1954–55 Port Vale F.C. season explained

Club:Port Vale
Season:1954–55
Manager:Freddie Steele
Chairman:Fred Burgess
Stadium:Vale Park
League:
League Result:17th (35 Points)
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Fourth Round
League Topscorer:Cyril Done (13)
Season Topscorer:Cyril Done (13)
Highest Attendance:40,066 vs. Stoke City, 25 April 1955
Average Attendance:20,869
Largest Win:4–0 vs. Fulham, 27 December 1954
Largest Loss:1–7 vs. Swansea Town, 16 September 1954
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Pattern So1:_white_hoops_color
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Prevseason:1953–54
Nextseason:1955–56

The 1954–55 season was Port Vale's 43rd season of football in the English Football League and their first season (thirtieth overall) back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division North.[1] The club adapted well to their first second tier campaign since 1935–36, finishing in seventeenth place.

The season saw two club attendance records broken, with a highest average home attendance of 20,708 and the highest Football League attendance at Vale Park, when on 25 April 40,066 turned up for their encounter against Stoke City. It was the first season the two rival clubs met in the same league since 1932–33.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw the players taken on a short outing to Ireland for their exploits the previous season. No major signings took place, and no players of note departed in the summer. Chairman Fred Burgess boasted of his team's loyalty.

The season opened with a 1–0 defeat at The Memorial Stadium to Bristol Rovers, though the team put in 'an encouraging display'. Two days later Vale Park welcomed a crowd of 26,805 for a 1–1 draw with Notts County. When they travelled to the Victoria Ground on 4 September, Stoke City had a 100% win record, but 46,777 locals witnessed a goalless draw between the Potteries clubs. Twelve days later Vale travelled to Vetch Field, where they lost 7–1 to Swansea Town, a team they had beaten 1–0 just ten days earlier. This occurred because Tommy Cheadle and Stan Turner had to leave the game before half-time with injuries. The heavy defeat seemed to have destroyed the reputation of 'the Steele Curtain', as the team would have to wait another fourteen matches before holding a clean sheet. During this time manager Freddie Steele switched tactics from a defensive set-up to 'a semi-continental style' in the hunt for goals. Five straight losses followed, as the players struggled to adapt. Also lost was their record of 42 home games without a loss when on 18 September 1954, Blackburn Rovers claimed a 3–0 victory. Basil Hayward dropped from the first XI, they failed to beat strugglers Ipswich Town as the club hovered above the relegation zone. A win at the City Ground sustained them until two home wins came in late-December. In December Cyril Done, an experienced striker was signed from Tranmere Rovers for a four-figure fee.

On 5 February, strugglers Derby County thrashed the Vale 6–1 at the Baseball Ground. However, Vale's poor away record failed to deter a strong contingent of Vale fans from following the club around the country dressed in fancy dress. The following month, aggressive young forward Len Stephenson was signed from Blackpool. He impressed with his performances. Three defeats left the Vale in a relegation dogfight, but seven points from the first five games in April proved very useful. On 8 April, Done put four past his former club Liverpool in a 4–3 win. Three days later he scored a penalty at Anfield to earn a 1–1 draw. On 25 April, more than 40,000 turned up to Vale Park to witness the "Potters" claim a 1–0 victory. Vale won their final two games, including a 1–0 win over Rotherham United that denied the "Millers" a place in the top flight.

They finished in seventeenth place, seven points clear of relegation but nineteen short of promotion. With 48 goals, only Hull City scored fewer goals. Cyril Done was the only consistent scorer and was the top scorer for both Vale and Tranmere, having scored twice as many league goals as the next-highest scorer at both clubs.

Finances

On the financial side, a scant profit of £141 was recorded despite a club-record average home attendance of 20,708. The £6,850 spent to bolster the forward line had swallowed up most of the profits. The Supporters' Club therefore announced it would raise £5,000 – £1,500 of which would go towards the terracing on the Bycars End. Reserve team players Mick Hulligan and Len Barber were allowed to leave for Northwich Victoria on free transfers.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, the "Valiants" drew 2–2 with West Ham United at Upton Park after going two goals behind. Vale won the replay 3–1 and were drawn against First Division Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in the Fourth Round. A crowd of 50,684 saw an exciting game in which four "Spurs" goals wiped out a Ken Griffiths brace.

League table

See main article: 1954–55 Football League.

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
21 August 1954 Bristol RoversA0–132,367
23 August 1954 Notts CountyH1–126,805Sproson
28 August 1954 Plymouth ArgyleH1–025,038Leake
2 September 1954 Notts CountyA1–117,723Cunliffe
4 September 1954 Stoke CityA0–046,777
6 September 1954 Swansea TownH1–018,603Hayward
16 September 1954 Swansea TownA1–722,265Leake
18 September 1954 Derby CountyH3–022,777Askey, Cunliffe, Griffiths
25 September 1954 West Ham UnitedA0–225,155
27 September 1954 Doncaster RoversA0–112,818
2 October 1954 Blackburn RoversH0–325,619
9 October 1954 Lincoln CityH1–319,724Cunliffe
16 October 1954 Hull CityA1–223,892Hayward
23 October 1954 Ipswich TownH3–314,532Leake, Hayward, Smith
30 October 1954 Nottingham ForestA3–215,654Leake, Hayward, Cunliffe
6 November 1954 Leeds UnitedH0–116,062
13 November 1954 BuryA2–212,917Smith, Hayward
20 November 1954 MiddlesbroughH1–116,753Askey
27 November 1954 Birmingham CityA2–716,352Hayward, Mullard (pen)
4 December 1954 Luton TownH1–114,052o.g.
11 December 1954 Rotherham UnitedA0–312,850
18 December 1954 Bristol RoversH1–016,434Griffiths
25 December 1954 FulhamA1–317,519Askey
27 December 1954 FulhamH4–029,415Smith (2), Leake, Cunliffe
1 January 1955 Plymouth ArgyleA0–014,371
22 January 1955 Doncaster RoversH1–116,323Done
5 February 1955 Derby CountyA1–619,882Done
12 February 1955 West Ham UnitedH1–112,621Done
19 February 1955 Blackburn RoversA1–224,965Done
5 March 1955 Hull CityH3–016,658Done (2), Griffiths
12 March 1955 Ipswich TownA0–112,970
19 March 1955 Nottingham ForestH1–217,586Stephenson
26 March 1955 Leeds UnitedA0–38,831
2 April 1955 BuryH1–014,228Griffiths
8 April 1955 LiverpoolH4–324,029Done (4 [1 pen])
9 April 1955 MiddlesbroughA0–217,795
11 April 1955 LiverpoolA1–136,285Done (pen)
16 April 1955 Birmingham CityH2–024,036Askey, Done
23 April 1955 Luton TownA2–416,704Done, Griffiths
25 April 1955 Stoke CityH0–140,066
30 April 1955 Rotherham UnitedH1–025,271Smith
4 May 1955 Lincoln CityA1–07,044Smith

FA Cup

See main article: 1954–55 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R38 January 1955 West Ham UnitedA2–220,364Smith, Cunliffe
R3 Replay10 January 1955 West Ham UnitedH3–111,963Leake, Cunliffe, Smith
R429 January 1955 Tottenham HotspurA2–450,684Griffiths (2)

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos.NameFootball LeagueFA CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Ray King41030440
GK Ray Hancock100010
DF Tommy Cheadle26000260
DF Reg Potts42030450
DF Stan Turner42030450
DF Roy Sproson42130451
DF Fred Donaldson100010
MF Mick Hulligan100010
MF Alan Bennett400040
MF Albert Leake27531306
MF John Cunliffe40532437
MF Derek Mountford200020
MF Albert Mullard37130401
MF Colin Askey39430424
FW Basil Hayward30630336
FW Ken Griffiths30532337
FW Derek Tomkinson400040
FW Len Barber200020
FW Len Stephenson10100101
FW Stan Smith23632268
FW Cyril Done1813001813
FW Mike Moran000000

Top scorers

width=60Placewidth=60Positionwidth=180Nationwidth=150Namewidth=80Second Divisionwidth=80FA Cupwidth=80Total
1FWCyril Done13013
2FWStan Smith)628
3FWKen Griffiths527
MFJohn Cunliffe527
5FWBasil Hayward606
MFAlbert Leake516
7MFColin Askey404
8DFRoy Sproson101
MFAlbert Mullard101
FWLen Stephenson101
Own goals101
TOTALS48755

Transfers

Transfers in

Date fromPositionNationalityNameFromFeeRef.
December 1954 FW 'four figure fee' [2]
10 March 1955 FW £5,000

Transfers out

Date fromPositionNationalityNameToFeeRef.
July 1955 FW Free transfer
July 1955 MF Northwich Victoria Free transfer
Summer 1955 DF Released
Summer 1955 DF Wereton Queen's Park Free transfer
Summer 1955 FW Free transfer

References

Specific
General

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, Jeff. The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. 1990. 171–196. Fame and Fortune (1950–1959). 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.