1949–50 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1949–50 Gordon Hodgson William Holdcroft Old Recreation Ground Football League Third Division South 13th (41 points) FA Cup Fourth Round(eliminated by Burnley) Cliff Pinchbeck (14) Cliff Pinchbeck (16) 18,218 vs. Nottingham Forest, 11 February 1950 8,496 vs. Torquay United, 27 March 1950 12,983 4–0 vs. Millwall, 12 November 1949 0–3 vs. Millwall, 1 April 1950 _white_hoops_color ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 000000 1948–49 1950–51 The 1949–50 season was Port Vale's 38th season of football in the English Football League, and their fifth 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 It was also the final season at the Old Recreation Ground, amid ongoing disputes over the proposed move to Vale Park. Vale finished in 13th place, accumulating 41 points over 42 league fixtures — including the season's largest win, 4–0 versus Millwall on 12 November 1949, and their heaviest defeat, 3–0 away to Millwall on 1 April 1950. In the FA Cup, Vale enjoyed a deeper run, reaching the Fourth Round before bowing out to Burnley. Cliff Pinchbeck was both the league and season top scorer, netting 14 goals in the league and 16 overall across all competitions. Home attendance figures remained robust: an average crowd of 12,983, peaking at just under this in several fixtures, with the lowest turnout of 8,496 recorded against Torquay United on 27 March 1950. Financially, the club secured a significant boost with the sale of Ronnie Allen to West Bromwich Albion for £20,000, a major transaction on and off the pitch. Overall, the season served as a transitional campaign: solid mid‑table performance on the field, farewell to the Old Recreation Ground off it, and a key departure in Allen, marking the approach of a new era at Port Vale. 200px|thumb|right|Manager Gordon Hodgson during his playing days. Overview Third Division South The pre-season saw the arrival of experienced full-back Lol Hamlett from Bolton Wanderers, young keeper Ray King from Leyton Orient (brother of George). On his arrival King stated that Old Recreation Ground was like 'some shanty town out west' and compared the dressing room to 'a dungeon', despite which somehow he 'felt completely at home'. The playing staff now stood at 59 amateurs and 27 full-time professionals. The season opened with a 1–0 win over Bristol Rovers, which was followed by a 1–0 reverse to Southend United at Roots Hall three days later. This loss was thanks to an own goal from Garth Butler, who put the ball into his own net despite being some distance from any Southend players. A seven-match unbeaten run followed, built upon a defence that leaked just five goals, King and Hamlett settling in well. A 2–0 victory at Watford on 10 September took the club to within a point of second-place, though George King was concussed in a collision and spent five days recovering in hospital. Three straight wins at the start of October, including at third-placed Norwich City, where Alan Martin fractured his collarbone, put the club in a strong position. Bad news off the field returned, however, when Stoke-on-Trent City Council rejected the club's application to move two stands from the Old Recreation Ground to the new stadium. As a result, the club set up a 100,000 Shilling Fund to build the two stands from scratch. On the pitch results began to turn against the "Valiants", and so striker Cliff Pinchbeck was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion for a £3,500 fee. Pinchbeck marked his debut with a hat-trick over Millwall, receiving a standing ovation from his new fans. More off-field stadium troubles came when the Regional Officer of the Minister of Works refused a licence for the stadium on unspecified grounds. Club officials were forced to travel to London to discuss the matter with the minister, eventually convincing him to change his mind. The home match with Newport County on 15 October was notable as the first Vale match to offer a matchday programme.The first Vale Park match programme https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2013/10/the-first-ever-vale-park-match-programme/ 4 June 2020 onevalefan.co.uk 20 October 2013 On 17 December, Vale lost 2–1 at Bristol Rovers, though went the next five games unbeaten. This included a 3–1 Boxing Day win over Northampton Town in which the team displayed "pace, method, excitement, tension and well-taken goals". A successful Christmas period took Vale into sixth place by mid-February. George King was then sold to Barrow for a four-figure fee, after which Pinchbeck was the only regular scorer. Six games without a win followed, ending the club's hopes of opening the new stadium in the Second Division. The Shilling Fund had only raised 17,738 shillings. So Ronnie Allen was sold to top-flight West Bromwich Albion for a massive £20,000, smashing the club's transfer record. Allen went on to play for England, whilst the fee went towards the new ground. Back to the league, the Vale were seventh at the start of April, but six defeats in their final eight games saw them tumble down the table. On 7 April, they slipped to a 3–1 defeat at promotion-chasing Notts County.Notts Nearly There Botting A.E. Nottingham Journal Nottingham 3 8 April 1950 They won by the same scoreline in the return fixture three days later, disappointing the 42 buses and two football specials that transported Notts supporters to the match.Thousands Follow Notts Nottingham Evening Post Nottingham 6 10 April 1950Magpies Plucked at Hanley Botting A.E. Nottingham Journal Nottingham 3 11 April 1950 The final match at the Old Recreation Ground was a disappointing 1–0 defeat to Aldershot on 22 April. They finished in 13th place with 41 points. The defence was the third strongest in the division. However, only Watford scored fewer goals. Pinchbeck was the only goalscorer of any consistency. Finances On the financial side, a profit of £10,671 was made, another record: this was due to the sale of Allen, which gave them a transfer credit of £15,000. The wage bill had risen by £6,000 to £22,333, whereas gate receipts had risen by around £3,000 to £29,050. Eric Eastwood was the only major departure of the summer. Trouble with the new ground continued, as the Regional Officer of the Ministry of Works refused to permit the transfer of the stand from the old to the new stadium, despite having approved similar procedures at Liverpool and Millwall. Chairman William Holdcroft felt this was unfair and was supported by Stoke-on-Trent North MP Albert Davies. Despite this set-back the stadium was opened on 2 August in a ceremony attended by 12,000 rain-soaked people. FA Cup In the FA Cup, Vale progressed past Athenian League amateurs Wealdstone and Tranmere Rovers of the Third Division North with 1–0 home wins. Beating Newport County at Somerton Park with a Ronnie Allen brace, they came up against First Division Burnley in the fourth round at Turf Moor. There, they lost 2–1 in front of 49,692 spectators – including 12,000 Vale fans. Results Football League Third Division South 1949–50 Football League League table Third Division South y PTV Results by matchday table b Round Ground H/A/A/H/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/A/A Result W/L/D/D/W/D/W/D/L/W/W/W/L/W/L/W/D/L/L/D/W/D/W/W/L/W/D/L/D/D/L/L/W/W/L/L/L/W/D/L/L/L Position 1/9/12/8/7/5/8/8/9/9/7/5/7/5/9/8/7/8/10/10/7/9/8/7/8/6/5/6/9/6/8/10/8/6/7/9/10/9/7/10/11/13 Points 2p/2p/3p/4p/6p/7p/9p/10p/10p/12p/14p/16p/16p/18p/18p/20p/21p/21p/21p/22p/24p/25p/27p/29p/29p/31p/32p/32p/33p/34p/34p/34p/36p/38p/38p/38p/38p/40p/41p/41p/41p/41p Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss green1 red1 StattoPort Vale 1949–1950 : Results & Fixtures https://web.archive.org/web/20150916230033/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1949-1950/results 16 September 2015 . Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Matches 1 20 August 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-rovers-20-august-1949-168634/ Bristol Rovers Allen Old Recreation Ground Hanley 15,097 2 23 August 1949 Southend United 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/southend-united-v-port-vale-23-august-1949-168638/ Port Vale Southend Stadium Southend-on-Sea 9,434 3 27 August 1949 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-v-port-vale-27-august-1949-168649/ Port Vale King Dean Court Bournemouth 19,101 4 29 August 1949 Port Vale 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-southend-united-29-august-1949-168660/ Southend United Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14,686 5 3 September 1949 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-crystal-palace-03-september-1949-168677/ Crystal Palace Martin Old Recreation Ground Hanley 13,788 6 5 September 1949 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-ipswich-town-05-september-1949-168683/ Ipswich Town Martin Cheadle Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,297 7 10 September 1949 Watford 0–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/watford-v-port-vale-10-september-1949-168701/ Port Vale King Aveyard Vicarage Road Watford 10,583 8 17 September 1949 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-reading-17-september-1949-168714/ Reading og. Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,948 9 24 September 1949 Leyton Orient 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/leyton-orient-v-port-vale-24-september-1949-168725/ Port Vale Brisbane Road Leyton, East London 15,698 10 1 October 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-exeter-city-01-october-1949-168738/ Exeter City Martin 57 Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,499 11 8 October 1949 Norwich City 0–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/norwich-city-v-port-vale-08-october-1949-168749/ Port Vale Allen Carrow Road Norwich 26,831 12 15 October 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-newport-county-15-october-1949-168761/ Newport County Allen Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,599 13 22 October 1949 Bristol City 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-city-v-port-vale-22-october-1949-168767/ Port Vale Ashton Gate Ashton Gate, Bristol 19,855 14 29 October 1949 Port Vale 3–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-29-october-1949-168783/ Brighton & Hove Albion Aveyard Allen Barber Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,189 15 5 November 1949 Walsall 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/walsall-v-port-vale-05-november-1949-168797/ Port Vale Fellows Park Walsall 9,605 16 12 November 1949 Port Vale 4–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-millwall-12-november-1949-168805/ Millwall Pinchbeck Aveyard Old Recreation Ground Hanley 12,918 17 19 November 1949 Swindon Town 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/swindon-town-v-port-vale-19-november-1949-168816/ Port Vale County Ground Swindon W.R. Rogers 9,039 18 3 December 1949 Aldershot 1–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/aldershot-v-port-vale-03-december-1949-168819/ Port Vale Recreation Ground Aldershot 4,043 19 17 December 1949 Bristol Rovers 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-rovers-v-port-vale-17-december-1949-168832/ Port Vale Palk Eastville Stadium Bristol 10,105 20 24 December 1949 Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bournemouth-and-boscombe-athletic-24-december-1949-168848/ Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Pinchbeck Old Recreation Ground Hanley 13,092 21 26 December 1949 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-northampton-town-26-december-1949-168860/ Northampton Town Pinchbeck Martin Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,212 22 27 December 1949 Northampton Town 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/northampton-town-v-port-vale-27-december-1949-168866/ Port Vale Martin County Cricket Ground Northampton 19,263 23 31 December 1949 Crystal Palace 0–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/crystal-palace-v-port-vale-31-december-1949-168876/ Port Vale Pinchbeck Selhurst Park Selhurst, Croydon 12,609 24 14 January 1950 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-watford-14-january-1950-168891/ Watford Allen Pinchbeck Old Recreation Ground Hanley 17,387 25 21 January 1950 Reading 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/reading-v-port-vale-21-january-1950-168905/ Port Vale Pinchbeck Elm Park Reading, Berkshire 11,284 26 4 February 1950 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-leyton-orient-04-february-1950-168917/ Leyton Orient Allen Martin Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14,176 27 11 February 1950 15:00 GMT Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-nottingham-forest-11-february-1950-168926/ Nottingham Forest Pinchbeck Ardron 75 Old Recreation Ground Hanley L Richardson 18,218 28 18 February 1950 Exeter City 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/exeter-city-v-port-vale-18-february-1950-168932/ Port Vale Pinchbeck St James Park Exeter W.E.Dellow 9,632 29 25 February 1950 Port Vale 2–2 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-norwich-city-25-february-1950-168947/ Norwich City Hayward Palk Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,204 30 4 March 1950 Newport County 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/newport-county-v-port-vale-04-march-1950-168955/ Port Vale Griffiths Aveyard Somerton Park Newport, Wales 8,762 31 11 March 1950 Port Vale 0–2 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bristol-city-11-march-1950-168969/ Bristol City Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,444 32 18 March 1950 Brighton & Hove Albion 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/brighton-and-hove-albion-v-port-vale-18-march-1950-168974/ Port Vale Aveyard Goldstone Ground Hove 11,852 33 25 March 1950 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-walsall-25-march-1950-168991/ Walsall Aveyard Pinchbeck Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,763 34 27 March 1950 Port Vale 2–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-torquay-united-27-march-1950-168995/ Torquay United Hulligan Potts Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,496 35 1 April 1950 Millwall 3–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/millwall-v-port-vale-01-april-1950-169000/ Port Vale The Den New Cross, Lewisham 18,088 36 7 April 1950 Notts County 3–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/notts-county-v-port-vale-07-april-1950-169015/ Port Vale Boyes Lawton Simpson Palk Meadow Lane Nottingham 32,097 37 8 April 1950 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-swindon-town-08-april-1950-169025/ Swindon Town Peart 78 Old Recreation Ground Hanley W.R. Rogers 9,607 38 10 April 1950 Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-notts-county-10-april-1950-169035/ Notts County Pinchbeck Hulligan Lawton Old Recreation Ground Hanley 15,380 39 15 April 1950 Torquay United 0–0 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/torquay-united-v-port-vale-15-april-1950-169050/ Port Vale Plainmoor Torquay 8,037 40 22 April 1950 Port Vale 0–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-aldershot-22-april-1950-169060/ Aldershot Old Recreation Ground Hanley 9,645 41 29 April 1950 15:00 BST Nottingham Forest 2–0 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/nottingham-forest-v-port-vale-29-april-1950-169073/ Port Vale Kaile 55 Ardron 77 City Ground West Bridgford L Richardson 5,906 42 6 May 1950 Ipswich Town 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/ipswich-town-v-port-vale-06-may-1950-169083/ Port Vale McGarry Portman Road Ipswich 12,451 FA Cup 1949–50 FA Cup R1 26 November 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-wealdstone-26-november-1949-209801/ Wealdstone Pinchbeck Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14,935 R2 10 December 1949 Port Vale 1–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-tranmere-rovers-10-december-1949-209823/ Tranmere Rovers Pinchbeck Old Recreation Ground Hanley 14,716 R3 7 January 1950 Newport County 1–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/newport-county-v-port-vale-07-january-1950-209853/ Port Vale Allen Somerton Park Newport, Wales 17,781 R4 28 January 1950 Burnley 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/burnley-v-port-vale-28-january-1950-209882/ Port Vale Martin Turf Moor Burnley 49,692 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 3 0 0 0 GK ENG Ray King 39 0 4 0 FB ENG Garth Butler 39 0 4 0 FB ENG Jim Elsby 2 0 0 0 FB ENG Lol Hamlett 40 0 4 0 FB ENG Reg Potts 3 1 0 0 HB ENG Tommy Cheadle 42 1 4 0 HB ENG Norman Hallam 1 0 0 0 HB ENG Basil Hayward 1 1 0 0 HB ENG Alan Martin 24 7 4 1 HB ENG Bill McGarry 42 1 4 0 HB IRE Jimmy Todd 37 0 4 0 FW ENG Colin Askey 4 0 0 0 FW ENG Walter Aveyard 23 6 0 0 FW ENG Alan Bennett 10 0 0 0 FW ENG Ken Griffiths 2 0 0 0 FW ENG Mick Hulligan 38 2 4 0 FW ENG Stan Palk 42 3 4 0 FW ENG Cliff Pinchbeck 27 14 4 2 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: HB ENG Eric Eastwood 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Wilf Smith 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Ronnie Allen 27 6 4 2 FW ENG Bernard Jones 0 0 0 0 FW ENG George King 8 3 0 0 FW ENG Pat Raftery 3 0 0 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameThird Division SouthFA CupTotal1FWEnglandCliff Pinchbeck142162HBEnglandAlan Martin718–FWEnglandRonnie Allen6284FWEnglandWalter Aveyard6065FWEnglandStan Palk303–FWEnglandGeorge King3037FWEnglandMick Hulligan2028FWEnglandLen Barber101–HBEnglandBasil Hayward101–FBEnglandReg Potts101–HBEnglandTommy Cheadle101–HBEnglandBill McGarry101–––Own goals101TOTALS47552 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. May 1949 FB ENG John Abbotts Ravenscliffe Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 May 1949 GK ENG Ray King Ashington Free transfer May 1949 FB ENG Lol Hamlett Bolton Wanderers Free transfer July 1949 HB ENG Roy Sproson Stoke City Free transfer November 1949 FW ENG Cliff Pinchbeck Brighton & Hove Albion £3,500 February 1950 FW ENG Ken Griffiths Northwood Mission Free transfer February 1950 HB ENG Albert Leake Stoke City Free transfer March 1950 FW ENG Roland Lewis Congleton Town Free transfer Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. November 1949 FW ENG Bernard Jones Winsford United Free transfer February 1950 FW ENG George King Barrow 'four-figure fee' February 1950 FW ENG Pat Raftery Wellington Town Free transfer March 1950 FW ENG Ronnie Allen West Bromwich Albion £20,000 April 1950 HB ENG Eric Eastwood Released April 1950 HB ENG Wilf Smith Buxton 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