1954–55 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1954–55 season
Chairman Fred Burgess
Manager Freddie Steele
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Second Division 17th (35 Points)
FA Cup Fourth Round
Top goalscorer League: Cyril Done (13)
All: Cyril Done (13)
Highest home attendance 40,066 vs. Stoke City (25 April 1955)
Lowest home attendance 11,963 vs. West Ham United (10 January 1955)
Average home league attendance 20,869
Home colours

The 1954–55 season was Port Vale's 43rd season of football in the Football League, and their first season (thirtieth overall) back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division North.[1] The club adapted well to their first second tier campaign since 1935–36, finishing in seventeenth place.

The season saw two club attendance records broken, with a highest average home attendance of 20,708 and the highest Football League attendance at Vale Park, when on 25 April 40,066 turned up for their encounter against Stoke City. It was the first season the two rival clubs met in the same league since 1932–33.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw the players taken on a short outing to Ireland for their exploits the previous season.[1] No major signings took place, and no players of note departed in the summer. Chairman Fred Burgess boasted of his team's loyalty.[1]

The season opened with a 1–0 defeat at The Memorial Stadium to Bristol Rovers, though the team put in 'an encouraging display'.[1] Two days later Vale Park welcomed a crowd of 26,805 for a 1–1 draw with Notts County.[1] When they travelled to the Victoria Ground on 4 September, Stoke City had a 100% win record, but 46,777 locals witnessed a goalless draw between the Potteries clubs.[1] Twelve days later Vale travelled to Vetch Field, where they lost 7–1 to Swansea Town, a team they had beaten 1–0 just ten days earlier.[1] This occurred because Tommy Cheadle and Stan Turner had to leave the game before half-time with injuries.[1] The heavy defeat seemed to have destroyed the reputation of 'the Steele Curtain', as the team would have to wait another fourteen matches before holding a clean sheet.[1] During this time manager Freddie Steele switched tactics from a defensive set-up to 'a semi-continental style' in the hunt for goals.[1] Five straight losses followed, as the players struggled to adapt.[1] Also lost was their record of 42 home games without a loss when on 18 September 1954, Blackburn Rovers claimed a 3–0 victory.[1] Basil Hayward dropped from the first eleven, they failed to beat strugglers Ipswich Town as the club hovered above the relegation zone.[1] A win at the City Ground sustained them until two home wins came in late-December. In December Cyril Done, an experienced striker was signed from Tranmere Rovers for a four-figure fee.[1]

On 5 February, strugglers Derby County thrashed the Vale 6–1 at the Baseball Ground, though the Vale's poor away record failed to deter a strong contingent of Vale fans from following the club around the country dressed in fancy dress.[1] The following month aggressive young forward Len Stephenson was signed from Blackpool, and he impressed with his performances.[1] Three defeats left the Vale in a relegation dogfight, but seven points from the first five games in April proved very useful.[1] On 8 April, Done put four past his former club Liverpool in a 4–3 win.[1] Three days later he scored a penalty at Anfield to earn a 1–1 draw. On 25 April, more than 40,000 turned up to Vale Park to witness the "Potters" claim a 1–0 victory.[1] Vale won their final two games, including a 1–0 win over Rotherham United that denied the "Millers" a place in the top-flight.[1]

They finished in seventeenth place, seven points clear of relegation, but nineteen short of promotion. With 48 goals, only Hull City scored fewer goals. Cyril Done was the only consistent scorer, and was the top scorer for both Vale and Tranmere, having scored twice as many league goals as the next highest scorer at both clubs.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a scant profit of £141 was recorded despite a club-record average home attendance of 20,708.[1] The £6,850 spent to bolster the forward line had swallowed up most of the profits. The Supporters' Club therefore announced it would raise £5,000 – £1,500 of which would go towards the terracing on the Bycars End.[1] Reserve players Mick Hulligan and Len Barber were allowed to leave for Northwich Victoria on free transfers.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, the "Valiants" drew 2–2 with West Ham United at Upton Park after going two goals behind.[1] Vale won the replay 3–1 and were drawn against First Division Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in the Fourth Round. A crowd of 50,684 saw an exciting game in which a Ken Griffiths brace was wiped out by four "Spurs" goals.[1]

Final league table

PWDLFAGAPts
1Birmingham City4222101092471.95754
2Luton Town422381188531.66054
3Rotherham United422541394641.46954
4Leeds United422371270531.32153
5Stoke City4221101169461.50052
6Blackburn Rovers4222614114791.44350
7Notts County422161574711.04248
8West Ham United4218101474701.05746
9Bristol Rovers421971675701.07145
10Swansea Town421791686831.03643
11Liverpool4216101692960.95842
12Middlesbrough421861873820.89042
13Bury4215111677721.06941
14Fulham4214111776790.96239
15Nottingham Forest421671958620.93539
16Lincoln City4213101968790.86136
17Port Vale4212111948710.67635
18Doncaster Rovers421472158950.61135
19Hull City4212102044690.63834
20Plymouth Argyle421272357820.69531
21Ipswich Town421162557920.62028
22Derby County42792653820.64623

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

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundAHHAAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHHA
ResultLDWDDWLWLLLLLDWLDDLDLWLWDDLDLWLLLWWLDWLLWW
Position20151010126141316161818181717171817191919191918181818191919192020201919191919191917

Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
21 August 1954Bristol RoversA0–132,367
23 August 1954Notts CountyH1–126,805Sproson
28 August 1954Plymouth ArgyleH1–025,038Leake
2 September 1954Notts CountyA1–117,723Cunliffe
4 September 1954Stoke CityA0–046,777
6 September 1954Swansea TownH1–018,603Hayward
16 September 1954Swansea TownA1–722,265Leake
18 September 1954Derby CountyH3–022,777Askey, Cunliffe, Griffiths
25 September 1954West Ham UnitedA0–225,155
27 September 1954Doncaster RoversA0–112,818
2 October 1954Blackburn RoversH0–325,619
9 October 1954Lincoln CityH1–319,724Cunliffe
16 October 1954Hull CityA1–223,892Hayward
23 October 1954Ipswich TownH3–314,532Leake, Hayward, Smith
30 October 1954Nottingham ForestA3–215,654Leake, Hayward, Cunliffe
6 November 1954Leeds UnitedH0–116,062
13 November 1954BuryA2–212,917Smith, Hayward
20 November 1954MiddlesbroughH1–116,753Askey
27 November 1954Birmingham CityA2–716,352Hayward, Mullard (pen)
4 December 1954Luton TownH1–114,052o.g.
11 December 1954Rotherham UnitedA0–312,850
18 December 1954Bristol RoversH1–016,434Griffiths
25 December 1954FulhamA1–317,519Askey
27 December 1954FulhamH4–029,415Smith (2), Leake, Cunliffe
1 January 1955Plymouth ArgyleA0–014,371
22 January 1955Doncaster RoversH1–116,323Done
5 February 1955Derby CountyA1–619,882Done
12 February 1955West Ham UnitedH1–112,621Done
19 February 1955Blackburn RoversA1–224,965Done
5 March 1955Hull CityH3–016,658Done (2), Griffiths
12 March 1955Ipswich TownA0–112,970
19 March 1955Nottingham ForestH1–217,586Stephenson
26 March 1955Leeds UnitedA0–38,831
2 April 1955BuryH1–014,228Griffiths
8 April 1955LiverpoolH4–324,029Done (4 [1 pen])
9 April 1955MiddlesbroughA0–217,795
11 April 1955LiverpoolA1–136,285Done (pen)
16 April 1955Birmingham CityH2–024,036Askey, Done
23 April 1955Luton TownA2–416,704Done, Griffiths
25 April 1955Stoke CityH0–140,066
30 April 1955Rotherham UnitedH1–025,271Smith
4 May 1955Lincoln CityA1–07,044Smith

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R38 January 1955West Ham UnitedA2–220,364Smith, Cunliffe
R3 Replay10 January 1955West Ham UnitedH3–111,963Leake, Cunliffe, Smith
R429 January 1955Tottenham HotspurA2–450,684Griffiths (2)

Player statistics

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
December 1954FWEnglandCyril DoneTranmere Rovers'four figure fee'[3]
10 March 1955FWEnglandLen StephensonBlackpool£5,000[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
July 1955FWEnglandLen BarberNorthwich VictoriaFree transfer[3]
July 1955MFEnglandMick HulliganNorthwich VictoriaFree transfer[3]
Summer 1955DFEnglandRoy BrienReleased[3]
Summer 1955DFEnglandJim ElsbyWereton Queen's ParkFree transfer[3]
Summer 1955FWEnglandDerek TomkinsonCrewe AlexandraFree transfer[3]

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 23 24 25 26 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Fame and Fortune (1950–1959)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 171–196. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ Port Vale 1954–1955 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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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