Burslem Port Vale
1896–97 season
ChairmanEdward Oliver
(from 14 December)
ManagerSam Gleaves
(from 14 December)
StadiumAthletic Ground
Midland League7th (31 points)
FA CupFifth Qualification Round
(knocked out by Burton Swifts)
Birmingham Senior CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Brierley Hill Alliance)
Staffordshire Senior CupPreliminary Round
(knocked out by Dresden United)
Wellingborough CupSemi-finalists
(knocked out by Wellingborough Town)
Staffordshire Senior Charity CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Dick Evans (12)
All: Dick Evans, Danny Simpson (14 each)
Average home league attendance967
Biggest win8–0 vs. Grantham Rovers, 20 February 1897
Biggest defeat1–7 vs. Heanor Town, 5 December 1896

The 1896–97 season was Burslem Port Vale's first season of football (third overall) back in the Midland League following a four-season stay in the Football League.[1] The first half of the season saw low crowds and poor results, the consequence of which led to discussions about dissolving the club. However, the club returned from the brink, as a new committee was formed, with Edward Oliver installed as chairman and Sam Gleaves appointed club secretary. Good results and large crowds followed in the second half of the campaign, and the club finished in seventh-place and narrowly missed out on re-election to the Football League. Vale were beaten by Football League opposition in the fifth qualification round in the FA Cup, whilst exiting the Birmingham Senior Cup, Staffordshire Senior Cup and Wellingborough Cup in the early stages, though they did beat Football League side Walsall in the latter competition. They won the Staffordshire Senior Charity Cup after beating Dresden United 3–0.

Overview

Midland League

Having failed a vote to stay in the Football League, Burslem Port Vale successfully re-applied for membership of the Midland League.[1] They started positively with a 4–1 home win over Wellingborough Town, though only 200 spectators turned up to the Athletic Ground.[1] Bad news followed as centre-half Ralph Barlow suffered a breakdown and was sent to a convalescent home.[1] The team then lost home and away to Glossop North End, with Danny Simpson being sent off in the home fixture for making an "objectionable remark" to the referee.[1] A 1–0 defeat at Worksop was followed by a 5–2 win over a strong Doncaster Rovers side. Wellingborough Town then took their revenge with a 3–2 win in Wellingborough.[1] Feeling the need to raise funds, Vale sold goalkeeper Tom Baddeley to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £50.[1] The financial boost was needed as a 3–1 home win over Barnsley St Peter's on 7 November saw just 100 spectators, raising gross takings of £5 for a match-day loss of around £8.[1] In Baddeley's absence Vale conceded six in a home defeat to Rushden and "the disgust of the spectators was general".[1] A public meeting was held on 14 December to debate the club's future, if any; the outlook seemed extremely bleak as a poorly attended meeting heard that the club had a debt of £110 and the current committee were unwilling to continue funding the club.[1]

Heanor Town lent Vale the necessary £5 expenses for the trip to Heanor and the home side subsequently romped to a 7–1 victory.[1] Just as the club seemed to be heading for oblivion, a new committee of "all the football worthies in the town" was formed to take the club forward in a meeting at Burslem town hall that was "packed to suffocation"; Edward Oliver was voted as the new chairman, with Sam Gleaves as the new secretary.[1] In January, a public company was floated with £2,000 capital in £1 shares.[1] On 2 January, Vale recorded their first away win of the campaign, beaten second-bottom Grantham Rovers 1–0.[1] The turn around in form was confirmed with a 2–1 win over champions Kettering.[1] Now in a position to strengthen the team, Vale signed left-sided attacker James Peake from Crewe Alexandra.[1] A 7–2 defeat at Barnsley St Peter's proved to be the one blip in a run of nine unbeaten in the league, with the team grumbling about foul play from the hosts and "incompetence" from the referee.[1] On 20 February, Vale managed to humiliate Grantham Rovers 8–0.[1]

Supporters returned to the Athletic Ground and a crowd of 1,500 witnessed a 3–1 victory over Long Eaton Rangers on 6 March.[1] Two away victories saw the club rise to fourth in the league, including a 1–0 win at Rushden in which Fred Belfield was "advised to leave the field" by the referee as the home crowd were threatening to rush the pitch in response to Belfield's repeated kicking of defender Minney.[1] More crowd trouble also occurred in the 1–0 win at Doncaster Rovers, as Dick Evans was grabbed by the throat and Teddy Morse was "hurled under the waggonette".[1] Morse was sent off in the following game, a 1–0 home defeat by Ilkeston Town, after Willett claimed he had bitten his nose.[1] Vale went on to win their final two home fixtures, ending the campaign in seventh-place with 31 points from 28 matches, just one point away from third-place.[1] Dick Evans finished as the club's top-scorer, claiming 12 league goals – though some of these might actually have been scored by namesake Ted Evans.[1] The team's form in 1897 saw the club given a vote on whether they should be readmitted into the Football League at the league's annual meeting; however, their 11 votes were two fewer than successful applicants Luton Town.[1]

Cup competitions

Vale claimed a walkover victory over Hereford in the third qualification round of the FA Cup after they could not guarantee the visitor's expenses.[1] They then beat Birmingham League side Stourbridge in the next round, but failed to overcome Football League Second Division side Burton Swifts in the fifth qualification round in what was described as "the best game seen at Cobridge for two years".[1] They exited the Birmingham Senior Cup at the first round, losing 2–1 to Brierley Hill Alliance.[1] They failed to make it past the preliminary round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, falling to a 4–2 defeat at Dresden United in a replayed fixture after the initial match was tied 1–1.[1] In the Wellingborough Cup, Vale beat Football League Second Division side Walsall 3–2 at Fellows Park, but then lost 3–1 at Wellingborough Town in the semi-finals.[1] On 28 April, Vale claimed the Staffordshire Senior Charity Cup after beating Dresden United 3–0.[1]

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Midland League

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
5 September 1896Wellingborough TownH4–1200Mason, D.Evans, Randles, Fallows
19 September 1896Glossop North EndA1–3immenseD.Evans
26 September 1896Glossop North EndH0–1500
17 October 1896WorksopA0–11,000
24 October 1896Doncaster RoversH5–2500Simpson (2), T.Evans (2), D.Evans
31 October 1896Wellingborough TownA2–3D.Evans, McLean
7 November 1896Barnsley St Peter'sH3–1100T.Evans (2), Belfield
14 November 1896RushdenH0–6few
28 November 1896WorksopH4–1100Proctor (2), T.Evans, o.g.
5 December 1896Heanor TownA1–7fairSimpson
19 December 1896ChesterfieldA2–31,000scrimmage, Simpson
25 December 1896Dresden UnitedA2–22,000Hewitt, Fallows
26 December 1896Ilkeston TownA3–32,000Simpson (2), T.Evans
2 January 1897Grantham RoversA1–0more than the ruleBelfield
9 January 1897KetteringH2–1Belfield, Hewitt
16 January 1897MexboroughH2–0Proctor, Fallows
23 January 1897Barnsley St Peter'sA2–7smallD.Evans, Belfield
6 February 1897Long Eaton RangersA3–2D.Evans, Simpson, Belfield
13 February 1897KetteringA2–2D.Evans (2)
20 February 1897Grantham RoversH8–0recordBelfield (2), T.Evans (2), Peake, Simpson, D.Evans, Beech
27 February 1897MexboroughA2–31,500D.Evans, other
6 March 1897Long Eaton RangersH3–11,500scrimmage, Simpson, D.Evans
13 March 1897ChesterfieldH2–32,000Peake, T.Evans
20 March 1897RushdenA1–01,200Simpson
27 March 1897Doncaster RoversA1–01,500Hewitt
3 April 1897Ilkeston TownH0–1800
10 April 1897Heanor TownH3–01,000T.Evans, Simpson, Peake
16 April 1897Dresden UnitedH3–22,000Morse, scrimmage, D.Evans

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
3Q21 November 1896HerefordAwalkover
4Q12 December 1896StourbridgeA3–1100Simpson (2), T.Evans
5Q7 January 1897Burton SwiftsH2–32,000D.Evans, other

Birmingham Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
1R14 December 1896Brierley Hill AllianceH1–2largeFallows

Staffordshire Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
P10 October 1896Dresden UnitedH1–11,500Proctor
Replay26 October 1896Dresden UnitedA2–4

Wellingborough Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
1R30 January 1897WalsallA3–2200D.Evans, T.Evans, Belfield
SF20 April 1897Wellingborough TownA1–3Simpson

Staffordshire Senior Charity Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
F28 April 1897Dresden UnitedN3–0

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Tom Baddeley 20001030
GKBert Hammond 1402020180
GKGeorge Lawton 900010100
DFEngland Teddy Morse 2512050320
DFJim Beech 2412050311
DFBuck 10000010
DFGeorge Hulme 10000010
DFEngland Teddy Morse 2512050321
DFHenry Platt 1302040190
DFEngland Thomas Spilsbury 90000090
DFEngland George Youds 30001040
MFEngland James Holdcroft 1601040210
MFEngland Jos Randles 41001051
MFRalph Barlow 10000010
MFJohn Fallows 2132031264
MFEngland Fred Belfield 2271041278
MFBentley 10000010
MFFred Bickerton 50101070
MFEngland Tommy Lander 10000010
MFEngland James Peake 1230020143
MFSmith 20001030
FWJim Mason 71101091
FWEngland Dick Evans 271221513414
FWDanny Simpson 251122513214
FWEngland Ted Evans 211011412612
FWGeorge Hewitt 43101063
FWJ McLean 11001021
FWEdward Proctor 1332021174
FWSalmon 30001040

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Midland League FA Cup Other Total
1FW EnglandDick Evans121114
FWDanny Simpson112114
3FW EnglandTed Evans101112
4MF EnglandFred Belfield7018
5FWEdward Proctor3014
MFJohn Fallows3014
7FWGeorge Hewitt3003
MF EnglandJames Peake3003
9FWJ McLean1001
FWJim Mason1001
MF EnglandJos Randles1001
DF EnglandTeddy Morse1001
DFJim Beech1001
Own goals1001
Scrimmage3003
Unknown1001
TOTALS 62 4 6 72

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
1896DFEnglandGeorge HulmeFree transfer[2]
Summer 1896GKBert HammondNewcastle White StarFree transfer[2]
Summer 1896FWJ McLeanSneydFree transfer[2]
Summer 1896DFHenry PlattFree transfer[2]
Summer 1896FWSalmonFree transfer[2]
Autumn 1896FWTed EvansBuryFree transfer[2]
Autumn 1896FWGeorge HewittFree transfer[2]
October 1896FWEdward ProctorStokeFree transfer[2]
January 1897MFJames PeakeCrewe AlexandraFree transfer[2]
February 1897DFEnglandThomas SpilsburyFree transfer[2]
March 1897DFEnglandTommy LanderTalke AlexandraFree transfer[2]
April 1897MFSmithFree transfer[2]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
October 1896GKEnglandTom BaddeleyWolverhampton Wanderers£50[2]
Summer 1897DFEnglandRalph BarlowReleased[2]
Summer 1897MFFred BickertonReleased[2]
Summer 1897MFEnglandJohn FallowsReleased[2]
Summer 1897FWEdward ProctorReleased[2]
1897DFEnglandJames HoldcroftReleased[2]
1897FWJ McLeanReleased[2]
1897FWSalmonReleased[2]
1897DFEnglandGeorge YoudsReleased[2]

References

Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Trying to make the Grade (1888-1898)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 26–50. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
  • Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.
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