1970–71 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1970–71 Gordon Lee Mark Singer(until February)Graham Bourne(from February) Vale Park Football League Third Division 17th (42 points) FA Cup First Round(eliminated by Notts County) League Cup First Round(eliminated by Walsall) Player of the Year Tommy McLaren John James (15) John James (15) 11,224 vs. Aston Villa, 19 October 1970 3,450 vs. Reading, 13 March 1971 5,437 4–0 vs. Swansea City, 17 October 1970 3–7 vs. Shrewsbury Town, 12 September 1970 ffffff ffffff ffffff ffffff ffffff 1969–70 1971–72 The 1970–71 season was Port Vale's 59th season of football in the Football League, and their first (seventh overall) season back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division.Kent Jeff The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale Witan Books 1990 227–257 Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979) 0-9508981-4-7 Manager Gordon Lee oversaw the season, with Mark Singer as chairman until February before Graham Bourne took over. Vale ultimately secured safety with a 17th‑place finish, accumulating 42 points, thereby avoiding relegation back to the Fourth Division by a margin of three points. Cup competitions offered no respite: Vale were eliminated in the First Round of both the FA Cup, losing to Notts County, and the League Cup, losing to Walsall. John James was once again the top scorer with 15 goals in the league and all competitions, while midfielder Tommy McLaren earned the club's Player of the Year award for his influential performances. Attendance figures saw a high of 11,224 against Aston Villa on 19 October 1970, a low of 3,450 versus Reading on 13 March 1971, and an average league turnout of 5,437 fans per match. Overall, the 1970–71 season represented a solid consolidation year in the Third Division after promotion, characterised by mid-table stability under Gordon Lee, limited success in cup competitions, steady attendances, and dependable contributions from James and McLaren. Overview Third Division The pre-season saw the arrival of 22-year-old centre-half Roy Cross (Walsall); inside-forward Brian Horton (Hednesford Town); and full-back Mick Hopkinson (Mansfield Town) on free transfers. Manager Gordon Lee said that "versatility and dedication are important" as the wage budget was extremely limited. The season began with two wins, including when they "handsomely won a battle of errors" at home to Rochdale. A run of one win in ten games then followed. In September, four of the five directors resigned, one of them (Len Cliff) stated that "the club is being run by outsiders". A new board was formed by November. Meanwhile, on 13 September the club suffered a loss of 7–3 at Gay Meadow to Shrewsbury Town, despite a Bobby Gough hat-trick – the match also saw a sending off, an attempted pitch invasion, and a £35 fine for Gordon Lee for remarks he made to referee Ricky Nicholson. Tommy McLaren then returned from injury to lead Vale on a four match winning streak that included a 2–0 win over fallen-giants Aston Villa in front of a Burslem crowd of 11,224 fans; Lee described the win as his "finest hour".Baggaley Mike Injury blows as Port Vale weigh up move for midfielder https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/injury-blows-as-port-vale-weigh-up 19 October 2023 Valiant's Substack 19 October 2023 Four straight defeats soon came after this sequence however, as Vale's form was patchy. They had to do without John King for three months owing to a chipped ankle bone. In December, Ron Wilson left the club as he emigrated to South Africa due to his son's ill health. A 1–0 defeat to third-placed Aston Villa at Villa Park on 16 January was the first of a nine-match streak without a victory. At the end of the month, Lee signed 23-year-old full-back John Brodie from Northern Premier League side Bradford Park Avenue for £250. During this spell forward, Sammy Morgan began to be jeered by fans after losing his scoring touch. He also began studying to be a teacher. Lee said that "I really feel some of our lads have been singled out by the boo boys. If only they realised that encouragement can lift players, things would be so much better". In February, Mark Singer resigned as chairman, and was replaced by Graham Bourne. By then the club were hovering above the relegation zone, but a record of just ten goals conceded in their final twelve games was enough to secure safety, with Brian Horton in good form. On 20 February, the team were beaten 4–1 at third-placed Fulham. They lost 3–0 at Chesterfield on 10 March after the team bus crashed on the way to Saltergate. Three days later, however, Morgan scored his first goal in 18 appearances during a 3–1 home win over Reading. They finished in the 17th spot, with 42 points, leaving them three clear of relegation. John James was the top-scorer with 15 goals. As a reward for their endeavours, the players were taken on a working holiday to Benidorm, Spain. Finances On the financial side, a profit of £3,424 was made, the club's first profitable season since 1962–63. A £19,322 donation from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund helped to reduce the club's total debt to £134,640. Speaking in March, new chairman Graham Bourne stated that "it will be a long, hard slog to pull the club around. The pressures are still on, especially from the bank". Three players were released: Mick Hopkinson (Boston United); John Green (Northwich Victoria); and John King (Wigan Athletic). Cup competitions In the FA Cup, Vale were knocked out in the first round by Fourth Division leaders Notts County 1–0 in a 'physical' encounter at Meadow Lane. In the League Cup, Vale were eliminated once again at the first stage, this time Walsall left Burslem with a 1–0 win. Results Football League Third Division 1970–71 Football League League table Third Division PVL Results by matchday table b Round Ground A/H/A/A/H/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/H/H/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/H Result W/W/L/L/W/L/D/L/L/L/D/D/W/W/W/W/D/L/L/L/L/W/L/W/W/L/D/L/D/D/L/D/L/L/W/W/D/L/W/D/L/L/W/D/W/D Position 1/1/4/10/6/15/14/16/19/18/19/19/17/12/11/9/9/10/14/16/18/16/18/15/12/15/13/15/15/14/18/19/20/20/18/13/15/15/15/16/18/18/16/17/15/17 Points 2p/4p/4p/4p/6p/6p/7p/7p/7p/7p/8p/9p/11p/13p/15p/17p/18p/18p/18p/18p/18p/20p/20p/22p/24p/24p/25p/25p/26p/27p/27p/28p/28p/28p/30p/32p/33p/33p/35p/36p/36p/36p/38p/39p/41p/42p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1970–1971 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062427/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1970-1971/results 4 March 2016 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 15 August 1970 Swansea City 0–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/swansea-city-v-port-vale-15-august-1970-131952/ Port Vale Wilson Morgan Vetch Field Swansea 10,713 2 22 August 1970 Port Vale 4–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-rochdale-22-august-1970-131963/ Rochdale James 16 Morris 26 McLaren 27 89 Jenkins 73 pen. Vale Park Burslem 6,196 3 29 August 1970 Plymouth Argyle 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/plymouth-argyle-v-port-vale-29-august-1970-131973/ Port Vale Wilson og. Bickle Morgan Home Park Plymouth 7,753 4 1 September 1970 Bristol Rovers 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-port-vale-01-september-1970-131982/ Port Vale Eastville Stadium Bristol 7,931 5 5 September 1970 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-preston-north-end-05-september-1970-131999/ Preston North End James pen. Vale Park Burslem 6,954 6 12 September 1970 Shrewsbury Town 7–3 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/shrewsbury-town-v-port-vale-12-september-1970-132010/ Port Vale Gough Gay Meadow Shrewsbury 5,856 7 19 September 1970 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-gillingham-19-september-1970-132023/ Gillingham James Vale Park Burslem 5,178 8 21 September 1970 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-chesterfield-21-september-1970-132026/ Chesterfield Vale Park Burslem 5,930 9 26 September 1970 Walsall 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/walsall-v-port-vale-26-september-1970-132046/ Port Vale James pen. Fellows Park Walsall 5,456 10 28 September 1970 Mansfield Town 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/mansfield-town-v-port-vale-28-september-1970-132049/ Port Vale Walker D Roberts Field Mill Mansfield 8,121 11 3 October 1970 Port Vale 1–3 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-barnsley-03-october-1970-132067/ Barnsley Gough Vale Park Burslem 4,490 12 10 October 1970 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/brighton-and-hove-albion-v-port-vale-10-october-1970-132072/ Port Vale Goldstone Ground Hove 9,383 13 17 October 1970 Port Vale 4–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swansea-city-17-october-1970-132093/ Swansea City Gough James Morris Vale Park Burslem 4,962 14 19 October 1970 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3094 Aston Villa James 30 Gough 83 Vale Park Burslem Colin Fallon 11,224 15 24 October 1970 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-rotherham-united-24-october-1970-132116/ Rotherham United McLaren Vale Park Burslem 7,215 16 31 October 1970 Bury 2–3 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/bury-v-port-vale-31-october-1970-132122/ Port Vale Lacey Horton Boulton Gigg Lane Bury, Greater Manchester 3,669 17 7 November 1970 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-tranmere-rovers-07-november-1970-132142/ Tranmere Rovers Morris McLaren Vale Park Burslem 5,495 18 9 November 1970 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-fulham-09-november-1970-132146/ Fulham Vale Park Burslem 8,728 19 14 November 1970 Reading 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/reading-v-port-vale-14-november-1970-132163/ Port Vale Morris Elm Park Reading, Berkshire 5,036 20 28 November 1970 Halifax Town 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/halifax-town-v-port-vale-28-november-1970-132176/ Port Vale The Shay Halifax, West Yorkshire 3,404 21 5 December 1970 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-torquay-united-05-december-1970-132188/ Torquay United Vale Park Burslem 4,252 22 19 December 1970 Rochdale 0–3 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/rochdale-v-port-vale-19-december-1970-132203/ Port Vale James 7Summerscales 39Morris 75 Spotland Stadium Rochdale TP Gill 3,619 23 26 December 1970 15:00 GMT Port Vale 0–3 L https://www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=858 Wrexham Kinsey 2 Ashcroft 49 Smith 89 Vale Park Burslem C.I. Robinson P.G. Reeves, R. Taylor 6,303 24 2 January 1971 Doncaster Rovers 1–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/doncaster-rovers-v-port-vale-02-january-1971-132220/ Port Vale Cross Gough Belle Vue Doncaster 2,997 25 9 January 1971 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-mansfield-town-09-january-1971-132231/ Mansfield Town Morris James Vale Park Burslem 4,412 26 16 January 1971 Aston Villa 1–0 L https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3112 Port Vale Rioch 31 Villa Park Birmingham Gordon Hill 28,933 27 23 January 1971 Bradford City 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/bradford-city-v-port-vale-23-january-1971-132251/ Port Vale Morris Valley Parade Bradford 4,436 28 30 January 1971 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-halifax-town-30-january-1971-132262/ Halifax Town Vale Park Burslem 4,059 29 5 February 1971 Torquay United 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/torquay-united-v-port-vale-05-february-1971-132269/ Port Vale Morris Plainmoor Torquay 6,817 30 12 February 1971 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bradford-city-12-february-1971-132281/ Bradford City Vale Park Burslem 4,361 31 20 February 1971 Fulham 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/fulham-v-port-vale-20-february-1971-132298/ Port Vale Green Craven Cottage Fulham, West London 10,389 32 27 February 1971 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bury-27-february-1971-132315/ Bury Vale Park Burslem 3,805 33 6 March 1971 Rotherham United 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/rotherham-united-v-port-vale-06-march-1971-132328/ Port Vale James Millmoor Rotherham 6,866 34 10 March 1971 Chesterfield 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/chesterfield-v-port-vale-10-march-1971-132338/ Port Vale Saltergate Chesterfield, Derbyshire 7,592 35 13 March 1971 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-reading-13-march-1971-132350/ Reading McLaren Morgan Vale Park Burslem 3,450 36 15 March 1971 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-doncaster-rovers-15-march-1971-132355/ Doncaster Rovers James pen. Vale Park Burslem 4,782 37 22 March 1971 Tranmere Rovers 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/tranmere-rovers-v-port-vale-22-march-1971-132375/ Port Vale James Prenton Park Prenton 3,734 38 27 March 1971 Preston North End 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/preston-north-end-v-port-vale-27-march-1971-132385/ Port Vale Deepdale Preston, Lancashire 16,591 39 3 April 1971 Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-plymouth-argyle-03-april-1971-132402/ Plymouth Argyle James Morgan Hutchins Vale Park Burslem 3,518 40 10 April 1971 15:15 GMT Wrexham 1–1 D https://www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=3299 Port Vale Kinsey 17 Boulton 68 Racecourse Ground Wrexham E. Jolly G.W. Holt, & L.L. Roberts 8,186 41 12 April 1971 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-shrewsbury-town-12-april-1971-132427/ Shrewsbury Town Vale Park Burslem 5,655 42 13 April 1971 Barnsley 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/barnsley-v-port-vale-13-april-1971-132432/ Port Vale Oakwell Barnsley 4,837 43 17 April 1971 Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-17-april-1971-132448/ Brighton & Hove Albion Morgan Vale Park Burslem 3,789 44 24 April 1971 Gillingham 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/gillingham-v-port-vale-24-april-1971-132459/ Port Vale James Priestfield Stadium Gillingham, Kent 2,207 45 26 April 1971 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-rovers-26-april-1971-132467/ Bristol Rovers James Vale Park Burslem 4,525 46 1 May 1971 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-01-may-1971-132486/ Walsall Lacey Vale Park Burslem 5,758 FA Cup 1970–71 FA Cup R1 21 November 1970 Notts County 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/notts-county-v-port-vale-21-november-1970-213055/ Port Vale Meadow Lane Nottingham 15,965 League Cup 1970–71 Football League Cup R1 18 August 1970 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-18-august-1970-29138/ Walsall Vale Park Burslem 6,605 Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward Third Division FA Cup League Cup GK ENG Keith Ball 28 0 1 0 1 0 GK ENG Stuart Sharratt 18 0 0 0 0 0 DF ENG Clint Boulton 45 2 1 0 1 0 DF ENG John Brodie 19 0 0 0 0 0 DF ENG Roy Cross 42 1 1 0 0 0 DF ENG Mick Hopkinson 13 0 1 0 0 0 DF ENG Roy Sproson 6 0 0 0 1 0 DF ENG Bill Summerscales 7 1 0 0 0 0 MF ENG John Green 25 1 1 0 1 0 MF ENG Brian Horton 39 1 1 0 0 0 MF ENG John King 26 0 0 0 1 0 MF ENG Tony Lacey 44 2 1 0 1 0 MF SCO Tommy McLaren 36 6 1 0 1 0 FW ENG Bobby Gough 36 8 1 0 0 0 FW ENG John James 45 15 1 0 1 0 FW NIR Sammy Morgan 38 6 1 0 1 0 FW ENG Mick Morris 46 8 1 0 1 0 FW ENG Bob Mountford 1 0 0 0 0 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: DF SCO Ron Wilson 16 1 0 0 1 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameThird DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotal1FWEnglandJohn James1500152FWEnglandMick Morris8008–FWEnglandBobby Gough80084MFScotlandTommy McLaren6006–FWNorthern IrelandSammy Morgan60066MFEnglandTony Lacey2002–DFEnglandClint Boulton20028DFScotlandRon Wilson1001–DFEnglandBill Summerscales1001–DFEnglandRoy Cross1001–MFEnglandJohn Green1001–MFEnglandBrian Horton1001TOTALS520052 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. June 1970 DF ENG Roy Cross Walsall Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 July 1970 DF ENG Mick Hopkinson Mansfield Town Free transfer July 1970 MF ENG Brian Horton Hednesford Town 'a pint of shandy' January 1971 DF ENG John Brodie Bradford Park Avenue £250 Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. December 1970 DF SCO Ron Wilson RSA Hellenic Released May 1971 DF ENG Mick Hopkinson Boston United Free transfer May 1971 MF ENG John King Wigan Athletic Free transfer Summer 1971 MF ENG John Green Northwich Victoria 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