1903–04 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Burslem Port Vale 1903–04 Sam Gleaves Secretary Robert Audley Athletic Ground Football League Second Division 13th (29 points) FA Cup First Round(eliminated by Southampton) Birmingham Senior Cup First Round(eliminated by Stoke) Staffordshire Senior Cup First Round(eliminated by Stoke) Adrian Capes (14) Adrian Capes (17) 5,000 vs Bristol City, 26 December 1903 500 vs Grimsby Town, 13 February 1904 2,250+ 6–0 vs. Stockport County, 19 November 1903 0–5 vs. Bolton Wanderers, 2 January 1904 _blue_stripes _bluestripes _blue_stripes 800000 800000 800000 ffffff 800000 1902–03 1904–05 The 1903–04 season was Burslem Port Vale's sixth consecutive season (tenth overall) of football in the English Football League.Kent Jeff The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale Witan Books 1990 50–70 The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907) 0-9508981-4-7 The club played home fixtures at the Athletic Ground under the direction of manager‑secretary Sam Gleaves and chairman Robert Audley. Vale finished 13th in the Second Division with 29 points (10 wins, 9 draws, 15 losses), scoring 54 goals and conceding 52. Remarkably, they went the entire season without registering a single away win, part of a club record of 29 successive away matches without victory. In cup competition, Vale were eliminated in the First Round of the FA Cup by Southampton, and suffered first‑round exits in both the Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Senior Cup, losing to Stoke in each case. The club's leading scorer was Adrian Capes, with 14 league goals and 17 across all competitions. Attendances peaked at approximately 5,000 spectators for the festive fixture against Bristol City on 26 December 1903, while the lowest recorded crowd was just 500 for the match against Grimsby Town on 13 February 1904, giving an average attendance of around 2,250. The season also witnessed Arthur Rowley become the first player to score from a direct free‑kick, following the introduction of the new free kick rule that season. thumb|right|200px|Bert Eardley, in his fifth season with the club, was a key first-team member. thumb|right|160px|Ageing Winger Billy Heames was still a key threat. thumb|right|160px|George Price was at the heart of the Vale team, as he remained throughout his career. Overview Second Division A rather quiet pre-season saw no major signings or departures, and hopes were built of an improvement on last season's ninth-place finish. The first game of the season was on 7 September 1903 against Bolton Wanderers, where Arthur Rowley wrote himself into the history books by becoming the first player to score from a direct free kick. Five days later, the Vale beat Manchester United 1–0, and their season got going – albeit very slowly. Four games later, they found their second victory, beating newly-elected Bradford City 5–2 after a poor performance from the Bradford goalkeeper. On 24 October, Vale fell to a 3–2 defeat at home to second-placed Woolwich Arsenal, which was described as a classic game as Billy Heames scored only the second goal of the season past Arsenal in the third minute and the Vale bombarded the opposition goal all game but to no ultimate avail. A seven-game unbeaten run saw them surge up the table towards the end of the calendar year. This included a 2–0 win over Stockport County at the Athletic Ground that was played in a dense fog. Boxing Day saw 5,000 bear witness to a 3–1 victory over a strong Bristol City team. Three days later, they gained a point away at Bradford, with the hosts missing a number of first-team players due to them eating tinned salmon. This run ended at Gainsborough Trinity but could be justified because they had played three games in four days. They went on to muster just one point from seven games to find themselves in the danger zone as players looked towards their promising cup run rather than the league itself. On 2 January, Vale were "outclassed" in a 5–0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers in which William Loverseed badly injured himself in a fall after stepping on the ball. On 16 January, Vale went into a two-goal lead within four minutes at home to Burnley, but went on to draw the match. Confidence had escaped the players as they then fell to a 4–1 defeat at bottom club Glossop. Three consecutive defeats concluded with a 2–1 loss at home to Grimsby Town on 13 February, which left Vale level on points with second-bottom. Two weeks' rest revived the players, though, and Leicester Fosse were beaten 6–2 over two inches of snow. The next home game saw another big win as Blackpool were dispatched 5–0 despite a good performance from opposition goalkeeper Arthur Hull. A win on the road proved impossible to come by, however, and Vale remained third-from-bottom with four games to play. Two home wins, over Burton United and Chesterfield, eased re-election concerns, and a point was also earned at Arsenal's Manor Ground on the final day. A crowd of 20,000 had turned up to see Arsenal attempt to secure the league title, but Harry Cotton "pulled off at least a dozen remarkable saves" to keep a clean sheet and hand Preston North End the championship. Port Vale finished two points ahead of the re-election zone, failing to win an away match all season. Adrian Capes was the top scorer for the fourth consecutive season, scoring 17 goals, 14 of which came in the league. Tom Simpson contributed 15 goals and would score only 13 more Football League goals in his entire career. Important players Arthur Rowley, W. Perkins and Billy Heames were no re-signed at the end of the campaign. Finances Again, attendances were disappointing, and to improve the financial outlook, players were sold as early as October, when a highly promising Tom Coxon signed to nearby Stoke for £200. Their FA Cup clash at Southampton saw them rake in a £491 share of gate receipts. A loss of £39 was recorded on the season, and rising wages and falling gate receipts were offset only by the income from transfers and cup runs. Recognising this, the directors insisted that a controversial policy of selling on players had to be adopted. Cup competitions In September, three-goal margins eliminated the club in both county cup competitions by Stoke. The "Valeites" found rather more success in the FA Cup, overcoming both Crewe Alexandra, Stockport County, Nantwich and Burton United in qualification. Stockport accused the substitute referee, from Burslem, of bias, and over a thousand of them waited for him to leave the dressing room before he was escorted to the railway station by police, enduring a punch on the way even though the match had ended goalless. Vale won the replay by a clear six goals. They were eliminated in the first round proper by Southampton of the Southern League, losing 3–0 in front of a crowd of 8,000 at The Dell after Cotton was injured and lying prone for the host's opening goal. Results Football League Second Division 1903–04 Football League League table Second Division y BPV Results by matchday table b Round Ground H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/H/H/A/A/H/A/A/A/A/H/A/H/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/A/H/H/A/A Result L/W/L/D/L/W/L/L/W/D/W/D/D/W/D/L/L/L/D/L/L/L/W/L/W/L/W/L/D/D/W/W/L/D Position 14/9/11/11/13/10/12/14/11/11/9/10/9/9/9/9/9/11/11/12/14/15/15/16/16/17/16/16/16/15/14/13/13/13 Points 0p/2p/2p/3p/3p/5p/5p/5p/7p/8p/10p/11p/12p/14p/15p/15p/15p/15p/16p/16p/16p/16p/18p/18p/20p/20p/22p/22p/23p/24p/26p/28p/28p/29p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 gold green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1903–1904 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20100420062620/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1903-1904/results 20 April 2010 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 7 September 1903 Port Vale 2–3 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bolton-wanderers-07-september-1903-201136/ Bolton Wanderers Rowley Price Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 2 12 September 1903 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-manchester-united-12-september-1903-203210/ Manchester United Simpson Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 3 19 September 1903 Burnley 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/burnley-v-port-vale-19-september-1903-203456/ Port Vale Turf Moor Burnley 6,000 4 26 September 1903 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-glossop-north-end-26-september-1903-202236/ Glossop Rowley Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 5 3 October 1903 Preston North End 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/preston-north-end-v-port-vale-03-october-1903-203498/ Port Vale Coxon Deepdale Preston, Lancashire 9,000 6 10 October 1903 Port Vale 5–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bradford-city-10-october-1903-201220/ Bradford City Coxon Simpson Capes og. Graham Prosser Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 7 17 October 1903 Grimsby Town 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/grimsby-town-v-port-vale-17-october-1903-203476/ Port Vale Coxon Blundell Park Cleethorpes 3,000 8 24 October 1903 Port Vale 2–3 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-woolwich-arsenal-24-october-1903-200653/ Woolwich Arsenal Heames Simpson Briercliffe Gooing Shanks Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 9 7 November 1903 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-barnsley-07-november-1903-200800/ Barnsley Simpson Capes Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,000 10 21 November 1903 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-lincoln-city-21-november-1903-202983/ Lincoln City Perkins Simpson Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,500 11 5 December 1903 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-stockport-county-05-december-1903-203663/ Stockport County Perkins Capes Athletic Ground Cobridge 12 19 December 1903 Chesterfield 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/chesterfield-town-v-port-vale-19-december-1903-203489/ Port Vale Capes Saltergate Chesterfield, Derbyshire 2,000 13 25 December 1903 Leicester Fosse 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/leicester-city-v-port-vale-25-december-1903-203514/ Port Vale Pollock Capes Filbert Street Leicester 8,000 14 26 December 1903 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-city-26-december-1903-201374/ Bristol City Capes Simpson Athletic Ground Cobridge 5,000 15 28 December 1903 Bradford City 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/bradford-city-v-port-vale-28-december-1903-203503/ Port Vale McMillan Simpson Valley Parade Bradford 13,000 16 29 December 1903 Gainsborough Trinity 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/gainsborough-trinity-v-port-vale-29-december-1903-203416/ Port Vale The Northolme Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 2,000 17 2 January 1904 Bolton Wanderers 5–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bolton-wanderers-v-port-vale-02-january-1904-203423/ Port Vale Burnden Park Bolton 5,000 18 9 January 1904 Manchester United 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/manchester-united-v-port-vale-09-january-1904-203457/ Port Vale Grassam Arkesden Bank Street Clayton, Manchester 10,000 19 16 January 1904 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-burnley-16-january-1904-201459/ Burnley Allman Capes Athletic Ground Cobridge 20 23 January 1904 Glossop 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/glossop-north-end-v-port-vale-23-january-1904-203428/ Port Vale Mountford North Road Glossop 5,000 21 30 January 1904 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-preston-north-end-30-january-1904-203551/ Preston North End Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 22 13 February 1904 Port Vale 1–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-grimsby-town-13-february-1904-202371/ Grimsby Town Price Athletic Ground Cobridge 500 23 27 February 1904 Port Vale 6–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-leicester-city-27-february-1904-202718/ Leicester Fosse Capes Croxton Simpson Price Eardley Evenson Own goal Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,000 24 5 March 1904 Barnsley 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/barnsley-v-port-vale-05-march-1904-203543/ Port Vale Oakwell Barnsley 25 12 March 1904 Port Vale 5–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-blackpool-12-march-1904-200957/ Blackpool Price Capes Mullineux og. Athletic Ground Cobridge 26 19 March 1904 Lincoln City 3–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/lincoln-city-v-port-vale-19-march-1904-203529/ Port Vale Capes Simpson Sincil Bank Lincoln 27 26 March 1904 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-gainsborough-trinity-26-march-1904-202193/ Gainsborough Trinity Allman Capes Simpson Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,000 28 1 April 1904 Blackpool 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/blackpool-v-port-vale-01-april-1904-203480/ Port Vale Bloomfield Road Blackpool 1,500 29 2 April 1904 Stockport County 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/stockport-county-v-port-vale-02-april-1904-203542/ Port Vale Pass Allman Edgeley Park Stockport 2,000 30 4 April 1904 Burton United 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/burton-united-v-port-vale-04-april-1904-203510/ Port Vale Peel Croft Burton upon Trent 31 9 April 1904 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-burton-united-09-april-1904-201680/ Burton United Mountford Holyhead Eardley Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 32 16 April 1904 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-chesterfield-town-16-april-1904-201830/ Chesterfield Heames Price Capes Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,500 33 23 April 1904 Bristol City 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-city-v-port-vale-23-april-1904-203412/ Port Vale Loverseed St John's Lane Bristol 4,000 34 25 April 1904 Woolwich Arsenal 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/woolwich-arsenal-v-port-vale-25-april-1904-203442/ Port Vale Manor Ground Plumstead, Greenwich 20,000 FA Cup 1903–04 FA Cup 3Q 31 October 1903 Crewe Alexandra 0–0 D Port Vale Alexandra Recreation Ground Crewe 4,000 Replay 5 November 1903 Port Vale 2–1 W Crewe Alexandra Simpson Heames Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 4Q 14 November 1903 Stockport County 0–0 D Port Vale Edgeley Park Stockport 3,000 Replay 19 November 1903 Port Vale 6–0 W Stockport County Simpson Capes Eardley Holyhead Price Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 5Q 28 November 1903 Nantwich 0–1 W Port Vale Capes Jackson Avenue Nantwich 3,000 IR 12 December 1903 Port Vale 3–0 W Burton United Capes Heames Simpson Athletic Ground Cobridge R1 6 February 1904 Southampton 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/southampton-v-burslem-port-vale-06-february-1904-205795/ Port Vale Fraser Wood The Dell Southampton 8,000 Birmingham Senior Cup 1R 28 September 1903 Port Vale 2–5 L Stoke unknown Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 Staffordshire Senior Cup 1R 13 September 1903 Stoke 3–0 L Port Vale Victoria Ground Stoke-upon-Trent thumb|right|Right-back Ernest Mullineux played 40 games for the club in all competitions. thumb|right|Half-back Harry Croxton become crucial to the spine of the team. thumb|right|160px|Top scorer, and Valeite legend, Adrian Capes. Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward Second Division FA Cup Other GK ENG William Chadwick 2 0 0 0 0 0 GK ENG Harry Cotton 32 0 7 0 1 0 FB ENG Ernest Mullineux 33 1 7 0 0 0 FB ENG James Hamilton 6 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG William Bradbury 4 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Albert Cook 0 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Tom Coxon 3 4 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Harry Croxton 32 1 7 0 0 0 HB ENG Joseph Holyhead 27 1 7 1 1 0 HB W. H. Machin 1 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Arthur Rowley 30 2 7 0 1 0 HB W. Perkins 27 2 7 0 1 0 HB ENG Sam Whittingham 7 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Dick Allman 8 3 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Adrian Capes 31 14 7 3 1 0 FW ENG Bert Eardley 29 2 7 1 1 0 FW ENG Billy Heames 30 2 7 2 1 0 FW ENG Sam Howshall 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG William Loverseed 6 1 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Harry Mountford 7 2 0 0 0 0 FW ENG George Price 32 6 4 1 1 0 FW Tom Simpson 24 11 6 4 1 0 FW William Tunstall 1 0 3 0 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameSecond DivisionFA CupSenior CupTotal1FWEnglandAdrian Capes1430172FWTom Simpson1140153FWEnglandGeorge Price61074FWEnglandTom Coxon4004–FWEnglandBilly Heames22046FWEnglandDick Allman3003–FWEnglandBert Eardley21038HBEnglandArthur Rowley2002–HBW. Perkins2002–FWEnglandHarry Mountford2002–HBEnglandJoseph Holyhead110212HBEnglandHarry Croxton1001–FBEnglandErnest Mullineux1001–FWEnglandWilliam Loverseed1001TOTALS5212064 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. May 1903 HB ENG William Bradbury Newcastle Swifts Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 May 1903 FW ENG Sam Howshall Newcastle Swifts Free transfer June 1903 FW ENG Harry Mountford Hanley Swifts Free transfer June 1903 FW ENG William Thomas Newcastle Swifts Free transfer August 1903 HB ENG Sam Whittingham Stoke Free transfer September 1903 HB ENG Joseph Holyhead Wolverhampton Wanderers Free transfer Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. Summer 1904 GK William Chadwick Released Summer 1904 FW ENG Billy Heames Left contract Summer 1904 HB W. Perkins Newark Free transfer Summer 1904 HB ENG Arthur Rowley Released Summer 1904 FW William Tunstall Released References Specific General Kent, Jeff Jeff Kent (author) The Port Vale Record 1879-1993 Witan Books 1993 0-9508981-9-8 Category:Port Vale F.C. seasons Burslem Port Vale