1944–45 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1944–45 Jack Diffin(October – December)David Pratt(December onwards) Tom Flint Old Recreation Ground North First Championship 46th (12 points) North Second Championship 54th (12 points) League North Cup 48th (7 points) Midland Cup Did not qualify Alf Bellis, Eric Prince (5 each) Alf Bellis (10) 17,040 vs. Stoke City, 24 February 1945 2,195 vs. Walsall, 23 December 1944 5,969 5–0 vs. Stockport County, 3 March 1945 1–8 vs. Stoke City, 17 February 1945 ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 000000 1945–46 The 1944–45 season was Port Vale's second season of football in the wartime league system of World War II.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 the stewardship of club director Jack Diffin — who managed from October to December before David Pratt took over (though he was never cleared by the RAF to actually manage a game) — the Valiants entered the Football League North First Championship, finishing 46th out of 54 clubs with just 18 matches played, accruing 12 points with 5 wins, 2 draws and 11 defeats. Their cup campaigns were no better: they came 54th in the War League Cup with 12 points, 48th in the League North Cup with 7 points, and failed to qualify for the Midland Cup. Alf Bellis was the top scorer with ten goals in all competitions (including five in the league, level with Eric Prince), while home attendances ranged from a high of 17,040 (versus Stoke City on 24 February 1945) to just 2,195 (against Walsall on 23 December), averaging 5,969 for the season. Though limited success plagued the season, Port Vale managed a financial profit of £1,262, largely thanks to gate receipts of £11,200 despite severe challenges on and off the pitch. 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. The junior team had been active since then, and the club hoped they could perform at a senior level, supplemented by guest players. 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. However, they lost the reverse fixture 4–0 and went on to pick up only one more point by the end of September. 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. A ten-game series for qualification to the League North Cup began in December. 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. 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. 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. 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. The club made a profit of £1,262 on the season, thanks to gate receipts of £11,200. Results WinDrawLoss North First Championship League table main WDL Q y 2 y PTV 45 ACC Accrington Stanley PTV Port Vale BRY Bury 5 2 11 29 46 5 2 11 22 36 5 2 11 28 48 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches 1 26 August 1944 Burslem Port Vale 3–0 W Birmingham Kirkaldy Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,768 2 2 September 1944 Birmingham 4–0 L Burslem Port Vale St Andrew's Birmingham 5,970 3 9 September 1944 West Bromwich Albion 2–1 L Burslem Port Vale E.Prince The Hawthorns West Bromwich 7,760 4 16 September 1944 Burslem Port Vale 0–0 D West Bromwich Albion Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,134 5 23 September 1944 Northampton 3–1 L Burslem Port Vale E.Prince County Cricket Ground Northampton 3,125 6 30 September 1944 Burslem Port Vale 1–2 L Northampton B.Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,549 7 7 October 1944 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W Coventry City Musgrave E.Prince Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,600 8 14 October 1944 Coventry City 4–3 L Burslem Port Vale Pepper E.Prince Highfield Road Coventry 5,000 9 21 October 1944 Leicester City 4–1 L Burslem Port Vale E.Prince Filbert Street Leicester 5,770 10 28 October 1944 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W Leicester City Bellis McDowell Old Recreation Ground Hanley 4,070 11 4 November 1944 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W Aston Villa Bellis Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,700 12 11 November 1944 Aston Villa 4–0 L Burslem Port Vale Villa Park Birmingham 8,500 13 18 November 1944 Stoke City 2–0 L Burslem Port Vale Bowyer Victoria Ground Stoke-upon-Trent 18,000 14 25 November 1944 Burslem Port Vale 3–0 W Stoke City McDowell Bellis P.Griffiths Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,618 15 2 December 1944 Burslem Port Vale 0–3 L Wolverhampton Wanderers Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,500 16 9 December 1944 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 L Burslem Port Vale Molineux Stadium Wolverhampton 8,493 17 16 December 1944 Walsall 2–2 D Burslem Port Vale Clunn Bellis Fellows Park Walsall 2,000 18 23 December 1944 Burslem Port Vale 1–2 L Walsall McDowell Old Recreation Ground Hanley 2,195 League North Cup League table main WDL Q y 2 y PTV 53 SWA Swansea Town PTV Port Vale MAN Mansfield Town 6 1 13 42 63 5 2 14 27 60 5 1 6 22 38 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches 1 25 December 1944 Burslem Port Vale 1–3 L Crewe Alexandra Ware Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,500 2 30 December 1944 Crewe Alexandra 2–1 L Burslem Port Vale McDowell Gresty Road Crewe 5,000 3 6 January 1945 Chester 2–3 W Burslem Port Vale Bellis E.Prince Sealand Road Chester 2,790 4 13 January 1945 Burslem Port Vale 0–2 L Chester Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,468 5 20 January 1945 15:30 BST Wrexham 5–0 L https://www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=5104 Burslem Port Vale Racecourse Ground Wrexham W. Prescott 2,165 6 3 February 1945 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W Wolverhampton Wanderers McDowell Booth Old Recreation Ground Hanley 4,626 7 10 February 1945 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–2 W Burslem Port Vale Booth Bellis Molineux Stadium Wolverhampton 8,548 8 17 February 1945 Stoke City 8–1 L Burslem Port Vale G Mountford Sellars Sale Cardwell Victoria Ground Stoke-upon-Trent 12,644 9 24 February 1945 Burslem Port Vale 2–6 L Stoke City McShane B.Pointon Sale Steele Soo Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,040 10 17 March 1945 15:00 GMT Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=5112 Wrexham Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 3,089 North Second Championship 1 26 December 1944 15:30 GMT Wrexham 4–0 L https://www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=5100 Burslem Port Vale Racecourse Ground Wrexham S Bostock 7,668 2 3 March 1945 Burslem Port Vale 5–0 W Stockport County McShane B.Pointon Hall Old Recreation Ground Hanley 3,200 3 10 March 1945 Stockport County 3–0 L Burslem Port Vale Edgeley Park Stockport 2,000 4 2 April 1945 15:00 GMT Burslem Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=5115 Wrexham P.Griffiths Old Recreation Ground Hanley E. Bailey 6,079 5 28 April 1945 Burslem Port Vale 0–1 L Tranmere Rovers Old Recreation Ground Hanley small 6 5 May 1945 Stoke City 6–0 L Burslem Port Vale Basnett G Mountford Soo Victoria Ground Stoke-upon-Trent 1,000 7 9 May 1945 Burslem Port Vale 2–4 L Stoke City Isherwood H.Griffiths Sellars Kirton Jackson Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,550 Midland Cup League table main WDL Q y 2 y PTV 47 SOU Southport PTV Port Vale BTH Bath City 3 1 6 19 40 3 1 6 13 30 3 0 7 28 34 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches Q 24 March 1945 Burslem Port Vale 3–2 W Walsall Clunn Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,870 Q 31 March 1945 Walsall 2–0 L Burslem Port Vale Fellows Park Walsall 1,592 Q 7 April 1945 Burslem Port Vale 1–4 L Notts County F.Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,790 Q 14 April 1945 Notts County 2–1 L Burslem Port Vale Gregory Meadow Lane Nottingham 3,000 Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward North Championship League North Cup Midland Cup GK ENG Albert Hankey 1 0 3 0 0 0 GK ENG Arthur Jepson 0 0 0 0 1 0 GK ENG Ron Mawson 1 0 0 0 0 0 GK ENG Harry Prince 23 0 7 0 3 0 FB ENG Arthur Bateman 3 0 8 0 2 0 FB ENG Jack Griffiths 8 0 1 0 1 0 FB WAL 1807 John Mills 0 0 1 0 0 0 FB ENG Sid Prince 1 0 0 0 0 0 FB SCO Bob Pursell 8 0 0 0 1 0 HB ENG Harry Betmead 6 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Edwin Blunt 6 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Jackie Bray 1 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Louis Cardwell 1 0 6 1 1 0 HB ENG Arthur Cooper 17 0 6 0 3 0 HB SCO Bertie Duffy 0 0 0 0 2 0 HB ENG Harry Griffiths 22 1 5 0 2 0 HB ENG George Hannah 0 0 3 0 0 0 HB ENG Stephen Hughes 1 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Harold Jervis 1 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Cyril Johnson 1 0 0 0 0 0 HB SCO Jock Lowe 1 0 0 0 1 0 HB ENG Frank Marsh 1 0 1 0 0 0 HB ENG Alan Martin 3 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG David Muir 3 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Jonty Musgrave 4 1 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Frank Pointon 6 0 4 0 4 1 HB ENG Wilf Smith 6 0 4 0 0 0 HB ENG Joe Wheatley 3 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Bob Allen 2 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Arthur Bailey 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Kenneth Banks 1 0 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Alf Bellis 13 5 8 4 4 1 FW ENG William Birks 2 0 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Billy Buckley 3 0 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Jack Clunn 7 1 5 0 3 2 FW SCO Murdoch Dickie 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW WAL 1807 Phil Griffiths 2 1 2 2 1 0 FW ENG Jack Kirkaldy 5 2 0 0 0 0 FW ENG John Maund 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW SCO Harry McShane 1 2 2 1 0 0 FW ENG Roy Meredith 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG George Morrey 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG George Moses 0 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Edward Nutting 1 0 2 0 0 0 FW ENG Robert Pepper 1 2 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Bill Pointon 6 3 1 1 1 0 FW ENG Eric Prince 13 5 7 1 1 0 FW ENG Richard Roberts 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG John Roden 4 0 0 0 2 0 FW ENG John Sanderson 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Dennis Spender 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Jess Sproson 22 0 9 0 1 0 FW ENG James Tunnicliffe 1 0 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Dennis Wilshaw 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Bert Wright 14 0 0 0 0 0 FW WAL 1807 Dick Yates 0 0 1 0 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameNorth First ChampionshipLeague North CupNorth Second ChampionshipMidland CupTotal1FWEnglandAlf Bellis5401102FWEnglandEric Prince510063FWScotlandIsaac McDowell320054FWEnglandBill Pointon212045FWScotlandHarry McShane01203–FWWales 1807Phil Griffiths10203–FWEnglandJack Clunn100238FWEnglandJack Kirkaldy20002–FWEnglandRobert Pepper20002–FWEnglandCecil Booth0200211HBEnglandFrank Pointon00011–HBEnglandHarry Griffiths00101–HBEnglandLouis Cardwell01001–HBEnglandJonty Musgrave10001–FWEnglandHarry Ware01001–FWEnglandRalph Gregory00011–FWWales 1807Albert Hall00101–FWEnglandDennis Isherwood00101TOTALS22139549 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. July 1944 FW ENG Kenneth Banks Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 August 1944 FW ENG William Birks Free transfer August 1944 FW ENG Ralph Gregory Free transfer August 1944 HB ENG Harold Jervis Stoke City Free transfer August 1944 FW ENG James Mee Free transfer August 1944 HB ENG Frank Pointon Endon Free transfer August 1944 GK ENG Harry Prince Wolverhampton Wanderers Free transfer September 1944 HB ENG Jonty Musgrave Hartlepools United Free transfer September 1944 FW ENG Robert Pepper Stafford Boys' Club Free transfer September 1944 FW ENG Eric Prince Ipstones Free transfer October 1944 FW SCO Murdoch Dickie Port Vale Free transfer October 1944 FW SCO Isaac McDowell SCO Cowdenbeath Free transfer October 1944 FW ENG Roy Meredith Free transfer December 1944 FW ENG Jack Clunn Michelin Free transfer December 1944 FB ENG Sid Prince Michelin Free transfer December 1944 FW ENG Dennis Spender Radway Free transfer February 1945 FW ENG Cecil Booth Free transfer March 1945 FW ENG Leonard Howell Free transfer March 1945 FW ENG John Roden Free transfer Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1945 FW ENG Kenneth Banks Released 1945 FW ENG Roy Meredith Released 1945 HB ENG Jonty Musgrave Released 1945 FW ENG Dennis Spender Released 1945 FW ENG James Tunnicliffe Released Summer 1945 FW WAL 1807 Phil Griffiths Released Summer 1945 FW ENG Leonard Howell Released Summer 1945 FB ENG Sid Prince Ipstones Free transfer 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