Port Vale
1949–50 season
ChairmanWilliam Holdcroft
ManagerGordon Hodgson
StadiumThe Old Recreation Ground
Football League Third Division South13th (41 Points)
FA CupFourth Round
(knocked out by Burnley)
Top goalscorerLeague: Cliff Pinchbeck (14)
All: Cliff Pinchbeck (16)
Highest home attendance18,218 vs. Nottingham Forest, 11 February 1950
Lowest home attendance8,496 vs. Torquay United, 27 March 1950
Average home league attendance12,983
Biggest win4–0 vs. Millwall, 12 November 1949
Biggest defeat0–3 vs. Millwall, 1 April 1950

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.[1] It was the last season to be played at The Old Recreation Ground – despite numerous clashes with the authorities over the construction of the new stadium. The sale of Ronnie Allen raised a massive £20,000.

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, and young keeper Ray King from Leyton Orient (brother of George).[1] On his arrival King stated that The 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'.[1] The playing staff now stood at 59 amateurs and 27 full-time professionals.[1]

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.[1] 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.[1] A seven match unbeaten run followed, built upon a defence that leaked just five goals, King and Hamlett settling in well.[1] 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 Rec to the new stadium.[1] As a result, the club set up a 100,000 Shilling Fund to build the two stands from scratch.[1] 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.[1] Pinchbeck marked his debut with a hat-trick over Millwall, receiving a standing ovation from his new fans.[1] More off-field stadium troubles came when the Regional Officer of the Minister of Works refused a licence for the stadium on unspecified grounds.[1] Club officials were forced to travel to London to discuss the matter with the minister, eventually convincing him to change his mind.[1] The home match with Newport County on 15 October was notable as the first Vale match to offer a matchday programme.[2]

A successful Christmas period took Vale into sixth place by mid-February.[1] George King was then sold to Barrow for a four-figure fee, after which Pinchbeck was the only regular scorer.[1] Six games without a win followed, ending the club's hopes of opening the new stadium in the Second Division.[1] The Shilling Fund had only raised 17,738 shillings, and so Ronnie Allen was sold to top-flight West Bromwich Albion for a massive £20,000, smashing the club's transfer record.[1] Allen went on to play for England, whilst the fee went towards the new ground.[1] 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.[1]

They finished in thirteenth place with 41 points.[1] The defence was the third strongest in the division, however, only Watford scored fewer goals.[1] Pinchbeck was the only goalscorer of any consistency.[1]

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.[1] The wage bill had risen by £6,000 to £22,333, whereas gate receipts had risen by around £3,000 to £29,050.[1] Eric Eastwood was the only major departure of the summer.[1] 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.[1] Chairman William Holdcroft felt this was unfair, and was supported by Stoke-on-Trent North MP Albert Davies.[1] Despite this set-back the stadium was opened on 2 August in a ceremony attended by 12,000 rain-soaked people.[1]

Cup competitions

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 – 12,000 of which were Vale fans.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
11 Norwich City 42 16 10 16 65 63 1.032 42
12 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 42 16 10 16 57 56 1.018 42
13 Port Vale 42 15 11 16 47 42 1.119 41
14 Swindon Town 42 15 11 16 59 62 0.952 41
15 Bristol City 42 15 10 17 60 61 0.984 40
Source:

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Third Division South

Results by matchday

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHAAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAA
ResultWLDDWDWDLWWWLWLWDLLDWDWWLWDLDDLLWWLLLWDLLL
Position19128758899757598781010798786569681086791097101113
Source: Statto[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
20 August 1949Bristol RoversH1–015,097Allen
23 August 1949Southend UnitedA0–19,434
27 August 1949Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA2–219,101King (2)
29 August 1949Southend UnitedH0–014,686
3 September 1949Crystal PalaceH2–013,788Martin (2)
5 September 1949Ipswich TownH2–212,297Martin, Cheadle
10 September 1949WatfordA2–010,583King, Aveyard
17 September 1949ReadingH1–112,948o.g.
24 September 1949Leyton OrientA0–115,698
1 October 1949Exeter CityH1–011,499Martin
8 October 1949Norwich CityA1–026,831Allen
15 October 1949Newport CountyH1–012,599Allen
22 October 1949Bristol CityA0–219,855
29 October 1949Brighton & Hove AlbionH3–011,189Aveyard, Allen, Barber
5 November 1949WalsallA0–19,605
12 November 1949MillwallH4–012,918Pinchbeck (3), Aveyard
19 November 1949Swindon TownA0–09,039
3 December 1949AldershotA0–14,043
17 December 1949Bristol RoversA1–210,105Palk
24 December 1949Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–113,092Pinchbeck
26 December 1949Northampton TownH3–117,212Pinchbeck (2), Martin
27 December 1949Northampton TownA1–119,263Martin
31 December 1949Crystal PalaceA1–012,609Pinchbeck
14 January 1950WatfordH2–017,387Allen, Pinchbeck
21 January 1950ReadingA1–211,284Pinchbeck
4 February 1950Leyton OrientH2–014,176Allen, Martin
11 February 1950Nottingham ForestH1–118,218Pinchbeck
18 February 1950Exeter CityA1–39,632Pinchbeck
25 February 1950Norwich CityH2–211,204Hayward, Palk
4 March 1950Newport CountyA1–18,762Aveyard
11 March 1950Bristol CityH0–211,444
18 March 1950Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–211,852Aveyard
25 March 1950WalsallH2–09,763Aveyard, Pinchbeck
27 March 1950Torquay UnitedH2–08,496Hulligan, Potts
1 April 1950MillwallA0–318,088
7 April 1950Notts CountyA1–332,097Palk
8 April 1950Swindon TownH0–19,607
10 April 1950Notts CountyH3–115,380Pinchbeck (2), Hulligan
15 April 1950Torquay UnitedA0–08,037
22 April 1950AldershotH0–19,645
29 April 1950Nottingham ForestA0–25,906
6 May 1950Ipswich TownA1–212,451McGarry

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R126 November 1949WealdstoneH1–014,935Pinchbeck
R210 December 1949Tranmere RoversH1–014,716Pinchbeck
R37 January 1950Newport CountyA2–117,781Allen (2)
R428 January 1950BurnleyA1–249,692Martin

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland George Heppell 300030
GKEngland Ray King 39040430
DFEngland Basil Hayward 110011
DFEngland Tommy Cheadle 42140461
DFEngland Garth Butler 39040430
DFEngland Reg Potts 310031
DFEngland Jim Elsby 200020
DFEngland Lol Hamlett 40040440
MFNorthern Ireland Jimmy Todd 37040410
MFEngland Alan Martin 24741288
MFEngland Bill McGarry 42140461
MFEngland Mick Hulligan 38240422
MFEngland Alan Bennett 10000100
MFEngland Norman Hallam 100010
MFEngland Colin Askey 400040
FWEngland Ronnie Allen 27642318
FWEngland Pat Raftery 300030
FWEngland George King 830083
FWEngland Stan Palk 42340463
FWEngland Walter Aveyard 23600236
FWEngland Cliff Pinchbeck 2714423116
FWEngland Ken Griffiths 200020
FWEngland Len Barber 510051

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1FW EnglandCliff Pinchbeck14216
2MF EnglandAlan Martin718
–FW EnglandRonnie Allen628
4FW EnglandWalter Aveyard606
5FW EnglandStan Palk303
–FW EnglandGeorge King303
7MF EnglandMick Hulligan202
8FW EnglandLen Barber101
–DF EnglandBasil Hayward101
–DF EnglandReg Potts101
–DF EnglandTommy Cheadle101
–MF EnglandBill McGarry101
–––Own goals101
TOTALS 47 5 52

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1949DFEnglandJohn AbbottsRavenscliffeFree transfer[4]
May 1949GKEnglandRay KingAshingtonFree transfer[4]
May 1949DFEnglandLol HamlettBolton WanderersFree transfer[4]
July 1949DFEnglandRoy SprosonStoke CityFree transfer[4]
November 1949FWEnglandCliff PinchbeckBrighton & Hove Albion£3,500[4]
February 1950FWEnglandKen GriffithsNorthwood MissionFree transfer[4]
February 1950MFEnglandAlbert LeakeStoke CityFree transfer[4]
March 1950FWEnglandRoland LewisCongleton TownFree transfer[4]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
November 1949MFEnglandBernard JonesWinsford UnitedFree transfer[4]
February 1950FWEnglandGeorge KingBarrow'four-figure fee'[4]
February 1950FWEnglandPat RafteryWellington TownFree transfer[4]
March 1950FWEnglandRonnie AllenWest Bromwich Albion£20,000[4]
April 1950DFEnglandEric EastwoodReleased[4]
April 1950MFEnglandWilf SmithBuxtonFree transfer[4]

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 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Creating Sunshine from the Shadows (1939–1950)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 151–171. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ "The first Vale Park match programme". onevalefan.co.uk. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. ↑ Port Vale 1949–1950 : Results & Fixtures Archived 16 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. 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.
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