1902–03 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season explained

Season:1902–03
Chairman:Robert Audley
League Result:9th (34 Points)
Cup1 Result:Fourth Qualification Round
(knocked out by St. Helens Recreation)
Cup2 Result:First Round
(knocked out by Stoke)
Cup3 Result:First Round
(knocked out by Stoke)
Cup4 Result:First Round
(knocked out by Burton United)
League Topscorer:Adrian Capes (16)
Season Topscorer:Adrian Capes (18)
Highest Attendance:5,000 vs Manchester City, 18 October 1902
Lowest Attendance:500 vs Burton United, 28 March 1903
Average Attendance:2,250+
Largest Win:4–0 and 5–1
Largest Loss:1–7 vs. Manchester City, 14 February 1903
Pattern La1:_lightblue_stripes
Pattern B1:_lightbluestripes
Pattern Ra1:_lightblue_stripes
Leftarm1:8b0000
Body1:8b0000
Rightarm1:8b0000
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Socks1:8b0000
Nextseason:1903–04

The 1902–03 season was Burslem Port Vale's fifth consecutive season (ninth overall) of football in the English Football League.[1] Finishing in ninth place for the second time in three years, it would take just over two decades for the club again to reach the heights of a top ten second-tier finish. Their success was down mainly due to their home form, and in fact, a club record 29 away games without a win began on 17 January 1903. Adrian Capes would become the club's top scorer for the third successive season.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw tough-tackling left-back Arthur Hartshorne arrive from Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst left-half W. Perkins and forward William Loverseed both arrived from Newark. In September, experienced right-half Arthur Rowley arrived from Bristol Rovers.

Vale had an awful start to the season, winning just one of their first ten games. However, this run ended with five wins in their following seven games to take them back to mid-table safety. Their 4–2 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on 3 January 1903 was their last away win until the 1904–05 season. Their finish to 1902–03 was strong, winning their last seven home games. However, they finished with 34 points from 34 games, seventeen points from the promotion zones, and nine points clear of the re-election zones.

Adrian Capes was top scorer with eighteen goals in 37 games, missing just one league game. Goalkeeper Harry Cotton played 36 games; Billy Heames, W. Perkins, Ernest Mullineux, Arthur Hartshorne, Bert Eardley, Arthur Rowley, George Price, and William Loverseed were all constant figures in the first XI. At the end of the campaign, all the major players were kept on, and no big signings were made.

Finances

In a financially difficult season, in March 1903, the directors decided to sell defenders Arthur Hartshorne and Ted Holdcroft to Stoke for over £500. This gave the club a profit of £112 on the campaign. Poor attendance figures saw gate income fall by £200 from the previous season. The club's debt was totalled at £171, and subsequently the club's reserve team was moved from The Football Combination to the North Staffordshire League to save on travel costs.

Cup competitions

In cup competitions, Vale performed poorly, falling at the first hurdle in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, Birmingham Senior Cup, and Bass Charity Vase. Losing to rivals Stoke in the county cups: 2–0 at home in the Birmingham Cup and 5–3 away in the Staffordshire Cup replay following a 1–1 draw at home. In the Charity Vase, they were conquered by Second Division rivals Burton United 5–1 away in a replay, following a 1–1 draw at home. The club failed to qualify for the FA Cup, after losing 2–1 away at St. Helens Recreation's short, sloped, boggy pitch.

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

See main article: 1902–03 Football League.

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
6 September 1902 BlackpoolH1–13,200Capes
8 September 1902 Preston North EndH0–02,000
13 September 1902 Woolwich ArsenalA0–312,000
20 September 1902 Doncaster RoversH3–02,000Cook, Loverseed, Capes
27 September 1902 Lincoln CityA1–43,000D.Simpson
4 October 1902 Small HeathH2–24,000Perkins, Croxton
11 October 1902 Leicester FosseA0–21,000
18 October 1902 Manchester CityH1–45,000Croxton
25 October 1902 BurnleyA3–31,200Eardley, Rowley, Holdcroft (pen)
8 November 1902 ChesterfieldA0–32,000
10 November 1902 Stockport CountyH3–11,000Heames, Hartshorne, Eardley
22 November 1902 Gainsborough TrinityH3–1Capes (2), Eardley
6 December 1902 Bristol CityH2–02,000Eardley, Loverseed
9 December 1902 GlossopA1–23,000Heames
13 December 1902 Stockport CountyA4–0Capes (3), Price
20 December 1902 Manchester UnitedH1–12,000Price
3 January 1903 BlackpoolA5–21,000Loverseed (2), Capes, Hartshorne, Price
10 January 1903 Woolwich ArsenalH1–14,000Price
17 January 1903 Doncaster RoversA2–33,000Capes, Eardley
24 January 1903 Lincoln CityH5–12,000Capes (3), Price (2)
31 January 1903 Small HeathA1–53,000Price
7 February 1903 Leicester FosseH2–01,000Eardley, Capes
14 February 1903 Manchester CityA1–712,000Hartshorne
28 February 1903 Preston North EndA1–53,000Mullineux
7 March 1903 ChesterfieldH2–1800Rowley, o.g.
21 March 1903 Gainsborough TrinityA1–13,000Capes
28 March 1903 Burton UnitedH4–2500Eardley, unknown, Capes, unknown
30 March 1903 BurnleyH3–1Loverseed, Price, T.Simpson
4 April 1903 Bristol CityA0–32,000
10 April 1903 BarnsleyA0–14,000
11 April 1903 GlossopH1–02,000Price
13 April 1903 Burton UnitedA0–0
18 April 1903 Manchester UnitedA1–28,000Rushton
20 April 1903 BarnsleyH2–0Rushton, Capes

FA Cup

See main article: 1902–03 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
3Q1 November 1902 Stalybridge RoversH3–1Eardley, Price, Capes
4Q15 November 1902 St. Helens RecreationA1–28,000Capes

Birmingham Senior Cup

129 September 1902StokeH0–23,000

Staffordshire Senior Cup

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
122 September 1902StokeH1–1unknown
26 October 1902StokeA3–5unknown

Bass Charity Vase

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
19 March 1902Burton UnitedH1–1poorEardley
Replay18 March 1902Burton UnitedA1–5Coxon

Player statistics

Top scorers

width=60Placewidth=60Positionwidth=180Nationwidth=150Namewidth=80Second Divisionwidth=80FA Cupwidth=80Otherwidth=80Total
1FWAdrian Capes143017
2FWTom Simpson114015
3FWGeorge Price6107
4MFTom Coxon4004
MFBilly Heames2204
6FWDick Allman3003
MFBert Eardley2003
8MFArthur Rowley2002
MFW. Perkins2002
FWHarry Mountford2002
MFJoseph Holyhead1102
12MFHarry Croxton1001
DFErnest Mullineux1001
FWWilliam Loverseed1001
Own goals2002
Unknown0011
TOTALS5412167

Transfers

Transfers in

Date fromPositionNationalityNameFromFeeRef.
May 1902 MF Free transfer [2]
June 1902 DF Free transfer
June 1902 FW Newark Free transfer
September 1902 MF Free transfer
January 1903 MF Free transfer
February 1903 FW East Vale Free transfer
March 1903 DF Burslem Town Free transfer
April 1903 FW Burslem Higherhave Free transfer

Transfers out

Date fromPositionNationalityNameToFeeRef.
September 1902 DF Released
March 1903 DF £500
April 1903 DF Stoke Unknown
Summer 1903 MF Released
Summer 1903 DF Released
Summer 1903 DF Released
Summer 1903 FW Released
Summer 1903 MF Free transfer
Summer 1903 FW Released

References

Specific
General

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, Jeff. The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. 1990. 50–70. The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907). 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.