2001–02 Port Vale F.C. season explained

Club:Port Vale
Season:2001–02
Manager:Brian Horton
Chairman:Bill Bell
Stadium:Vale Park
League:Football League Second Division
League Result:14th (58 Points)
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Second Round
(knocked out by Cardiff City)
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:Second Round
Cup3:Football League Trophy
Cup3 Result:Area Quarter-finalists
(knocked out by Hull City)
Cup4 Result:Mark Goodlad
League Topscorer:Stephen McPhee (11)
Season Topscorer:Stephen McPhee (14)
Highest Attendance:10,344 vs. Stoke City, 21 October 2001
Average Attendance:5,210
Largest Loss:0–3 (three games)
Pattern La1:_shoulder_stripes_black_stripes
Pattern B1:_collarblack
Pattern Ra1:_shoulder_stripes_black_stripes
Pattern Sh1:_white_stripes
Pattern So1:_black_hoops_color
Leftarm1:ffffff
Body1:ffffff
Rightarm1:ffffff
Shorts1:000000
Socks1:ffffff
Prevseason:2000–01
Nextseason:2002–03

The 2001–02 season was Port Vale's 90th season of football in the English Football League and second-successive season (39th overall) in the Second Division. On the pitch, Vale finished in mid-table whilst exiting both the FA Cup and the League Cup in the second round, and the Football League Trophy at the Area Quarter-finals. Behind the scenes, the club was heading for administration.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw Brian Horton sign numerous bit-part players on free transfers: Ashley Dodd (Manchester United); Ian Armstrong (Liverpool); Phil Hardy (an eleven-year Wrexham veteran); Rae Ingram (Macclesfield Town); and Alex Gibson (Stoke City). He also signed Stephen McPhee from Coventry City, who would go on to become a key player for the club.

The season opened with six points from three games, though this was followed by just one point from six games. In September, after failing to secure Paul Hall's signature, New Zealand international striker Chris Killen was signed on loan from Manchester City. Simon Osborn also joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a one-month contract,[1] before he moved on to Gillingham. In October, Steve Torpey was allowed to join Scarborough on a one-month loan. Arriving in Burslem was Sean McClare, who joined on a one-month loan from Barnsley,[2] before signing permanently when the loan deal finished. Frenchman Johan Gallon also had a trial at the club but was not offered a contract. On 21 October, Vale played rivals Stoke City, and McPhee scored for Vale, before Chris Iwelumo buried a late equaliser for the "Potters".[3] The next month Danny Webber was taken in on loan from Manchester United.[4] Vale continued through the Christmas period in inconsistent form, despite the arrival of 36-year-old John Durnin.[5] In January, Mvondo Atangana became the first Cameroonian to play for the Vale, when he joined on loan from Dundee United – he would only play two games before picking up a serious injury.[6] Meanwhile, Richard Burgess was allowed to join Nuneaton Borough permanently. Vale then went on a sequence of seven wins in eight games to shoot up the table, including a 1–0 win over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium thanks to a Micky Cummins header,[7] as Horton was named Manager of the Month.[8] The 23,019 attendance at Stoke was the highest at any match in the division during the season. In contrast, the lowest attendance figure was the 2,379 that saw the 1–0 win at Cambridge United three days later.[9] This run raised hopes of a play-off bid.[10] It also encouraged chairman Bill Bell to offer new contracts to the management team (Horton, Grew, Foyle and Glover), as well as seven players. Horton was also awarded the Manager of the Month award for February. However, Vale finished poorly, winning just one of their final eleven games.

Vale finished in fourteenth place with 58 points, quite some distance from either the play-offs or the relegation zone. The team lost 14 of their 23 league games away from home. Stoke finished nine places and 22 points above the Vale and won promotion via the play-offs, never to meet the Vale again for the rest of the decade. McPhee hit fourteen goals to become the club's top-scorer, with Brooker and Cummins close behind in the scoring charts. Cummins was also an ever-present. Overworked goalkeeper Mark Goodlad was voted Player of the Year.

At the end of the season, numerous players were allowed to leave on free transfers: Sagi Burton (Crewe Alexandra); George O'Callaghan (Cork City); Danny Maye (Southend United); Paul Donnelly (Stone Dominoes); Steve Torpey (Prescot Cables); and Phil Hardy. Durnin also turned his hand to coaching, and was appointed as the club's under-17 coach.[11]

Finances

The collapse of ITV Digital cost the club £400,000 in revenue.[12] Chairman Bill Bell announced a 30% cut in the players' wage budget at the end of the campaign.[12] These ominous warnings belied a financial crisis that would hit the club hard the following season.[12] In August, former chairman Jim Lloyd returned to the club as a director. The next month, Chief Executive Dave Jolley was sacked. A Charles Machin-led consortium made a £1 million bid for the club in December but was turned away by Bill Bell, who claimed that Valiant2001 "won't last three months". Later that month, former commercial director Neil Hughes was arrested for fraud allegedly stealing £20,000 from the club, but he denied the offence. The club's debt stood at £1.7 million in February. The next month, the Football Association's compliance unit began investigating the club but found no wrongdoing. The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale avoided losing to a non-League club for the second successive season by beating Aylesbury United 3–0 at Vale Park.[13] They had been held by the "Ducks" 0–0 at half-time, and the non-League side seemed to have taken the lead on 52 minutes until captain Scott Honeyball's headed goal was disallowed for an infringement; Burgess then put the Vale ahead two minutes later before Cummins and Brooker made the game safe.[14] They exited at the second round after a 3–0 defeat to Cardiff City at Ninian Park.[15]

In the League Cup, for the second consecutive season, Vale faced Third Division Chesterfield in the first round, this time, however, the two-legged format was scrapped in favour of a standard knock-out tournament structure. Vale progressed with a 2–1 win thanks to a brace from McPhee. It was a bad-tempered affair, with three sendings-off.[16] Facing Premier League Charlton Athletic at The Valley in the second round, Alan Curbishley's men eliminated the Vale with a 2–0 win.

In the Football League Trophy, Vale advanced past Carlisle United and Rochdale to reach the Area Quarter-finals. where they faced Hull City at Boothferry Park. The "Tigers" eliminated the "Valiants" with a 2–1 win.[17]

League table

See main article: 2001–02 Football League.

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
11 August 2001 Notts CountyH4–26,076O'Callaghan (2), McPhee, Dodd
18 August 2001 BrentfordA0–24,561
25 August 2001 Peterborough UnitedH4–14,925Hardy, Cummins, Brooker, McPhee
27 August 2001 Colchester UnitedA0–23,611
1 September 2001 ReadingH0–25,196
8 September 2001 Bristol CityA1–112,560O'Callaghan
15 September 2001 Queens Park RangersA1–49,295Brooker
18 September 2001 Swindon TownH0–23,737
22 September 2001 Northampton TownH0–14,419
25 September 2001 WrexhamA3–13,091McPhee (2), Killen
29 September 2001 Wycombe WanderersA1–35,714Killen
5 October 2001 Cambridge UnitedH5–04,119Killen (2), Cummins, Armstrong, Brooker
13 October 2001 ChesterfieldA1–14,348Brooker
21 October 2001 Stoke CityH1–110,344McPhee
24 October 2001 Cardiff CityH0–24,552
27 October 2001 Wigan AthleticA1–05,634Killen
3 November 2001 BuryH1–04,688Killen
10 November 2001 Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–16,648
20 November 2001 BournemouthA0–04,428
24 November 2001 Huddersfield TownH1–15,026Cummins
1 December 2001 BlackpoolH1–15,390Cummins
15 December 2001 Tranmere RoversA1–37,859Cummins
21 December 2001 Oldham AthleticA0–24,317
26 December 2001 Bristol CityH1–05,682McPhee
29 December 2001 Colchester UnitedH3–14,444Armstrong, Rowland, Brooker
1 January 2002 ReadingA0–210,743
8 January 2002 Peterborough UnitedA0–33,747
12 January 2002 BrentfordH2–14,588McPhee (pen), Armstrong
19 January 2002 Notts CountyA3–16,006Brooker (2), McPhee (pen)
22 January 2002 Oldham AthleticH3–24,408McClare, Brooker, McPhee
2 February 2002 Wycombe WanderersH1–14,737Durnin
10 February 2002 Stoke CityA1–023,019Cummins
13 February 2002 Cambridge UnitedA1–02,379McPhee
16 February 2002 ChesterfieldH4–15,529Cummins (2), Bridge-Wilkinson (2)
23 February 2002 Queens Park RangersH1–06,228Bridge-Wilkinson
26 February 2002 Northampton TownA0–15,155
2 March 2002 Swindon TownA0–35,867
5 March 2002 WrexhamH1–34,436McPhee
9 March 2002 Tranmere RoversH1–14,630Bridge-Wilkinson
16 March 2002 BlackpoolA0–47,811
23 March 2002 BuryA1–13,700Bridge-Wilkinson
30 March 2002 Wigan AthleticH1–04,359Brooker
1 April 2002 Cardiff CityA0–115,556
6 April 2002 BournemouthH0–03,514
13 April 2002 Huddersfield TownA1–212,270Bridge-Wilkinson
20 April 2002 Brighton & Hove AlbionH0–18,812

FA Cup

See main article: 2001–02 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R117 November 2001 Aylesbury UnitedH3–04,956Burgess, Cummins, Brooker
R28 December 2001 Cardiff CityA0–39,650

League Cup

See main article: 2001–02 Football League Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R121 August 2001 ChesterfieldH2–12,723McPhee (2)
R212 September 2001 Charlton AthleticA0–27,247

Football League Trophy

See main article: 2001–02 Football League Trophy.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers
R116 October 2001 Carlisle UnitedH2–12,664Armstrong, Brooker
R230 October 2001 RochdaleA2–11,639Burton (pen), Armstrong
RQF4 December 2001 Hull CityA1–25,326McPhee

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos.NameFootball LeagueFA CupLeague CupFootball League TrophyTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK1 Mark Goodlad430202030500
DF2 Matt Carragher410202020470
DF3 Phil Hardy81002000101
MF4 Sean McClare231100010251
DF5 Michael Walsh280001000290
DF6 Sagi Burton370201021421
MF7 Neil Brisco370102030430
MF8 Micky Cummins468212030539
FW9 Steve Brooker4192120314811
FW10 Stephen McPhee44112020315114
MF11 Marc Bridge-Wilkinson196000000196
GK12 Dean Delany4000000040
GK13 Chris Gowan0000000000
DF14 Rae Ingram220202020280
MF16 Ashley Dodd91201010131
MF17 Ian Armstrong313100022345
MF18 George O'Callaghan113102020153
DF19 Alex Gibson1000001020
DF20 Paul Donnelly6000002080
DF21 Liam Burns340201020390
DF22 Paul Taylor0000000000
DF23 Steve Rowland251200020291
MF24 Ben Simpson0000000000
MF25 Danny Maye2000001030
FW26 Billy Paynter7010000080
FW27 Steve Torpey1000000010
MF28 Chris Birchall1000100020
MF30 John Durnin191000000191
Players that left the club mid-season:
MF4 Simon Osborn7000100080
FW15 Richard Burgess2011000031
FW15 Mvondo Atangana2000000020
FW29 Chris Killen96000010106
FW29 Danny Webber4000001050
DF30 Paul Byrne1000001020

Top scorers

width=60Placewidth=60Positionwidth=180Nationwidth=60Numberwidth=150Namewidth=80Second Divisionwidth=80FA Cupwidth=80League Cupwidth=80Football League Trophywidth=80Total
1FW10Stephen McPhee1102114
2FW9Steve Brooker910111
3MF8Micky Cummins81009
4FW29Chris Killen60006
–FWMarc Bridge-Wilkinson60006
6MF17Ian Armstrong30025
7MF18George O'Callaghan30003
8DF232Steve Rowland10001
–DF3Phil Hardy10001
–MF4Sean McClare10001
–MF30John Durnin10001
–MF16Ashley Dodd10001
–DF6Sagi Burton00011
–FW15Richard Burgess01001
–––Own goals00000
TOTALS5132561

Transfers

Transfers in

Date fromPositionNationalityNameFromFeeRef.
May 2001 MF Free transfer [18]
June 2001 DF Free transfer
June 2001 DF Free transfer
June 2001 DF Free transfer
July 2001 FW Free transfer
August 2001 FW Free transfer
Summer 2001 MF Liverpool Free transfer
September 2001 MF Free transfer
29 November 2001 MF Free transfer
December 2001 MF Free transfer

Transfers out

Date fromPositionNationalityNameToFeeRef.
October 2001 MF Free transfer
January 2002 FW Free transfer
April 2002 MF Free transfer
April 2002 DF Released
May 2002 MF Free transfer
May 2002 FW Free transfer
June 2002 MF Free transfer
July 2002 DF Free transfer
July 2002 DF Free transfer
August 2002 DF Free transfer

Loans in

Date fromPositionNationalityNameFromDate toRef.
23 September 2001 FW 23 November 2001
19 October 2001 MF 28 November 2001
23 November 2001 FW 31 December 2001
18 January 2002 FW 18 February 2002

Loans out

References

Specific
General

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vale sign Osborn. 5 September 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  2. Web site: McClare's loan extension hope. 26 November 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  3. Web site: Port Vale 1-1 Stoke. 21 October 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  4. Web site: Webber joins Vale on loan. 29 November 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  5. Web site: Vale offer Durnin a chance. 18 December 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  6. Web site: Atangana blow for Vale. 5 February 2002. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  7. Web site: Stoke 0-1 Port Vale. 10 February 2002. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  8. Web site: Horton Rewarded for Fab Feb . LMA . 12 April 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131127062830/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/news/news-1860.html . 27 November 2013 .
  9. Book: Rothmans football yearbook 2002-03 . 2002 . London : Headline . 978-0-7553-1099-9 . 27 November 2022.
  10. Web site: Port Vale push on. 21 February 2002. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  11. Web site: Durnin lands Vale role. 22 May 2002. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  12. News: Clubs in Crisis. 8 November 2011. BBC Inside Out. 21 October 2002.
  13. Web site: Port Vale 3-0 Aylesbury. 17 November 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  14. Web site: Port Vale 3-0 Aylesbury United. aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. 23 March 2018.
  15. Web site: Cardiff 3-0 Port Vale. 8 December 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  16. Web site: Port Vale 2-1 Chesterfield. 21 August 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  17. Web site: Hull 2-1 Port Vale. 4 December 2001. BBC Sport. 18 January 2011.
  18. Web site: Port Vale FC Club Details Transfers Soccer Base. www.soccerbase.com. 7 October 2016.

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