1890–91 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1890–91 season was Burslem Port Vale's first season in the newly-formed Midland League.[1] They finished in eighth-place, having only picked up two points away from home. They failed to go on any cup runs and were in fact beaten by a club record 12–0 margin by Aston Villa in the Second Round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup. They did though share the North Staffordshire Challenge Cup after holding Stoke to a draw in the final.

Burslem Port Vale
1890–91 season
StadiumAthletic Ground
Midland League8th (16 points)
FA CupSecond Qualifying Round
(knocked out by Walsall Town Swifts)
Staffordshire Senior CupSecond Round
(knocked out by Aston Villa)
North Staffordshire Challenge CupWinners
(shared with Stoke)
Top goalscorerLeague: Frank McGinnes (15)
All: Frank McGinnes (41)
Highest home attendance3,000 vs. Preston North End, 6 October 1890
Average home league attendance1,429
Biggest win8–0 vs. Warwick County, 14 March 1891
Biggest defeat0–12 vs. Aston Villa, 26 January 1890

Overview

Midland League

Burslem Port Vale became founder members of the Midland League along with 11 other clubs, including future Football League sides Gainsborough Trinity, Lincoln City, Rotherham Town and Sheffield United.[1] The club's directors first had to deal with some legal issues, successfully defending themselves from a claim for lost wages by former player Jack Shields.[1] In order to prepare for the new league the club signed three new players: 23-year old Welsh winger Charlie Davies, 22 year-old inside-forward James Bryden from Hamilton Academicals and 21-year old Scottish forward David Mackie; however they lost both George Bateman and Lewis Ballham to Stoke.[1]

They opened the league campaign with three games at the Athletic Ground, beating Staveley and Long Eaton Rangers 2–1 and 7–2 respectively, then coming to a disappointing 2–2 draw with Kidderminster.[1] Two away defeats followed, though they managed a highly respectable 1–1 draw with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane despite goalkeeper John Davies missing the train; however the team would fail to avoid defeat on the road again until 28 February.[1] At home they recorded successive 3–0 league wins, but late December proved a disaster as they fell to 5–0 and 11–0 defeats at Lincoln City and Gainsborough Trinity; it was suggested the scoreline of the boxing day defeat to Gainsborough was such due to excessive drinking on Christmas day.[1] New members were assigned to the club's committee and they resolved to sign better players, telling the current squad to "train or take the consequences".[1] They lost the return fixture at Derby Junction on 17 January, but appealed the result as Junction's home secretary officiated as the official referee failed to appear; the appeal was denied.[1]

Vale recorded home and away victories over Warwick County – winning 8–0 at home, Frank McGinnes scoring his second hat-trick of the season – but gained no points as County withdrew from the league and their games were struck from the record.[1] Home defeats to Gainsborough and Burton Wanderers followed, but they ended the league campaign in good form, beating Sheffield United and Staveley whilst taking a point from their visit to Lincoln.[1] They finished the table in eighth-place, though finished just five points off second-place Long Eaton Rangers. McGinnes finished as the club's top-scorer with 15 league goals.[1] The club's directors decided to embark on a locally based strategy, signing promising local players to five-year contracts.[1]

Cup competitions

Starting the FA Cup at the first qualification round, they progressed past Warwick County with a 3–1 away win, but lost out 3–2 to Football Alliance side Walsall Town Swifts at the next stage.[1] They faced disaster in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, being "completely outclassed" in a 12–0 defeat to Aston Villa at Wellington Road; the result remains the club's biggest ever margin of defeat.[1] They faired much better in the North Staffordshire Challenge Cup, thrashing Burton Wanderers 7–0 in the semi-final to book their place in the final against Stoke; they drew the final 1–1 and the two teams shared the trophy after failing to arrange a replay.[1]

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Midland League
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
6 September 1890StaveleyH2–1thousandsMcGinnes, McCrindle
13 September 1890Long Eaton RangersH7–21,500McGinnes (3), Ditchfield (2), Mackie, C.Davies
20 September 1890KidderminsterH2–2Mackie, McGinnes
27 September 1890Derby MidlandA1–21,500Ditchfield
11 October 1890Long Eaton RangersA2–5smallMcGinnes, other
18 October 1890Derby MidlandH4–0poorDitchfield (2), McGinnes, Bryden
27 October 1890Sheffield UnitedA1–12,000C.Davies
1 November 1890Derby JunctionH3–11,500C.Davies, Bryden, Ditchfield
8 November 1890KidderminsterA0–1large
29 November 1890Burton WanderersA0–41,000
6 December 1890Derby JunctionH3–02,000Ditchfield, Curwen, McGinnes
13 December 1890Rotherham TownH3–0McCrindle, Ditchfield, W.Jones
25 December 1890Lincoln CityA0–51,000
26 December 1890Gainsborough TrinityA0–11
27 December 1890Rotherham TownH1–2very goodo.g.
10 January 1891Lincoln CityH3–11,500McGinnes (2), C.Davies
17 January 1891Derby JunctionA2–31,000scrimmage, other
28 February 1891Warwick CountyA3–1averageDitchfield (2), Draycott
14 March 1891Warwick CountyH8–02,000McGinnes (3), Keeling (2), o.g., Ditchfield, Dean
28 March 1891Gainsborough TrinityH1–3goodMcCrindle
11 April 1891Burton WanderersH1–21,500Keeling
13 April 1891Sheffield UnitedH3–12,000C.Davies, Elson, other
20 April 1891Lincoln CityH1–1W.Jones
25 April 1891StaveleyA3–0McGinnes (2), Elson

FA Cup
Main article: 1890–91 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
1Q4 October 1890Warwick CountyA3–1McCrindle, Elson, scrimmage
2Q25 October 1890Walsall Town SwiftsH2–31,500McGinnes, Coyle

Staffordshire Senior Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
2R26 January 1890Aston VillaA0–123,000

North Staffordshire Challenge Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF2 May 1890Burton WanderersA7–0capitalMcGinnes (3), Ditchfield (2), Draycott, Dean
F9 May 1890StokeA1–1

Friendlies
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
1 September 1890Newton HeathA1–53,500McGinnes
8 September 1890Newton HeathH4–41,500McGinnes (3), other
15 September 1890Blackburn RoversH1–32,000McGinnes
22 September 1890Bolton WanderersH1–6McGinnes
29 September 1890West Bromwich AlbionH1–2largeMcGinnes
6 October 1890Preston North EndH2–63,000McGinnes (2)
10 November 1890EvertonH0–31,500
15 November 1890Small HeathA1–53,000
22 November 1890Middlesbrough IronopolisA1–62,000Nash
24 November 1890London CasualsH4–0Matthews, Curwen, rush, Ditchfield
20 December 1890StokeH0–3
3 January 1891LeekH7–0McGinnes (3), J.Davies (2), McAlpine, McCrindle
24 January 1891ArdwickA2–31,000McGinnes (2)
31 January 1891Crewe AlexandraA3–21,500McGinnes, Dean, W.Jones
7 February 1891LeekA2–1400scrimmage, Ditchfield
14 February 1891ChirkH5–0Ditchfield (2), o.g., Keeling, W.Jones
16 February 1891Derby CountyH0–21,500
7 March 1891Crewe AlexandraH5–11,500Ditchfield (4), other
9 March 1891Newton HeathH2–11,500Dean, McGinnes
17 March 1891BootleA1–2Dean
30 March 1891StokeA1–13,000McGinnes
4 April 1891Northwich VictoriaH5–0McGinnes (4), McCrindle
6 April 1891BootleH1–2McGinnes
18 April 1891MacclesfieldA1–03,000rush
27 April 1891StokeA0–11,500

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name League FA Cup Staffordshire Cup Challenge Cup Friendlies Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKBaker 000000001010
GKJohn Davies 130100000110250
GKLevi Higginson 60001020130220
GKNixon 000000001010
DFG Martin 5020000040110
DFMatthews 000000001111
DF Fred Jones 300000004070
DF Albert Skinner 100000000010
DF Joe Barr 220201020210480
DF James Clutton 2000102060110
DFB Coyle 120210000120261
DFC McAlpine 70000020141231
DF Bob McCrindle 223211020212488
MF Billy Elson 202211020210463
MF Billy Poulson 15010000080240
MFW. Jones 142101000112274
MFJames Bryden 9220000060172
MF Charlie Davies 205100020180415
MF Meshach Dean 81001021143255
MF Billy Draycott 211010213092
MFSharp 000000001010
MFHarry Slater 100000002030
FW Dick Danks 100000000010
FW Jimmy Ditchfield 18112010222194421
FW Frank McGinnes 191521102323224741
FW Billy Reynolds 200000000020
FWFred Stokes 200000000020
FW John Nash 300000002151
FWH Curwen 6120000051132
FWJ Davies 000000001212
FWJ Keeling 4300000081124
FW David Mackie 7200000040112
FW Wally Owen 000000001010

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Midland League FA Cup Other Total
1FW ScotlandFrank McGinnes1502641
2FW EnglandJimmy Ditchfield1101021
3DF ScotlandBob McCrindle3238
4MF WalesCharlie Davies5005
–MF EnglandMeshach Dean1045
6FWJ Keeling3014
–MFW. Jones2024
8MF EnglandBilly Elson2103
9FW ScotlandDavid Mackie2002
–MFJames Bryden2002
–FWH Curwen1012
–MF EnglandBilly Draycott1012
–FWJ Davies0022
14FW EnglandJohn Nash0011
–DF EnglandB Coyle0101
–DF EnglandC McAlpine0011
–DF EnglandMatthews0011
–––Unknown3025
–––Own goals2013
–––Scrimmage1113
TOTALS 54 5 57 116

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
1890FWH CurwenFree transfer[2]
1890MFMeshach DeanFree transfer[2]
1890GKLevi HigginsonFree transfer[2]
1890FWJ KeelingFree transfer[2]
Summer 1890MFJames BrydenHamilton AcademicalFree transfer[2]
Summer 1890MFBilly DraycottFree transfer[2]
Summer 1890DFFred JonesWest ManchesterFree transfer[2]
Summer 1890MFW. JonesFree transfer[2]
Summer 1890MFDavid MackieFree transfer[2]
Autumn 1890FWJohn NashFree transfer[2]
December 1890DFC McAlpineFree transfer[2]
1891GKNixonFree transfer[2]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
September 1890DFFred JonesNewton HeathFree transfer[2]
November 1890MFJames BrydenReleased[2]
March 1891DFB CoyleReleased[2]
June 1891MFBilly DraycottStokeFree transfer[2]
Summer 1891MFBilly PoulsonReleased[2]
1891DFJoe BarrAccringtonFree transfer[2]
1891FWH CurwenReleased[2]
1891MFDavid MackieReleased[2]
1891FWFred StokesReleased[2]
1891DFG MartinReleased[2]
1891DFMatthewsReleased[2]

References
Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "Trying to make the Grade (1888-1898)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 26–50. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. 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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