| Season: | 1900–01 |
| Chairman: | Robert Audley |
| League Result: | 9th (33 Points) |
| Cup1 Result: | Intermediate Round (knocked out by New Brighton Tower) |
| Cup2 Result: | First Round (knocked out by Stoke) |
| Cup3 Result: | Quarter-finals (knocked out by Stoke) |
| League Topscorer: | Adrian Capes (10) |
| Season Topscorer: | Adrian Capes (11) |
| Highest Attendance: | 5,000 vs Walsall, 25 December 1900 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 300 vs Burton Swifts, 30 March 1901 |
| Average Attendance: | 2,087+ |
| Largest Win: | 4–0 and 5–1 |
| Largest Loss: | 1–6 vs. Grimsby Town, 8 September 1900 |
| Pattern La1: | _red_stripes |
| Pattern B1: | _red_stripes |
| Pattern Ra1: | _red_stripes |
| Leftarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Body1: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts1: | 000080 |
| Socks1: | 000080 |
| Pattern B2: | _lightbluehalf |
| Leftarm2: | 8B0000 |
| Body2: | 8B0000 |
| Rightarm2: | 00BFFF |
| Shorts2: | FFFFFF |
| Socks2: | 8B0000 |
| Nextseason: | 1901–02 |
The 1900–01 season was Burslem Port Vale's third consecutive season (seventh overall) of football in the English Football League.[1] Finishing in ninth place for the second time in three years, the club would have to wait over two decades before they would better such a finish. Vale was a typical mid-table team in 1900–01, with their home form slightly disappointing compared to teams around them. The team was settled, however, once again poor attendances were an issue.
The pre-season saw the return of Stoke legend Tommy Clare, now aged 35, and inside-left James Peake, following a season with Millwall Athletic. Otherwise local lads filled the void left by the stars that were sold off in the previous season.
True to expectations, the "Valeites" suffered at the start of the season, recording three heavy defeats in their first seven games. However, things picked up when striker Adrian Capes arrived from Burton Swifts in November 1900. By March, the side broke into the top six, though they were eleven points short of the two promotion places. The season ended with three wins from four games, and the Vale finished six points from the re-election zones but fifteen points from promotion.
New boy Capes finished as the top scorer, with Peake, Eardley, and Price contributing seven goals each. Goalkeeper Alfred Maybury made his debut on 8 September and never missed a match after that, though he was still released at the season's end (later joining Chesterfield). Eight other players managed at least 30 appearances (out of a possible 37), with George Price an ever-present. The defence was described as "consistent and sturdy", and Peake, Eardley, and Capes were praised for the turnaround in results. The policy of local youth continued, having been successful throughout the campaign. James Peake and Alfred Maybury departed, and full-back Frank Stokes was sold to Reading; but otherwise the original team was retained.
Financially, the club lost £73, which added to their £1,000 debt. Taking note from the previous campaign, the playing budget was reduced by over £750, though gate receipts dropped a further £235. Poor weather was blamed for the miserable support.
In the FA Cup, a 3–1 home defeat was recorded to Second Division rivals New Brighton Tower in the opening round. The result was the same as their league encounter, down to an Adrian Capes consolation. Vale also exited both county cups at the first hurdle.
Burslem Port Vale's score comes first
See main article: article and 1900–01 Football League.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 1900 | Birmingham City | H | 2–2 | 3,000 | Price, Beech | |
| 3 September 1900 | Stockport County | H | 0–1 | 2,000 | ||
| 8 September 1900 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–6 | 4,000 | Price | |
| 15 September 1900 | Lincoln City | H | 2–0 | 2,000 | Price, Aston | |
| 22 September 1900 | Newton Heath | A | 0–4 | 5,000 | ||
| 29 September 1900 | Glossop | H | 0–0 | 2,000 | ||
| 6 October 1900 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–4 | 8,000 | ||
| 13 October 1900 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 1,000 | Peake | |
| 20 October 1900 | Chesterfield | A | 1–1 | 2,000 | Price | |
| 27 October 1900 | Leicester Fosse | A | 0–0 | 9,000 | ||
| 3 November 1900 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–0 | 3,000 | ||
| 10 November 1900 | Gainsborough Trinity | A | 1–2 | Peake | ||
| 17 November 1900 | New Brighton Tower | H | 1–3 | 2,000 | Capes | |
| 24 November 1900 | Burton Swifts | A | 2–0 | 600 | Peake, Steadman | |
| 1 December 1900 | Barnsley | H | 3–2 | Capes, Lander, Heames | ||
| 8 December 1900 | Woolwich Arsenal | A | 0–3 | 7,000 | ||
| 15 December 1900 | Blackpool | H | 4–0 | 2,000 | Price, Capes, Boullemier, Eardley | |
| 22 December 1900 | Stockport County | A | 1–1 | Peake | ||
| 25 December 1900 | Walsall | H | 2–2 | 5,000 | Eardley, Heames | |
| 29 December 1900 | Birmingham City | A | 1–2 | 6,000 | Lander | |
| 12 January 1901 | Lincoln City | A | 2–2 | 2,000 | Simpson, Capes | |
| 19 January 1901 | Newton Heath | H | 2–0 | 1,000 | Capes (2) | |
| 9 February 1901 | Glossop | A | 2–1 | 4,000 | Eardley, Beech | |
| 16 February 1901 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 4,000 | ||
| 23 February 1901 | Chesterfield | H | 5–1 | 1,000 | Peake (2), Boullemier, Heames, Eardley | |
| 2 March 1901 | Leicester Fosse | H | 0–0 | 2,000 | ||
| 9 March 1901 | New Brighton Tower | A | 1–1 | 3,000 | Peake | |
| 11 March 1901 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–2 | 4,000 | ||
| 16 March 1901 | Gainsborough Trinity | H | 1–1 | Simpson | ||
| 23 March 1901 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 2,000 | Capes | |
| 30 March 1901 | Burton Swifts | H | 4–0 | 300 | Price (2), Capes, Simpson | |
| 5 April 1901 | Blackpool | A | 1–2 | 800 | Capes | |
| 6 April 1901 | Barnsley | A | 3–1 | Eardley (2), Capes | ||
| 13 April 1901 | Woolwich Arsenal | H | 1–0 | 1,000 | Eardley |
See main article: article and 1900–01 FA Cup.
| IR | 1 January 1901 | New Brighton Tower | H | 1–3 | 3,000 | Capes |
| 1 | 24 September 1900 | Stoke | A | 0–1 | 1,500 |
| QF | 22 October 1900 | Stoke | N | 0–2 |
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| GK | Tom Poole | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| GK | Alfred Maybury | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| DF | Jim Beech | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 2 |
| DF | Lucien Boullemier | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 2 |
| DF | Frank Stokes | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| DF | Tommy Clare | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | Tom Davies | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| DF | Ernest Mullineux | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Billy Heames | 33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| MF | Bert Eardley | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 7 |
| MF | Tommy Aston | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| MF | Patrick Gallagher | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | John Henshall | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| MF | W. H. Machin | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | Robert Seaton | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| MF | Joseph Steadman | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| MF | Thomas Wainwright | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| FW | Danny Simpson | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| FW | George Price | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 7 |
| FW | Tommy Lander | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| FW | Adrian Capes | 24 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 11 |
| FW | Alfred Pankhurst | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| FW | James Peake | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 7 |
| FW | Howard Round | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| width=60 | Place | width=60 | Position | width=180 | Nation | width=150 | Name | width=80 | Second Division | width=80 | FA Cup | width=80 | Other | width=80 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FW | Adrian Capes | 10 | 1 | 0 | 11 | |||||||||
| 2 | MF | Bert Eardley | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |||||||||
| – | FW | James Peake | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |||||||||
| – | FW | George Price | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |||||||||
| 5 | FW | Danny Simpson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
| – | MF | Billy Heames | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
| 7 | FW | Tommy Lander | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| – | DF | Jim Beech | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| – | DF | Lucien Boullemier | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| 10 | MF | Tommy Aston | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| – | MF | Joseph Steadman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
| TOTALS | 45 | 1 | 0 | 46 | |||||||||||
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1900 | FW | Free transfer | [2] | ||||
| May 1900 | MF | Ironbridge | Free transfer | ||||
| May 1900 | MF | Smallthorne United | Free transfer | ||||
| May 1900 | FW | Hanley Swifts | Free transfer | ||||
| May 1900 | GK | Free transfer | |||||
| May 1900 | DF | Burslem Park | Free transfer | ||||
| May 1900 | FW | Smallthorne | Free transfer | ||||
| July 1900 | FW | Tunstall Casuals | Free transfer | ||||
| August 1900 | MF | North Staffs Nomads | Free transfer | ||||
| November 1900 | FW | Free transfer | |||||
| March 1901 | DF | Burslem Park | Free transfer | ||||
| April 1901 | FW | Free transfer |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1900 | MF | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | MF | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | DF | Retired | |||||
| Summer 1901 | MF | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | FW | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | GK | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | FW | Smallthorne | Released | ||||
| Summer 1901 | FW | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | GK | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | FW | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | GK | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | MF | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | DF | Retired | |||||
| Summer 1901 | MF | Released | |||||
| Summer 1901 | DF | Free transfer | |||||