1918–19 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1918–19 season was Port Vale's third season of football after going into abeyance during World War I.[1] They finished 12th in the Football League Lancashire Section, going on to finish bottom of their group in the Subsidiary Tournament. The club applied to join the Football League in March, but were unsuccessful.

Port Vale
1918–19 season
ChairmanFrank Huntbach
ManagerJock Cameron
(until January)
Joe Schofield
(January onwards)
StadiumOld Recreation Ground
Football League Lancashire Section12th (24 points)
Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament4th (3 points)
Top goalscorerLeague: Harry Howell (6)
All: Harry Howell (9)
Highest home attendance16,000 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919
Lowest home attendance2,000 vs. Blackpool, 28 September 1918
Average home league attendance5,772
Biggest win4–1 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919
Biggest defeat1–8 vs. Stoke, 12 October 1918

Overview

With Tom Holford largely unavailable, Jock Cameron was promoted to captain and team manager.[1] The squad had to be made up largely of players available and willing to play, with only the Pearson brothers (Harry and Albert) offering much in the way of continuity from the previous campaign.[1] The team started with a four-game unbeaten run, only to pick up one point from their next six games.[1] The poor run included an embarrassing 8–1 defeat by Stoke at the Old Recreation Ground.[1] The war was drawing to a close, ending on 11 November, but not before claiming the lives of Bob Suart and Jack Shelton.[1] Vale beat bottom-club Burnley 4–2 five days later, and began to be strengthened by first-team players who returned from their wartime duties – as were every other club however.[1] From this point Vale began winning their home games but losing their away matches, ending this run with a 2–0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on 18 January – the first away win of the campaign.[1] A sign of things returning to normal was the sale of Albert Pearson to Liverpool in January.[1]

As players again started to be paid their regular wage, the Football League began a tax on rich clubs to support poorer clubs, which benefited Vale to the tune of £71.[1] Eager to win a place in the expanding Football League the following season, Vale appointed former England international Joe Schofield as team secretary in January.[1] Four straight wins around new year was followed by four straight defeats in February, though attendances began to rise again back to regular peacetime levels.[1] On 10 March the Football League held a vote on which clubs to admit for the 1919–20 season and Vale were disappointed to only tally 27 votes, leaving Stoke, West Ham United, South Shields, Rotherham County and Coventry City as the successful applicants.[1] Vale also ended the league programme with eight defeats in their last ten matches, losing heavily to Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers.[1] They ended the season 12th out of 16 teams, scoring 39 goals whilst conceding 77.[1] The club set up a Supporters' club in April with 220 members each contributing a shilling subscription.[1] Vale again fared poorly in the six game Subsidiary Tournament, losing four and winning only once.[1] They did end in positive fashion though, beating Potteries derby rivals Stoke 4–1 in front of a season-high crowd of 16,000.[1]

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
11 Blackpool 30 10 5 15 45 61 0.738 25
12 Port Vale 30 10 4 16 39 77 0.506 24
13 Burnley 30 10 3 17 54 76 0.711 23

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
7 September 1918BuryA1–1Rogers
14 September 1918BuryH2–1McCarthy, Lyons
21 September 1918BlackpoolA1–1Davies
28 September 1918BlackpoolH1–12,000A.Pearson
5 October 1918StokeA2–3Foster (2)
12 October 1918StokeH1–8Davies
19 October 1918Stockport CountyA0–33,000
26 October 1918Stockport CountyH2–2Blood, H.Pearson
2 November 1918LiverpoolH0–25,000
9 November 1918LiverpoolA0–414,000
16 November 1918BurnleyH4–24,000H.Pearson, Salt, Cope, o.g.
23 November 1918BurnleyA1–44,000Fitchford
30 November 1918Southport VulcanH2–0Kelly, A.Pearson
7 December 1918Southport VulcanA0–4
14 December 1918Manchester UnitedH3–14,000Burgess, Garner, Brennan
21 December 1918Manchester UnitedA1–55,000H.Pearson (pen)
28 December 1918Bolton WanderersH3–15,000o.g., Fitchford, Asbury
11 January 1919Preston North EndH1–04,000Burgess
18 January 1919Preston North EndA2–0Cameron, Burgess
25 January 1919RochdaleH2–03,000Howell, Burgess
1 February 1919RochdaleA0–23,500
8 February 1919EvertonH0–110,000
15 February 1919EvertonA1–320,000Howell
22 February 1919Oldham AthleticA0–65,875
1 March 1919Oldham AthleticH3–15,301Brennan, Howell, Hill
8 March 1919Manchester CityA1–614,000Howell
15 March 1919Manchester CityH1–58,500Fitchford
22 March 1919Blackburn RoversH3–25,000Howell (2), Fitchford
29 March 1919Blackburn RoversA0–65,000
18 April 1919Bolton WanderersA1–220,000Hill (pen)

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
2 Stoke 6 2 2 2 9 10 0.900 6
3 Manchester United 6 2 0 4 9 14 0.643 4
4 Port Vale 6 1 1 4 9 13 0.692 3

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
5 April 1919Manchester UnitedH1–36,000J.Parker
12 April 1919Manchester UnitedA1–28,000J.Parker
19 April 1919Manchester CityH0–18,000
21 April 1919StokeA2–2Briscoe, Brennan
26 April 1919Manchester CityA1–420,000Howell
28 April 1919StokeH4–116,000Howell (2), o.g., Joe Smith

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name League Subsidiary Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Jonathan Hammond 28060340
GKEngland F Clements 100010
GKEngland John Dennis 100010
DFScotland Jock Cameron 710071
DFEngland George Holmes 20000200
DFEngland Tom Lyons 25150301
DFEngland Harry Pearson 29360353
DFEngland Edgar Bentley 11020130
DFEngland W Dalton 100010
DFEngland Eli Fletcher 001010
DFEngland W Garner 110011
DFEngland Harry Leese 105060
DFEngland Ben Marsden 600060
DFEngland Andie Newton 103040
DFEngland Fred Parker 600060
DFEngland J Taylor 801090
MFEngland G Arrowsmith 11000110
MFEngland Tom Holford 001010
MFEngland Joe Daley 800080
MFEngland James Hill 12240162
MFEngland William Ashmole 001010
MFEngland E Bell 100010
MFEngland Albert Broadhouse 6040100
MFEngland Sammy Brooks 100010
MFEngland W Brooks 100010
MFEngland Billy Fitchford 13430164
MFEngland H Hale 200020
MFEngland J Kelly 210021
MFEngland F Langley 10010110
MFEngland Arthur McGarry 7050120
MFEngland J McGarry 100010
MFEngland Walter Rowley 200020
MFEngland Alf Smith 12000120
MFEngland Jack Smith 500050
MFEngland Walter Watson 001010
FWEngland David Bowcock 100010
FWEngland Tom Brennan 11221133
FWEngland Billy Briscoe 103141
FWEngland Jack Foster 14210152
FWEngland Albert Pearson 19200192
FWEngland Arthur Rogers 310031
FWEngland J Asbury 210021
FWEngland Bobby Blood 410041
FWEngland J Bradbury 100010
FWEngland David Brown 100010
FWEngland Dick Burgess 740074
FWEngland G Cooper 100010
FWEngland A Cope 110011
FWEngland Tom Davies 420042
FWScotland Alex Donaldson 001010
FWEngland A Floyd 002020
FWEngland W Gould 100010
FWEngland Harry Howell 9623119
FWEngland F McCarthy 510051
FWEngland J Parker 403272
FWEngland A Salt 110011
FWEngland Joe Smith 001111
FWEngland Bob Whittingham 002020

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name League Subsidiary Total
1FW EnglandHarry Howell639
2FW EnglandDick Burgess404
MF EnglandBilly Fitchford404
4FW EnglandHarry Pearson303
FW EnglandTom Brennan213
6FW EnglandTom Davies202
FW EnglandJack Foster202
MF EnglandJames Hill202
DF EnglandAlbert Pearson202
FW EnglandJ Parker022
11FW EnglandA Cope101
FW EnglandA Salt101
DF EnglandTom Lyons101
DF ScotlandJock Cameron101
FW EnglandBobby Blood101
FW EnglandArthur Rogers101
MF EnglandJ Kelly101
DF EnglandW Garner101
FW EnglandF McCarthy101
FW EnglandJoe Smith011
FW EnglandBilly Briscoe011
FW EnglandJ Asbury101
Own goals212
TOTALS 39 9 48

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
1918DFEnglandBen MarsdenFree transfer[2]
Summer 1918FWEnglandF McCarthyFree transfer[2]
Autumn 1918MFEnglandArthur McGarryFree transfer[2]
Autumn 1918DFEnglandJ TaylorFree transfer[2]
November 1918FWEnglandJ ParkerLongtonFree transfer[2]
December 1918FWEnglandDick BurgessFree transfer[2]
April 1919MFEnglandAndie NewtonManchester CityFree transfer[2]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
Autumn 1918MFEnglandJoe DaleyReleased[2]
October 1918FWEnglandF McCarthyStafford RangersFree transfer[2]
November 1918MFEnglandAlf SmithReleased[2]
1919FWEnglandTom DaviesReleased[2]
1919FWEnglandArthur RogersReleased[2]
January 1919FWEnglandAlbert PearsonLiverpoolTransfer[2]
February 1919FWEnglandDick BurgessArsenalFree transfer[2]
Summer 1919MFEnglandG ArrowsmithReleased[2]
Summer 1919GKEnglandJohn DennisReleased[2]
Summer 1919FWEnglandA FloydReleased[2]
Summer 1919FWEnglandJack FosterReleased[2]
Summer 1919DFEnglandGeorge HolmesWales Merthyr TydfilReleased[2]
Summer 1919DFEnglandHarry LeeseCrewe AlexandraReleased[2]
Summer 1919FWEnglandJ ParkerReleased[2]
Summer 1919MFEnglandJack SmithReleased[2]
Summer 1919DFEnglandJ TaylorReleased[2]

References

Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hard Road Back (1907–1919)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 71–97. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
  • Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.
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