1918–19 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1918–19 Jock Cameron(until January)Joe Schofield(January onwards) Frank Huntbach Old Recreation Ground Football League Lancashire Section 12th (24 points) Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament 4th (3 points) Harry Howell (6) Harry Howell (9) 16,000 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919 2,000 vs. Blackpool, 28 September 1918 5,772 4–1 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919 1–8 vs. Stoke, 12 October 1918 1917–18 1919–20 The 1918–19 season was Port Vale's third season of football after going into abeyance during World War I.Kent Jeff The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale Witan Books 1990 71–97 The Hard Road Back (1907–1919) 0-9508981-4-7 They competed in the Football League Lancashire Section under manager-secretaries Jock Cameron (until January) and Joe Schofield (from January), with Frank Huntbach as chairman at the Old Recreation Ground. The club finished 12th in the 30‑match league season, accumulating 24 points from 10 wins, 4 draws, and 16 losses, with a goal tally of 39 scored and 77 conceded. Vale also competed in the Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament, finishing 4th with 3 points from that mini-competition Forward Harry Howell led the team as top scorer, with 6 league goals and 9 in all competitions. The season included mixed fortunes: the club suffered its largest defeat of the era, an 8–1 loss to Stoke in October, yet achieved occasional strong results, including resounding wins of 4–0 and 5–1 in league play. Attendances were variable — peaking at around 16,000 spectators for a Potteries derby match against Stoke on 28 April 1919, with an average attendance of approximately 5,772 Overall, the 1918–19 campaign signalled Port Vale's final phase in wartime regional football and served as a transitional foundation for their reinstatement into the national Football League in October 1919. Overview With Tom Holford largely unavailable, Jock Cameron was promoted to captain and team manager. The squad had to be made up largely of players available and willing to play, with only the Pearson brothers (Harry and Albert) offering much in the way of continuity from the previous campaign. The team started with a four-game unbeaten run, only to pick up one point from their next six games. The poor run included an embarrassing 8–1 defeat by Stoke at the Old Recreation Ground. The war was drawing to a close, ending on 11 November, but not before claiming the lives of Bob Suart and Jack Shelton. Vale beat bottom-club Burnley 4–2 five days later, and began to be strengthened by first-team players who returned from their wartime duties – as were every other club however. From this point, Vale began winning their home games but losing their away matches, ending this run with a 2–0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on 18 January – the first away win of the campaign. A sign of things returning to normal was the sale of Albert Pearson to Liverpool in January. As players again started to be paid their regular wage, the Football League began a tax on rich clubs to support poorer clubs, which benefited Vale to the tune of £71. Eager to win a place in the expanding Football League the following season, Vale appointed former England international Joe Schofield as team secretary in January. Four straight wins around the new year were followed by four straight defeats in February, though attendance began to rise back to regular peacetime levels. On 10 March, the Football League held a vote on which clubs to admit for the 1919–20 season and Vale were disappointed only to tally 27 votes, leaving Stoke, West Ham United, South Shields, Rotherham County and Coventry City as the successful applicants. Vale also ended the league programme with eight defeats in their last ten matches, losing heavily to Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers. They ended the season 12th out of 16 teams, scoring 39 goals whilst conceding 77. The club set up a Supporters' club in April with 220 members each contributing a shilling subscription. Vale again fared poorly in the six-game Subsidiary Tournament, losing four and winning only once. They did end positively, though, beating Potteries derby rivals Stoke 4–1 in front of a season-high crowd of 16,000. Results WinDrawLoss Football League Lancashire Section League table main WDL Q 2 y y PTV 11 BLP Blackpool PTV Port Vale BRN Burnley 10 5 15 45 61 10 4 16 39 77 10 3 17 54 76 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches 1 7 September 1918 Bury 1–1 D Burslem Port Vale Rogers Gigg Lane Bury, Greater Manchester 2 14 September 1918 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W Bury McCarthy Lyons Old Recreation Ground Hanley 3 21 September 1918 Blackpool 1–1 D Burslem Port Vale Davies Bloomfield Road Blackpool 4 28 September 1918 Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D Blackpool A.Pearson Old Recreation Ground Hanley 2,000 5 5 October 1918 Stoke 3–2 L Burslem Port Vale Turner Bowser McGregor Foster Victoria Ground Stoke-upon-Trent 6 12 October 1918 Burslem Port Vale 1–8 L Stoke Davies Bowser Lockett Whittingham Herbert Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7 19 October 1918 Stockport County 3–0 L Burslem Port Vale Edgeley Park Stockport 3,000 8 26 October 1918 Burslem Port Vale 2–2 D Stockport County Blood H.Pearson Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9 2 November 1918 Burslem Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-liverpool-02-november-1918-292911/ Liverpool Green Lewis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,000 10 9 November 1918 Liverpool 4–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/liverpool-v-port-vale-09-november-1918-292912/ Burslem Port Vale Green 4 Bennett 28 Wadsworth Anfield Liverpool 14,000 11 16 November 1918 Burslem Port Vale 4–2 W Burnley H.Pearson Salt Cope og. Old Recreation Ground Hanley 4,000 12 23 November 1918 Burnley 4–1 L Burslem Port Vale Fitchford Turf Moor Burnley 4,000 13 30 November 1918 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W Southport Vulcan Kelly A.Pearson Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14 7 December 1918 Southport Vulcan 4–0 L Burslem Port Vale Ash Lane Southport 15 14 December 1918 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W Manchester United Burgess Garner Brennan Old Recreation Ground Hanley 4,000 16 21 December 1918 Manchester United 5–1 L Burslem Port Vale H.Pearson (pen) Old Trafford Old Trafford 5,000 17 28 December 1918 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W Bolton Wanderers og. Fitchford Asbury Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,000 18 11 January 1919 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W Preston North End Burgess Old Recreation Ground Hanley 4,000 19 18 January 1919 Preston North End 0–2 W Burslem Port Vale Cameron Burgess Deepdale Preston, Lancashire 20 25 January 1919 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W Rochdale Howell Burgess Burgess Old Recreation Ground Hanley 3,000 21 1 February 1919 Rochdale 2–0 L Burslem Port Vale Goodwin Hawksworth Spotland Stadium Rochdale 3,500 22 8 February 1919 Burslem Port Vale 0–1 L Everton Old Recreation Ground Hanley 10,000 23 15 February 1919 Everton 3–1 L Burslem Port Vale Howell Goodison Park Walton, Liverpool 20,000 24 22 February 1919 Oldham Athletic 6–0 L Burslem Port Vale Boundary Park Oldham 5,875 25 1 March 1919 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W Oldham Athletic Brennan Howell Hill Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,301 26 8 March 1919 Manchester City 6–1 L Burslem Port Vale Johnson Browell Barnes Howell Hyde Road Gorton 14,000 27 15 March 1919 Burslem Port Vale 1–5 L Manchester City Fitchford Barnes Browell A. Fairclough Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,500 28 22 March 1919 Burslem Port Vale 3–2 W Blackburn Rovers Howell Fitchford Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,000 29 29 March 1919 Blackburn Rovers 6–0 L Burslem Port Vale Ewood Park Blackburn 5,000 30 18 April 1919 Bolton Wanderers 2–1 L Burslem Port Vale Hill (pen) Burnden Park Bolton 20,000 Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament League table main WDL Q 2 y y PTV 2 STK Stoke MU Manchester United PTV Port Vale 2 2 2 9 10 2 0 4 9 14 1 1 4 9 13 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches 1 5 April 1919 Burslem Port Vale 1–3 L Manchester United J.Parker Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,000 2 12 April 1919 Manchester United 2–1 L Burslem Port Vale J.Parker Old Trafford Old Trafford 8,000 3 19 April 1919 Burslem Port Vale 0–1 L Manchester City Browell Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,000 4 21 April 1919 Stoke 2–2 D Burslem Port Vale Phillips Wootton Briscoe Brennan Victoria Ground Stoke-upon-Trent 5 26 April 1919 Manchester City 4–1 L Burslem Port Vale Browell Barnes Howell Hyde Road Gorton 20,000 6 28 April 1919 Burslem Port Vale 4–1 W Stoke Howell og. Joe Smith Herbert Old Recreation Ground Hanley 16,000 Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward League Subsidiary GK ENG F Clements 1 0 0 0 GK ENG John Dennis 1 0 0 0 GK ENG Jonathan Hammond 28 0 6 0 FB ENG Edgar Bentley 11 0 2 0 FB SCO Jock Cameron 7 1 0 0 FB ENG W Dalton 1 0 0 0 FB ENG Eli Fletcher 0 0 1 0 FB ENG W Garner 1 1 0 0 FB ENG George Holmes 20 0 0 0 FB ENG Harry Leese 1 0 5 0 FB ENG Tom Lyons 25 1 5 0 FB ENG Ben Marsden 6 0 0 0 FB ENG J Taylor 8 0 1 0 HB ENG G Arrowsmith 11 0 0 0 HB ENG W Brooks 1 0 0 0 HB ENG Tom Holford 0 0 1 0 HB ENG F Langley 10 0 1 0 HB ENG Arthur McGarry 7 0 5 0 HB ENG J McGarry 1 0 0 0 HB ENG Andie Newton 1 0 3 0 HB ENG Fred Parker 6 0 0 0 HB ENG Harry Pearson 29 3 6 0 HB ENG Walter Rowley 2 0 0 0 FW ENG J Asbury 2 1 0 0 FW ENG William Ashmole 0 0 1 0 FW ENG E Bell 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Bobby Blood 4 1 0 0 FW ENG J Bradbury 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Billy Briscoe 1 0 3 1 FW ENG David Bowcock 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Tom Brennan 11 2 2 1 FW ENG Albert Broadhouse 6 0 4 0 FW ENG Sammy Brooks 1 0 0 0 FW ENG David Brown 1 0 0 0 FW ENG G Cooper 1 0 0 0 FW ENG A Cope 1 1 0 0 FW SCO Alex Donaldson 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Billy Fitchford 13 4 3 0 FW ENG A Floyd 0 0 2 0 FW ENG Jack Foster 14 2 1 0 FW ENG W Gould 1 0 0 0 FW ENG H Hale 2 0 0 0 FW ENG James Hill 12 2 4 0 FW ENG Harry Howell 9 6 2 3 FW ENG J Kelly 2 1 0 0 FW ENG J Parker 4 0 3 2 FW ENG A Salt 1 1 0 0 FW ENG Jack Smith 5 0 0 0 FW ENG Joe Smith 0 0 1 1 FW ENG Walter Watson 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Bob Whittingham 0 0 2 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: HB ENG Alf Smith 12 0 0 0 FW ENG Dick Burgess 7 4 0 0 FW ENG Joe Daley 8 0 0 0 FW ENG Tom Davies 4 2 0 0 FW ENG F McCarthy 5 1 0 0 FW ENG Albert Pearson 19 2 0 0 FW ENG Arthur Rogers 3 1 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameLeagueSubsidiaryTotal1FWEnglandHarry Howell6392FWEnglandDick Burgess404–FWEnglandBilly Fitchford4044FWEnglandHarry Pearson303–FWEnglandTom Brennan2136FWEnglandTom Davies202–FWEnglandJack Foster202–FWEnglandJames Hill202–FWEnglandAlbert Pearson202–FWEnglandJ Parker02211FWEnglandA Cope101–FWEnglandA Salt101–FBEnglandTom Lyons101–FBScotlandJock Cameron101–FWEnglandBobby Blood101–FWEnglandArthur Rogers101–FWEnglandJ Kelly101–FBEnglandW Garner101–FWEnglandF McCarthy101–FWEnglandJoe Smith011–FWEnglandBilly Briscoe011–FWEnglandJ Asbury101–––Own goals212TOTALS39948 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 1918 FB ENG Ben Marsden Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 Summer 1918 FW ENG F McCarthy Free transfer Autumn 1918 HB ENG Arthur McGarry Free transfer Autumn 1918 FB ENG J Taylor Free transfer November 1918 FW ENG J Parker Longton Free transfer December 1918 FW ENG Dick Burgess Free transfer April 1919 HB ENG Andie Newton Manchester City Free transfer Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. Autumn 1918 FW ENG Joe Daley Released October 1918 FW ENG F McCarthy Stafford Rangers Free transfer November 1918 HB ENG Alf Smith Released 1919 FW ENG Tom Davies Released 1919 FW ENG Arthur Rogers Released January 1919 FW ENG Albert Pearson Liverpool Transfer February 1919 FW ENG Dick Burgess Arsenal Free transfer Summer 1919 HB ENG G Arrowsmith Released Summer 1919 GK ENG John Dennis Released Summer 1919 FW ENG A Floyd Released Summer 1919 FW ENG Jack Foster Released Summer 1919 FB ENG George Holmes WAL 1807 Merthyr Tydfil Released Summer 1919 FB ENG Harry Leese Crewe Alexandra Released Summer 1919 FW ENG J Parker Released Summer 1919 FW ENG Jack Smith Released Summer 1919 FB ENG J Taylor 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