1972–73 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1972–73 season
Chairman Mark Singer
Manager Gordon Lee
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Third Division 6th (53 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
League Cup Second Round
Player of the Year Ray Williams
Top goalscorer League: Sammy Morgan/Ray Williams (11)
All: Sammy Morgan/Ray Williams (11)
Highest home attendance 20,619 vs. West Ham United (13 January 1973)
Lowest home attendance 3,468 vs. Bristol Rovers (2 September 1972)
Average home league attendance 5,429
Home colours

The 1972–73 season was Port Vale's 61st season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season (ninth overall) in the Third Division.[1] Their promotion efforts ended with a sixth-place finish, whilst in the two cup competitions they lost out to Newcastle United and West Ham United. Opposition managers condemned the players as overly physical, whilst off the pitch there were sporadic scenes of violence as football hooliganism gripped the club, and the sport in general.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw Gordon Lee make a number of big signings.[1] The most significant was the signing of Ray Williams from Stafford Rangers, who had scored 47 goals for the non-league club the previous season.[1] Williams cost Vale £3,000 and was on a wage of £40 a week (plus incentives).[1] Also arriving was midfielder Freddie Goodwin (Southport); 'controversial' goalkeeper Alan Boswell (Bolton Wanderers); young midfielder Colin Tartt (Alsager College); and trialist goalkeeper Reg Edwards (Nuneaton Borough).[1] Ticket prices were raised to between 40 and 60 pence, whilst season tickets were priced between £8 and £10.[1]

The season opened with six victories in eight league games, though the third match was a huge 7–0 defeat at Millmoor to Rotherham United – the defeat was blamed on Boswell.[1] After mid-September the "Valiants" struggled to score, and recorded six draws in eight games, though they remained in the top three.[1] The club spent £8,500 on new floodlights and a public address system, however attendances dropped off from the crucial 6,000 break-even number.[1] Lee complained about the lack of support, and said "the people here are not genuinely interested in league football".[1] Offered the management position at Shrewsbury Town, he rejected the offer as he believed the club 'lacked potential' and that he had a 'feeling of loyalty towards the [Vale] players'.[1] Going into the Christmas period Brian Horton was struck by injury, and the team struggled, heading down the league with inconsistent play.[1] In January, Lee sold John James to Chester for £5,000, Ray Harford to Colchester United for £1,750, and Keith Lindsey to Gillingham for £750.[1] To keep up the promotion bid, in February he spent £2,250 to bring 'pacey' striker John Woodward from Walsall.[1] Vale began to pick up wins, though their 2–1 win over Blackburn Rovers led to them being branded by Rovers manager Ken Furphy as 'a brutal and physical side'.[1] Vale lifted themselves into third place, though were out of the race after a 'shattering' 5–0 defeat to Southend United at Roots Hall.[1] Their final home game of the season was a 2–2 draw with champions Bolton Wanderers, in which 'frenzied scenes' included police dogs separating the two sets of fans at the Bycars End, two attempted pitch invasions, and the referee kicked to the ground at the final whistle.[1]

They finished in sixth spot with 53 points, four short of promoted Notts County. The 69 goals conceded tally was higher than that of all but the bottom two clubs.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a £14,304 profit was made after donations of £16,029 from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund.[1] Gate receipts had risen massively from £36,323 to £67,202.[1] The wage bill stood at £59,663, whilst the club's debt was at £44,721, along with £57,860 owed to the directors.[1] At the end of the season Freddie Goodwin was let go, and he joined Macclesfield Town.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale progressed past Fourth Division Southport and then Third Division Wrexham with home victories. In the Third Round they faced Second Division West Ham United at Vale Park, where the "Hammers" won 'an epic battle' 1–0 in front of a season-best crowd of 20,619.[1] The match raised £8,600, but also the issue of violence, as two Londoners were stabbed, two policemen seriously assaulted, and thirty fans ejected from the stadium.[1] West Ham manager Ron Greenwood claimed that the Vale players attempted 'the most blatant calculated intimidation I have ever seen anywhere in the world'.[1]

In the League Cup, the club recorded their first ever away victory in the competition with a 1–0 win over Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.[1] The Second Round held a home tie with First Division Newcastle United, and the "Magpies" left Stoke-on-Trent having won 3–1 in front of 10,370 spectators.

Final league table

PWDLFAGAPts
1Bolton Wanderers4625111073391.87261
2Notts County4623111267471.42657
3Blackburn Rovers4620151157471.21355
4Oldham Athletic4619161172541.33354
5Bristol Rovers4620131377561.37553
6Port Vale4621111456690.81253
7Bournemouth4617161366441.50050
8Plymouth Argyle4620101674661.12150
9Grimsby Town462081867611.09848
10Tranmere Rovers4615161556521.07746
11Charlton Athletic4617111869671.03045
12Wrexham4614171555541.01945
13Rochdale4614171548540.88945
14Southend United4617101961541.13044
15Shrewsbury Town4615141746540.85244
16Chesterfield461792057610.93443
17Walsall461872156660.84843
18York City4613151842460.91341
19Watford4612171743480.89641
20Halifax Town4613151843530.81141
21Rotherham United461772251650.78541
22Brentford461572451690.73937
23Swansea City461492351730.69937
24Scunthorpe United4610102633720.45830

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
GroundAHAHHAHHAAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHHAAHHAAHHA
ResultDWLWWWWWLLWLDWDDWDDLWLLDWLWLWWLWWLWDWLWDWLWDL
Position1041565111243543323233335761010910109995978466445456

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

Football League Third Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
12 August 1972RochdaleA0–02,661
19 August 1972York CityH2–14,112Horton, Goodwin
26 August 1972Rotherham UnitedA0–74,788
28 August 1972WrexhamH3–23,885Mountford, James, Morgan
2 September 1972Bristol RoversH2–13,468Goodwin, Horton (pen)
9 September 1972ChesterfieldA2–17,854Loska, Horton (pen)
16 September 1972BrentfordH1–04,663Williams
18 September 1972Halifax TownH2–15,715Morgan, Loska
23 September 1972WalsallA0–28,159
26 September 1972BournemouthA0–412,145
30 September 1972Southend UnitedH3–14,005Gough, Morgan, Williams (pen)
7 October 1972Oldham AthleticH0–25,352
10 October 1972WatfordA1–15,556Morgan
14 October 1972Blackburn RoversA1–06,500Morgan
21 October 1972Tranmere RoversH0–04,007
23 October 1972Shrewsbury TownH1–15,213James
28 October 1972Notts CountyA1–18,544Horton (pen)
4 November 1972BournemouthH2–16,414Morgan (2)
11 November 1972Halifax TownA2–22,026Williams, Horton
25 November 1972Plymouth ArgyleH1–13,881McLaren
2 December 1972Charlton AthleticA0–24,391
16 December 1972Scunthorpe UnitedH2–03,833o.g., McLaren
23 December 1972Bolton WanderersA0–212,643
26 December 1972WalsallH1–26,787Mountford (pen)
30 December 1972York CityA0–03,589
27 January 1973ChesterfieldH2–13,806James, McLaren
30 January 1973Bristol RoversA1–410,009Loska
3 February 1973WatfordH1–03,987Williams
10 February 1973BrentfordA0–56,694
24 February 1973Scunthorpe UnitedA1–02,734Summerscales
26 February 1973Rotherham UnitedH4–14,433o.g., Gough, Woodward, Williams
3 March 1973Oldham AthleticA0–16,998
6 March 1973Grimsby TownA1–014,092Williams
10 March 1973Blackburn RoversH2–17,854Woodward (2)
16 March 1973Tranmere RoversA0–25,346
19 March 1973Swansea CityH3–15,104Morgan (2), Summerscales
24 March 1973Notts CountyH1–18,920Williams
27 March 1973Shrewsbury TownA3–24,419Woodward (2), Williams
31 March 1973Plymouth ArgyleA1–29,416Williams
7 April 1973Charlton AthleticH3–15,076Williams, Morgan, Woodward
9 April 1973RochdaleH0–06,413
14 April 1973Swansea CityA1–02,594Morgan
20 April 1973Southend UnitedA0–59,395
21 April 1973Grimsby TownH3–03,772Woodward (2), Williams
23 April 1973Bolton WanderersH2–214,168Horton (pen), Woodward
27 April 1973WrexhamA0–53,543

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R120 November 1972SouthportH2–14,624James, Horton
R29 December 1972WrexhamH1–05,980Brodie
R313 January 1973West Ham UnitedH0–120,619

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 August 1972Tranmere RoversA1–04,003o.g.
R25 September 1972Newcastle UnitedH1–310,370Summerscales

Player statistics

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
July 1972GKEnglandAlan BoswellBolton WanderersFree transfer[3]
July 1972MFEnglandFreddie GoodwinSouthportFree transfer[3]
July 1972FWEnglandRay WilliamsStafford Rangers£3,000[3]
September 1972GKEnglandReg EdwardsNuneaton BoroughFree transfer[3]
February 1973FWEnglandJohn WoodwardWalsall£2,250[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
January 1973DFEnglandKeith LindseyGillingham£500[3]
February 1973DFEnglandRay HarfordColchester United£1,750[3]
February 1973FWEnglandJohn JamesChester£5,000[3]
May 1973MFEnglandFreddie GoodwinMacclesfield TownFree transfer[3]
May 1973MFEnglandBob PeytonReleased[3]

Loans out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
December 1972DFEnglandKeith LindseyGillinghamJanuary 1973[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). "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 1972–1973 : 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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