1945–46 Port Vale F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Port Vale 1945–46 Billy Frith Tom Flint Old Recreation Ground Third Division (South) North 3rd (24 points) FA Cup Third Round(eliminated by Bradford (Park Avenue)) Third Division (South) North Cup 8th (14 points) Bill Pointon (9) Bill Pointon (19) 11,388 vs. Queens Park Rangers, 30 March 1946 2,632 vs. Notts County, 26 January 1946 7,212 4–0 (twice) and 5–1 1–4 vs. Queens Park Rangers, 29 September 1945 ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 000000 1944–45 1946–47 The 1945–46 season was Port Vale's third and final season of football in the wartime league system of World War II.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 management of Billy Frith and chairmanship of Tom Flint, Vale secured a strong third‑place finish with 24 points, positioned eight points behind champions Queens Park Rangers. In cup competition, the club reached the third round of the FA Cup, producing a commendable two‑leg display against Bradford (Park Avenue) after earlier victories over Wellington Town and Marine — but ultimately bowed out on aggregate score. Meanwhile, their form in the Third Division (South) North Cup was less impressive, finishing 8th with 14 points. Bill Pointon led the scoring charts with 19 goals in all competitions, including nine in the league, while Alf Bellis chimed in with 16 across all formats. The campaign drew an average home attendance of 7,212, peaking at 11,388 for the fixture versus Queens Park Rangers on 30 March, and dipping to 2,632 at the low‑attended match against Notts County on 26 January. Overall, Vale ended the 1945–46 season in robust shape, laying a solid foundation for a return to regular Football League competition in 1946–47. Overview The Port Vale management was concerned to learn that they were to compete in the Third Division (South) region for the 1945–46 season, which they felt would result in less revenue and greater expenditure than being in the North division, even though they were still somewhat confusingly placed in the North region of the South Division. They appointed 33-year-old former Coventry City half-back Billy Frith as the club's new manager, as predecessor David Pratt was unable to gain release from the Royal Air Force. Again, the playing squad was made up mainly of young players and guests, with Scottish inside-right Isaac McDowell being a regular guest. They opened the campaign with three victories from three games, Ralph Gregory proving a revelation on leave from the Royal Marines, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–3 win at Norwich City. However, seven games without a victory began with the return fixture with Norwich, before they were boosted by the return of the now demobilised goalkeeper Arthur Jepson. They picked up six of a possible eight points in October. They continued their good form until the end of the New Year's Day league programme. They finished in third place with 24 points in 20 games, eight points behind champions Queens Park Rangers. They progressed past Wellington Town and Liverpool County Combination amateurs Marine to reach the third round of the FA Cup, which was now being played over two legs. They "put up a grand show" against Bradford (Park Avenue) at Park Avenue, losing 2–1. They then had to settle for a 1–1 draw at home, being denied a penalty and then having a goal ruled out for offside late in the game. A 16-game Third Division (South) North Cup series then began, with the top two teams entering the division's semi-finals. Though they fared poorly, they were fortunate enough to have goalkeeper George Heppell demobilised in time to take the place of an injured Arthur Jepson. Tommy Cheadle made his club debut in a 4–1 home victory over Ipswich Town on 2 March. However, this was only one of two victories in the final ten games as Frith experimented with different line-ups to find a winning combination. They ended the season in eighth place, picking up 14 points from 16 games. Bill Pointon was a consistent goalscorer, hitting 19 goals. The club made a profit of £1,265 on the season, having made a healthy £13,475 in gate receipt money. The City Council agreed to extend the lease on the Old Recreation Ground until June 1950, leaving ample time for Vale Park to be constructed. Results WinDrawLoss Third Division (South) North League table 1944–45 in English football main WDL 2 y PTV 2 NOR Norwich City PTV Port Vale WAT Watford 11 4 5 54 31 9 6 5 34 25 10 2 8 42 47 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches 1 25 August 1945 Burslem Port Vale 3–2 W Ipswich Town Pointon Bellis Jones Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,080 2 30 August 1945 Norwich City 3–4 W Burslem Port Vale Gregory Allen Carrow Road Norwich 7,507 3 1 September 1945 Ipswich Town 0–1 W Burslem Port Vale Gregory Portman Road Ipswich 11,512 4 3 September 1945 Burslem Port Vale 2–2 D Norwich City Gregory McDowell Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,426 5 8 September 1945 Northampton 1–0 L Burslem Port Vale County Cricket Ground Northampton 5,815 6 15 September 1945 Burslem Port Vale 0–0 D Northampton Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,534 7 19 September 1945 Notts County 3–1 L Burslem Port Vale McDowell Meadow Lane Nottingham 5,857 8 22 September 1945 Burslem Port Vale 0–0 D Queens Park Rangers Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,382 9 29 September 1945 Queens Park Rangers 4–1 L Burslem Port Vale Mallett Heathcote Abel Neary Pointon Loftus Road Shepherd's Bush, West London 13,797 10 6 October 1945 Clapton Orient 1–1 D Burslem Port Vale Cumner Brisbane Road Leyton, East London 4,817 11 13 October 1945 Burslem Port Vale 4–0 W Clapton Orient Pointon Bellis Jones Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,791 12 20 October 1945 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W Watford Bellis Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,607 13 27 October 1945 Watford 2–2 D Burslem Port Vale Allen Bellis Vicarage Road Watford 5,528 14 1 December 1945 Mansfield Town 1–2 W Burslem Port Vale McDowell og. Field Mill Mansfield 3,761 15 22 December 1945 Southend United 2–0 L Burslem Port Vale Southend Stadium Southend-on-Sea 2,544 16 24 December 1945 Burslem Port Vale 2–0 W Mansfield Town Davies Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,000 17 25 December 1945 Walsall 1–5 W Burslem Port Vale Pointon Shore Davies Bellis Fellows Park Walsall 5,804 18 26 December 1945 Burslem Port Vale 0–1 L Walsall Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,200 19 29 December 1945 Burslem Port Vale 3–0 W Notts County Pointon Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,200 20 1 January 1946 Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D Southend United Shore Old Recreation Ground Hanley 2,900 FA Cup 1945–46 FA Cup R1 Leg 1 17 November 1944 Burslem Port Vale 4–0 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-wellington-town-17-november-1945-209162/ Wellington Town McDowell Pointon og. Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,700 R1 Leg 2 24 November 1944 Wellington Town 0–2 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/wellington-town-v-port-vale-24-november-1945-209206/ Burslem Port Vale Bellis McDowell Wellington, Shropshire 5,056 0–6 R2 Leg 1 8 December 1944 Burslem Port Vale 3–1 W https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-marine-08-december-1945-209223/ Marine Allen Gregory Old Recreation Ground Hanley 5,800 R2 Leg 2 15 December 1944 Marine 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/marine-v-port-vale-15-december-1945-209239/ Burslem Port Vale Gregory Rossett Park Crosby, Merseyside 5,000 2–4 R3 Leg 1 5 January 1945 Bradford (Park Avenue) 2–1 L https://www.11v11.com/matches/bradford-park-avenue-v-port-vale-05-january-1946-209250/ Burslem Port Vale Bellis Park Avenue Bradford 13,000 R3 Leg 2 7 January 1945 Burslem Port Vale 1–1 D https://www.11v11.com/matches/port-vale-v-bradford-park-avenue-07-january-1946-209281/ Bradford (Park Avenue) Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,086 2–3 Third Division (South) North Cup League table main WDL y 2 PTV 7 ORI Clapton Orient PTV Port Vale NOR Northampton Town 6 3 7 22 31 5 4 7 21 25 5 2 9 27 29 complete Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Matches 1 12 January 1946 Walsall 3–1 L Burslem Port Vale Bellis Fellows Park Walsall 5,523 2 19 January 1946 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W Walsall Cooper Old Recreation Ground Hanley 3,229 3 26 January 1946 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W Notts County Wootton Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 2,632 4 2 February 1946 Notts County 3–2 L Burslem Port Vale Pointon Gardner Meadow Lane Nottingham 5,000 5 9 February 1946 Bristol Rovers 4–2 L Burslem Port Vale Pointon Eastville Stadium Bristol 9,500 6 16 February 1946 Burslem Port Vale 1–0 W Bristol Rovers Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 4,554 7 23 February 1946 Ipswich Town 1–0 L Burslem Port Vale Portman Road Ipswich 7,500 8 2 March 1946 Burslem Port Vale 4–1 W Ipswich Town Bellis Pointon Old Recreation Ground Hanley 3,200 9 9 March 1946 Clapton Orient 0–0 D Burslem Port Vale Brisbane Road Leyton, East London 6,197 10 16 March 1946 Burslem Port Vale 2–2 D Clapton Orient Pointon Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 8,283 11 23 March 1946 Queens Park Rangers 4–2 L Burslem Port Vale Heath McEwan Neary Shore Pointon Loftus Road Shepherd's Bush, West London 13,274 12 30 March 1946 Burslem Port Vale 0–2 L Queens Park Rangers og. Neary Old Recreation Ground Hanley 11,388 13 6 April 1946 Mansfield Town 2–1 L Burslem Port Vale Bellis Field Mill Mansfield 5,777 14 13 April 1946 Burslem Port Vale 0–0 D Mansfield Town Old Recreation Ground Hanley 6,768 15 20 April 1946 Burslem Port Vale 2–1 W Southend United Cheadle Bellis Old Recreation Ground Hanley 7,016 16 22 April 1946 Southend United 1–1 D Burslem Port Vale Bellis Southend Stadium Southend-on-Sea 8,500 Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward League FA Cup Region Cup GK ENG George Heppell 0 0 0 0 10 0 GK ENG Arthur Jepson 10 0 6 0 4 0 GK ENG Harry Prince 10 0 0 0 2 0 FB ENG Roy Felton 7 0 5 0 3 0 FB ENG Stan Kelley 0 0 0 0 1 0 FB ENG Reg Potts 4 0 0 0 0 0 FB SCO Bob Pursell 15 0 3 0 10 0 FB ENG Roger Whittle 2 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Tommy Cheadle 0 0 0 0 9 1 HB ENG Arthur Cooper 19 0 6 0 16 1 HB ENG Harry Griffiths 18 0 6 0 8 0 HB ENG Cyril Johnson 0 0 0 0 1 0 HB ENG Bill McGarry 2 0 0 0 0 0 HB ENG Ted Oldfield 2 0 2 0 11 0 HB ENG Frank Pointon 6 0 0 0 2 0 HB ENG Wilf Smith 13 0 6 0 16 0 FW ENG Ronnie Allen 9 2 6 2 9 0 FW ENG Alf Bellis 15 6 6 3 12 7 FW ENG Ellis Birchall 2 0 1 0 0 0 FW ENG Billy Buckley 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Billy Byrne 0 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Jack Clunn 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Arthur Cumberlidge 0 0 0 0 2 0 FW WAL 1807 Horace Cumner 7 1 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Eddie Davies 5 3 2 0 3 0 FW ENG Ken Faulkner 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Fred Gardner 0 0 0 0 3 1 FW ENG George Gould 3 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Ralph Gregory 6 5 2 2 2 0 FW ENG Jimmy Hutchinson 0 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG George James 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG John Lowndes 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Colin Lyman 0 0 0 0 4 0 FW ENG Edward Nutting 1 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Bill Pointon 13 9 5 1 13 9 FW ENG Eric Prince 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Ted Shore 10 2 5 0 9 1 FW ENG Dennis Simpson 0 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Jess Sproson 2 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Frank Soo 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Don Triner 0 0 0 0 3 0 MF ENG Ken Watkin 0 0 0 0 1 0 HB ENG Ernie Willett 0 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG George Willis 0 0 0 0 1 0 FW ENG Len Wootton 9 0 1 0 14 1 FW ENG Bert Wright 0 0 0 0 1 0 |- |colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season: HB ENG Harold Jervis 4 0 0 0 0 0 FW SCO Murdoch Dickie 1 0 0 0 0 0 FW ENG Francis Jones 5 2 0 0 0 0 FW SCO Isaac McDowell 12 3 4 3 1 0 |} Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameThird Division NorthFA CupNorth CupTotal1FWEnglandBill Pointon919192FWEnglandAlf Bellis637163FWEnglandRalph Gregory52074FWScotlandIsaac McDowell33065FWEnglandRonnie Allen22046FWEnglandTed Shore2013–FWEnglandEddie Davies30038FWEnglandFrancis Jones20029FWWales 1807Horace Cumner1001–HBEnglandTommy Cheadle0011–HBEnglandArthur Cooper0011–FWEnglandFred Gardner0011–FWEnglandLen Wootton0011–––Own goals1102TOTALS34122167 Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. August 1945 FW ENG Francis Jones Free transfer Kent Jeff Port Vale Personalities Witan Books 1996 0-9529152-0-0 August 1945 FB ENG Reg Potts Stoke City Free transfer August 1945 FW ENG Len Wootton Free transfer September 1945 FW ENG Ted Shore Free transfer December 1945 HB ENG Ted Oldfield Helsby Free transfer January 1946 FW ENG George James Free transfer March 1946 FW ENG Billy Byrne Free transfer March 1946 HB ENG Tommy Cheadle Free transfer Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. Autumn 1945 FW SCO Murdoch Dickie Guildford City Released 1946 HB ENG Harold Jervis Royal Air Force Released 1946 FW ENG Francis Jones Released January 1946 FW SCO Isaac McDowell SCO Cowdenbeath Released May 1946 FW ENG Edward Nutting Released Summer 1946 FW ENG Billy Buckley Released Summer 1946 FW ENG Jack Clunn Released Summer 1946 FW ENG Arthur Cumberlidge Northwich Victoria Released Summer 1946 FB ENG Roy Felton Crystal Palace Refused terms Summer 1946 FW ENG George James Released Summer 1946 FW ENG Cyril Johnson Released Summer 1946 FB ENG Roger Whittle 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