1944–45 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1944–45 season was Port Vale's second season of football in the wartime league system of World War II.[1] First-team football was reinstated at the Old Recreation Ground for the first time since the 1939–40 season, however success was limited as they finished in the lower reaches of the North Championship and the League North Cup.

Port Vale
1944–45 season
ChairmanTom Flint
ManagerJack Diffin
(October – December)
David Pratt
(December onwards)
StadiumOld Recreation Ground
North First Championship46th (12 points)
North Second Championship54th (12 points)
League North Cup48th (7 points)
Midland CupDid not qualify
Top goalscorerLeague: Alf Bellis, Eric Prince (5 each)
All: Alf Bellis (10)
Highest home attendance17,040 vs. Stoke City, 24 February 1945
Lowest home attendance2,195 vs. Walsall, 23 December 1944
Average home league attendance5,969
Biggest win5–0 vs. Stockport County, 3 March 1945
Biggest defeat1–8 vs. Stoke City, 17 February 1945

Overview

Port Vale resumed first-team football for the first time since the 1939–40 season, entering the North Championship of the war league, which contained 54 teams but required only 18 games to be played by each club.[1] The junior team had been active since this time and the club hoped they could step up to perform at a senior level, supplemented by guest players.[1] A good crowd of 8,768 turned up at the Old Recreation Ground for the season-opener to Birmingham, and a 3–0 victory offered hope of a successful season.[1] However they lost the reverse fixture 4–0 and went on to pick up only one more point by the end of September.[1] Their home performances were generally competent, but they ended the league with only one point on the road. Vale ended the league programme in 46th-place, having accrued just 12 points from their 18 games.[1]

A ten-game series for qualification to the League North Cup began in December and the club appointed David Pratt to manage the players, succeeding director Jack Diffin, though Pratt failed to gain clearance from the Royal Air Force and so never actually took charge of a game.[1] Vale managed to win 3–2 away at Chester on 6 January, but lost six games of the series, including heavy 8–1 and 6–2 defeats to Potteries derby rivals Stoke City.[1] A seven games series of the North Championship followed, which attracted little interest as crowds dwindled. Though Vale managed to beat Stockport County 5–0, they lost five of their seven games, including two further poor defeats at the hands of Stoke City.[1] The season concluded with four games of Midland Cup competition, of which Vale lost three. The opening game of the competition did though see a 3–2 win over Walsall; the Vale line-up included a 16-year old Ronnie Allen and renowned Ireland international Peter Doherty.[1] The club made a profit of £1,262 on the season, thanks to gate receipts of £11,200.[1]

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend
Win Draw Loss

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
45 Accrington Stanley 18 5 2 11 29 46 0.630 12
46 Port Vale 18 5 2 11 22 36 0.611 12
47 Bury 18 5 2 11 28 48 0.583 12
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
26 August 1944BirminghamH3–08,768Kirkaldy (2), Bellis
2 September 1944BirminghamA0–45,970
9 September 1944West Bromwich AlbionA1–27,760E.Prince
16 September 1944West Bromwich AlbionH0–08,134
23 September 1944NorthamptonA1–33,125E.Prince
30 September 1944NorthamptonH1–26,549B.Pointon
7 October 1944Coventry CityH2–06,600Musgrave, E.Prince
14 October 1944Coventry CityA3–45,000Pepper (2), E.Prince
21 October 1944Leicester CityA1–45,770E.Prince
28 October 1944Leicester CityH2–14,070Bellis, McDowell
4 November 1944Aston VillaH2–19,700Bellis, Pointon
11 November 1944Aston VillaA0–48,500
18 November 1944Stoke CityA0–218,000
25 November 1944Stoke CityH3–09,618McDowell, Bellis, P.Griffiths
2 December 1944Wolverhampton WanderersH0–37,500
9 December 1944Wolverhampton WanderersA0–28,493
16 December 1944WalsallA2–22,000Clunn, Bellis
23 December 1944WalsallH1–22,195McDowell

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
53 Swansea Town 20 6 1 13 42 63 0.667 13
54 Port Vale 21 5 2 14 27 60 0.450 12
55 Mansfield Town 12 5 1 6 22 38 0.579 11
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
25 December 1944Crewe AlexandraH1–35,500Ware
30 December 1944Crewe AlexandraA1–25,000McDowell
6 January 1945ChesterA3–22,790Bellis (2), E.Prince
13 January 1945ChesterH0–25,468
30 January 1945WrexhamA0–52,165
3 February 1945Wolverhampton WanderersH2–04,626McDowell, Booth
10 February 1945Wolverhampton WanderersA2–18,548Booth, Bellis
17 February 1945Stoke CityA1–812,644Cardwell
24 February 1945Stoke CityH2–617,040McShane, B.Pointon
17 March 1945WrexhamH1–13,089Bellis

North Second Championship
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
26 December 1944WrexhamA0–47,668
3 March 1945Stockport CountyH5–03,200McShane (2), B.Pointon (2), Hall
10 March 1945Stockport CountyA0–32,000
2 April 1945WrexhamH2–26,079P.Griffiths (2)
28 April 1945Tranmere RoversH0–1small
5 May 1945Stoke CityA0–61,000
9 May 1945Stoke CityH2–45,550Isherwood, H.Griffiths

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
47 Southport 10 3 1 6 19 40 0.475 7
48 Port Vale 10 3 1 6 13 30 0.433 7
49 Bath City 10 3 0 7 28 34 0.824 6
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
Q24 March 1945WalsallH3–25,870Clunn (2), Bellis
Q31 March 1945WalsallA0–21,592
Q7 April 1945Notts CountyH1–45,790F.Pointon
Q14 April 1945Notts CountyA1–23,000Gregory

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name North Championship League North Cup Midland Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Arthur Jepson 00001010
GKEngland Albert Hankey 10300040
GKEngland Ron Mawson 10000010
GKEngland Harry Prince 2307030330
DFEngland Harry Griffiths 2215020291
DFEngland Edwin Blunt 60000060
DFEngland Jack Griffiths 801010100
DFScotland Bob Pursell 80001090
DFEngland Jess Sproson 2209010320
DFEngland Arthur Bateman 308020130
DFEngland Harry Betmead 60000060
DFEngland Louis Cardwell 10611081
DFEngland Stephen Hughes 10000010
DFScotland Jock Lowe 10001020
DFWales John Mills 00100010
DFEngland Cyril Johnson 10000010
MFEngland Wilf Smith 604000100
MFEngland Alf Bellis 13584412510
MFEngland George Hannah 00300030
MFScotland Murdoch Dickie 20000020
MFWales Phil Griffiths 21221053
MFEngland James Tunnicliffe 10100020
MFEngland Bob Allen 20001030
MFEngland Arthur Bailey 20000020
MFEngland Kenneth Banks 10100020
MFEngland William Birks 20100030
MFEngland Jackie Bray 10000010
MFEngland Billy Buckley 30100040
MFEngland Jack Clunn 715032153
MFEngland Arthur Cooper 1706030270
MFScotland Bertie Duffy 00002020
MFEngland Harold Jervis 10000010
MFEngland Jack Kirkaldy 52000052
MFEngland Frank Marsh 10100020
MFEngland Alan Martin 30000030
MFEngland John Maund 10000010
MFScotland Harry McShane 12210033
MFEngland Roy Meredith 20000020
MFEngland David Muir 30000030
MFEngland Jonty Musgrave 41000041
MFEngland Robert Pepper 12000012
MFEngland Frank Pointon 604041141
MFEngland Sid Prince 10000010
MFEngland Joe Wheatley 30000030
FWEngland John Sanderson 10000010
FWEngland George Morrey 20000020
FWEngland Harry Ware 10110021
FWEngland Cecil Booth 00420042
FWNorthern Ireland Peter Doherty 00002020
FWEngland Micky Fenton 00001010
FWEngland Jack Gallon 00001010
FWEngland Ralph Gregory 00001111
FWWales Albert Hall 11000011
FWEngland Leonard Howell 10000010
FWEngland Dennis Isherwood 11000011
FWEngland Harry Lane 1009020210
FWEngland Richard Maudsley 30000030
FWScotland Isaac McDowell 1139220225
FWEngland Bill McKay 10000010
FWEngland James Mee 10000010
FWEngland Roy Meiklem 10000010
FWEngland George Morrey 20000020
FWEngland George Moses 00001010
FWEngland Edward Nutting 10200030
FWEngland Bill Pointon 63111084
FWEngland Eric Prince 1357110216
FWEngland Richard Roberts 20000020
FWEngland John Roden 40002060
FWEngland Dennis Spender 10000010
FWEngland Dennis Wilshaw 10000010
FWEngland Bert Wright 1400000140
FWWales Dick Yates 00100010

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name North First Championship League North Cup North Second Championship Midland Cup Total
1MF EnglandAlf Bellis540110
2FW EnglandEric Prince51006
3FW ScotlandIsaac McDowell32005
4FW EnglandBill Pointon21204
5MF ScotlandHarry McShane01203
–MF WalesPhil Griffiths10203
–MF EnglandJack Clunn10023
8MF EnglandJack Kirkaldy20002
–MF EnglandRobert Pepper20002
–FW EnglandCecil Booth02002
11MF EnglandFrank Pointon00011
–DF EnglandHarry Griffiths00101
–DF EnglandLouis Cardwell01001
–MF EnglandJonty Musgrave10001
–FW EnglandHarry Ware01001
–FW EnglandRalph Gregory00011
–FW WalesAlbert Hall00101
–FW EnglandDennis Isherwood00101
TOTALS 22 13 9 5 49

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
July 1944MFEnglandKenneth BanksFree transfer[2]
August 1944MFEnglandWilliam BirksFree transfer[2]
August 1944FWEnglandRalph GregoryFree transfer[2]
August 1944MFEnglandHarold JervisStoke CityFree transfer[2]
August 1944FWEnglandJames MeeFree transfer[2]
August 1944MFEnglandFrank PointonEndonFree transfer[2]
August 1944GKEnglandHarry PrinceWolverhampton WanderersFree transfer[2]
September 1944MFEnglandJonty MusgraveHartlepools UnitedFree transfer[2]
September 1944MFEnglandRobert PepperStafford Boys' ClubFree transfer[2]
September 1944FWEnglandEric PrinceIpstonesFree transfer[2]
October 1944MFScotlandMurdoch DickiePort ValeFree transfer[2]
October 1944MFScotlandIsaac McDowellScotland CowdenbeathFree transfer[2]
October 1944MFEnglandRoy MeredithFree transfer[2]
December 1944FWEnglandJack ClunnMichelinFree transfer[2]
December 1944MFEnglandSid PrinceMichelinFree transfer[2]
December 1944FWEnglandDennis SpenderRadwayFree transfer[2]
February 1945FWEnglandCecil BoothFree transfer[2]
March 1945FWEnglandLeonard HowellFree transfer[2]
March 1945FWEnglandJohn RodenFree transfer[2]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
1945MFEnglandKenneth BanksReleased[2]
1945MFEnglandRoy MeredithReleased[2]
1945MFEnglandJonty MusgraveReleased[2]
1945FWEnglandDennis SpenderReleased[2]
1945MFEnglandJames TunnicliffeReleased[2]
Summer 1945DFWalesPhil GriffithsReleased[2]
Summer 1945FWEnglandLeonard HowellReleased[2]
Summer 1945MFEnglandSid PrinceIpstonesFree transfer[2]

References
Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "Creating Sunshine from the Shadows (1939–1950)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 151–171. 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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