1928–29 Port Vale F.C. season
1928–29 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Frank Huntbach | |
Manager | Joe Schofield | |
Stadium | The Old Recreation Ground | |
Football League Second Division | 21st (34 Points) | |
FA Cup | Third Round (knocked out by Manchester United) | |
Top goalscorer | League: Wilf Kirkham (15) All: Wilf Kirkham (15) | |
Highest home attendance | 18,869 vs. Stoke City, 26 January 1929 | |
Lowest home attendance | 3,307 vs. Bristol City, 4 May 1929 | |
Average home league attendance | 10,207 | |
Biggest win | 8–1 vs. West Bromwich Albion, 9 March 1929 | |
Biggest defeat | 1–7 vs. Preston North End, 23 February 1929 | |
| ||
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 points in front of their home fans. The season also saw the departure of club legends Tom Page and Wilf Kirkham.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Wilf_Kirkham.jpg/220px-Wilf_Kirkham.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Bob_Connolly.jpg/220px-Bob_Connolly.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Albert_Pyegnar.jpg/220px-Albert_Pyegnar.jpg)
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, and 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 was one of four teams with only one away win, 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 |
Results
Port Vale's score comes first
Football League Second Division
Results by matchday
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Matches
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 August 1928 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–4 | 12,274 | Fishwick (pen) |
27 August 1928 | Southampton | A | 2–1 | 11,743 | Littlewood (2) |
1 September 1928 | Notts County | A | 0–3 | 15,314 | |
8 September 1928 | Millwall | H | 5–2 | 10,578 | Littlewood (3), Briscoe (2) |
15 September 1928 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | 35,288 | Griffiths |
22 September 1928 | Hull City | A | 0–2 | 11,728 | |
24 September 1928 | Southampton | H | 1–2 | 7,344 | Fishwick |
29 September 1928 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–1 | 12,502 | Gillespie, Littlewood |
6 October 1928 | Reading | A | 1–2 | 11,276 | Simms |
13 October 1928 | Preston North End | H | 3–2 | 12,098 | Littlewood (2), Mandley |
20 October 1928 | Clapton Orient | H | 3–0 | 10,007 | Littlewood, Simms, Anstiss |
27 October 1928 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–3 | 10,851 | Anstiss |
3 November 1928 | Nottingham Forest | H | 4–2 | 9,936 | Simms (4) |
10 November 1928 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–3 | 9,017 | Kirkham |
17 November 1928 | Barnsley | H | 3–0 | 7,417 | Kirkham (2), Gillespie |
24 November 1928 | Chelsea | A | 3–3 | 23,305 | Kirkham (2), Simms |
1 December 1928 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | 8,244 | Simms |
8 December 1928 | Swansea Town | A | 0–2 | 8,968 | |
15 December 1928 | Bradford Park Avenue | H | 0–1 | 7,339 | |
22 December 1928 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | 10,459 | Simms |
25 December 1928 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–5 | 21,977 | Fishwick |
26 December 1928 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–3 | 13,988 | Fishwick, Mandley |
29 December 1928 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–4 | 11,426 | |
5 January 1929 | Notts County | H | 3–0 | 7,475 | Kirkham (2), Jones |
19 January 1929 | Millwall | A | 1–2 | 20,056 | Kirkham |
26 January 1929 | Stoke City | H | 1–2 | 18,869 | Mandley |
2 February 1929 | Hull City | H | 4–1 | 6,065 | Fishwick, Kirkham, o.g., Pynegar |
9 February 1929 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–4 | 21,342 | Fishwick, Simms |
23 February 1929 | Preston North End | A | 1–7 | 9,356 | Kirkham |
25 February 1929 | Reading | H | 4–0 | 4,303 | Kirkham (3), Simms |
2 March 1929 | Clapton Orient | A | 0–1 | 15,543 | |
9 March 1929 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 8–1 | 11,539 | Pynegar (3), Jones (2), Mandley, Simms, Kirkham |
16 March 1929 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 | 7,388 | Kirkham, Jones |
23 March 1929 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–3 | 13,085 | |
29 March 1929 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–1 | 17,697 | Pynegar, Anstiss |
30 March 1929 | Barnsley | A | 0–6 | 9,615 | |
1 April 1929 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–1 | 19,571 | Mandley |
6 April 1929 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | 11,701 | Pynegar |
13 April 1929 | Blackpool | A | 0–4 | 8,696 | |
20 April 1929 | Swansea Town | H | 0–0 | 8,587 | |
27 April 1929 | Bradford Park Avenue | A | 0–2 | 9,132 | |
4 May 1929 | Bristol City | H | 5–0 | 3,307 | Pynegar (4), Griffiths |
FA Cup
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R3 | 12 January 1929 | Manchester United | H | 0–3 | 17,519 |
Player statistics
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Port_Vale_F.C._squad_photo_1928.jpg/400px-Port_Vale_F.C._squad_photo_1928.jpg)
Appearances
Pos. | Name | Football League | FA Cup | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
GK | ![]() | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
GK | ![]() | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
GK | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
GK | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
DF | ![]() | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
DF | ![]() | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
DF | ![]() | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
DF | ![]() | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
MF | ![]() | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
MF | ![]() | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
MF | ![]() | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
MF | ![]() | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
MF | ![]() | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
MF | ![]() | 34 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 12 |
MF | ![]() | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
MF | ![]() | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 6 |
MF | ![]() | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 5 |
MF | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
FW | ![]() | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
FW | ![]() | 31 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 15 |
FW | ![]() | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
FW | ![]() | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 9 |
FW | ![]() | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 |
FW | ![]() | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
FW | ![]() | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 10 |
FW | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Top scorers
Place | Position | Nation | Name | Second Division | FA Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FW | ![]() | Wilf Kirkham | 15 | 0 | 15 |
2 | MF | ![]() | Jack Simms | 12 | 0 | 12 |
3 | FW | ![]() | Albert Pynegar | 10 | 0 | 10 |
4 | FW | ![]() | Stewart Littlewood | 9 | 0 | 9 |
5 | MF | ![]() | Bert Fishwick | 6 | 0 | 6 |
6 | MF | ![]() | Jack Mandley | 5 | 0 | 5 |
7 | MF | ![]() | Roger Jones | 4 | 0 | 4 |
8 | FW | ![]() | Harry Anstiss | 3 | 0 | 3 |
9 | FW | ![]() | Billy Briscoe | 2 | 0 | 2 |
– | MF | ![]() | Phil Griffiths | 2 | 0 | 2 |
– | FW | ![]() | Robert Gillespie | 2 | 0 | 2 |
– | – | – | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 1 |
TOTALS | 71 | 0 | 71 |
Transfers
Transfers in
Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 1928 | GK | ![]() | Jack Prince | Oldham Athletic | Free transfer | [3] |
January 1929 | FW | ![]() | Albert Pynegar | Oldham Athletic | Exchange | [3] |
Transfers out
Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 1929 | FW | ![]() | Stewart Littlewood | Oldham Athletic | Exchange + £1,300 | [3] |
May 1929 | GK | ![]() | Alf Bennett | Released | [3] | |
May 1929 | DF | ![]() | David Rollo | Fleetwood Windsor Villa | Free transfer | [3] |
May 1929 | MF | ![]() | Vic Rouse | Crewe Alexandra | Free transfer | [3] |
May 1929 | MF | ![]() | Frank Williams | ![]() | Free transfer | [3] |
Summer 1929 | FW | ![]() | Robert Gillespie | Wrexham | Free transfer | [3] |
Summer 1929 | FW | ![]() | Wilf Kirkham | Stoke City | £2,800 | [3] |
Summer 1929 | FW | ![]() | Tom Page | ![]() | Released | [3] |
Summer 1929 | MF | ![]() | Herbert Smith | Stafford Rangers | Released | [3] |
References
- Specific
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w 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.
- ^ Port Vale 1928–1929 : Results & Fixtures Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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.