1928–29 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1928–29 season was Port Vale's tenth consecutive season of football (23rd overall) in the English Football League.[1] For the first time in their history they suffered relegation. This was down to poor away form, at home they went a club record 19 games without a draw, picking up all but five of their points in front of their home fans. The season also saw the departure of club legends Tom Page and Wilf Kirkham.

Fenton-born Billy Briscoe added 24 league appearances to his ever-growing tally.
Chairman Frank Huntbach declared that "no efforts will be spared by the club to regain its lost status".[1]
Right-back Jack Maddock played in 25 games.

Port Vale
1928–29 season
ChairmanFrank Huntbach
ManagerJoe Schofield
StadiumThe Old Recreation Ground
Football League Second Division21st (34 Points)
FA CupThird Round
(knocked out by Manchester United)
Top goalscorerLeague: Wilf Kirkham (15)
All: Wilf Kirkham (15)
Highest home attendance18,869 vs. Stoke City, 26 January 1929
Lowest home attendance3,307 vs. Bristol City, 4 May 1929
Average home league attendance10,207
Biggest win8–1 vs. West Bromwich Albion, 9 March 1929
Biggest defeat1–7 vs. Preston North End, 23 February 1929

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw only the addition of one major player – goalkeeper Jack Prince from Oldham Athletic.[1] Otherwise the club felt confident that they had a nice blend of youth and experience.[1]

The season started with a 4–1 home defeat to Wolves, yet two days later the Vale travelled to The Dell, where they beat Southampton with two Stewart Littlewood goals – this would prove to be their only away victory of the season.[1] Picking up just two wins in September (a 5–2 win over Millwall thanks to a Littlewood hat-trick, and a 2–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur), the club soon found themselves struggling.[1] They also lost 2–1 at Stoke's Victoria Ground in front of 35,288 supporters.[1] Heading into December they won six successive home games to take them into mid-table, including a four-goal haul from Jack Simms to see off Nottingham Forest.[1] December would prove to be the month that killed the Vale. Oakes had a cartilage operation, Gillespie tore an elbow joint, and the team lost six of their seven festive games.[1] In January the popular high-scoring Littlewood was traded to Oldham Athletic for veteran striker Albert Pynegar and £1,300.[1] Falling down the table fast, in late February they were slaughtered 7–1 at Preston North End's Deepdale.[1] Back at The Old Recreation Ground they managed to regularly pick up victories, most notably demolishing West Bromwich Albion 8–1 on 9 March – the biggest victory in the division that season, Pynegar scoring a hat-trick.[1] Further good work picking up three points from Oldham Athletic and beating Chelsea was undone by a horrifying 6–0 defeat at fellow strugglers Barnsley.[1] The "Valiants" beat Bristol City 5–0 in front of a miserable home turnout thanks to a four-goal effort from Pynegar, yet it was too little too late as the club were relegated.[1]

They finished in 21st place with 34 points from 42 games, two points from safety, they suffered relegation for the first time in their history (they had previously failed re-elections).[1] Scoring 71 goals was respectable, however 86 goals conceded was the joint-worst in the league.[1] Their awful away form was not unique, Vale one of four teams with only one away win to their name, though they conceded more on their travels than any other side.

Finances

On the financial side, plans of a new stadium were shelved as the directors channelled money into rebuilding their team.[1] Vic Rouse, Alf Bennett, and David Rollo were let go, Rouse joining Crewe Alexandra.[1] Club legend Tom Page also left the club after racking up 286 Football League appearances.[1] With a £1,223 drop in gate receipts there were fears that the club might close, these fears were heightened when fellow legend Wilf Kirkham was sold to Stoke City for £2,800 (the second highest transfer the club had ever received).[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, it was a repeat of the 1925–26 season as the club were drawn against Manchester United at home.[1] The First Division club returned to Old Trafford with a 3–0 victory.[1] The end of season North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary Cup was cancelled, with Vale seemingly too despondent to field a team.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
18 Oldham Athletic 42 16 5 21 54 75 0.720 37
19 Swansea Town 42 13 10 19 62 75 0.827 36
20 Bristol City 42 13 10 19 58 72 0.806 36
21 Port Vale 42 15 4 23 71 86 0.826 34 Relegated
22 Clapton Orient 42 12 8 22 45 72 0.625 32
Source:

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Results by matchday

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAAHAHAH
ResultLWLWLLLWLWWLWLWDWLLLLLLWLLWLLWLWDLWLDWLDLW
Position181417131318181619171517161714131213151617191919192019202120212120202021212121212121
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
25 August 1928Wolverhampton WanderersH1–412,274Fishwick (pen)
27 August 1928SouthamptonA2–111,743Littlewood (2)
1 September 1928Notts CountyA0–315,314
8 September 1928MillwallH5–210,578Littlewood (3), Briscoe (2)
15 September 1928Stoke CityA1–235,288Griffiths
22 September 1928Hull CityA0–211,728
24 September 1928SouthamptonH1–27,344Fishwick
29 September 1928Tottenham HotspurH2–112,502Gillespie, Littlewood
6 October 1928ReadingA1–211,276Simms
13 October 1928Preston North EndH3–212,098Littlewood (2), Mandley
20 October 1928Clapton OrientH3–010,007Littlewood, Simms, Anstiss
27 October 1928West Bromwich AlbionA1–310,851Anstiss
3 November 1928Nottingham ForestH4–29,936Simms (4)
10 November 1928Grimsby TownA1–39,017Kirkham
17 November 1928BarnsleyH3–07,417Kirkham (2), Gillespie
24 November 1928ChelseaA3–323,305Kirkham (2), Simms
1 December 1928BlackpoolH1–08,244Simms
8 December 1928Swansea TownA0–28,968
15 December 1928Bradford Park AvenueH0–17,339
22 December 1928Bristol CityA1–210,459Simms
25 December 1928MiddlesbroughA1–521,977Fishwick
26 December 1928MiddlesbroughH2–313,988Fishwick, Mandley
29 December 1928Wolverhampton WanderersA0–411,426
5 January 1929Notts CountyH3–07,475Kirkham (2), Jones
19 January 1929MillwallA1–220,056Kirkham
26 January 1929Stoke CityH1–218,869Mandley
2 February 1929Hull CityH4–16,065Fishwick, Kirkham, o.g., Pynegar
9 February 1929Tottenham HotspurA2–421,342Fishwick, Simms
23 February 1929Preston North EndA1–79,356Kirkham
25 February 1929ReadingH4–04,303Kirkham (3), Simms
2 March 1929Clapton OrientA0–115,543
9 March 1929West Bromwich AlbionH8–111,539Pynegar (3), Jones (2), Mandley, Simms, Kirkham
16 March 1929Nottingham ForestA2–27,388Kirkham, Jones
23 March 1929Grimsby TownH0–313,085
29 March 1929Oldham AthleticH2–117,697Pynegar, Anstiss
30 March 1929BarnsleyA0–69,615
1 April 1929Oldham AthleticA1–119,571Mandley
6 April 1929ChelseaH1–011,701Pynegar
13 April 1929BlackpoolA0–48,696
20 April 1929Swansea TownH0–08,587
27 April 1929Bradford Park AvenueA0–29,132
4 May 1929Bristol CityH5–03,307Pynegar (4), Griffiths

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R312 January 1929Manchester UnitedH0–317,519

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Alf Bennett 11000110
GK Jack Prince 31010320
GK Jim McKenna 000000
GK Thomas Sproson 000000
DF Jimmy Oakes 26000260
DF Jack Maddock 24010250
DF Billy Wootton 600060
DF George Shenton 10000100
MF Bob Connelly 42010430
MF Roger Jones 18410194
MF Herbert Smith 23010240
MF George Whitcombe 12000120
MF Vic Rouse 28010290
MF Jack Simms 3412103512
MF Phil Griffiths 620062
MF Bert Fishwick 14610156
MF Jack Mandley 35510365
MF Frank Williams 100010
FW Tom Page 17000170
FW Wilf Kirkham 3115103215
FW Billy Briscoe 24210252
FW Stewart Littlewood 10900109
FW Harry Anstiss 17300173
FW Robert Gillespie 14200142
FW Albert Pynegar 1810001810
FW Frank Allen 000000

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Total
1FW EnglandWilf Kirkham15015
2MF EnglandJack Simms12012
3FW EnglandAlbert Pynegar10010
4FW EnglandStewart Littlewood909
5MF EnglandBert Fishwick606
6MF EnglandJack Mandley505
7MF EnglandRoger Jones404
8FW EnglandHarry Anstiss303
9FW EnglandBilly Briscoe202
MF WalesPhil Griffiths202
FW EnglandRobert Gillespie202
Own goals101
TOTALS 71 0 71

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1928GKJack PrinceOldham AthleticFree transfer[3]
January 1929FWAlbert PynegarOldham AthleticExchange[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
January 1929FWStewart LittlewoodOldham AthleticExchange + £1,300[3]
May 1929GKAlf BennettReleased[3]
May 1929DFDavid RolloFleetwood Windsor VillaFree transfer[3]
May 1929MFVic RouseCrewe AlexandraFree transfer[3]
May 1929MFFrank Williams Oswestry TownFree transfer[3]
Summer 1929FWRobert GillespieWrexhamFree transfer[3]
Summer 1929FWWilf KirkhamStoke City£2,800[3]
Summer 1929FWTom Page New BrightonReleased[3]
Summer 1929MFHerbert SmithStafford RangersReleased[3]

References

Specific
  1. 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 1928–1929 : Results & Fixtures Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 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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