maintain.[1]

The club started the season well, with three wins in their opening six games; 6,000 turning up for the opening game of the season.[1] This was followed by four defeats on the bounce, but by winning five of their ten games in November and December the club put themselves in a decent position by Christmas.[1] The club were two different sides at home and away, thumping Stockport County 5–0 at home and losing 6–0 at Burnley.[1] Their first away win in ten months came at Blackpool on 22 December.[1] They on to win just four league games in 1907, though did pick up points in the majority of their matches, going on a streak of six draws in ten games.[1]

As had been the case in recent campaigns Vale just evaded a place in the re-election zones, finishing two points above the (potential) drop. For the second successive season the "Valeites" had the weakest defence in the league, conceding 83 goals in the league.[1] Again they were poor on their travels, losing sixteen of their nineteen games away from home. Back at the Athletic Ground they lost just three games.

Billy Beats was top scorer with fifteen goals in all competitions; he was ably assisted by William Dodds, Tom Coxon, Robert Carter, and Harry Mountford, who all hit double figures.[1] An extremely settled side, only nineteen players were used in the league, with Dodds a league ever-present.

Cup competitions

The club had a good campaign in the FA Cup, picking up their biggest ever win in the competition with a 7–1 trouncing of Irthlingborough Town. They took First Division Notts County to a replay in the Second Round, before losing comprehensively 5–0 at Trent Bridge. Nevertheless, both rounds attracted 10,000 supporters at Vale, a great boost to the club's ailing finances.[1]

In the Staffordshire Senior Cup the club almost exclusively used their reserve players, but managed to reach the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by Aston Villa Reserves.[1] To reach they semi-final they had to overcome struggling league rivals Burton United, though this took two replays to accomplish – a 7–0 romp followed 3–3 and 1–1 draws.[1]

Financial collapse and closure

On 18 May 1907, Robert Audley and Sam Gleaves appealed to the directors to pump more money into the club, and appealed in The Sentinel for local supporters to donate.[1] This appeal was met with resounding indifference and so the club resigned from the Football League on 14 June 1907.[1] The Football Association had already issued their fixture list (which had pitted Port Vale against relegated Stoke for the first time) and were furious with the club for quitting so suddenly at such a late stage.[1]

Robert Audley justified the decision to quit the league by pointing out that the season's £200 loss was as good a figure as could be expected in the future, with the past seven campaigns taking in an average of £1,500, supplemented by an average of £400 in transfer takings.[1] He claimed "this total could not be expected to pay the expenses of a league club", especially with creditors closing in, the bank refusing an overdraft, and summer wages to be paid.[1] That so few came forward to help the club in its time of need came to be the final straw for Audley.[1]

"To the few hundreds of loyal supporters, I tender my best thanks for their support and I join in their regrets that sufficient financial support could not be found to continue the club."

— Robert Audley's final words in his letter to The Sentinel.[1]

Many of the players joined Stoke, as well as newly elected Oldham Athletic, and Burslem Port Vale was finished.[1]

Cobridge Church

Port Vale's history would have ended at this point, had it not been for an unexpected twist. North Staffordshire Church League champions Cobridge Church were accepted into the North Staffordshire Federation League, still a very minor league.[2] Joint-secretaries Millward and E.C.Brundrett had very big ambitions however. They sought permission from the Football Association to change the club's name to Port Vale and bought the old club's ground.[2] To signify their roots they renamed their reserve side to Cobridge Church.[2] Technically the Port Vale of before 1907 was a separate entity to the Port Vale of after 1907, however spiritually the club continued its existence from its 1876 founding onwards. In December 1908, a group of ex-directors, led by Sam Bennion, bought into the club, meaning that the new club played at the same ground, had similar owners, a similar name, and played continuously from 1906–07 to 1907–08 and beyond.[3]

Final league table

Manager Sam Bennion.
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Nottingham Forest38162143131225312374362.056+ 3860
2Chelsea3818015510856252480342.353+ 4657
3Leicester Fosse3815314412559182762391.590+ 2348
4West Bromwich Albion38152262156310213083451.844+ 3847
5Bradford City3814234621739243270531.321+ 1747
6Wolverhampton Wanderers38134249164312173766531.245+ 1341
7Burnley38124345135212173462471.319+ 1540
8Barnsley38142356211612173473551.327+ 1838
9Hull City38112641204510243765571.140+ 837
10Leeds City38105438263511173755630.873– 836
11Grimsby Town38132434163115234657620.919– 535
12Stockport County3888326124312164042520.808– 1035
13Blackpool389462519271083233510.647– 1833
14Gainsborough Trinity38123433202215125245720.625– 2733
15Glossop38104532213214215853790.671– 2632
16Burslem Port Vale38115345261216155760830.723– 2331
17Clapton Orient3897325132116205445670.672– 2230
18Chesterfield38103636261414144050660.758– 1629
19Lincoln City38102729242215174946730.630– 2728
20Burton United3873924231414104534680.500– 3423

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAAHAH
ResultLDWWLWLLLLWLWLWWWLLLWLDDLDLDLDLDWLLWLW
Position16138586915151514161314111111111112121313141413141415141415151517161816

Source: Statto[4]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
1 September 1906Leicester FosseH1–26,000Dodds
8 September 1906Nottingham ForestA2–24,500Coxon, Beats
10 September 1906West Bromwich AlbionH2–14,000Beats, Paddock
15 September 1906Lincoln CityH4–25,000Mountford, Beats, Coxon, Carter
22 September 1906Burton UnitedA0–23,000
29 September 1906Grimsby TownH3–24,000Mountford, Beats, Holyhead
6 October 1906ChesterfieldA2–42,000Mountford, Dodds
13 October 1906BurnleyA0–64,000
20 October 1906Leeds CityH1–24,000Beats
27 October 1906BarnsleyA2–31,000Paddock, Coxon
3 November 1906ChelseaH2–05,000Dodds (2)
10 November 1906Wolverhampton WanderersA2–63,000Dodds, Price
17 November 1906Clapton OrientH3–2Beats, Carter, Eardley
24 November 1906Gainsborough TrinityA0–2
1 December 1906Stockport CountyH5–06,000Dodds, Carter, Holyhead, Beats, Mountford
15 December 1906GlossopH4–15,000Beats, Dodds, Mountford, Carter
22 December 1906BlackpoolA1–02,000Dodds
25 December 1906Bradford CityH2–38,000Beats, Carter
26 December 1906West Bromwich AlbionA0–312,000
29 December 1906Leicester FosseA1–48,000Beats
5 January 1907Nottingham ForestH4–24,000Coxon (2), Mountford, Beats
19 January 1907Lincoln CityA0–43,000
26 January 1907Burton UnitedH0–03,000
9 February 1907ChesterfieldH2–2Carter, Mountford
12 February 1907Bradford CityA2–33,000Beats, Coxon
16 February 1907BurnleyH4–43,000Coxon, Carter, Dodds, Beats
23 February 1907Leeds CityA0–27,000
2 March 1907BarnsleyH2–23,000Price, Dodds
9 March 1907ChelseaA1–28,000Carter
16 March 1907Wolverhampton WanderersH0–01,500
21 March 1907Grimsby TownA0–22,000
23 March 1907Clapton OrientA1–1Carter
30 March 1907Gainsborough TrinityH1–04,000Mountford
1 April 1907Hull CityA1–48,000Paddock
6 April 1907Stockport CountyA0–31,000
13 April 1907Hull CityH2–12,000Brough, Carter
20 April 1907GlossopA0–42,000
27 April 1907BlackpoolH3–03,000Coxon (2), Dodds

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
5Q8 December 1907Swindon TownA2–16,000Coxon, Dodds
1R12 January 1907Irthlingborough TownH7–110,000Coxon (2), Dodds (2), Beats, Carter, Mountford
2R2 February 1907Notts CountyH2–210,000Beats, Mountford
1R Replay6 February 1907Notts CountyA0–510,000

Staffordshire Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
15 November 1906Burton UnitedH3–3Mountford, unknown
Replay25 December 1906Burton UnitedA1–1unknown
Replay1 April 1907Burton UnitedH7–0unknown
SF15 April 1907Aston Villa ReservesA0–3unknown

Player statistics

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
Summer 1906MFEnglandJoe BroughSmallthorneFree transfer[5]
May 1906MFEnglandTom CoxonMiddlesbroughFree transfer[5]
May 1906GKEnglandHoward MatthewsLangley St. Michael'sFree transfer[5]
June 1906FWEnglandWilliam DoddsSouthwickFree transfer[5]
August 1906FWEnglandBilly BeatsBristol RoversFree transfer[5]
August 1906DFScotlandHughie DunnBristol RoversFree transfer[5]
August 1906FWEnglandJohn PaddockWellington TownFree transfer[5]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
June 1907DFEnglandSam BaddeleyStokeReleased[5]
June 1907FWEnglandBilly BeatsReadingReleased[5]
June 1907GKEnglandArthur BoxStokeReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandWilliam BradburyFegg HayesReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandJoe BroughStokeReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandRobert CarterStockport CountyReleased[5]
June 1907DFEnglandWilliam CopeStokeReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandTom CoxonStokeReleased[5]
June 1907FWEnglandWilliam DoddsOldham AthleticReleased[5]
June 1907DFScotlandHughie DunnReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandBert EardleyReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandEbenezer GrantReleased[5]
June 1907DFEnglandJames HamiltonBurslem TownReleased[5]
June 1907MFEnglandJoseph HolyheadWednesbury Old AthleticReleased[5]
June 1907MFVic HorrocksGoldenhill UnitedReleased[5]
June 1907GKEnglandHoward MatthewsBurton UnitedReleased[5]
June 1907FWEnglandHarry MountfordHanley SwiftsReleased[5]
June 1907FWEnglandJohn PaddockWellington TownReleased[5]
June 1907FWEnglandGeorge PriceReleased[5]
June 1907DFArthur ShelleyReleased[5]
June 1907MFHugh WalleyBurton SwiftsReleased[5]

References

Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 50–70. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. 1 2 3 Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hard Road Back (1907-1919)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 50–70. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  3. ↑ What If There Had Been No Port In The Vale?: Startling Port Vale Stories! (Witan Books, 2011, ISBN 978-0-9529152-8-7)
  4. ↑ Port Vale 1906–1907 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
  • Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.
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