1899–1900 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Burslem Port Vale 1899–1900 Sam Gleaves Secretary Robert Audley Athletic Ground Football League Second Division 11th (34 Points) FA Cup Fifth Qualifying Round(eliminated by Stalybridge Rovers) Birmingham Senior Cup Runners-up(eliminated by Wolverhampton Wanderers) Staffordshire Senior Cup Runners-up(eliminated by West Bromwich Albion) Howard Harvey (10) Howard Harvey (17) 3,000 vs Newton Heath, 7 April 1900vs. Grimsby Town, 9 September 1899 300 vs Lincoln City, 21 April 1900 1,518+ 5–0 vs. West Bromwich Albion, 11 December 1899 0–5 (twice) _red_stripes _red_stripes _red_stripes FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF 000080 000080 1898–99 1900–01 The 1899–1900 season was Burslem Port Vale's second consecutive season (sixth 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 Under the stewardship of chairman Robert Audley and manager Sam Gleaves, Vale finished 11th in the league with 34 points, registering a decent defensive record but struggling for goals—the second‑lowest tally in the division. In the FA Cup, Vale reached the Fifth Qualifying Round before being eliminated by Stalybridge Rovers. They were also runners-up in both the Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Senior Cup, losing finals to West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. The team's league top scorer was Howard Harvey, with 10 goals in the Second Division (17 in all competitions). Attendances were low: the highest home gates reached about 3,000 for matches against Newton Heath (7 April 1900) and Grimsby Town (9 September 1899), while the lowest dipped to just 300 spectators for the home win over Lincoln City on 21 April 1900. The average league attendance was approximately 1,518. thumb|right|Not long after his debut, left-half Billy Leech established himself as an essential first-teamer. thumb|right|Key player Lucien Boullemier. thumb|right|Billy Heames rarely missed a game. Overview Second Division During the pre-season, the Athletic Ground had its capacity increased to 25,000. Four new forwards were signed, namely Scots Billy Grassam (Maryhill) and James Reid (Hibernian), and local lads Charles Walters (Gainsborough Trinity) and Billy Leech (Tottenham Hotspur). The season started with three defeats in four games, including a 3–2 loss to Grimsby Town in a home tie that the hosts had looked comfortably ahead with 20 minutes to play. The team won all six league fixtures in the months of October and November, with just two goals conceded. However, attendance figures made grim reading, and left-half Ted McDonald had to be sold to Notts County in November to raise cash. On 23 December, they recorded a 3–0 victory over Small Heath."Burslem Port Vale v. Small Heath". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.7. 25 December 1899. A top-of-the-table clash with Newton Heath at Bank Street ended in a 3–0 defeat. A 5–0 humbling at Bolton Wanderers on 2 January signalled the end of the club's promotion hopes. Goalkeeper Herbert Birchenough was sold to Glossop in January, with top scorer Howard Harvey also sold to Manchester City that same month. On 27 January, Vale were beaten 2–1 at Small Heath; Jack Aston opened the scoring from a free kick after ten minutes, and though Vale soon tied the scores, Small Heath raised their game in the second half, "at times more force than necessary was used", and Alex Leake headed the winner."Small Heath Beat Port Vale". Birmingham Daily Post: p.8. 29 January 1900. The club were in a downward spiral, and the team went on a ten-game sequence without a win. A 4–0 loss at Gainsborough Trinity on 17 March demonstrated the team's lack of confidence, though it was the poor attendances that were more worrying for the club's survival as a Football League club. Three wins in the final five games of the campaign kept the club securely in mid-table. Their second-to-last match saw a mere 300 supporters turn up to watch a 2–1 win over Lincoln City. The club finished in 11th position and only the bottom club Loughborough scored fewer goals. All players of monetary value were made available for transfer, with Scottish forwards James Reid and Billy Grassam being signed by Southern League side West Ham United. Billy Leech joined Stoke and left-back Tom McFarlane moved on to Middlesbrough. Finances Club chairman Robert Audley warned in November that poor attendances would lead to the club's demise. Secretary Sam Gleaves said that £500 was urgently needed, and it was noted that Port Vale were the only club in the division to be operating at a loss. A Shilling Fund was started to meet the shortfall, though only £39 was raised. The players agreed to go two weeks without wages in February to avoid complete financial collapse. On 27 March, Audley reported that the club were in debt to the tune of £940. Huge reductions in the playing budget still required a committee to raise £500 to try and keep the club as a going concern. At the end of the season, there were drastic budget cuts, even so much as to stop paying players' wages over the summer period – the only club in the league to do so. Cheaper, local talent was recruited to fill the void left by departing stars. The club lost £73 throughout the campaign despite having trimmed ten times that figure from the playing budget.What If There Had Been No Port In The Vale?: Startling Port Vale Stories! (Witan Books, 2011, 978-0-9529152-8-7) Cup competitions In the FA Cup, the club vanquished nearby Nantwich despite having to play with ten men following a head injury to Charles Walters in the first half. They then overcame Crewe Alexandra following a replay. However, a 1–0 home defeat to Lancashire Combination side Stalybridge Rovers eliminated Vale at the fifth qualification round. They reached the final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the Birmingham Senior Cup, losing to West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. West Brom defeated Vale 5–0 in the final at Villa Park, taking revenge for the "Valeites" dumping West Brom out of the Birmingham Cup by the same scoreline. Results Football League Second Division 1899–1900 Football League League table Second Division y BPV Results by matchday table b Round Ground A/H/H/A/H/A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/H Result L/W/L/L/W/L/W/W/W/W/W/W/L/D/W/D/L/D/D/L/L/L/D/L/D/W/L/W/L/W/W/L/W/L Position 16/8/10/12/9/12/8/6/5/4/4/4/5/6/5/6/6/7/6/7/8/8/9/9/9/9/9/8/9/10/9/9/9/11 Points 0p/2p/2p/2p/4p/4p/6p/8p/10p/12p/14p/16p/16p/17p/19p/20p/20p/21p/22p/22p/22p/22p/23p/23p/24p/26p/26p/28p/28p/30p/32p/32p/34p/34p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss gold green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1899–1900 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20100217172837/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1899-1900/results 17 February 2010 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 2 September 1899 New Brighton Tower 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/new-brighton-tower-v-port-vale-02-september-1899-203515/ Burslem Port Vale Tower Athletic Ground New Brighton, Merseyside 3,000 2 4 September 1899 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-middlesbrough-04-september-1899-203280/ Middlesbrough Harvey Bayley Grassam Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 3 9 September 1899 Burslem Port Vale 2–3 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-grimsby-town-09-september-1899-202405/ Grimsby Town Heames Grassam Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 4 16 September 1899 Woolwich Arsenal 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/woolwich-arsenal-v-port-vale-16-september-1899-203486/ Burslem Port Vale Manor Ground Plumstead, London 5,000 5 23 September 1899 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-barnsley-23-september-1899-200867/ Barnsley Heames Grassam Harvey Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 6 30 September 1899 Leicester Fosse 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/leicester-city-v-port-vale-30-september-1899-203512/ Burslem Port Vale Filbert Street Leicester 4,000 7 7 October 1899 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-luton-town-07-october-1899-203119/ Luton Town Boullemier Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,500 8 14 October 1899 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-burton-swifts-14-october-1899-201570/ Burton Swifts Boullemier Heames Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,500 9 21 October 1899 Walsall 0–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/walsall-v-port-vale-21-october-1899-203470/ Burslem Port Vale Reid Fellows Park Walsall 3,000 10 4 November 1899 Chesterfield 0–4 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/chesterfield-town-v-port-vale-04-november-1899-203524/ Burslem Port Vale Harvey Leech Saltergate Chesterfield, Derbyshire 2,000 11 11 November 1899 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-gainsborough-trinity-11-november-1899-202164/ Gainsborough Trinity Harvey Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,000 12 25 November 1899 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-loughborough-25-november-1899-203098/ Loughborough Harvey Walters Reid Athletic Ground Cobridge 800 13 2 December 1899 Newton Heath 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/manchester-united-v-port-vale-02-december-1899-203431/ Burslem Port Vale Jackson Cassidy Bank Street Clayton, Manchester 5,000 14 16 December 1899 Lincoln City 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/lincoln-city-v-port-vale-16-december-1899-203464/ Burslem Port Vale Harvey Sincil Bank Lincoln 200 15 23 December 1899 Burslem Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-small-heath-23-december-1899-200935/ Small Heath Heames Harvey Price Athletic Ground Cobridge 500 16 30 December 1899 Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-new-brighton-tower-30-december-1899-203349/ New Brighton Tower Harvey Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 17 2 January 1900 Bolton Wanderers 5–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bolton-wanderers-v-port-vale-02-january-1900-203414/ Burslem Port Vale Burnden Park Bolton 2,570 18 6 January 1900 Grimsby Town 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/grimsby-town-v-port-vale-06-january-1900-203467/ Burslem Port Vale Simpson Blundell Park Cleethorpes 3,000 19 13 January 1900 Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-woolwich-arsenal-13-january-1900-200608/ Woolwich Arsenal Grassam Gaudie Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 20 20 January 1900 Barnsley 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/barnsley-v-port-vale-20-january-1900-203511/ Burslem Port Vale Oakwell Barnsley 2,000 21 27 January 1900 Small Heath 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/small-heath-v-port-vale-27-january-1900-203452/ Burslem Port Vale Aston Leake Whitehouse Muntz Street Small Heath 5,000 22 3 February 1900 Burslem Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-leicester-city-03-february-1900-202722/ Leicester Fosse Eaton Athletic Ground Cobridge 600 23 10 February 1900 Luton Town 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/luton-town-v-port-vale-10-february-1900-203446/ Burslem Port Vale Eardley Dunstable Road Luton 500 24 12 February 1900 Burslem Port Vale 0–3 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-sheffield-wednesday-12-february-1900-203605/ The Wednesday Millar Wright Athletic Ground Cobridge 2,000 25 17 February 1900 Burton Swifts 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/burton-swifts-v-port-vale-17-february-1900-203482/ Burslem Port Vale Walters Beech Peel Croft Burton upon Trent 26 24 February 1900 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-24-february-1900-203820/ Walsall Heames Athletic Ground Cobridge 700 27 3 March 1900 Middlesbrough 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/middlesbrough-v-port-vale-03-march-1900-203513/ Burslem Port Vale Pugh Linthorpe Road Middlesbrough 6,000 28 10 March 1900 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-chesterfield-town-10-march-1900-201853/ Chesterfield Simpson Grassam Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,500 29 17 March 1900 Gainsborough Trinity 4–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/gainsborough-trinity-v-port-vale-17-march-1900-203539/ Burslem Port Vale The Northolme Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 1,000 30 31 March 1900 Loughborough 1–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/loughborough-v-port-vale-31-march-1900-203443/ Burslem Port Vale Price Simpson Athletic Ground Loughborough 500 31 7 April 1900 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-manchester-united-07-april-1900-203182/ Newton Heath Boullemier Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 32 14 April 1900 The Wednesday 4–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/sheffield-wednesday-v-port-vale-14-april-1900-203499/ Burslem Port Vale Wright Davis Hillsborough Stadium Owlerton 5,000 33 21 April 1900 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-lincoln-city-21-april-1900-203029/ Lincoln City Price Heames Athletic Ground Cobridge 300 34 23 April 1900 Burslem Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bolton-wanderers-23-april-1900-201177/ Bolton Wanderers Athletic Ground Cobridge 400 FA Cup 1899–1900 FA Cup 3Q 28 October 1899 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W Nantwich Reid Heames Athletic Ground Cobridge 600 4Q 18 November 1899 Crewe Alexandra 2–2 D Burslem Port Vale Harvey pen. Gresty Road Crewe 4,000 Replay 22 November 1899 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W Crewe Alexandra Harvey pen. Walters Grassam Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,500 5Q 9 December 1899 Burslem Port Vale 0–1 L Stalybridge Rovers Athletic Ground Cobridge 3,000 Birmingham Senior Cup R1 11 December 1899 Burslem Port Vale 5–0 W West Bromwich Albion Harvey pen. Whitehouse Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,500 R2 15 January 1900 Burslem Port Vale 3–0 W Burton Swifts Price unknown unknown Athletic Ground Cobridge 500 Semi-final 5 March 1900 Burslem Port Vale 6–3 W Ironbridge Heames Whitehouse Grassam unknown unknown unknown Athletic Ground Cobridge 1,000 Final 2 April 1900 Burslem Port Vale 1–2 L Wolverhampton Wanderers Grassam Neutral 500 Staffordshire Senior Cup 1899–1900 Staffordshire Senior Cup R2 2 October 1899 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W Burton Swifts Reid Grassam unknown Athletic Ground Cobridge 800 Semi-final 30 October 1899 Walsall 1–3 W Burslem Port Vale McDonald Grassam Harvey Fellows Park Walsall 1,000 Final 4 December 1899 Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D West Bromwich Albion Reid Neutral 4,000 Replay 26 April 1900 West Bromwich Albion 5–0 L Burslem Port Vale Neutral 5,000 thumb|right|Bert Eardley played one, scored one. thumb|right|Striker Danny Simpson was nearing the end of his playing career. thumb|right|200px|Striker George Price would be a key player the next season. Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward Second Division FA Cup Other Total GK Tom Poole 15 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 GK William Saunders 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FB Joseph Bennett 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FB ENG Tom Davies 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FB SCO Tom McFarlane 31 0 4 0 6 0 0 0 FB ENG Thomas Spilsbury 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FB ENG Frank Stokes 32 0 4 0 6 0 0 0 HB S. E. Bayley 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 HB Jim Beech 31 1 4 0 6 0 0 0 HB ENG Lucien Boullemier 32 3 4 0 5 0 0 0 HB Billy Leech 26 1 4 0 6 0 0 0 FW ENG Bert Eardley 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 FW SCO Billy Grassam 31 5 4 1 6 4 0 0 FW ENG Billy Heames 31 6 3 1 5 1 0 0 FW ENG Tommy Lander 8 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 FW ENG George Price 21 3 0 0 5 1 0 0 FW SCO James Reid 17 2 4 1 4 2 0 0 FW ENG Danny Simpson 17 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 FW Charles Walters 10 2 3 1 3 0 0 0 FW ENG Frank Whitehouse 19 1 0 0 4 3 0 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: GK ENG Herbert Birchenough 18 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 HB ENG Ted McDonald 9 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 FW ENG Howard Harvey 17 10 4 3 3 4 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameSecond DivisionFA CupOtherTotal1FWEnglandHoward Harvey1034172FWScotlandBilly Grassam514103FWEnglandBilly Heames61184FWScotlandJames Reid21255FWEnglandFrank Whitehouse1034–FWEnglandGeorge Price30147FWEnglandDanny Simpson3003–FWCharles Walters2103–HBEnglandLucien Boullemier300310HBS. E. Bayley1001–HBJim Beech1001–HBBilly Leech1001–FWEnglandBert Eardley1001–HBEnglandTed McDonald0011–––Unknown0044TOTALS3972066 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. Summer 1899 FW ENG Frank Whitehouse Bucknall Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 June 1899 HB ENG Billy Leech Tottenham Hotspur Free transfer June 1899 FW Charles Walters Gainsborough Trinity Free transfer June 1899 FW SCO James Reid SCO Hibernian Free transfer July 1899 FW SCO Billy Grassam SCO Maryhill Free transfer September 1899 FB Joseph Bennett Porthill Free transfer Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. November 1899 HB ENG Ted McDonald Notts County 'considerable' January 1900 GK ENG Herbert Birchenough Glossop £250 January 1900 FW ENG Howard Harvey Manchester City unknown May 1900 FW ENG Frank Whitehouse Stoke Free transfer Summer 1900 FB Joseph Bennett Released Summer 1900 FW SCO Billy Grassam West Ham United Free transfer Summer 1900 HB ENG Billy Leech Stoke Free transfer Summer 1900 FB SCO Tom McFarlane Middlesbrough Free transfer Summer 1900 FW SCO James Reid West Ham United Free transfer Summer 1900 FW Charles Walters 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