1897–98 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season explained

Season:1897–98
Chairman:Edward Oliver
League:Midland League
League Result:5th (23 points)
Cup1 Result:Second Round
(knocked out by Burnley)
Cup2 Result:First Round
(knocked out by West Bromwich Albion)
Cup3 Result:Runners-up
(knocked out by West Bromwich Albion)
League Topscorer:Danny Simpson (9)
Season Topscorer:Dick Evans, Danny Simpson (11 each)
Highest Attendance:15,000 vs. Sheffield United, 2 February 1898
Lowest Attendance:500 vs. Burton Wanderers, 11 October 1897
Average Attendance:1,400
Largest Win:5–0 and 6–1
Largest Loss:0–3 (twice) and 1–4 (twice)
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Nextseason:1898–99

The 1897–98 season was Burslem Port Vale's second season of football (fourth overall) in the Midland League.[1] Their league form proved streaky, as they lost seven of their opening nine fixtures but recovered to post nine wins in 12 games from November to March, ending the campaign in fifth-place. However, they proved their worth in the cup competitions, particularly so in the FA Cup, beating Small Heath and eventual Football League First Division champions Sheffield United en route to the second round. In the Birmingham Senior Cup they took First Division side West Bromwich Albion to a second replay, whilst they beat Stoke in the semi-finals of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, losing out to West Bromwich Albion in the final. Their success earned them re-election back into the Football League.

Overview

Midland League

Burslem Port Vale retained the entire first-team of the 1896–97 campaign and strengthened the squad by signing four Stoke players: former England international right-back Tommy Clare, right-half Lucien Boullemier, left-winger Billy Heames and left-half Ted McDonald.[1] They unveiled a new kit of red and white striped tops with blue knickers.[1] The season opened with an "exciting" 2–2 draw with Burton Wanderers; the attendance at the Athletic Ground was a healthy 2,000, though Clare had trouble with his boots and played most of the match wearing just one of them.[1] Two away defeats followed, and young reserve Frank Mitchell was then installed at centre-forward and proved an instant success, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–0 home win over Kettering.[1] However, four league defeats later the players and directors met to discuss what was going wrong; the 1–0 defeat by Barnsley St Peter's was a particular calamity as goalkeeper Tom Poole punched the ball into his own net from an indirect free kick.[1]

Four league defeats were followed by four straight league wins, including a double over third-placed Rushden.[1] They then slipped to a 4–1 boxing day defeat at Kettering but recovered to beat Doncaster Rovers 4–0 to head into second-place on 3 January.[1] This started a run of five wins and two draws from seven games, with Clare being credited for inspiring the players "with a confidence never before approached".[1] However, they finished the campaign with two away defeats, ending up in fifth-place with 23 points from 22 games.[1] Danny Simpson finished with a tally of nine league goals, indicating that the club could benefit from a consistent goalscorer at centre-forward.[1] Nevertheless, the club's exploits in the FA Cup saw them achieve 18 votes in their successful application to rejoin the Football League.[1]

Cup competitions

Vale found great success in the FA Cup, beating Football League Second Division side Small Heath 2–1 in the third qualification round thanks to a brace from Clare; Small Heath had originally proposed to switch the venue to Muntz Street for a £100 payment, but were refused.[1] After a walkover victory against Kidderminster, they were fired by a "special inducement" and played "with dash and skill" to eliminate Burton Wanderers 2–1 to reach the first round proper.[1] Eventual Football League First Division champions Sheffield United were expecting to romp to victory at Bramall Lane, but the Vale team were in confident mood and held out for a 1–1 draw, the home side only staying in the tie due to a dubious penalty.[1] Vale rejected an offer of £250 to play the replay at Bramall Lane, and went on to win the tie 2–1; Dick Evans gave Vale a two-minute lead before United equalised with a rush goal eight minutes from time.[1] In extra time, United goalkeeper William Foulke "acted in an idiotic manner" and was caught out of position as Vale's Billy Heames broke away, running half the length of the pitch before pulling the ball back for Lucien Boullemier to score the winning goal.[1] [2] Vale claimed earnings of £350 for the fixture as a crowd of 15,000 witnessed the giantkilling; the Burslem school board gave schoolchildren a special holiday so they could attend the game.[1] Second Division leaders Burnley awaited in the second round, but Vale were below par as they slipped to a 3–0 defeat at Turf Moor.[1] [3]

Vale were pitted against high-flying First Division club West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup and after two 0–0 draws were finally beaten 2–1 in the second replay.[1] Vale confidently dispatched Burton Wanderers 5–0 in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup.[1] A 3–1 win over Potteries derby rivals Stoke in front of a home crowd of 7,000 took them into the final for the first time, where they again faced West Bromwich Albion, this time at the neutral venue of the Victoria Ground.[1] A 8,500 crowd turned up, but West Brom denied Vale any silverware as they claimed a 2–1 victory.[1]

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Midland League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
6 September 1897 Burton WanderersH2–22,000T.Evans, Belfield
11 September 1897 Barnsley St Peter'sA2–42,000D.Evans, Belfield
18 September 1897 Long Eaton RangersA0–31,000
25 September 1897 KetteringH4–0Mitchell (3), Belfield
2 October 1897 MexboroughA0–2splendid
9 October 1897 Barnsley St Peter'sH0–11,200
16 October 1897 Burton WanderersA1–4Peake
23 October 1897 ChesterfieldH1–21,000McDonald
6 November 1897 Ilkeston TownH4–01,500McDonald (2), Bayley, D.Evans
13 November 1897 RushdenH2–01,000T.Evans, Simpson
4 December 1897 MexboroughH5–1Heames (2), Simpson (2), Price
18 December 1897 RushdenA4–1Price (2), Heames, T.Evans
26 December 1897 KetteringA1–4
3 January 1898 Doncaster RoversH4–02,000D.Evans (2), Simpson, Price
8 January 1898 Doncaster RoversA0–01,500
15 January 1898 Glossop North EndA1–02,000Simpson
5 February 1898 Wellingborough TownH6–11,000Simpson (2), D.Evans (2), T.Evans, Bayley (pen)
19 February 1898 Long Eaton RangersH3–0disgracefulMitchell (3)
26 February 1898 ChesterfieldA1–14,000Peake
12 March 1898 Glossop North EndH4–21,500Simpson (2), Hodgkinson, o.g.
9 April 1898 Ilkeston TownA1–21,500Heames
16 April 1898 Wellingborough TownA0–2600

FA Cup

See main article: 1897–98 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
3Q30 October 1897 Small HeathH2–12,000D.Evans (2)
4Q20 November 1897 KidderminsterHwalkover
5Q11 December 1897 Burton WanderersH2–11,500Beech, D.Evans
1R29 January 1898 Sheffield UnitedA1–114,000McDonald
Replay2 February 1898 Sheffield UnitedH2–115,000D.Evans, Boullemier
2R12 February 1898 BurnleyA0–311,000

Birmingham Senior Cup

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
1R13 December 1897 West Bromwich AlbionH0–06,000
Replay17 January 1898 West Bromwich AlbionA0–03,000
Replay7 February 1898 West Bromwich AlbionA1–23,000Simpson

Staffordshire Senior Cup

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
1R11 October 1897 Burton WanderersH5–0500Belfield (2), T.Evans, D.Evans, Peake
SF10 January 1898 StokeH3–17,000T.Evans, others
F5 March 1898 West Bromwich AlbionN1–28,500Simpson (pen)

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos.NameLeagueFA CupBirmingham CupStaffordshire CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GKGeorge Lawton7000000070
GK Herbert Birchenough100402020180
GKLowe2010001040
GKTom Poole2000000020
DFJim Beech180512030281
DFGeorge Hulme2000000020
DF Thomas Spilsbury160502030260
DF Tommy Clare210502030320
DF McVicker2000000020
MF Fred Belfield93100012115
MF James Peake172401031253
MFSmith2000001030
MFS. E. Bayley6200001072
MF Lucien Boullemier160512020251
MFThomas Goodall2000000020
MF Billy Heames174402020254
MF Charles Hodgkinson3100000031
MF Ted McDonald213401031294
FWJim Mason1000000010
FW Dick Evans1665420312611
FWDanny Simpson1595031212511
FW Ted Evans174501032266
FWGeorge Hewitt0000100010
FWFrank Mitchell6600001076
FW George Price3410100054

Top scorers

width=60Placewidth=60Positionwidth=180Nationwidth=150Namewidth=80Midland Leaguewidth=80FA Cupwidth=80Otherwidth=80Total
1FWDanny Simpson90211
FWDick Evans64111
3FWFrank Mitchell6006
FWTed Evans4026
5MFFred Belfield3025
6FWGeorge Price4004
MFBilly Heames4004
MFTed McDonald3104
9MFJames Peake2013
10MFS. E. Bayley2002
11MFCharles Hodgkinson1001
MFLucien Boullemier0101
DFJim Beech0101
Unknown0022
Own goals1001
TOTALS4571062

Transfers

Transfers in

Date fromPositionNationalityNameFromFeeRef.
1897 GK Lowe Free transfer [4]
Summer 1897 MF Free transfer
Summer 1897 DF Stoke Free transfer
Summer 1897 MF Thomas Goodall Audley Free transfer
Summer 1897 DF Stoke Free transfer
Summer 1897 MF Stoke Free transfer
Summer 1897 FW Free transfer
Autumn 1897 MF Free transfer
October 1897 GK Audley Free transfer
October 1897 GK Crewe Carriage Works Free transfer
1898 MF Free transfer

Transfers out

Date fromPositionNationalityNameToFeeRef.
1898 GK George Lawton Porthill Released
1898 GK Lowe Released
1898 MF Smith Released
1898 FW Released
Summer 1898 FW Released

References

Specific
General

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, Jeff. The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. 1990. 26–50. Trying to make the Grade (1888-1898). 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Web site: The Giant Killers . The Giant Killers . 18 June 2020.
  3. News: Fielding . Rob . The most important giantkilling in Port Vale's history took place in 1898 . 18 June 2020 . onevalefan.co.uk . 18 June 2020.
  4. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.