1970–71 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1970–71 season
Chairman Mark Singer
(until February)
Graham Bourne
(February onwards)
Manager Gordon Lee
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Third Division 17th (42 Points)
FA Cup First Round
League Cup First Round
Player of the Year Tommy McLaren
Top goalscorer League: John James (15)
All: John James (15)
Highest home attendance 11,224 vs. Aston Villa (19 October 1970)
Lowest home attendance 3,450 vs. Reading (13 March 1971)
Average home league attendance 5,437
Home colours

The 1970–71 season was Port Vale's 59th season of football in the Football League, and their first (seventh overall) season back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division.[1] Gordon Lee led his team to safety in the league, though Vale exited both cup competitions at the first stage.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of centre-half Roy Cross (Walsall); inside-forward Brian Horton (Hednesford Town); and full-back Mick Hopkinson (Mansfield Town).[1]

The season began with two wins, but a run of one win in ten games then followed. In September, four of the five directors resigned, one of them (Len Cliff) stated that "the club is being run by outsiders".[1] A new board was formed by November.[1] Meanwhile, on 13 September the club suffered a loss of 7–3 at Gay Meadow to Shrewsbury Town, despite a Bobby Gough hat-trick – the match also saw a sending off, an attempted pitch invasion, and a £35 fine for Gordon Lee for remarks he made to referee Ricky Nicholson.[1] Tommy McLaren then returned from injury to lead Vale on a four match winning streak that included a 2–0 win over fallen-giants Aston Villa in front of a Burslem crowd of 11,224 fans.[1] Four straight defeats soon came after this sequence however, as Vale's form was patchy.[1] In December, Ron Wilson left the club as he emigrated to South Africa due to his son's ill health.[1] A 1–0 defeat at Villa Park on 16 January was the first of a nine match streak without a victory.[1] At the end of the month Lee signed John Brodie from Northern Premier League side Bradford Park Avenue for £250.[1] During this spell forward Sammy Morgan began to be jeered by fans after losing his scoring touch.[1] He also began studying to be a teacher.[1] Lee said that "I really feel some of our lads have been singled out by the boo boys. If only they realised that encouragement can lift players, things would be so much better".[1] In February, Mark Singer resigned as chairman, and was replaced by Graham Bourne.[1] By then the club were hovering above the relegation zone, but a record of just ten goals conceded in their final twelve games was enough to secure safety, with Brian Horton in good form.[1]

They finished in seventeenth spot, their 42 points leaving them three clear of relegation.[1] John James was the top-scorer with fifteen goals.[1] As a reward for their endeavours, the players were taken on a working holiday to Benidorm, Spain.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a profit of £3,424 was made, the club's first profitable season since 1962–63.[1] A £19,322 donation from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund helped to reduce the club's total debt to £134,640.[1] Three players were released: Mick Hopkinson (Boston United); John Green (Northwich Victoria); and John King (Wigan Athletic).[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale were knocked out in the First Round by Fourth Division Notts County 1–0 in a 'physical' encounter at Meadow Lane.[1]

In the League Cup, Vale were eliminated once again at the first stage, this time Walsall left Burslem with a 1–0 win.

Final league table

PWDLFAGAPts
1Preston North End462217763391.61561
2Fulham4624121068411.65960
3Halifax Town4622121274551.34556
4Aston Villa4619151254461.17453
5Chesterfield4617171266381.73751
6Bristol Rovers4619131469501.38051
7Mansfield Town4618151364621.03251
8Rotherham United4617161364601.06750
9Wrexham4618131572651.10849
10Torquay United4619111654570.94749
11Swansea City4615161559561.05446
12Barnsley4617111849520.94245
13Shrewsbury Town4616131758620.93545
14Brighton & Hove Albion4614161650471.06444
15Plymouth Argyle4612191563631.00043
16Rochdale4614151761680.89743
17Port Vale4615121952590.88142
18Tranmere Rovers4610221445550.81842
19Bradford City4613141949620.79040
20Walsall4614112151570.89539
21Reading4614112148850.56539
22Bury4612132152600.86737
23Doncaster Rovers461392445660.68235
24Gillingham4610132342670.62733

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
GroundAHAAHAHHAAHAHHHAHHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHH
ResultWWLLWLDLLLDDWWWWDLLLLWLWWLDLDDLDLLWWDLWDLLWDWD
Position11410615141619181919171211991014161816181512151315151418192020181315151516181816171517

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

Football League Third Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
15 August 1970Swansea CityA2–010,713Wilson, Morgan
22 August 1970RochdaleH4–16,196McLaren (2), James, Morris
29 August 1970Plymouth ArgyleA1–27,753Morgan
1 September 1970Bristol RoversA0–37,931
5 September 1970Preston North EndH1–06,954James (pen)
12 September 1970Shrewsbury TownA3–75,856Gough (3)
19 September 1970GillinghamH1–15,178James
21 September 1970ChesterfieldH0–25,930
26 September 1970WalsallA1–35,456James (pen)
28 September 1970Mansfield TownA0–28,121
3 October 1970BarnsleyH1–34,490Gough
10 October 1970Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–09,383
17 October 1970Swansea CityH4–04,962Gough (2), James, Morris
19 October 1970Aston VillaH2–011,224James, Gough
24 October 1970Rotherham UnitedH1–07,215McLaren
31 October 1970BuryA3–23,669Lacey, Horton, Boulton
7 November 1970Tranmere RoversH2–25,495Morris, McLaren
9 November 1970FulhamH0–18,728
14 November 1970ReadingA1–25,036Morris
28 November 1970Halifax TownA0–23,404
5 December 1970Torquay UnitedH0–14,252
19 December 1970RochdaleA3–03,619James, Summerscales, Morris
26 December 1970WrexhamH0–36,303
2 January 1971Doncaster RoversA2–12,997Cross, Gough
9 January 1971Mansfield TownH2–04,412Morris, James
16 January 1971Aston VillaA0–128,933
23 January 1971Bradford CityA1–14,436Morris
30 January 1971Halifax TownH0–14,059
5 February 1971Torquay UnitedA1–16,817Morris
12 February 1971Bradford CityH0–04,361
20 February 1971FulhamA1–410,389Green
27 February 1971BuryH0–03,805
6 March 1971Rotherham UnitedA1–26,866James
10 March 1971ChesterfieldA0–37,592
13 March 1971ReadingH3–13,450McLaren (2), Morgan
15 March 1971Doncaster RoversH1–04,782James (pen)
22 March 1971Tranmere RoversA1–13,734James
27 March 1971Preston North EndA0–116,591
3 April 1971Plymouth ArgyleH2–13,518James, Morgan
10 April 1971WrexhamA1–18,186Boulton
12 April 1971Shrewsbury TownH0–15,655
13 April 1971BarnsleyA0–14,837
17 April 1971Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–13,789Morgan (2)
24 April 1971GillinghamA1–12,207James
26 April 1971Bristol RoversH2–04,525James (2)
1 May 1971WalsallH1–15,758Lacey

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R121 November 1970Notts CountyA0–115,965

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R118 August 1970WalsallH0–16,605

Player statistics

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1970DFEnglandRoy CrossWalsallFree transfer[3]
July 1970DFEnglandMick HopkinsonMansfield TownFree transfer[3]
July 1970MFEnglandBrian HortonHednesford Town'a pint of shandy'[3]
January 1971DFEnglandJohn BrodieBradford Park Avenue£250[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
December 1970DFScotlandRon WilsonSouth Africa HellenicReleased[3]
May 1971DFEnglandMick HopkinsonBoston UnitedFree transfer[3]
May 1971MFEnglandJohn KingWigan AthleticFree transfer[3]
Summer 1971MFEnglandJohn GreenNorthwich VictoriaReleased[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 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ Port Vale 1970–1971 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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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