1947–48 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1947–48 Gordon Hodgson William Holdcroft Old Recreation Ground Football League Third Division South 8th (43 points) FA Cup First Round(eliminated by Crystal Palace) Ronnie Allen (13) Ronnie Allen (13) 18,147 vs. Notts County, 28 February 1948 5,602 vs. Exeter City, 24 April 1948 13,569 7–0 vs. Watford, 15 September 1947 0–5 vs. Torquay United, 7 February 1948 _collar_buttons_2 _hoops_red ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 ffffff 1946–47 1948–49 The 1947–48 season was Port Vale's 36th season of football in the English Football League, and their third 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 the guidance of manager Gordon Hodgson and chairman William Holdcroft, the Valiants achieved an eighth‑place finish, amassing 43 points from 42 league fixtures, with just three away victories highlighting a stark home–away performance dichotomy. In the FA Cup, Vale's run was brief, exiting in the First Round after a solitary tie, matching their league form in cup competition. Striker Ronnie Allen, then aged eighteen, emerged as the club's top scorer with 13 goals, which included consecutive hat‑tricks in home matches, underscoring his rapid rise through the ranks. Attendance figures remained healthy: an average crowd of 13,569, with the season’s lowest turnout of 5,602 against Exeter City on 24 April 1948, and the season's largest margin of victory — a 7–0 win over Watford on 15 September — demonstrating the team's occasional attacking flair. Overall, while Vale maintained a solid mid‑table standing, inconsistencies — particularly on the road—and continued stadium redevelopment work meant that success remained elusive, setting the stage for further post-war rebuilding in subsequent seasons. 200px|thumb|right|Manager Gordon Hodgson during his playing days. Overview Third Division South The pre-season saw the arrival of outside-right John Currie from Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. The total number of players at the club was 81, though the vast majority of these amateurs who never played for the first-team. Standing season tickets were reduced to £3 13s, in an attempt to boost support. The season began with a 1–1 draw with Bristol Rovers in front of 15,714 supporters, followed four days later by a 2–1 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road. Following this the Vale were exceptional at home but poor away, as their unbeaten run at home reached 15 games. Their home form was exemplified by 6–4 and 7–0 wins over Aldershot and Watford respectively, in which Ronnie Allen scored a hat-trick in both games, and Morris Jones score a hat-trick past Aldershot. The defence seeming too weak for a promotion push, Harry Hubbick was signed from Bolton Wanderers in October. However, the team lost Alf Bellis to a foot fracture. The Sentinel'''s "Placer" complained of the weakened passing of the post-war generation, in both the Vale side and in footballers in general. In November, Morris Jones was sold to Swindon Town for £2,500, having handed in a transfer request. Gordon Hodgson searched for new attacking talents, leaving his players to relax with games of table tennis, darts, and reading material. Results began to improve, starting with a 4–1 home win over Ipswich Town in which Alan Martin was shifted to inside-left. On Christmas day, a 5–0 win was recorded over Brighton & Hove Albion, with defender Tommy Cheadle put into the centre-forward role. This marked the start of a seven-match unbeaten run, which took the "Valiants" into fourth place by the end of January. Hodgson's policy of prioritising youth over experience led many older players to submit transfer requests. In January Alf Bellis was traded to Bury in exchange for Walter Keeley and 'a substantial fee'. Vale nevertheless ended the month with consecutive 4–1 home victories over Newport County and Crystal Palace. A 5–0 thrashing at muddy Plainmoor from Torquay United in February was followed by a win over Swindon Town which was disturbed by a dog on the pitch, whilst the week after came a draw in 3 in cm of snow at Southend United. The club's promotion hopes faded with a defeat by Notts County at the Old Recreation Ground; a crowd of 18,147 turned up to see England star Tommy Lawton scoring the winner. An impressive 2–1 win over league leaders Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic was marred by spectators throwing stones onto the pitch. Vale then were beaten for only the second time at home by the new league leaders, Queens Park Rangers on 26 March, as they displayed "costly blunders in defence" and "a disconcerting naivety in attack". The following day, they recorded their last win of the season by beating Bristol City by a goal to nil. They failed to win in their last seven games, which cost them a third-place finish and the subsequent £165 in talent money. In preparation for next season, Joe Dale was signed from Manchester United for £1,000. The last game of the season attracted 5,602 spectators – the lowest total of the season – ironically, this was against Exeter City, their opponents in the highest attended home game of the previous campaign. This low attendance was partly blamed on the FA Cup final, which was broadcast simultaneously. They finished in eighth place with 43 points, barely improving on the previous season. Ronnie Allen was the top-scorer with just 13 goals. Scoring was very much a team effort. Finances On the financial side, a loss of £1,292 was reported – mainly due to a transfer debit. Gate receipts had increased to £26,666 and the wage bill had risen drastically to £13,647. Cash was needed for the ongoing construction of 'The Wembley of the North', and so schemes such as the '100 Club' were introduced, offering supporters a seat for life at the stadium for £100. Meanwhile, Norman Hallam departed in the summer and left the area to become a Methodist Minister in Carlisle. FA Cup In the FA Cup, Vale fell at the first hurdle, losing 2–1 to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a below-par performance. Unlike in the previous FA Cup campaign, the retreat to the old Royal Brine Baths in Stafford had failed to inspire the players. Results Football League Third Division South 1947–48 Football League League table Third Division South y PTV Results by matchday table b Round Ground H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/A/A/A/H/A/H/A Result D/W/L/W/W/D/L/W/D/L/W/L/D/L/W/L/W/W/L/W/D/W/W/D/W/W/L/W/D/L/L/W/L/L/W/L/L/D/L/D/D/D Position 12/4/10/6/4/4/9/3/5/7/7/8/9/11/9/10/8/8/11/7/9/8/6/6/5/4/4/4/4/4/5/4/6/6/5/6/7/6/6/7/8/8 Points 1p/3p/3p/5p/7p/8p/8p/10p/11p/11p/13p/13p/14p/14p/16p/16p/18p/20p/20p/22p/23p/25p/27p/28p/30p/32p/32p/34p/35p/35p/35p/37p/37p/37p/39p/39p/39p/40p/40p/41p/42p/43p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1947–1948 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20150916215317/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1947-1948/results 16 September 2015 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 23 August 1947 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-rovers-23-august-1947-167706/ Bristol Rovers Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 15,714 2 27 August 1947 Norwich City 1–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/norwich-city-v-port-vale-27-august-1947-167717/ Port Vale Cheadle Smith Carrow Road Norwich 22,024 3 30 August 1947 Northampton Town 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/northampton-town-v-port-vale-30-august-1947-167730/ Port Vale Smith County Cricket Ground Northampton 9,404 4 1 September 1947 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-norwich-city-01-september-1947-167735/ Norwich City Pointon Smith Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,688 5 6 September 1947 Port Vale 6–4 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-aldershot-06-september-1947-167750/ Aldershot Allen Jones Old Recreation Ground Hanley 13,840 6 10 September 1947 Watford 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/watford-v-port-vale-10-september-1947-167762/ Port Vale Hicklin Hallam Vicarage Road Watford 8,802 7 13 September 1947 Crystal Palace 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/crystal-palace-v-port-vale-13-september-1947-167771/ Port Vale Selhurst Park Selhurst, Croydon 15,063 8 15 September 1947 Port Vale 7–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-watford-15-september-1947-167779/ Watford Allen Hallam Smith Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,232 9 20 September 1947 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-torquay-united-20-september-1947-167795/ Torquay United Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,092 10 27 September 1947 Swindon Town 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/swindon-town-v-port-vale-27-september-1947-167812/ Port Vale Lucas 85 County Ground Swindon W.T. Strainge 16,828 11 4 October 1947 Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-southend-united-04-october-1947-167822/ Southend United Allen Smith Old Recreation Ground Hanley 15,106 12 11 October 1947 Notts County 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/notts-county-v-port-vale-11-october-1947-167833/ Port Vale Bellis Meadow Lane Nottingham 20,172 13 18 October 1947 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swansea-town-18-october-1947-167844/ Swansea Town Smith Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14,355 14 25 October 1947 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-v-port-vale-25-october-1947-167849/ Port Vale Dean Court Bournemouth 17,025 15 1 November 1947 Port Vale 4–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-ipswich-town-01-november-1947-167866/ Ipswich Town Martin Allen Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14,878 16 8 November 1947 Bristol City 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-city-v-port-vale-08-november-1947-167872/ Port Vale Allen Ashton Gate Ashton Gate, Bristol 27,740 17 15 November 1947 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-reading-15-november-1947-167888/ Reading Smith Old Recreation Ground Hanley 13,305 18 22 November 1947 Walsall 1–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/walsall-v-port-vale-22-november-1947-167903/ Port Vale Bellis Allen Fellows Park Walsall 15,309 19 20 December 1947 Bristol Rovers 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-port-vale-20-december-1947-167909/ Port Vale Martin Eastville Stadium Bristol 11,651 20 25 December 1947 Port Vale 5–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-25-december-1947-167916/ Brighton & Hove Albion Cheadle McGarry Martin Triner Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,431 21 27 December 1947 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/brighton-and-hove-albion-v-port-vale-27-december-1947-167927/ Port Vale Cheadle Martin Goldstone Ground Hove 7,329 22 3 January 1948 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-northampton-town-03-january-1948-167940/ Northampton Town Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,905 23 10 January 1948 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-leyton-orient-10-january-1948-167948/ Leyton Orient Keeley Cheadle Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,225 24 17 January 1948 Aldershot 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/aldershot-v-port-vale-17-january-1948-167950/ Port Vale Cheadle Recreation Ground Aldershot 4,459 25 24 January 1948 Port Vale 4–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-newport-county-24-january-1948-167965/ Newport County Pointon Keeley Martin pen. Roffi Old Recreation Ground Hanley 10,816 26 31 January 1948 Port Vale 4–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-crystal-palace-31-january-1948-167973/ Crystal Palace Cheadle Allen Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 13,419 27 7 February 1948 Torquay United 5–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/torquay-united-v-port-vale-07-february-1948-167987/ Port Vale Plainmoor Torquay 6,067 28 14 February 1948 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swindon-town-14-february-1948-167994/ Swindon Town Pointon 65 Old Recreation Ground Hanley F.C. Green 14,263 29 21 February 1948 Southend United 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/southend-united-v-port-vale-21-february-1948-168004/ Port Vale Martin Southend Stadium Southend-on-Sea 3,961 30 28 February 1948 Port Vale 1–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-notts-county-28-february-1948-168013/ Notts County Allen Old Recreation Ground Hanley 18,147 31 6 March 1948 Swansea Town 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/swansea-town-v-port-vale-06-march-1948-168025/ Port Vale Vetch Field Swansea 18,180 32 13 March 1948 Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-13-march-1948-168033/ Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Allen Martin Old Recreation Ground Hanley 15,221 33 20 March 1948 Ipswich Town 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/ipswich-town-v-port-vale-20-march-1948-168043/ Port Vale Pointon Portman Road Ipswich 11,100 34 26 March 1948 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-queens-park-rangers-26-march-1948-168058/ Queens Park Rangers Boxshall Hatton Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,889 35 27 March 1948 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-city-27-march-1948-168068/ Bristol City Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,541 36 29 March 1948 Queens Park Rangers 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/queens-park-rangers-v-port-vale-29-march-1948-168079/ Port Vale Addinall A.Smith Pointon Loftus Road Shepherd's Bush, West London 24,053 37 3 April 1948 Reading 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/reading-v-port-vale-03-april-1948-168091/ Port Vale Elm Park Reading, Berkshire 12,293 38 7 April 1948 Exeter City 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/exeter-city-v-port-vale-07-april-1948-168098/ Port Vale St James Park Exeter 7,653 39 10 April 1948 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-10-april-1948-168108/ Walsall Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,282 40 17 April 1948 Leyton Orient 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/leyton-orient-v-port-vale-17-april-1948-168122/ Port Vale Brisbane Road Leyton, East London 12,430 41 24 April 1948 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-exeter-city-24-april-1948-168141/ Exeter City Smith Regan Old Recreation Ground Hanley W.Prescott 5,602 42 1 May 1948 Newport County 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/newport-county-v-port-vale-01-may-1948-168159/ Port Vale Somerton Park Newport, Wales 8,309 FA Cup 1947–48 FA Cup R1 29 November 1947 Crystal Palace 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/crystal-palace-v-port-vale-29-november-1947-209524/ Port Vale Smith Selhurst Park Selhurst, Croydon 13,000 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 George Heppell 39 0 1 0 FB ENG Garth Butler 39 0 1 0 FB ENG Harry Hubbick 30 0 1 0 FB SCO Bob Pursell 7 0 0 0 HB ENG Tommy Cheadle 23 8 0 0 HB ENG Eric Eastwood 18 0 1 0 HB ENG Norman Hallam 29 3 1 0 HB ENG Basil Hayward 24 0 0 0 HB ENG Alan Martin 42 8 1 0 HB ENG Bill McGarry 26 1 1 0 HB ENG Wilf Smith 1 0 0 0 HB IRE Jimmy Todd 24 0 0 0 FW ENG Ronnie Allen 38 13 1 0 FW ENG John Currie 8 0 0 0 FW ENG Joe Dale 3 0 0 0 FW ENG Bill Pointon 29 10 1 0 FW ENG Ted Shore 3 0 0 0 FW ENG Jack Smith 26 9 1 1 FW ENG Don Triner 2 1 0 0 FW ENG Walter Keeley 16 3 0 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:'' FW ENG Alf Bellis 17 4 1 0 FW ENG Morris Jones 14 3 0 0 FW ENG Eric Prince 3 0 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameThird Division SouthFA CupTotal1FWEnglandRonnie Allen130132FWEnglandBill Pointon10010–FWEnglandJack Smith91104HBEnglandAlan Martin808–HBEnglandTommy Cheadle8086FWEnglandAlf Bellis4047FWEnglandMorris Jones303–HBEnglandNorman Hallam303–FWEnglandWalter Keeley30310HBEnglandBill McGarry101–FWEnglandDon Triner101TOTALS63164 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. June 1947 FW ENG Len Barber Bury Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 June 1947 FW ENG John Currie Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Free transfer October 1947 FB ENG Harry Hubbick Bolton Wanderers £1,000 January 1948 FW ENG Walter Keeley Bury Exchange April 1948 FW ENG Joe Dale Manchester United £1,000 Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. November 1947 FW ENG Morris Jones Swindon Town £2,500 January 1948 FW ENG Alf Bellis Bury 'Substantial' February 1948 FW ENG Eric Prince Macclesfield Town Released Summer 1948 FW ENG John Currie Released Summer 1948 FW ENG Ted Shore Coventry City Released Summer 1948 FW ENG Jack Smith Congleton Town 'Free transfer Summer 1948 FW ENG Don Triner Witton Albion 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