1932–33 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1932–33 season
Chairman Frank Huntbach
Manager Tom Holford
Stadium The Old Recreation Ground
Football League Second Division 17th (38 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
Top goalscorer League: Wilf Kirkham (15)
All: Wilf Kirkham (15)
Highest home attendance 19,625 vs. Stoke City (4 March 1933)
Lowest home attendance 3,364 vs. Plymouth Argyle (29 April 1933)
Average home league attendance 8,876
Home colours

The 1932–33 season was Port Vale's 27th season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season (26th overall) in the Second Division.[1] The season is notable as the last season of football for legendary striker Wilf Kirkham – who finished as top scorer for the sixth time in his Vale career. It is also notable for a 9–1 thrashing of Chesterfield in which Stewart Littlewood scored six goals – both feats are still standing club records. Otherwise an unremarkable season, the club limped to 17th in the league and exited the FA Cup at the Third Round, whilst rivals Stoke City were promoted as champions.

Manager Tom Holford.
Chairman Frank Huntbach was pleased the club's finances.[1]

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season worries over the Great Depression saw ticket prices reduced, as The Old Recreation Ground's capacity was increased, and a radio-gramophone broadcaster with four loudspeakers was installed.[1] New signings included Bradford Park Avenue outside-left Bob Morton and Cardiff City left-half Jimmy McGrath.[1]

The season began well, an opening day victory over Bury was followed by a useful sequence of results that saw the club climb the table.[1] Their 9–1 win over Chesterfield on 24 September was the biggest victory of the season in the division, and a still standing club record victory in the Football League.[1] Stewart Littlewood scored an incredible six goals that day – also a still standing club record, all within a 57 minute period.[1] The Vale followed this record win with a 7–0 defeat at Bradford City's Valley Parade, in what had been dubbed a promotion clash.[1] Shenton twisted his knee in the latter match, and the list of injuries began to mount, Littlewood also requiring an operation to repair cartilage damage.[1] This prompted the signing of Manchester United's highly experienced ex-England international forward Louis Page, brother of ex-Vale player Tom Page.[1]

From 15 October to 3 December Vale were on a run of eight games without a win, six of them defeats.[1] One of these defeats was a 5–0 hammering at Notts County's Meadow Lane, and another was a 1–0 defeat at Stoke City's Victoria Ground in front of 29,296 spectators, yet another was a 4–0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane in front of a crowd of 33,071.[1] In December a shake-up in the first eleven brought four successive home victories, though only one point was won from three away games.[1] Stoke defender Len Armitage was brought in to help sure up the defence as the club hovered in mid-table.[1]

In January, ten year veteran left-back Jimmy Oakes was sold to Charlton Athletic for £3,000.[1] On 4 March, Stoke romped home to a 3–1 derby win, with a certain Stanley Matthews scoring his first goal for the "Potters".[1] After this the "Valiants" went five games unbeaten, which started with them picking up a point at Old Trafford.[1] They won three and lost four of their seven April games.[1] The 26 April game against Charlton Athletic at The Valley was remarkable as Oakes became the first ever player to play for opposite teams in the same match – this happened as before his transfer he had played for Vale in a game with the "Addicks" that was called off before full-time due to fog.[1] The final game of the season was a 6–1 beating at Blundell Park by Grimsby Town, though by this time their survival in the division was already ensured.[1]

They finished in seventeenth position with 38 points, four points clear of relegated Chesterfield, and seventeen points short of promoted Spurs. Meanwhile the reserve side won the Cheshire League for the fifth successive season.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a profit of £481 was made due to strict economic management.[1] Wages were reduced and the "A" team was scrapped.[1] Gate receipts had again fallen, now standing at £11,447.[1] Another clear-out of players took place: with Billy Easton, Louis Page, Stewart Littlewood, Tom Tippett, Wilf Kirkham, Jock Leckie, and Ben Davies all leaving on free transfers. Easton joined Aldershot, Page signed with Yeovil & Petters United, Littlewood went to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Tippett joined West Ham United, Leckie went to Stockport County. Kirkham retired as a professional to concentrate on his duties as an educator, turning out as an amateur for Kidderminster Harriers in the Birmingham League.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale lost 2–1 at First Division relegation strugglers Blackpool's Bloomfield Road in the Third Round.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Stoke City42133540151236382478392.000+ 3956
2Tottenham Hotspur4214705819687383296511.882+ 4555
3Fulham4212544631858323478651.200+ 1350
4Bury42137155237212293684591.424+ 2549
5Nottingham Forest429843728876303167591.136+ 849
6Manchester United4211554024489314471681.044+ 343
7Millwall42117340205412193759571.035+ 243
8Bradford Park Avenue42134451274413264477711.085+ 642
9Preston North End4212275336489213474701.057+ 442
10Swansea Town42170436122415144250540.926– 442
11Bradford City42106543244710223765611.066+ 441
12Southampton42153348223216184466661.000± 041
13Grimsby Town42810349346312305079840.940– 541
14Plymouth Argyle42134445223513184563670.940– 441
15Notts County42104741315610264767780.859– 1140
16Oldham Athletic42104738315412294967800.838– 1338
17Port Vale42123649272712175266790.835– 1338
18Lincoln City42116446281713265972870.828– 1537
19Burnley4289435203513325967790.848– 1236
20West Ham United42126356311317196275930.806– 1835
21Chesterfield42105636252514255961840.726– 2334
22Charlton Athletic4293935353414255660910.659– 3131

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAAAHA
Result W D W L W D W L W L L D L L D L L W L W W D W L L D W L L D D W D D L W L W L L W L
Position 1 5 3 7 4 4 4 4 4 5 8 8 12 13 15 17 16 17 16 14 15 13 15 15 15 15 15 16 15 15 14 13 14 15 15 17 15 16 16 16 17

Sourced from Statto.[2]

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
27 August 1932 BuryH1–010,120Kirkham
29 August 1932 SouthamptonA2–28,151Littlewood (2)
3 September 1932 Lincoln CityA1–011,276Kirkham
5 September 1932 SouthamptonH0–28,843
10 September 1932 West Ham UnitedH4–09,582Morton, Kirkham, Littlewood, Sherlock (pen)
17 September 1932 FulhamA1–121,272Morton
24 September 1932 ChesterfieldH9–19,950Littlewood (6), Kirkham (2), Morton
1 October 1932 Bradford CityA0–712,648
8 October 1932 Swansea TownH2–17,310Morton, Kirkham
15 October 1932 Notts CountyA0–59,217
22 October 1932 Stoke CityA0–129,296
29 October 1932 Manchester UnitedH3–37,138Sherlock, Page, Morton
5 November 1932 Tottenham HotspurA0–433,071
12 November 1932 Nottingham ForestH0–18,088
19 November 1932 BurnleyA1–17,940Kirkham
26 November 1932 Preston North EndH0–16,938
3 December 1932 Oldham AthleticA1–24,397McGrath
10 December 1932 Bradford Park AvenueH3–16,114McGrath, Kirkham, Mills
17 December 1932 Plymouth ArgyleA1–315,567Page
24 December 1932 Grimsby TownH4–28,342Tippett (2), Sherlock (pen), Kirkham
27 December 1932 Charlton AthleticH2–112,622McGrath, Mills
31 December 1932 BuryA0–07,906
7 January 1933 Lincoln CityH3–27,263Kirkham (2), Tippett
21 January 1933 West Ham UnitedA0–513,908
28 January 1933 FulhamH1–25,383Kirkham
4 February 1933 ChesterfieldA2–211,748Morton, McGrath
11 February 1933 Bradford CityH2–09,873Jones, Littlewood
18 February 1933 Swansea TownA0–28,049
4 March 1933 Stoke CityH1–319,625McGrath
11 March 1933 Manchester UnitedA1–124,690McGrath
18 March 1933 Tottenham HotspurH1–114,588Nolan
20 March 1933 Notts CountyH4–05,682Nolan (2), Kirkham, Baker
25 March 1933 Nottingham ForestA1–110,618Kirkham
1 April 1933 BurnleyH1–17,221o.g.
8 April 1933 Preston North EndA1–39,490Morton
14 April 1933 MillwallH2–011,032Morton, Nolan
15 April 1933 Oldham AthleticH2–47,317McGrath (2)
17 April 1933 MillwallA1–07,507Armitage
22 April 1933 Bradford Park AvenueA2–45,757Morton, Armitage
26 April 1933 Charlton AthleticA1–25,492Morton
29 April 1933 Plymouth ArgyleH4–13,364Nolan (3), Kirkham
6 May 1933 Grimsby TownA1–66,349Nolan

FA Cup

Main article: 1932–33 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R314 January 1933 BlackpoolA1–215,800Mills

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Ben Davies 11010120
GKScotland Jock Leckie 22000220
GKScotland Allan Todd 900090
DFEngland Jimmy Oakes 12000120
DFEngland George Shenton 28010290
DFEngland William Cope 300030
DFEngland William Allsop 500050
DFEngland Arnold Bliss 21010220
DFEngland George Poyser 28000280
DFEngland Len Armitage 10210112
MFEngland Roger Jones 40110411
MFEngland Jack Round 31000310
MFEngland James Henshall 500050
MFEngland Jimmy McGrath 28810298
MFEngland Fred Mills 36211373
MFEngland Bob Morton 3310003310
MFEngland Albert Harrison 300030
MFEngland Horace Baker 710071
MFEngland Cliff Birks 21010220
MFEngland Jack Sherlock 24300243
FWEngland Stewart Littlewood 1310001310
FWEngland Tom Tippett 831093
FWEngland Tom Nolan 17800178
FWEngland Billy Easton 300030
FWEngland Wilf Kirkham 3315103415
FWEngland John Smith 600060
FWEngland Louis Page 18210192
FWWales Robert Davies 500050

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
England Wilf Kirkham 15
England Bob Morton 10
England Stewart Littlewood
England Tom Nolan 8
England Jimmy McGrath
England Fred Mills 3
England Tom Tippett
England Jack Sherlock
England Len Armitage 2
England Louis Page
England Roger Jones 1
England Horace Baker

League

Scorer Goals
England Wilf Kirkham 15
England Bob Morton 10
England Stewart Littlewood
England Tom Nolan 8
England Jimmy McGrath
England Tom Tippett 3
England Jack Sherlock
England Len Armitage 2
England Louis Page
England Fred Mills
England Roger Jones 1
England Horace Baker

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1932 MF England Jimmy McGrath Cardiff City Free transfer [3]
May 1932 MF England Bob Morton Bradford Park Avenue Free transfer [3]
August 1932 DF England Ernest Breeze Free transfer [3]
August 1932 FW England John Smith Derby County Free transfer [3]
October 1932 FW England Louis Page Manchester United Free transfer [3]
October 1932 GK Scotland Allan Todd Scotland Cowdenbeath Free transfer [3]
December 1932 DF England Len Armitage Wales Rhyl Athletic Free transfer [3]
March 1933 DF England Billy Tabram Swansea Town Free transfer [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
January 1933 DF England Jimmy Oakes Charlton Athletic £3,000 [3]
April 1933 DF England Arnold Bliss West Ham United Released [3]
May 1933 GK England Ben Davies Released [3]
May 1933 FW England Billy Easton Aldershot Free transfer [3]
May 1933 MF England Albert Harrison Leek Alexandra Free transfer [3]
May 1933 GK Scotland Jock Leckie Stockport County Free transfer [3]
May 1933 FW England John Smith Carlisle United Free transfer [3]
May 1933 FW England Tom Tippett West Ham United Free transfer [3]
July 1933 FW England Stewart Littlewood Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Free transfer [3]
July 1933 DF England Jack Sherlock Colwyn Bay United Free transfer [3]
Summer 1933 FW England Wilf Kirkham Retired [3]
Summer 1933 FW England Louis Page Released [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 22 23 24 25 26 Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Glory to Despair (1929–1939)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 124–150. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1932–1933 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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