1945–46 Port Vale F.C. season explained

Club:Port Vale
Season:1945–46
Manager:Billy Frith
Chairman:Tom Flint
Stadium:Old Recreation Ground
League Result:3rd (24 points)
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Third Round
Cup2 Result:8th (14 points)
League Topscorer:Bill Pointon (9)
Season Topscorer:Bill Pointon (19)
Highest Attendance:11,388 vs. Queens Park Rangers, 30 March 1946
Lowest Attendance:2,632 vs. Notts County, 26 January 1946
Average Attendance:7,212
Largest Win:4–0 (twice) and 5–1
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Prevseason:1944–45
Nextseason:1946–47

The 1945–46 season was Port Vale's third and final season of football in the wartime league system of World War II.[1] Despite low expectations the club turned a profit in the Third Division (South) North, finishing third in the initial table. They reached the third round of the FA Cup, though they ended the season with a disappointing finish in the Third Division (South) North Cup. Overall, though, the club were in a healthy position to resume playing in the Football League the following season.

Overview

The Port Vale management was concerned to learn that they were to compete in the Third Division (South) region for the 1945–46 season, which they felt would result in less revenue and greater expenditure than being in the North division, even though they were still somewhat confusingly placed in the North region of the South Division.[1] They appointed 33-year-old former Coventry City half-back Billy Frith as the club's new manager, as predecessor David Pratt was unable to gain release from the Royal Air Force.[1] Again, the playing squad was made up mainly of young players and guests, with Scottish inside-right Isaac McDowell being a regular guest.[1] They opened the campaign with three victories from three games, Ralph Gregory proving a revelation on leave from the Royal Marines, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–3 win at Norwich City.[1] However, seven games without a victory began with the return fixture with Norwich, before they were boosted by the return of the now demobilised goalkeeper Arthur Jepson.[1] They picked up six of a possible eight points in October. They continued their good form until the end of the New Year's Day league programme.[1] They finished in third place with 24 points in 20 games, eight points behind champions Queens Park Rangers.[1]

They progressed past Wellington Town and Liverpool County Combination amateurs Marine to reach the third round of the FA Cup, which was now being played over two legs.[1] They "put up a grand show" against Bradford (Park Avenue) at Park Avenue, losing 2–1.[1] They then had to settle for a 1–1 draw at home, being denied a penalty and then having a goal ruled out for offside late in the game.[1] A 16-game Third Division (South) North Cup series then began, with the top two teams entering the division's semi-finals.[1] Though they fared poorly, they were fortunate enough to have goalkeeper George Heppell demobilised in time to take the place of an injured Arthur Jepson.[1] Tommy Cheadle made his club debut in a 4–1 home victory over Ipswich Town on 2 March.[1] However, this was only one of two victories in the final ten games as Frith experimented with different line-ups to find a winning combination.[1] They ended the season in eighth place, picking up 14 points from 16 games. Bill Pointon was a consistent goalscorer, hitting 19 goals. The club made a profit of £1,265 on the season, having made a healthy £13,475 in gate receipt money.[1] The City Council agreed to extend the lease on the Old Recreation Ground until June 1950, leaving ample time for Vale Park to be constructed.[1]

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Third Division (South) North

Matches

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers
25 August 1945Ipswich TownH3–26,080Pointon, Bellis, Jones
30 August 1945Norwich CityA4–37,507Gregory (3), Allen
1 September 1945Ipswich TownA1–011,512Gregory
3 September 1945Norwich CityH2–27,426Gregory, McDowell
8 September 1945NorthamptonA0–15,815
15 September 1945NorthamptonH0–06,534
19 September 1945Notts CountyA1–35,857McDowell
22 September 1945Queens Park RangersH0–08,382
29 September 1945Queens Park RangersA1–413,797Pointon
6 October 1945Clapton OrientA1–14,817Cumner
13 October 1945Clapton OrientH4–07,791Pointon (2), Bellis, Jones
20 October 1945WatfordH2–17,607Bellis, Pointon
27 October 1945WatfordA2–25,528Allen, Bellis
1 December 1945Mansfield TownA2–13,761McDowell, o.g.
22 December 1945Southend UnitedA0–22,544
24 December 1945Mansfield TownH2–06,000Davies (2)
25 December 1945WalsallA5–15,804Pointon (2), Shore, Davies, Bellis
26 December 1945WalsallH0–111,200
29 December 1945Notts CountyH3–08,200Pointon (2), Bellis
1 January 1946Southend UnitedH1–12,900Shore

FA Cup

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers
R1 Leg 117 November 1944Wellington TownH4–08,700McDowell (2), Pointon, o.g.
R1 Leg 224 November 1944Wellington TownA2–05,056Bellis, McDowell
R2 Leg 18 December 1944MarineH3–15,800Allen (2), Gregory
R2 Leg 215 December 1944MarineA1–15,000Gregory
R3 Leg 15 January 1945Bradford (Park Avenue)A1–213,000Bellis
R3 Leg 27 January 1945Bradford (Park Avenue)H1–111,086Bellis

Third Division (South) North Cup

Matches

!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Scorers
12 January 1946WalsallA1–35,523Bellis
19 January 1946WalsallH1–03,229Cooper
26 January 1946Notts CountyH2–12,632Wootton, Pointon
2 February 1946Notts CountyA2–35,000Pointon, Gardner
9 February 1946Bristol RoversA2–49,500Pointon (2)
16 February 1946Bristol RoversH1–04,554Pointon
23 February 1946Ipswich TownA0–17,500
2 March 1946Ipswich TownH4–13,200Bellis (2), Pointon (2)
9 March 1946Clapton OrientA0–06,197
16 March 1946Clapton OrientH2–28,283Pointon, Bellis
23 March 1946Queens Park RangersA2–413,274Shore, Pointon
30 March 1946Queens Park RangersH0–211,388
6 April 1946Mansfield TownA1–25,777Bellis
13 April 1946Mansfield TownH0–06,768
20 April 1946Southend UnitedH2–17,016Cheadle, Bellis
22 April 1946Southend UnitedA1–18,500Bellis

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos.NameLeagueFA CupRegion CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Arthur Jepson1006040200
GK Harry Prince1000020120
GK George Heppell0000100100
DF Harry Griffiths1806080320
DF Bob Pursell15030100280
DF Jess Sproson20000020
DF Cyril Johnson00001010
DF Tommy Cheadle00009191
DF Roy Felton705030150
DF Stan Kelley00001010
DF Reg Potts40000040
DF Roger Whittle20000020
MF Wilf Smith13060160350
MF Alf Bellis156631273316
MF Murdoch Dickie10000010
MF Bob Allen926290224
MF Billy Buckley10000010
MF Jack Clunn10000010
MF Arthur Cooper19060161411
MF Harold Jervis40000040
MF Frank Pointon60002080
MF Arthur Cumberlidge00002020
MF George Gould30000030
MF Francis Jones52000052
MF Bill McGarry20000020
MF Ted Oldfield2020110150
MF Ted Shore1025091243
MF Dennis Simpson00001010
MF Frank Soo10000010
MF Don Triner00003030
MF Ken Watkin00001010
MF Ernie Willett00001010
FW Ralph Gregory652220107
FW Isaac McDowell1234310176
FW Edward Nutting10001020
FW Bill Pointon139511393119
FW Eric Prince20000020
FW Bert Wright00001010
FW Ellis Birchall20100030
FW Billy Byrne00001010
FW Horace Cumner71000071
FW Eddie Davies532030103
FW Ken Faulkner10000010
FW Fred Gardner00003131
FW Jimmy Hutchinson00001010
FW George James10000010
FW John Lowndes10000010
FW Colin Lyman00004040
FW George Willis00001010
FW Len Wootton9010141251

Top scorers

width=60Placewidth=60Positionwidth=180Nationwidth=150Namewidth=80Third Division Northwidth=80FA Cupwidth=80North Cupwidth=80Total
1FWBill Pointon91919
2MFAlf Bellis63716
3FWRalph Gregory5207
4FWIsaac McDowell3306
5MFBob Allen2204
6MFTed Shore2013
–FWEddie Davies3003
8MFFrancis Jones2002
9FWHorace Cumner1001
–DFTommy Cheadle0011
–MFArthur Cooper0011
–FWFred Gardner0011
–FWLen Wootton0011
–––Own goals1102
TOTALS34122167

Transfers

Transfers in

Date fromPositionNationalityNameFromFeeRef.
August 1945 DF Francis Jones Free transfer [2]
August 1945 DF Free transfer
August 1945 FW Free transfer
September 1945 MF Free transfer
December 1945 MF Helsby Free transfer
January 1946 FW George James Free transfer
March 1946 FW Free transfer
March 1946 DF Free transfer

Transfers out

Date fromPositionNationalityNameToFeeRef.
Autumn 1945 MF Released
1946 MF Harold Jervis Released
1946 DF Francis Jones Released
January 1946 MF Released
May 1946 FW Edward Nutting Released
Summer 1946 MF Billy Buckley Released
Summer 1946 MF Jack Clunn Released
Summer 1946 MF Released
Summer 1946 DF Refused terms
Summer 1946 FW George James Released
Summer 1946 FW Cyril Johnson Released
Summer 1946 DF Released

References

Specific
General

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, Jeff. The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. 1990. 151–171. Creating Sunshine from the Shadows (1939–1950). 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.

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