1959–60 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division.^[1] Progressing to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, there they set a Vale Park and club-record attendance of 49,768, in a 2–1 defeat by Aston Villa on 20 February. In the first of a short-lived Supporters' Clubs' Trophy, they lost to rivals Stoke City 5–3 on aggregate; whilst in the league they finished a respectable fourteenth, thirteen points from both promotion and relegation.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of Morgan Hunt from Norwich City for a four-figure fee, and outside-left Cliff Portwood from Preston North End for £750.^[1]

The season began with a 3–2 win over Reading at Elm Park, Norman Low having selected a first eleven without any of the new signings.^[1] However after a 1–0 win over Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Vale began to struggle, picking up just a point in their next six games.^[1] Low tried to sign Stanley Matthews, still going strong aged 44 for Blackpool, but a deal could not be reached.^[1] On 5 September, Tranmere Rovers beat Vale 6–0 at Prenton Park after Roy Sproson left the field in the first half with a gashed leg.^[1] Low then traded John Cunliffe and £2,000 to Stoke City in exchange for winger Harry Oscroft and centre-half Peter Ford.^[1] An improvement took place, and despite trouble in front of goal, the team won seven successive games at Burslem.^[1] In October, Jack Wilkinson was sold to Exeter City for £2,500, having lost his place in the starting eleven.^[1] On 28 December, Vale recorded a 7–0 win over Halifax Town, causing The Sentinel's "T.G.F." to remark that "rarely have the opposition been so completely outplayed".^[1]

In March, Graham Barnett was sold to Tranmere Rovers for £5,000, having lost his form.^[1] The Valiants continued to perform well at home, but lose on their travels.^[1] The departure of top-scorer Barnett meant the club 'urgently needed a top-class inside-forward'.^[1] This was proven with a run of just four goals in seven matches, culminating in only two points and dashed hopes of promotion.^[1] In danger of relegation, the players rallied to win seven points from the final five games.^[1] The penultimate match was a 6–3 loss to Mansfield Town at Field Mill, whilst Vale then destroyed Swindon Town 6–1 in front of a season-low Vale Park crowd of 5,514.^[1]

They finished in fourteenth spot with 46 points, a good finish for a club just promoted.^[1] Stan Steele had put in his third successive ever-present season, whilst Barnett was the top-scorer despite leaving in March.^[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a £1,454 loss was announced despite a £10,352 donation from the Sportsmen's Association.^[1] Gate receipts had risen by £1,680 due to the Aston Villa game, however average home attendance was down by around 2,000.^[1] Wages also increased by a more considerable £7,064, though there was a transfer credit of £3,500.^[1] There were 22 players retained, Roy Pritchard and Morgan Hunt were not amongst them, leaving for Wellington Town and Boston United respectively.^[1]

In May, the club took a five-match tour of Czechoslovakia.^[1] They experienced a culture shock, playing with a smaller, 'half-inflated' ball, and finding referees much more strict. However the tour was a success and much enjoyed by the players and their hosts.^[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale eased past Dorchester Town of the Western League 2–1 after Graham Barnett injured Dorchester's keeper.^[2] In the next round Vale beat Queens Park Rangers 2–1 in a replay,^[1] after a fifty yard strike from David Raine helped them to a 3–3 draw in the original match.^[3] In the Third Round, they met Second Division high-flyers Cardiff City at Ninian Park, who they beat 2–0 with a solid performance.^[1] Drawn against Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park, 'the defence took the honours' in a 1–0 win.^[1] The Fifth Round draw saw Vale face a home tie with Aston Villa, another second tier club. A still-standing club-record attendance of 49,768 turned up for the game on 20 February, resulting in £8,500 worth of gate receipts for the Vale.^[1] Brian Jackson gave Vale a 36th minute lead, but the Villans came back to win the match with six minutes to spare.^[1]

In the Supporters' Clubs' Trophy, Vale lost to Stoke 5–3 on aggregate.^[1]

Final league table

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

Football League Third Division

FA Cup

Player statistics

References

• Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.