1956–57 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1956–57 season
Chairman Fred Burgess
Manager Freddie Steele
(until January)
Norman Low
(February onwards)
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Second Division 22nd (22 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
Top goalscorer League: Cyril Done (9)
All: Cyril Done (9)
Highest home attendance 22,395 vs. Stoke City (29 April 1957)
Lowest home attendance 7,038 vs. Rotherham United (27 April 1957)
Average home league attendance 14,046
Home colours

The 1956–57 season was Port Vale's 45th season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season (thirty-second overall) in the Second Division.[1] An unmitigated disaster from start to finish, they were relegated in bottom place with just 22 points from 42 games. It was the end of an era, as the reputation of 'the Steele Curtain' had taken a severe blow, and its architect Freddie Steele left the club in January. The season was considered to be one where the old guard 'cracked',[1] and thus many loyal servants of the club were let go in the summer of 1957, including Ray King, Reg Potts, Stan Turner, Tommy Cheadle, and Stan Smith.

Three still-standing but unwanted club-records were set this season: a record 28 defeats in 42 matches, and a 22 game streak without a clean sheet (22 September 1956 to 23 February 1957), and a losing streak of nine straight games (9 March 1957 to 20 April 1957).

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of Harry Anders, a winger from Manchester City signed for 'a substantial fee'.[1]

The season started with Anders and Baily up front, a combination which failed during a goalless draw with Barnsley.[1] Two losses followed in which eight goals were conceded. Harry Poole replaced Albert Leake in what was 'one of the few rays of sunlight in an otherwise gloomy beginning'.[1] Vale then 'clicked into gear', picking up seven points out of a possible ten in September.[1] This included a 4–2 win at Ewood Park, their last away win of the campaign.[1] Injuries then ravaged the squad as Vale went on a sequence of eight straight defeats to take them from fourteenth to second from bottom.[1] These included losses at the City Ground, Victoria Ground (in the first ever floodlit game in the Potteries[1]), and Anfield. In October, Baily was sold to Nottingham Forest for £7,000 – exactly what Vale had paid for him earlier in the year.[1] Baily had failed to fit in with the team, and was seen as too individualist.[1] The next month Steele bought experienced forward Billy Spurdle from Manchester City for £4,000.[1] He scored on his debut in a 3–2 win over Bury, and two weeks later he scored a brace in a 4–2 win over Doncaster Rovers.[1] This temporarily took them away from relegation worries before a streak of seven games without victory.[1]

On 15 January, Steele resigned, saying "I am quite prepared to face the consequences".[1] On 2 February, Nottingham Forest travelled to Vale Park with Eddie Baily, and demolished Vale 7–1 in a record defeat for the club at the stadium.[1] A week later, the "Valiants" put three past Fulham at Craven Cottage, but failed to pick up any points as Ray King conceded six goals despite a brilliant performance.[1] On 18 February, 42-year-old Norman Low of Workington Town took the £2,000 a year job as Vale manager.[1] Low had no interest in the tactics of the opposition, and simply told his players to 'entertain the public'.[1] He was confident the players at his disposal could reach safety, despite the difficult situation they found themselves in.[1] His first match in charge saw a 3–0 win over Grimsby Town which took them out of the relegation zone.[1] Yet what followed was a club-record nine game losing streak that doomed their season, five of which were played in Burslem.[1] Low experimented with his team by dropping King and Roy Sproson (on a run of 128 consecutive appearances), but all that resulted was a 6–0 hammering from Sheffield United.[1] However it was their 1–0 defeat at Gigg Lane to struggling Bury that did more damage to their prospects of survival.[1] During this spell Reg Potts made his 166th consecutive appearance, though Low put young reserves into the fray after all seemed lost.[1] After relegation was confirmed, Vale seemed to play better with the pressure lifted, and picked up five points in their last three games, including a 2–2 draw at home to rivals Stoke City.[1] Low also announced his plans to rebuild the club, initiating a lengthy series of schoolboy trials.[1]

They finished bottom of the table with 22 points, losing 18 of their 21 away games.[1] They were eight points short of third-from-bottom Notts County.[1] Their 57 goals scored was greater only than Lincoln City, whilst 'the Steele Curtain' was broken, conceding 101 goals, fewer than only two Football League clubs (Charlton Athletic and Crewe Alexandra).[1] Top scorer Cyril Done only score nine goals, as no consistent scorer emerged all season long.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, 105,000 spectators had been lost from the previous season to an average of only 14,046, leaving an income from gate receipts of £40,717.[1] Despite this a profit of £1,268 was recorded.[1] This occurred because of a wage budget cut of around £8,000 to £20,684 and a transfer credit of £625.[1] The club's debts were worrying however, causing the club's directors to funnel £2,500 of their own resources towards repaying this debt.[1] A clear-out of players was initiated for the first time in a good while, those departing included: Cyril Done (Winsford United); Ray King (sold to Boston United for £2,500); Reg Potts and Stan Turner (Worcester City); Tommy Cheadle, Stan Smith, and Derek Mountford (Crewe Alexandra); Len Stephenson and Billy Spurdle (Oldham Athletic); and Harry Anders (Accrington Stanley).[1] Though many of these were some of the club's best players, many had also reached retirement age.[1] Low admitted that he would have to buy young players to fill the vacancies in the first team.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale drew 3–3 with Barnsley at Oakwell, before losing the replay 1–0.[1]

Final league table

P WDLFAGAPts
1Leicester City4225116109671.62761
2Nottingham Forest4222101094551.70954
3Liverpool4221111082541.51953
4Blackburn Rovers4221101183751.10752
5Stoke City422081483581.43148
6Middlesbrough4219101384601.40048
7Sheffield United421981587761.14546
8West Ham United421981559630.93746
9Bristol Rovers421891581671.20945
10Swansea Town421971690901.00045
11Fulham421941984761.10542
12Huddersfield Town421861868740.91942
13Bristol City421691774790.93741
14Doncaster Rovers4215101777771.00040
15Leyton Orient4215101766840.78640
16Grimsby Town421752061620.98439
17Rotherham United4213111874750.98737
18Lincoln City421462254800.67534
19Barnsley4212102059890.66334
20Notts County429122158860.67430
21Bury42892560960.62525
22Port Vale428628571010.56422

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

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAAHH
Result D L L D W W D L W L L L L L L L L W L W L D L L L L L W L W L L L L L L L L L D W D
Position 8 18 20 18 16 16 16 17 14 17 18 17 18 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22

Sourced from Statto.[2]

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
18 August 1956 BarnsleyH0–014,336
22 August 1956 Lincoln CityA0–411,863
25 August 1956 Sheffield UnitedA2–421,950Smith (2)
27 August 1956 Lincoln CityH1–113,595Done
1 September 1956 Bristol CityH3–117,645Smith (2), Done
8 September 1956 Blackburn RoversA4–220,753 Smith(2), Stephenson, o.g.
15 September 1956 West Ham UnitedH0–017,582
22 September 1956 Nottingham ForestA2–418,699Smith, Baily
29 September 1956 FulhamH2–121,281Askey, Done
6 October 1956 MiddlesbroughA1–318,586Stephenson
10 October 1956 Stoke CityA1–339,446Smith
13 October 1956 Leicester CityH2–321,690Hayward (2)
20 October 1956 Grimsby TownA0–113,801
27 October 1956 Notts CountyH1–213,137Done
3 November 1956 LiverpoolA1–432,334Steele
10 November 1956 Leyton OrientH1–28,404o.g.
17 November 1956 Huddersfield TownA1–314,044Poole
24 November 1956 BuryH3–211,840Askey, Spurdle, Stephenson
1 December 1956 Bristol RoversA1–221,268Griffiths
8 December 1956 Doncaster RoversH4–112,330Cunliffe (2), Spurdle (2)
15 December 1956 BarnsleyA0–29,683
29 December 1956 Bristol CityA3–318,561Poole (2), Hayward
1 January 1957 Rotherham UnitedA0–18,120
12 January 1957 Blackburn RoversH0–312,422
19 January 1957 West Ham UnitedA1–217,229Sproson
2 February 1957 Nottingham ForestH1–718,185Askey
9 February 1957 FulhamA3–613,967Done, Cunliffe, Spurdle
16 February 1957 MiddlesbroughH2–120,766Done, Cunliffe
23 February 1957 Leicester CityA1–212,064Spurdle
2 March 1957 Grimsby TownH3–015,293Done (2), Askey
9 March 1957 Notts CountyA1–317,324Potts
16 March 1957 LiverpoolH1–214,241Spurdle
23 March 1957 Leyton OrientA2–314,412Askey, Leake
25 March 1957 Sheffield UnitedH0–69,249
30 March 1957 Huddersfield TownH1–210,500Spurdle
6 April 1957 BuryA0–110,524
13 April 1957 Bristol RoversH2–39,006Steele, Done (pen)
19 April 1957 Swansea TownH0–212,729
20 April 1957 Doncaster RoversA0–47,626
22 April 1957 Swansea TownA2–211,629Cunliffe, Leake
27 April 1957 Rotherham UnitedH2–17,038Leake (2)
29 April 1957 Stoke CityH2–222,395Cunliffe, Steele

FA Cup

Main article: 1956–57 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R35 January 1957 BarnsleyA3–317,720Poole (2), Stephenson
R3 Replay7 January 1957 BarnsleyH0–115,718

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Ray King 37020390
GKEngland John Poole 300030
GKEngland Leslie Wood 200020
DFEngland Tommy Cheadle 14000140
DFEngland Reg Potts 39120411
DFEngland Roy Sproson 39120411
DFEngland Stan Turner 27020290
DFEngland David Raine 100010
DFEngland Selwyn Whalley 600060
DFEngland Frank Wintle 100010
MFEngland Alan Bennett 200020
MFEngland Albert Leake 22400224
MFEngland John Cunliffe 31620336
MFEngland Derek Mountford 9020110
MFEngland Colin Askey 37520395
MFEngland Harry Anders 300030
MFEngland Terry Miles 500050
MFEngland Billy Spurdle 21720237
MFEngland Basil Hayward 42320443
FWEngland Ken Griffiths 17100171
FWEngland Len Stephenson 20321224
FWEngland Stan Smith 17800178
FWEngland Cyril Done 16900169
FWEngland Harry Poole 30322325
FWEngland Eddie Baily 910091
FWEngland Stan Steele 12300123

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
England Cyril Done 9
England Stan Smith 8
England Billy Spurdle 7
England John Cunliffe 6
England Colin Askey 5
England Harry Poole
England Albert Leake 4
England Len Stephenson
England Stan Steele 3
England Basil Hayward
England Ken Griffiths 1
England Eddie Baily
England Roy Sproson
England Reg Potts

League

Scorer Goals
England Cyril Done 9
England Stan Smith 8
England Billy Spurdle 7
England John Cunliffe 6
England Colin Askey 5
England Albert Leake 4
England Len Stephenson 3
England Stan Steele
England Basil Hayward
England Harry Poole
England Ken Griffiths 1
England Eddie Baily
England Roy Sproson
England Reg Potts

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1956 FW England Graham Barnett Free transfer [3]
June 1956 GK England Leslie Wood Barrow 'Reasonable' [3]
July 1956 MF England Harry Anders Manchester City 'Substantial' [3]
November 1956 MF England Billy Spurdle Manchester City £4,000 [3]
April 1957 DF England David Raine Free transfer [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
October 1956 FW England Eddie Baily Nottingham Forest £7,000 [3]
May 1957 FW England Cyril Done Winsford United Free transfer [3]
May 1957 DF England Frank Wintle Crewe Alexandra Free transfer [3]
June 1957 MF England Harry Anders Accrington Stanley 'Small' [3]
June 1957 FW England Len Stephenson Oldham Athletic £1,025 [3]
July 1957 DF England Tommy Cheadle Crewe Alexandra Free transfer [3]
July 1957 GK England Ray King Boston United £2,500 [3]
July 1957 MF England Derek Mountford Crewe Alexandra Released [3]
July 1957 DF England Reg Potts Worcester City Undisclosed [3]
July 1957 FW England Stan Smith Crewe Alexandra Undisclosed [3]
July 1957 DF England Stan Turner Worcester City Free transfer [3]
Summer 1957 MF England Billy Spurdle Oldham Athletic £1,000 [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 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Fame and Fortune (1950–1959)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 171–196. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1956–1957 : 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 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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