Port Vale
1927–28 season
ChairmanFrank Huntbach
ManagerJoe Schofield
StadiumThe Old Recreation Ground
Football League Second Division9th (44 Points)
FA CupFifth Round
(knocked out by Blackburn Rovers)
Top goalscorerLeague: Wilf Kirkham (13)
All: Wilf Kirkham (14)
Highest home attendance21,071 vs. Stoke City, 17 March 1928
Lowest home attendance5,371 vs. Blackpool, 14 April 1928
Average home league attendance11,127
Biggest win6–1 vs. Blackpool, 3 December 1927
Biggest defeat0–4 (twice)

The 1927–28 season was Port Vale's ninth consecutive season of football (22nd overall) in the English Football League.[1] They finished in ninth place, following three consecutive eighth-placed finishes in the previous campaigns. Vale were once again looking strong in the division, yet unable to find the consistency necessary to win promotion to the top-flight. Top scorer Wilf Kirkham managed 14 goals, a whole 27 short of his previous record-breaking tally. Still one of the most successful season's in their history, they would better this finish on only three occasions over the next 85 years.

For the third season running Billy Briscoe found himself battling against severe injury, this time he fractured a cheekbone but refused to leave the pitch for treatment.[1]
Chairman Frank Huntbach.
Right-back Jack Maddock made 35 appearances and scored two penalties.
Club record goalscorer Wilf Kirkham.
Scottish midfielder Bob Connelly.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw the players enjoy an outing at Rhyl, which helped new signings Alf Bennett (Nottingham Forest), David Rollo (Blackburn Rovers), Alex Trotter (South Shields), and Robert Gillespie (Luton Town) settle in.[1]

The season started terribly, with an opening day draw with Nottingham Forest followed by four consecutive defeats.[1] The team was changed around, with new signing Rollo dropped from the starting eleven; this helped the Vale to turn things around with convincing wins over Bristol City and Swansea.[1] Their third 4–0 away loss followed, and more injuries followed, along with cash offers from rival clubs for their best players.[1] By mid-October a settled side was formed, and the "Valiants" defeated derby rivals Stoke 2–0 in front of a record 31,493 at the Victoria Ground.[1] Going from strength to strength they travelled to Bloomfield Road and went from 1–0 down to 6–1 up within an amazing 25 minute spell.[1] Three more victories followed until Christmas saw a downturn in form.[1] Five consecutive post-Christmas defeats to four promotion candidates ended the Vale's promotion campaign.[1] In February Wilf Kirkham was eventually rested, and replacement Stewart Littlewood bagged five in two games to end the run of poor results.[1] Littlewood had previously scored seventy goals for the reserves in just over a season and brought the necessary firepower to help the club surge up the league.[1] Manager Schofield had something of a headache in choosing either the out-of-form legend Kirkham or consistent Littlewood, and only added to the conundrum by signing Blackpool forward Bert Fishwick.[1] Following defeats to doomed South Shields and to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, they finished the season with six consecutive clean sheets, though only won three of these games.[1]

They finished in ninth place with 44 points, almost in exactly the same spot they had finished for the past two seasons. The defence had tightened up, but the attack, and especially top-scorer Kirkham had been somewhat off the boil.[1] This led to Jack Lowe, Sidney Blunt, and Alex Trotter all being handed free transfers; they left for Oldham Athletic, Shrewsbury Town, and Manchester Central respectively.[1] Meanwhile, back-up keepers Matthews and Holdcroft were also released, the former went to Halifax Town; however, the latter would eventually find himself an England international and FA Cup winner at Preston North End.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, the directors wished to leave The Old Recreation Ground for new and bigger stadia, however, attempts to move to the greyhound track at Sun Street were blocked by Stoke City, who claimed the Vale would be too close to them.[1] Overall the club lost £1,051 on the season, with their income £1,155 lower than the previous campaign.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale breezed past league rivals Barnsley and Third Division North New Brighton with two 3–0 home victories.[1] Yet they came unstuck at Ewood Park, First Division Blackburn Rovers won 2–1 and would go on to win the final.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
7 Oldham Athletic 42 19 8 15 75 51 1.471 46
8 West Bromwich Albion 42 17 12 13 90 70 1.286 46
9 Port Vale 42 18 8 16 68 57 1.193 44
10 Nottingham Forest 42 15 10 17 83 84 0.988 40
11 Grimsby Town 42 14 12 16 69 83 0.831 40
Source:

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

Results by matchday

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHHAHAHHAAHAAHA
ResultDLLLLWWLWLWWWWLDWWWWLLLLLWWLDWWDLDLLWWDWDD
Position617181821181618161716131212131311976881113131291011108899121212109999
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
27 August 1927Nottingham ForestH2–214,524Lowe, Briscoe
31 August 1927Bristol CityA0–420,305
3 September 1927Manchester CityA0–137,583
10 September 1927Hull CityH1–212,169Kirkham
17 September 1927Preston North EndA0–418,127
19 September 1927Bristol CityH5–111,319Kirkham (2), Page (2), Briscoe
24 September 1927Swansea CityH2–010,197Kirkham (2)
1 October 1927FulhamA0–410,560
8 October 1927BarnsleyH2–110,070Simms (2)
15 October 1927Wolverhampton WanderersA1–218,026Gillespie
22 October 1927Notts CountyA4–29,053Kirkham (2), Anstiss, Trotter
29 October 1927SouthamptonH4–010,679Gillespie (2), Trotter, Kirkham
5 November 1927Stoke CityA2–031,493Anstiss, Kirkham
12 November 1927Oldham AthleticH1–010,000Briscoe
19 November 1927Grimsby TownA0–310,119
26 November 1927ChelseaH1–114,115Gillespie
3 December 1927BlackpoolA6–17,662Briscoe, Page, Anstiss, Gillespie, o.g., Kirkham
10 December 1927ReadingH3–08,556Briscoe, Page, Kirkham
17 December 1927Clapton OrientA1–09,287Gillespie
24 December 1927West Bromwich AlbionH4–18,216Simms (3), Gillespie
26 December 1927Leeds UnitedH1–218,869Simms
27 December 1927Leeds UnitedA0–332,275
7 January 1928Manchester CityH1–214,310Gillespie
21 January 1928Hull CityA0–17,106
4 February 1928Swansea CityA0–26,745
6 February 1928Preston North EndH2–09,492Littlewood (2)
11 February 1928FulhamH4–17,530Littlewood (3), Page
20 February 1928BarnsleyA2–45,423Gillespie (2)
25 February 1928Wolverhampton WanderersH2–211,358Page, Littlewood
3 March 1928Notts CountyH3–09,664Maddock (pen), Gillespie, Littlewood
10 March 1928SouthamptonA3–19,874Kirkham, Trotter, Jones
17 March 1928Stoke CityH0–021,071
24 March 1928Oldham AthleticA1–411,809Simms
31 March 1928Grimsby TownH2–29,125o.g., Simms
6 April 1928South ShieldsH2–311,081Page, Simms
7 April 1928ChelseaA0–139,278
9 April 1928South ShieldsA1–04,444Fishwick
14 April 1928BlackpoolH3–05,371Connelly, Gillespie, Griffiths
21 April 1928ReadingA0–07,664
26 April 1928Nottingham ForestA2–03,713Page, Kirkham
28 April 1928Clapton OrientH0–08,966
5 May 1928West Bromwich AlbionA0–09,217

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R314 January 1928BarnsleyH3–013,162Simms, Page, Maddock (pen)
R428 January 1928New BrightonH3–010,867Page, Kirkham, Anstiss
R518 February 1928Blackburn RoversA1–243,000Anstiss

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland George Holdcroft 400040
GKEngland Howard Matthews 14020160
GKEngland Alf Bennett 24010250
DFEngland Jimmy Oakes 38030410
DFEngland Jack Maddock 32131352
DFEngland Billy Wootton 12000120
DFIreland David Rollo 200020
MFScotland Bob Connelly 42130451
MFEngland Roger Jones 810081
MFEngland Jack Lowe 910091
MFEngland Herbert Smith 15010160
MFWales George Whitcombe 14000140
MFEngland Vic Rouse 38030410
MFEngland Jack Simms 229212410
MFWales Phil Griffiths 11100111
MFEngland Bert Fishwick 910091
MFEngland Alex Trotter 16310173
FWEngland Tom Page 338323610
FWEngland Wilf Kirkham 3713314014
FWEngland Billy Briscoe 20520225
FWEngland Stewart Littlewood 670077
FWEngland Harry Anstiss 29332325
FWEngland Robert Gillespie 2312202512
FWEngland Sam Smith 400040
FWEngland Charles Heinemann 000000
FWScotland James Harkins 000000

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Total
1FW EnglandWilf Kirkham13114
2FW EnglandRobert Gillespie12012
3FW EnglandTom Page8210
–MF EnglandJack Simms9110
5FW EnglandStewart Littlewood707
6FW EnglandBilly Briscoe505
–FW EnglandHarry Anstiss325
8MF EnglandAlex Trotter303
9MF EnglandJack Lowe202
–DF EnglandJack Maddock112
11MF ScotlandBob Connelly101
–MF EnglandBert Fishwick101
–MF WalesPhil Griffiths101
–MF EnglandRoger Jones001
–––Own goals202
TOTALS 68 7 75

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1927GKEnglandAlf BennettNottingham ForestFree transfer[3]
May 1927FWEnglandRobert GillespieLuton TownFree transfer[3]
May 1927FWEnglandSam SmithCardiff CityFree transfer[3]
May 1927DFEnglandAlex TrotterSouth ShieldsFree transfer[3]
June 1927DFEnglandGeorge ShentonBlythe BridgeFree transfer[3]
August 1927DFIrelandDavid RolloBlackburn RoversFree transfer[3]
March 1928FWEnglandBert FishwickBlackpoolFree transfer[3]
March 1928MFWalesFrank WilliamsPreston North EndFree transfer[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
May 1928MFEnglandArthur EcclestoneReleased[3]
May 1928GKEnglandGeorge HoldcroftDarlingtonFree transfer[3]
May 1928MFEnglandJack LoweOldham AthleticFree transfer[3]
May 1928GKEnglandHoward MatthewsHalifax TownFree transfer[3]
May 1928FWEnglandSam SmithHull CityFree transfer[3]
May 1928DFEnglandAlex TrotterManchester CentralFree transfer[3]

References

Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Keeping in Good Company (1919-1929)". The Valiants' Years The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 98–123. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ Port Vale 1927–1928 : Results & Fixtures Archived 6 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 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.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.