1925–26 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1925–26 season was Port Vale's seventh consecutive season of football (20th overall) in the English Football League. Managed by Joe Schofield and chaired by Sampson Walker, the club played their home matches at the Old Recreation Ground. The team finished 8th in the 22-team Second Division, earning 44 points from 19 wins, 6 draws, and 17 losses. This marked their second consecutive 8th-place finish, maintaining a solid mid-table position. Notably, they finished above Potteries derby rivals Stoke City, who were relegated to the Third Division North that season. A standout feature of the season was the prolific performance of forward Wilf Kirkham, who scored a club record 35 league goals, a tally that he would beat the following season. Despite Kirkham's efforts, the team struggled with consistency, particularly in away matches, where they secured only four victories. However, their home form was strong, with the fourth-best record in the division. In cup competitions, Vale were eliminated in the Third Round of the FA Cup after a 3–2 defeat to Manchester United. Off the pitch, the club made a £1,950 profit. The season concluded with the club firmly mid-table, setting the stage for future growth and success in the Football League. == Overview == === Second Division === The pre-season was quiet, with all the club satisfied with the staff and players of the previous campaign. The game itself was changed by the offside rule being modified so that two defenders, rather than three, had to be between the attackers and the goal to spring the offside trap – this would have significant beneficial consequences for young forward Wilf Kirkham. The season started with two wins, the second being a 3–0 home win over cross-town rivals Stoke. This was followed by a 6–0 demolition job by Chelsea, who adapted to the new offside rule with a new 'W formation' – to devastating effects. The "Valiants" recovered quickly with another 3–0 win over Stoke, with Kirkham claiming a hat-trick in what was the club's biggest ever win over their rivals. Following a poor display against Hull City, the Vale changed their defensive formation to better combat the new tactics used to exploit the new offside rule. They also dropped their short-passing attacking game in favour of a long ball system that utilized the wings, this resulted in a 6–1 rout of Darlington. Offers came in for many Vale's talent, all of which were rejected. They did, however, temporarily lose the services of Billy Briscoe after he suffered a bout of appendicitis. During the mid-season, Vale suffered indifferent form, winning at home but losing away. This was typified in November, when a 4–0 defeat at Preston North End was sandwiched between high-scoring wins over high-flying The Wednesday and Middlesbrough. The cold weather was blamed for the low crowds, and the selling of players was considered. Kirkham's form also suffered, as Vale found difficulty finding the net. In January, the club celebrated its Golden jubilee, This established 1876 as their founding date despite some doubts over the exact year of the club's founding. On the pitch, the club went down 4–0 at Darlington. This defeat was followed by a sequence of seven wins in eight games, including a 5–0 win over Blackpool thanks to four goals from Alfred Strange. The team also picked up two rare away wins, including a 2–0 victory at eventual champions The Wednesday. However, in March, young right-back Tom Cooper was sold to eventual promotion-winners Derby County for £2,500. Cooper would later play for Liverpool and England. In fourth position, four points from the promotion zone, on a tremendous run of form, hopes were high for the club's first-ever promotion to the top flight. This hope was crushed with two points from their final seven games, their 1–0 defeat at home Fulham would have significant consequences for neighbours Stoke, who would have avoided relegation if the Vale had recorded a draw. All positive thoughts were extinguished on 16 April 1926, when the Port Vale directors announced that they had agreed in principle to an amalgamation with Stoke City. Chairman Walker stated that low attendances and high wages meant Port Vale had probably reached their zenith, and a merger with City would allow one Stoke-on-Trent club to perform better than Port Vale ever could. Vale fans did not share his view and organised themselves in Hanley and Burslem to deliver a message that they would not support the proposed new club. On 19 May, the Stoke directors backed out of the discussions, leaving the Vale directors and chairman to resign in failure. === Finances === New chairman Frank Huntbach took over in May 1926 during relative financial stability. He discovered a £1,950 profit had been made on the season, though he may have been concerned that gate receipts had fallen by £1,302 despite a campaign that took the club close to promotion. === FA Cup === In the FA Cup, Vale were handed a home tie in the third round against First Division Manchester United. In a hard-fought contest, Vale lost 3–2 in front of a disappointing crowd of 14,841, raising £1,150 in gate receipts. == Results == === Football League Second Division === ==== League table ==== ==== Results by matchday ==== ==== Matches ==== === FA Cup === == Squad statistics == === Appearances and goals === Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward === Top scorers === == Transfers == == References == Specific General Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.