1948–49 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1948–49 Gordon Hodgson William Holdcroft Old Recreation Ground Football League Third Division South 13th (39 points) FA Cup First Round(eliminated by Notts County) Walter Aveyard (13) Walter Aveyard (13) 18,497 vs. Aldershot, 28 August 1948 7,738 vs. Millwall, 18 December 1948 12,069 3–0 (three games) 1–4 (twice) _collar_buttons_2 _hoops_white ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 000000 1947–48 1949–50 The 1948–49 season was Port Vale's 37th season of football in the English Football League and their fourth full season in the Third Division South.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 Under manager Gordon Hodgson and chairman William Holdcroft. After promising early form, Vale's promotion hopes fizzled out into a mid-table 13th‑place finish, accumulating 39 points from 42 league matches (14 wins, 11 draws, 17 losses). In the FA Cup, Vale were eliminated in the First Round, ending hopes of a cup run early in the season. Walter Aveyard emerged as both league and season top scorer, netting 13 goals. The average home attendance stood at 12,069, with the lowest turnout recorded at 7,738 for the Millwall match on 18 December 1948. Vale's largest victories were 3–0 wins on three separate occasions, while their heaviest defeats came by 4–1 scorelines twice. Overall, the season proved steady but unspectacular, as early promotion ambitions gave way to the realities of inconsistent form and the club's decision to sell Bill Pointon for a then‑club record fee in search of financial and on‑field balance. 200px|thumb|right|Manager Gordon Hodgson during his playing days. Overview Third Division South The pre-season saw the club attempt to sign Huddersfield Town's star forward Peter Doherty when this failed Gordon Hodgson instead signed Liverpool left-wing duo Stan Palk and Mick Hulligan for £10,000. Striker Walter Aveyard was also signed from Birmingham City, despite his belief that a leg injury had finished him. Fans were convinced promotion to the Second Division was possible, as was chairman William Holdcroft. So, there was a surge in season ticket sales. The season started with seven points from the opening four games, leaving the club top of the table. The season-high 18,497 fans that turned up for a 3–0 win over Aldershot were impressed by the skill of the three new signings. This followed on from a 3–0 win over Reading the previous week. They did lose by a goal to nil at Brighton & Hove Albion on 4 September, though Aveyard played most of the game as a passenger after sustaining an injury. Two days later, Vale beat league leaders Swindon Town by two clear goals. The club's good form continued to the end of September, despite the sale of Walter Keeley to Accrington Stanley for £1,500 – who had found himself relegated to the sidelines by Hulligan's good performances. After this Hulligan broke his ankle, whilst other injuries also hit the squad. Six weeks of six defeats in seven games followed, leaving Vale sixth from bottom. During this spell, Joe Dale was offloaded to Witton Albion as Hodgson attempted to fill the gaps in the first-team with young reserves. Winning three games on the trot, the Vale ended this bad spell and kept three clean sheets after Tommy Cheadle was moved to the forward lines to add weight to the attack. Over the Christmas period, talk was dominated by 'The Wembley of the North', which had been projected as an 80,000-capacity stadium, but now it was planned as a 40,000-capacity ground with room for future expansion. Finding just fifty members for the '100 club', the financing was helped by a £8,000 grant from The Football Association. In January, the club initiated a fire-sale of players: Bill Pointon went to Queens Park Rangers for a then-club record five-figure fee, whilst Harry Hubbick was sold to Rochdale for around £1,000. Meanwhile, the club transfer listed Palk, Aveyard, and Eric Eastwood (who all lived outside north Staffordshire); whilst Hulligan returned from injury. A two-month run without a win followed, in which Hodgson again experimented with the first XI. This run finally ended with a 1–0 win over sixth-placed Notts County on 9 April. Nine days later at Ashton Gate, goalkeeper Harry Prince was given a chance in place of injured regular George Heppell, who embarrassed himself by attempting to punch a 40 yd punt from Stone, only to miss the ball entirely and thereby concede the equaliser. Later in the month, Hodgson signed George King from Hull City for a four-figure fee. King scored twice in his debut against Torquay United. The match was marred by a Plainmoor spectator hitting the referee on the head with a stone after he disallowed a penalty. They finished a disappointing 13th, boasting just 39 points. They had scored twelve fewer goals than in the previous campaign. However, their defensive record was identical. Harry Prince's move to Stafford Rangers was the only significant departure of the summer. Finances On the financial side, a large transfer credit helped the club record a gross profit of £7,120. Gate receipts had declined to £25,831, whilst wages had risen to £16,095. The Burslem Supporters Club put forward a donation of £600, and the club issued 22,000 new five shilling shares to help with the New Ground Fund. FA Cup In the FA Cup, Vale were knocked out in the first round by Notts County at Meadow Lane in front of 36,514 spectators. Results Football League Third Division South 1948–49 Football League League table Third Division South y PTV Results by matchday table b Round Ground A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H Result D/W/W/W/L/W/L/W/D/D/L/L/D/L/L/L/L/W/W/W/L/W/W/L/D/W/D/L/D/L/L/L/L/D/D/W/W/L/D/W/L/D Position 9/1/2/1/3/1/3/2/2/5/6/8/10/12/15/17/17/16/15/11/13/9/9/10/10/11/11/11/11/12/12/12/13/13/13/13/12/12/12/12/12/13 Points 1p/3p/5p/7p/7p/9p/9p/11p/12p/13p/13p/13p/14p/14p/14p/14p/14p/16p/18p/20p/20p/22p/24p/24p/25p/27p/28p/28p/29p/29p/29p/29p/29p/30p/31p/33p/35p/35p/36p/38p/38p/39p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1948–1949 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062240/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1948-1949/results 4 March 2016 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 21 August 1948 Millwall 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/millwall-v-port-vale-21-august-1948-168168/ Port Vale Aveyard The Den New Cross, London 32,122 2 23 August 1948 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-reading-23-august-1948-168175/ Reading Aveyard Hulligan Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,394 3 28 August 1948 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-aldershot-28-august-1948-168193/ Aldershot Hulligan Dale Old Recreation Ground Hanley 18,497 4 1 September 1948 Reading 1–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/reading-v-port-vale-01-september-1948-168202/ Port Vale Palk Martin Elm Park Reading, Berkshire 13,955 5 4 September 1948 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/brighton-and-hove-albion-v-port-vale-04-september-1948-168209/ Port Vale Goldstone Ground Hove 20,383 6 6 September 1948 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swindon-town-06-september-1948-168219/ Swindon Town Palk Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley R.L. Aldridge 17,581 7 11 September 1948 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-southend-united-11-september-1948-168236/ Southend United Old Recreation Ground Hanley 16,592 8 15 September 1948 Swindon Town 0–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/swindon-town-v-port-vale-15-september-1948-168246/ Port Vale Allen Aveyard County Ground Swindon G. Clark 16,894 9 18 September 1948 Northampton Town 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/northampton-town-v-port-vale-18-september-1948-168257/ Port Vale Allen Aveyard County Cricket Ground Northampton 9,964 10 25 September 1948 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-norwich-city-25-september-1948-168273/ Norwich City Old Recreation Ground Hanley 15,361 11 2 October 1948 Exeter City 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/exeter-city-v-port-vale-02-october-1948-168283/ Port Vale Bartholomew Martin St James Park Exeter B.M.Griffiths G.W.Pullin, C.P.Jacobs. 10,672 12 9 October 1948 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swansea-town-09-october-1948-168299/ Swansea Town Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,888 13 16 October 1948 Newport County 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/newport-county-v-port-vale-16-october-1948-168306/ Port Vale H. Williams Parker Aveyard Somerton Park Newport, Wales 10,037 14 23 October 1948 Port Vale 1–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-ipswich-town-23-october-1948-168321/ Ipswich Town Aveyard Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,424 15 30 October 1948 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-v-port-vale-30-october-1948-168324/ Port Vale Dean Court Bournemouth 18,436 16 6 November 1948 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-06-november-1948-168343/ Walsall Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,559 17 13 November 1948 Notts County 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/notts-county-v-port-vale-13-november-1948-168351/ Port Vale Aveyard Meadow Lane Nottingham 29,332 18 20 November 1948 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-rovers-20-november-1948-168365/ Bristol Rovers Cheadle Palk Old Recreation Ground Hanley 10,342 19 18 December 1948 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-millwall-18-december-1948-168380/ Millwall Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,738 20 25 December 1948 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-leyton-orient-25-december-1948-168392/ Leyton Orient Allen Pointon Hubbick Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,480 21 27 December 1948 Leyton Orient 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/leyton-orient-v-port-vale-27-december-1948-168399/ Port Vale Brisbane Road Leyton, East London 8,953 22 1 January 1949 Aldershot 0–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/aldershot-v-port-vale-01-january-1949-168406/ Port Vale Pointon Recreation Ground Aldershot 4,510 23 8 January 1949 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-watford-08-january-1949-168418/ Watford Aveyard Allen Thomas Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,681 24 15 January 1949 Port Vale 3–4 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-15-january-1949-168426/ Brighton & Hove Albion Martin Pointon Aveyard Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,562 25 22 January 1949 Southend United 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/southend-united-v-port-vale-22-january-1949-168439/ Port Vale Southend Stadium Southend-on-Sea 9,713 26 5 February 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-northampton-town-05-february-1949-168452/ Northampton Town Allen Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,369 27 12 February 1949 Crystal Palace 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/crystal-palace-v-port-vale-12-february-1949-168456/ Port Vale Cheadle Selhurst Park Selhurst, Croydon 12,409 28 19 February 1949 Norwich City 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/norwich-city-v-port-vale-19-february-1949-168468/ Port Vale Carrow Road Norwich 26,323 29 26 February 1949 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-exeter-city-26-february-1949-168480/ Exeter City og. Durrant Old Recreation Ground Hanley Sandy Griffiths 8,437 30 5 March 1949 Swansea Town 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/swansea-town-v-port-vale-05-march-1949-168490/ Port Vale Allen Vetch Field Swansea 13,769 31 12 March 1949 Port Vale 1–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-newport-county-12-march-1949-168502/ Newport County Hulligan Carr Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,487 32 19 March 1949 Ipswich Town 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/ipswich-town-v-port-vale-19-march-1949-168508/ Port Vale Allen Portman Road Ipswich 10,722 33 26 March 1949 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-26-march-1949-168525/ Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,560 34 30 March 1949 Torquay United 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/torquay-united-v-port-vale-30-march-1949-168528/ Port Vale Plainmoor Torquay 6,483 35 2 April 1949 Walsall 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/walsall-v-port-vale-02-april-1949-168538/ Port Vale Martin Fellows Park Walsall 9,767 36 9 April 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-notts-county-09-april-1949-168552/ Notts County Martin Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,198 37 15 April 1949 Port Vale 4–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-city-15-april-1949-168562/ Bristol City Allen Martin Hulligan Old Recreation Ground Hanley 13,571 38 16 April 1949 Bristol Rovers 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-port-vale-16-april-1949-168566/ Port Vale Aveyard Eastville Stadium Bristol 15,477 39 18 April 1949 Bristol City 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-city-v-port-vale-18-april-1949-168576/ Port Vale Palk Ashton Gate Ashton Gate, Bristol 11,094 40 23 April 1949 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-torquay-united-23-april-1949-168596/ Torquay United King McGarry Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,914 41 30 April 1949 Watford 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/watford-v-port-vale-30-april-1949-168613/ Port Vale Davies Allen Vicarage Road Watford 6,316 42 7 May 1949 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-crystal-palace-07-may-1949-168622/ Crystal Palace Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,821 FA Cup 1948–49 FA Cup R1 27 November 1948 Notts County 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/notts-county-v-port-vale-27-november-1948-209665/ Port Vale Martin Meadow Lane Nottingham 36,514 Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward Third Division South FA Cup GK ENG Ray Hancock 3 0 0 0 GK ENG George Heppell 37 0 1 0 GK ENG Harry Prince 2 0 0 0 FB ENG Garth Butler 33 0 1 0 FB ENG Jim Elsby 1 0 0 0 FB ENG Reg Potts 19 0 0 0 HB ENG Tommy Cheadle 22 2 1 0 HB ENG Eric Eastwood 4 0 0 0 HB ENG Basil Hayward 41 0 1 0 HB ENG Alan Martin 42 6 1 1 HB ENG Bill McGarry 40 1 1 0 HB ENG Wilf Smith 1 0 0 0 HB NIR Jimmy Todd 11 0 0 0 FW ENG Ronnie Allen 40 10 1 0 FW ENG Walter Aveyard 34 13 1 0 FW ENG Alan Bennett 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Mick Hulligan 28 5 0 0 FW ENG Bernard Jones 6 0 1 0 FW ENG George King 2 2 0 0 FW ENG George O'Neill 5 0 0 0 FW ENG Stan Palk 42 4 1 0 FW ENG Pat Raftery 2 0 0 0 FW ENG John Sherratt 2 0 0 0 FW ENG Lewis White 1 0 0 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: FB ENG Harry Hubbick 20 1 1 0 FW ENG Joe Dale 6 1 0 0 FW ENG Bill Pointon 15 5 0 0 FW ENG Walter Keeley 2 0 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameThird Division SouthFA CupTotal1FWEnglandWalter Aveyard130132FWEnglandRonnie Allen100103HBEnglandAlan Martin6174FWEnglandBill Pointon505–FWEnglandMick Hulligan5056FWEnglandStan Palk4047FWEnglandGeorge King202–HBEnglandTommy Cheadle2029FWEnglandHarry Hubbick101–HBEnglandBill McGarry101–FWEnglandJoe Dale101–––Own goals101TOTALS51152 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. May 1948 GK ENG Ray Hancock Bury Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 June 1948 FW ENG Walter Aveyard Birmingham City Free transfer July 1948 FW ENG Mick Hulligan Liverpool £10,000 July 1948 FW ENG Stan Palk Liverpool £10,000 October 1948 FW ENG Bernard Jones Longport Free transfer November 1948 FW ENG George O'Neill Ellesmere Port Town Free transfer November 1948 FW ENG Pat Raftery Ravensdale Free transfer April 1949 FW ENG George King Hull City 'four-figure fee' Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. September 1948 FW ENG Walter Keeley Accrington Stanley £1,500 October 1948 FW ENG Joe Dale Witton Albion 'Cheshire League record fee' January 1949 FB ENG Harry Hubbick Rochdale £1,000 January 1949 FW ENG Bill Pointon Queens Park Rangers 'club record five-figure fee' May 1949 GK ENG Harry Prince Stafford Rangers Released July 1949 FB SCO Bob Pursell Winsford United Free transfer July 1949 FW ENG Lewis White Winsford United Free transfer Summer 1949 FW ENG George O'Neill Released Summer 1949 FW ENG John Sherratt Released References Specific General Kent Jeff The Port Vale Record 1879-1993 Witan Books 1993 0-9508981-9-8 Category:Port Vale F.C. seasons Port Vale