1962–63 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1962–63 season
Chairman Joe Machin
Manager Norman Low
(until October)
Freddie Steele
(October onwards)
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Third Division 3rd (54 Points)
FA Cup Fourth Round
League Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Tony Richards (13)
All: Tony Richards (13)
Highest home attendance 22,207 vs. Sheffield United (13 March 1963)
Lowest home attendance 4,673 vs. Hull City (20 April 1962)
Average home league attendance 8,130
Home colours

The 1962–63 season was Port Vale's 51st season of football in the Football League, and their fourth season in the Third Division.[1] An impressive season saw them finish in third position, one away from promotion. However promotions for both their rivals Stoke City (second to first tier) and Crewe Alexandra (fourth to third tier) meant that Vale had a poor season in comparison. The major talking point of the season was Norman Low's departure and Freddie Steele's return, which came as a shock to the fans.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of John Rowland, a 'tall and skilful' outside-right from Nottingham Forest for £6,000.[1]

The season opened with six points from four games, with three clean sheets to boot. Rowland was dropped from the first eleven following a 2–0 defeat at Ashton Gate on 1 September.[1] Vale then became inconsistent, and so Low added young forward Terry Harkin to the squad from Coleraine, and transfer-listed Stan Steele after he began to be targeted by hecklers at Vale Park.[1] Despite beating Southend United 5–1, the club continued to sink down the table.[1] They then began a nine-game unbeaten streak on 20 October with a 1–1 draw with Carlisle United at Brunton Park.[1] However ten days later manager Norman Low tendered his resignation, to the shock of fans and pundits.[1] Low cited disagreements with the board as the reason for his departure.[1] His replacement was his predecessor, Freddie Steele, in another development that took many by surprise.[1] Roy Sproson later noted "He [Steele] had changed. He had not got the enthusiasm or drive as before, but the lads still responded to him".[1]

It took until the sixth game of Steele's reign for a goal to be conceded (525 minutes) as 'the Steele Curtain' again descended upon Vale Park.[1] The goal was scored by former Valiant turned bogey player Ronnie Allen for Crystal Palace in a 4–1 home win for Vale.[1] They finished the year chasing promotion, despite losing 4–3 to Reading at Elm Park. No league games were played in January or February due to the Big Freeze.[1] To help with finances during this spell of two months without competitive action, Bert Llewellyn was sold to Northampton Town for £7,000 and Arthur Longbottom was sold to Millwall for £2,000.[1] Back in action in March, Steele found his offence wanting, and so purchased Tony Richards from Walsall for £9,000.[1] Richards immediately impacted himself on the club's scoring charts, eventually finishing as top-scorer for his two months work.[1] For the four weeks following 20 April, Vale recorded eight wins from their final ten matches, though this would prove to be too little to late as far as promotion was concerned.[1]

They finished in third spot with 54 points, four short of promotion, though enough to earn them £500 in talent money.[1] Their 58 goals conceded total was fewer only than Swindon Town.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a profit of £2,275 was made despite an operating loss of £20,557.[1] A donation from the Sportsmen's Association and social club stood at a highly impressive £22,832.[1] Whilst wages remained fairly constant at £33,120, gate receipts had fallen by £8,000.[1] The club's overdraft stood at £41,000, leading to a discussion over whether or not to take out a mortgage on Vale Park.[1] The club management took the decision to replace the black and amber kit with the traditional white shirts, black shorts and black and white socks – the kit Steele's men triumphed in almost ten years previously.[1] On the playing front, Peter Ford's departure to Macclesfield Town was the only transfer of note.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale took their revenge upon Bristol Rovers, dumping them out of the competition at the first stage with a 2–0 win at Burslem on 21 November. Three weeks later Aldershot suffered the same fate, in what was Sproson's 500th appearance for the club.[1] In the Third Round they beat Fourth Division Gillingham 4–2 at Priestfield. They then lost 2–1 to First Division Sheffield United in front of 22,207 rain-soaked supporters.[1]

In the League Cup, Bristol Rovers won the First Round clash at the Memorial Stadium 2–0.

Final league table

PWDLFAGAPts
1Northampton Town46261010109601.81762
2Swindon Town4622141087561.55458
3Port Vale462381572581.24154
4Coventry City4618171183691.20353
5Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic4618161263461.37052
6Peterborough United4620111593751.24051
7Notts County4619131473740.98651
8Southend United4619121575770.97450
9Wrexham462091784831.01249
10Hull City4619101774691.07248
11Crystal Palace4617131668581.17247
12Colchester United4618111773930.78547
13Queens Park Rangers4617111885761.11845
14Bristol City46161317100921.08745
15Shrewsbury Town4616121883811.02544
16Millwall4615131882870.94343
17Watford461782182850.96542
18Barnsley4615112063740.85141
19Bristol Rovers4615112070880.79541
20Reading461682274780.94940
21Bradford Park Avenue4614122079970.81440
22Brighton & Hove Albion4612122258840.69036
23Carlisle United461392461890.68535
24Halifax Town4691225641060.60430

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

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHHAAHHAAAHHAHAAHAHHAAHHAAHAAHAAHHAAHHAHAHHHAH
ResultWDWDLWLWLLWWLDDLLDWWDWWDLLWWLWLWWDLLWWLWWWWLWW
Position12128484811847681013121159988813121011910108791098106653643

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

Football League Third Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
18 August 1962WrexhamA1–014,042Llewellyn
20 August 1962MillwallH1–112,469Longbottom
25 August 1962ReadingH2–09,506Llewellyn, Grainger
27 August 1962MillwallA0–020,553
1 September 1962Bristol CityA0–29,626
3 September 1962Colchester UnitedH4–211,719Longbottom, Grainger, Ford, Poole
8 September 1962WatfordH1–311,108Grainger (pen)
10 September 1962Colchester UnitedA1–05,919Wright
15 September 1962Bradford Park AvenueA1–28,935Llewellyn
17 September 1962Southend UnitedA0–210,963
22 September 1962Coventry CityH2–19,816o.g., Grainger
24 September 1962Southend UnitedH5–19,618Edwards (2), Harkin (2), Ford
29 September 1962Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–29,715
1 October 1962Notts CountyH1–19,245Edwards
6 October 1962Bristol RoversA1–112,374Poole
11 October 1962Notts CountyA0–114,320
13 October 1962Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–27,503Poole
20 October 1962Carlisle UnitedA1–15,627Steele
27 October 1962Swindon TownH2–15,825Harkin (2)
9 November 1962BarnsleyH1–08,798Steele
17 November 1962Northampton TownA0–08,718
1 December 1962Hull CityA1–07,259Rowland
8 December 1962Crystal PalaceH4–16,537Llewellyn (3), Rowland
15 December 1962WrexhamH2–27,172Grainger, Llewellyn
22 December 1962ReadingA3–45,578Ford (2), Miles
2 March 1962Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–310,050Edwards
9 March 1962Carlisle UnitedH2–06,308Rowland, Harkin
16 March 1962Swindon TownA3–212,090o.g., Steele, Rowland
18 March 1962Peterborough UnitedA1–310,162Harkin
23 March 1962Peterborough UnitedH3–210,260Steele, Harkin, Edwards
29 March 1962BarnsleyA1–24,368Edwards
3 April 1962Halifax TownA4–02,808Harkin (2), Richards (2)
6 April 1962Northampton TownH3–18,781Richards (2), Harkin
12 April 1962Shrewsbury TownH0–011,315
13 April 1962Queens Park RangersA1–35,690Steele
15 April 1962Shrewsbury TownA1–26,819Ford
20 April 1962Hull CityH1–04,673Rowland
22 April 1962Halifax TownH2–05,968Richards (2)
27 April 1962Crystal PalaceA1–213,183Richards
29 April 1962Queens Park RangersH3–25,974Richards, Rowland, Sproson
4 May 1962Coventry CityA1–018,307Richards
6 May 1962Bradford Park AvenueH2–16,680Miles, Steele
11 May 1962Bristol CityH3–15,337Richards (2), Rowland
13 May 1962Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH0–37,362
18 May 1962WatfordA2–15,955Richards, Wright
20 May 1962Bristol RoversH2–05,015Richards (pen), Miles

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R13 November 1962Bristol RoversA2–08,180Llewellyn (2)
R224 November 1962AldershotH2–012,638Llewellyn, Edwards (pen)
R327 February 1963GillinghamA4–26,713Steele, Edwards, Ford, Grainger (pen)
R413 March 1963Sheffield UnitedH1–222,207Grainger

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R127 September 1962Bristol RoversA0–26,126

Player statistics

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
August 1962FWEnglandJohn RowlandNottingham Forest£6,000[3]
August 1962MFNorthern IrelandBernard WrightRepublic of Ireland Sligo RoversFree transfer[3]
September 1962MFNorthern IrelandTerry HarkinNorthern Ireland Coleraine£2,000[3]
September 1962MFEnglandJim WattonNetherlands De GraafschapFree transfer[3]
March 1963FWEnglandTony RichardsWalsall£9,000[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
January 1963FWEnglandArthur LongbottomMillwall£2,000[3]
February 1963FWEnglandBert LlewellynNorthampton Town£7,000[3]
May 1963MFNorthern IrelandBernard WrightReleased[3]
July 1963MFEnglandStan EdwardsWales Bangor CityFree transfer[3]
Summer 1963MFEnglandPeter FordMacclesfield TownReleased[3]

Loans out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Ref.
April 1963MFNorthern IrelandBernard WrightStafford RangersMay 1963[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). "Flattering Only to Deceive (1960–1969)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 196–226. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ Port Vale 1962–1963 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 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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