1951–52 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1951–52 Ivor Powell(until November)Freddie Steele(from 24 December) William Holdcroft Vale Park Football League Third Division South 13th (43 points) FA Cup First Round(eliminated by Colchester United) Albert Mullard (13) Albert Mullard (13) 17,860 vs. Brighton & Hove Albion, 12 January 1952 4,136 vs. Aldershot, 8 December 1951 11,225 3–0 and 4–1 1–5 vs. Reading, 20 February 1952 _blackborder _collarblack _blackborder _whitetop ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 000000 1950–51 1952–53 The 1951–52 season was Port Vale's 40th season of football in the English Football League, and their seventh full season in the Third Division South.Kent Jeff The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale Witan Books 1990 171–196 Fame and Fortune (1950–1959) 0-9508981-4-7 It saw a turbulent transition in both leadership and form. Manager Ivor Powell began the season, but with Vale adrift at the foot of the table, he was dismissed in November. On Christmas Eve, Freddie Steele — a former England international — was appointed player‑manager, engineering a remarkable recovery using largely the squad he inherited, guiding Vale to a 13th‑place finish with 43 points from 46 matches. Vale's FA Cup campaign was short‑lived, ending in the First Round with an early exit at the hands of Colchester United. Albert Mullard, signed from Stoke City in September as part of a player-plus‑cash exchange, emerged as both league and season top scorer with 13 goals, his contribution growing in significance as the season progressed. Support remained steady at Vale Park, with an average home attendance of 11,225, peaking and dipping to a low of 4,136 versus Aldershot in December 1951. The season also witnessed key transfer moves, including the departures of Cliff Pinchbeck and Walter Aveyard, both impacting the squad depth mid‑campaign. Steele's man-management affected strategy and performance, establishing the "Iron/Steele Curtain" defence. Overview Third Division South The pre-season saw 578 seats installed on the Railway Terrace, bringing the seated capacity of Vale Park to 1,010. No signings of note were made. However, transfer-listed Cliff Pinchbeck failed to turn up for pre-season training, citing illness. Thirty seconds into their opening game with Reading and they were behind, the Vale went on to lose 2–0. A six-game unbeaten streak followed, with just three goals conceded, though only five goals were scored. On 21 August, Vale held Southend United to a goalless draw despite Mick Hulligan being knocked unconscious twice. On his return to Burslem, Pinchbeck scored a brace to salvage a point against Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. Vale then sold Alan Martin to rivals Stoke City for £10,000 and Albert Mullard, the money going towards fixing the drainage problem at Vale Park. The sale was criticized by supporters, though they soon warmed to Mullard, who became the club's top scorer. The club failed to sign transfer target Dennis Wilshaw from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Garth Butler was forced to retire with a knee injury. Results turned against the team, as they went on a run of 13 games without a win, though all five of the home games on the 'wide open' Vale Park pitch were draws (all eight away matches were losses). On 3 November, a 3–1 defeat at Crystal Palace sent Vale to the bottom of the table. Manager Ivor Powell attempted to sign players but was deterred by the high transfer prices, and so instead continually reshuffled the first XI. Powell's contract was terminated on 22 November, his team bottom of the table. Trainer Ken Fish took temporary charge of first-team affairs. Roy Sproson and Ray King would later say the sacking came as no surprise, saying Powell 'ruled by fear', 'used to treat the players like kids' and it was a 'complete relief' to find him dismissed. Pinchbeck was also offloaded, sold to Northampton Town for 'an undisclosed sum'. On 8 December, Vale recorded a surprise 4–1 win over Aldershot. Yet the side then went another eight games without a win. Freddie Steele was appointed player-manager on Christmas Eve, signing the former England international meant Vale had to pay Mansfield Town a four-figure fee. The former Stoke City forward was still very much a goalscorer, having described his record of 44 goals in 66 games for the "Stags" as "not bad for an old man!". In January, half-back Norman Hallam returned to the club. On 12 January, 17,860 turned up to witness a 1–1 draw in Steele's debut against second-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, the first of a five-match unbeaten run that took Vale off the foot of the table. A fortnight later Vale travelled to Plainmoor, where Steele took the ball from his own half to score the winner past Torquay United. On 9 February, Vale beat Gillingham 1–0, in what was the first of a club record 13 game-winning run at home. A 5–1 hammering at Elm Park from Reading failed to prevent the Vale from going on to another eight-game unbeaten run. Steele accomplished this without any new signings; in fact, he sold Walter Aveyard to Accrington Stanley for a four-figure fee in April. Their run ended with a 3–0 defeat at Fellows Park to bottom-placed Walsall when Tommy Cheadle and Jimmy Todd were both injured. Vale finished their final five games with three wins. They finished 13th with 43 points and a strong defence, but the lowest goals scored tally in the division. They had lost just the one game at Vale Park, back on the opening day. Finances On the financial side, the club announced a profit of £4,403 due to a profit on transfers of £16,750. Gross receipts had fallen to £27,133, whilst wages had risen by £3,500 to £23,511. Steele seemed to be happy with the players he inherited, as he retained 31 professionals, the only departures being George Heppell to Witton Albion, Stan Palk to Worcester City, and Lol Hamlett to Congleton Town. FA Cup In the FA Cup, Vale fell at the first hurdle to Colchester United at Layer Road, losing 3–1. Results Football League Third Division South 1951–52 Football League League table Third Division South y PTV Results by matchday table b Round Ground H/A/H/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/H/A/A/A/H/A/H/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H Result L/D/D/D/W/W/D/L/D/L/L/L/D/L/D/L/D/L/L/W/L/D/L/D/L/L/D/D/W/W/W/L/D/W/W/D/W/W/W/D/L/W/W/L/L/W Position 21/19/22/21/17/10/9/16/16/17/19/20/22/23/23/24/23/24/24/23/23/23/23/24/24/24/24/23/23/24/23/23/22/20/19/20/18/13/14/13/15/15/13/16/17/12 Points 0p/1p/2p/3p/5p/7p/8p/8p/9p/9p/9p/9p/10p/10p/11p/11p/12p/12p/12p/14p/14p/15p/15p/16p/16p/16p/18p/19p/20p/22p/24p/24p/25p/27p/29p/30p/32p/34p/36p/37p/37p/39p/41p/41p/41p/43p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1951–1952 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065032/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1951-1952/results 4 March 2016 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 18 August 1951 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-reading-18-august-1951-169647/ Reading Vale Park Burslem 16,663 2 21 August 1951 Southend United 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/southend-united-v-port-vale-21-august-1951-169654/ Port Vale Southend Stadium Southend-on-Sea 9,371 3 27 August 1951 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-southend-united-27-august-1951-169675/ Southend United Vale Park Burslem 10,550 4 1 September 1951 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-watford-01-september-1951-169693/ Watford Leake Jones Vale Park Burslem 11,790 5 5 September 1951 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 0–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-v-port-vale-05-september-1951-169701/ Port Vale Martin Dean Court Bournemouth 11,455 6 8 September 1951 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-city-08-september-1951-169717/ Bristol City Martin Vale Park Burslem 14,472 7 10 September 1951 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-10-september-1951-169720/ Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Pinchbeck Vale Park Burslem 12,601 8 15 September 1951 Ipswich Town 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/ipswich-town-v-port-vale-15-september-1951-169737/ Port Vale Portman Road Ipswich 9,287 9 22 September 1951 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-torquay-united-22-september-1951-169757/ Torquay United Mullard Sproson Vale Park Burslem 14,201 10 27 September 1951 Northampton Town 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/northampton-town-v-port-vale-27-september-1951-169762/ Port Vale Mullard County Cricket Ground Northampton 8,082 11 29 September 1951 Gillingham 4–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/gillingham-v-port-vale-29-september-1951-169767/ Port Vale Mullard pen. Pinchbeck Priestfield Stadium Gillingham, Kent 14,354 12 6 October 1951 Plymouth Argyle 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/plymouth-argyle-v-port-vale-06-october-1951-169782/ Port Vale Astall Govan Rattray Home Park Plymouth 19,161 13 13 October 1951 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-norwich-city-13-october-1951-169795/ Norwich City Vale Park Burslem 10,576 14 20 October 1951 Exeter City 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/exeter-city-v-port-vale-20-october-1951-169803/ Port Vale Smart Mackay St James Park Exeter 7,834 15 27 October 1951 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-colchester-united-27-october-1951-169819/ Colchester United Bennett Cutting Vale Park Burslem 9,488 16 3 November 1951 Crystal Palace 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/crystal-palace-v-port-vale-03-november-1951-169826/ Port Vale Pinchbeck Selhurst Park Selhurst, Croydon 16,401 17 10 November 1951 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swindon-town-10-november-1951-169843/ Swindon Town Mullard 12 Barber 61 Owen 79 88 Vale Park Burslem R.A. Mann 9,142 18 17 November 1951 Leyton Orient 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/leyton-orient-v-port-vale-17-november-1951-169852/ Port Vale Brisbane Road Leyton, East London 7,674 19 1 December 1951 Shrewsbury Town 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/shrewsbury-town-v-port-vale-01-december-1951-169867/ Port Vale Gay Meadow Shrewsbury 8,690 20 8 December 1951 Port Vale 4–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-aldershot-08-december-1951-169878/ Aldershot Mullard Hulligan Cunliffe Vale Park Burslem 4,136 21 15 December 1951 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/brighton-and-hove-albion-v-port-vale-15-december-1951-169882/ Port Vale Mullard Goldstone Ground Hove 14,218 22 22 December 1951 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-northampton-town-22-december-1951-169890/ Northampton Town Vale Park Burslem 8,973 23 25 December 1951 Bristol Rovers 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-port-vale-25-december-1951-169896/ Port Vale og. Eastville Stadium Bristol 16,691 24 26 December 1951 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-rovers-26-december-1951-169915/ Bristol Rovers Barber Vale Park Burslem 16,734 25 29 December 1951 Watford 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/watford-v-port-vale-29-december-1951-169930/ Port Vale Eggleston Haigh Vicarage Road Watford 9,023 26 5 January 1952 Bristol City 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-city-v-port-vale-05-january-1952-169933/ Port Vale Ashton Gate Ashton Gate, Bristol 17,598 27 12 January 1952 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-12-january-1952-169948/ Brighton & Hove Albion Mullard pen. Vale Park Burslem 17,860 28 19 January 1952 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-ipswich-town-19-january-1952-169963/ Ipswich Town Vale Park Burslem 10,592 29 26 January 1952 Torquay United 2–3 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/torquay-united-v-port-vale-26-january-1952-169979/ Port Vale Griffiths Mullard pen. Steele Plainmoor Torquay 5,588 30 9 February 1952 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-gillingham-09-february-1952-170002/ Gillingham Cunliffe Vale Park Burslem 12,768 31 16 February 1952 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-plymouth-argyle-16-february-1952-170014/ Plymouth Argyle Mullard Vale Park Burslem B. M. Griffiths 10,572 32 20 February 1952 Reading 5–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/reading-v-port-vale-20-february-1952-170018/ Port Vale Palk Elm Park Reading, Berkshire 10,174 33 23 February 1952 Newport County 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/newport-county-v-port-vale-23-february-1952-170025/ Port Vale Moore Griffiths Somerton Park Newport, Wales 11,543 34 1 March 1952 Norwich City 2–3 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/norwich-city-v-port-vale-01-march-1952-170037/ Port Vale Steele Hulligan Mullard pen. Carrow Road Norwich 17,642 35 8 March 1952 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-exeter-city-08-march-1952-170051/ Exeter City Steele Griffiths Hulligan Vale Park Burslem G.W. Thorpe 12,021 36 15 March 1952 Colchester United 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-port-vale-15-march-1952-170057/ Port Vale Layer Road Colchester 7,551 37 22 March 1952 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-crystal-palace-22-march-1952-170076/ Crystal Palace Bennett Griffiths Vale Park Burslem 11,686 38 24 March 1952 Port Vale 4–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-newport-county-24-march-1952-170080/ Newport County Steele Griffiths Mullard Shergold og. Vale Park Burslem 5,908 39 5 April 1952 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-leyton-orient-05-april-1952-170100/ Leyton Orient Steele Hulligan Mullard Vale Park Burslem 7,257 40 11 April 1952 Millwall 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/millwall-v-port-vale-11-april-1952-170108/ Port Vale Griffiths The Den New Cross, Lewisham 24,375 41 12 April 1952 Walsall 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/walsall-v-port-vale-12-april-1952-170122/ Port Vale Fellows Park New Cross, Walsall 7,518 42 19 April 1952 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-shrewsbury-town-19-april-1952-170145/ Shrewsbury Town Steele Vale Park Burslem 14,469 43 21 April 1952 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-21-april-1952-170149/ Walsall Griffiths Vale Park Burslem 8,401 44 26 April 1952 Aldershot 4–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/aldershot-v-port-vale-26-april-1952-170161/ Port Vale Bennett Recreation Ground Aldershot 6,676 45 28 April 1952 Swindon Town 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/swindon-town-v-port-vale-28-april-1952-170175/ Port Vale Owen Bain County Ground Swindon A. Bond 4,835 46 3 May 1952 Port Vale 2–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-millwall-01-may-1952-170184/ Millwall Leake Griffiths Vale Park Burslem 7,316 FA Cup 1951–52 FA Cup R1 24 November 1951 Colchester United 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-port-vale-24-november-1951-210067/ Port Vale Keeble 11Scott 24Elder 37 pen. Pinchbeck Layer Road Colchester 10,119 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 27 0 1 0 GK ENG Ray King 19 0 0 0 FB ENG Lol Hamlett 24 0 1 0 FB ENG Reg Potts 21 0 0 0 FB ENG Stan Turner 40 0 0 0 HB ENG Tommy Cheadle 39 0 1 0 HB ENG Norman Hallam 3 0 0 0 HB ENG Basil Hayward 27 0 1 0 HB ENG Albert Leake 8 2 0 0 HB ENG Albert Mullard 34 13 1 0 HB WAL 1807 Ivor Powell 6 0 0 0 HB ENG Roy Sproson 28 1 0 0 HB NIR Jimmy Todd 24 0 1 0 FW ENG Colin Askey 7 0 0 0 FW ENG Len Barber 18 2 0 0 FW ENG Alan Bennett 39 3 1 0 FW ENG John Cunliffe 11 2 0 0 FW ENG Ken Griffiths 20 8 1 0 FW ENG Mick Hulligan 37 4 1 0 FW ENG Stan Palk 30 1 1 0 FW ENG Freddie Steele 14 7 0 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: FB ENG Garth Butler 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Alan Martin 5 2 0 0 HB WAL 1807 Ivor Powell 6 0 0 0 FW ENG Walter Aveyard 13 0 0 0 FW ENG Cliff Pinchbeck 12 4 1 1 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameThird Division SouthFA CupTotal1HBEnglandAlbert Mullard130132FWEnglandKen Griffiths8083FWEnglandFreddie Steele7074FWEnglandMick Hulligan405–FWEnglandCliff Pinchbeck4156FWEnglandAlan Bennett3037HBEnglandAlbert Leake202–FWEnglandJohn Cunliffe202–HBEnglandAlan Martin202–FWEnglandLen Barber20211FWEnglandStan Palk101–HBEnglandRoy Sproson101–––Own goals101TOTALS50151 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. July 1951 HB WAL 1807 Ivor Powell Aston Villa Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 September 1951 HB ENG Albert Mullard Stoke City Exchange December 1951 FW ENG Freddie Steele Mansfield Town 'four-figure fee' Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. September 1951 HB ENG Alan Martin Stoke City Exchange + £10,000 October 1951 FB ENG Garth Butler Retired November 1951 FW ENG Cliff Pinchbeck Northampton Town Undisclosed November 1951 HB WAL 1807 Ivor Powell WAL 1807 Barry Town Released March 1952 FW ENG Walter Aveyard Accrington Stanley 'four figure fee' May 1952 FB ENG Lol Hamlett Congleton Town Released May 1952 GK ENG George Heppell Witton Albion Free transfer Summer 1952 FW ENG Stan Palk 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