1982–83 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1982–83 season
Chairman Don Ratcliffe
(until October)
Jim Lloyd
(October onwards)
Manager John McGrath
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Fourth Division 3rd (88 Points)
FA Cup First Round
League Cup First Round
Player of the Year Wayne Cegielski
Top goalscorer League: Bob Newton (20)
All: Bob Newton (20)
Highest home attendance 8,241 vs. Crewe Alexandra (5 March 1983)
Lowest home attendance 2,565 vs. Rochdale (30 August 1982)
Average home attendance 4,806
Home colours

The 1982–83 season was Port Vale's seventy-first season of football in the Football League, and their fifth successive season (eleventh overall) in the Fourth Division.[1] John McGrath led the Vale to a club-record 88 points (equalled in 1993–94), which saw them win promotion in third place. This was some achievement considering McGrath had sold both the Chamberlain brothers and goalkeeper Mark Harrison to rivals Stoke City at the start of the season. Receiving £240,000 for these three players, he spent only £15,000 to bring top-scorer Bob Newton to Vale Park, and signed Player of the Year Wayne Cegielski for free.

Contents

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw John McGrath try, and fail, to re-sign the League of Ireland's player of the year, Felix Healy.[1] He instead signed four players on free transfers: John Ridley (a former Valiant), Wayne Cegielski (Wrexham), Les Lawrence (Torquay United), and Steve Waddington (Walsall).[1] The club also signed a shirt sponsorship deal with PMT.[1] In August, rivals Stoke City paid Vale £180,000 for Mark Chamberlain and Mark Harrison.[1] Chamberlain would go on to play for England.[1] McGrath acted quickly to sign replacement keeper Barry Siddall from Sunderland, and take winger Kevin Sheldon on loan from Wigan Athletic.[1]

The season started with five players making their débuts in a 1–0 defeat to Swindon Town at The County Ground.[1] Waddington damaged his cartilages in this game.[1] McGrath attempted to sign Norwich City's Mick Channon, but failed.[1] Instead he took Bob Newton from Hartlepool United for £15,000.[1] Stoke then took Neville Chamberlain to the Victoria Ground for £40,000.[1] Vale's form did not suffer, and they instead won five straight games in October, taking them into third place.[1] Also Chairman Don Ratcliffe was replaced by Jim Lloyd.[1] Winger Steve Fox also arrived from Welsh club Wrexham on a free transfer.[1] During the club's 2–1 win over Crewe Alexandra on 22 October at Gresty Road a petrol bomb was thrown at the 3,000 strong Vale crowd, though it was extinguished by police without doing 'any real damage'.[1] On 6 November, Vale were losing 3–0 to Rochdale at Spotland and The Sentinel headlined their report with "Heavy defeat for Port Vale".[1] This proved to be an inaccurate headline, as substitute Jimmy Greenhoff inspired a Vale fightback, and the match finished 3–3.[1] In December, Colin Tartt was transfer listed following 'a bust-up with McGrath'.[1] Following only one win in a run of five games, Tranmere Rovers' players told the Vale players "see you next season" after picking up a 1–0 win at Vale Park.[1]

A win over Wimbledon started a run of ten wins in twelve games, despite having to sign Everton's Neville Southall on loan following a knee injury to Siddall.[1] Their run put them nine points clear at the top of the table.[1] At the end of February, Southall was recalled, and Stoke refused to loan back Harrison as cover.[1] Wolverhampton Wanderers' Andy Poole proved to be an inadequate replacement.[1] Vale then lost Greenhoff to Rochdale, who offered him the vacant management post.[1] Lol Hamlett's last match as trainer (he retired due to illness) was a 2–0 defeat to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, as Vale were in danger of failing to win promotion.[1] McGrath decided to sign striker Jim Steel from Oldham Athletic for £10,000, and loaned Mark Lawrence from Hartlepool United.[1] Siddall returned and so did Vale's form, as they recorded five victories in seven games.[1] Ernie Moss left for Lincoln City for a £1,500 fee, McGrath saying 'age caught up with him'.[1] Wimbledon ran away with the championship, though Vale managed to secure promotion with a 2–0 win over Stockport County at Edgeley Park on 6 May.[1] The jubilant players seemed distracted in the final two games, and their two defeats allowed Hull City to take the runners-up spot.[1]

They finished in third place with 88 points, seven points clear of fifth placed Bury.[1] Conceding just 34 goals, theirs was the best defensive record in the top four divisions, along with Hull.[1] Bob Newton was top-scorer with twenty goals, whilst four players were chosen for the PFA Fourth Division team – Phil Sproson, Russell Bromage, Geoff Hunter, and Steve Fox.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a record £100,888 profit was announced, their first profitable season since 1975–76.[1] The lottery brought in £142,324, the open market rents took in £51,462, whilst Vale's average home attendance was the second highest in the division.[1] Total liabilities stood at £236,850 and the bank overdraft was £128,123.[1] Two players departing at the end of the season were Les Lawrence (Aldershot) and Steve Waddington (Chesterfield), who had not established themselves in the first team.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, they were knocked out by Third Division side Bradford City 1–0 in the First Round.

In the League Cup, Vale lost out 2–1 on aggregate to Rochdale, following a 2–0 defeat at Spotland.

Final league table

P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Wimbledon 46 29 11 6 96 45 +51 98
2 Hull City 46 25 15 6 75 34 +41 90
3 Port Vale 46 26 10 10 67 34 +33 88
4 Scunthorpe United 46 23 14 9 71 42 +29 83
5 Bury 46 23 12 11 74 46 +28 81
6 Colchester United 46 24 9 13 75 55 +20 81
7 York City 46 22 13 11 88 58 +30 79
8 Swindon Town 46 19 11 16 61 54 +7 68
9 Peterborough United 46 17 13 16 58 52 +6 64
10 Mansfield Town 46 16 13 17 61 70 -9 61
11 Halifax Town 46 16 12 18 59 66 -7 60
12 Torquay United 46 17 7 22 56 65 -9 58
13 Chester 46 15 11 20 55 60 -5 56
14 Bristol City 46 13 17 16 59 70 -11 56
15 Northampton Town 46 14 12 20 65 75 -10 54
16 Stockport County 46 14 12 20 60 79 -19 54
17 Darlington 46 13 13 20 61 71 -10 52
18 Aldershot 46 12 15 19 61 82 -21 51
19 Tranmere Rovers 46 13 11 22 49 71 -22 50
20 Rochdale 46 11 16 19 55 73 -18 49
21 Blackpool 46 13 12 21 55 74 -19 49
22 Hartlepool United 46 13 9 24 46 76 -30 48
23 Crewe Alexandra 46 11 8 27 53 71 -18 41
24 Hereford United 46 11 8 27 42 79 -37 41

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

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Fourth Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
28 August 1982 Swindon Town A 0–1 3,785
4 September 1982 Bury H 0–0 2,888
6 September 1982 Colchester United H 0–0 2,887
11 September 1982 Mansfield Town A 2–0 2,316 Ridley, Bromage
18 September 1982 Chester H 2–1 3,303 Sproson (2)
25 September 1982 Darlington A 0–0 2,255
28 September 1982 Aldershot A 4–1 1,781 Moss, Tartt, Earle, Newton
2 October 1982 Stockport County H 2–3 3,474 Newton, Armstrong
9 October 1982 Hereford United H 2–0 2,875 Cegielski, Bright
15 October 1982 Halifax Town A 2–0 2,009 Moss, Cegielski
18 October 1982 Hartlepool United H 3–0 3,664 Moss, Armstrong, Hunter
22 October 1982 Crewe Alexandra A 2–1 4,713 Cegielski, Newton (pen)
30 October 1982 Blackpool H 1–0 5,449 Newton (pen)
2 November 1982 Scunthorpe United A 0–1 3,766
6 November 1982 Rochdale A 3–3 2,220 Hunter, Moss, Greenhoff
13 November 1982 Hull City H 1–0 5,298 Sproson
27 November 1982 Peterborough United A 0–0 3,043
4 December 1982 Tranmere Rovers H 0–1 3,452
18 December 1982 Wimbledon H 1–0 2,761 Newton
27 December 1982 Bristol City A 3–1 6,852 Armstrong, Moss, Newton
28 December 1982 Torquay United H 1–0 4,760 Moss
1 January 1983 Northampton Town A 2–2 3,618 Moss, Newton (pen)
3 January 1983 York City H 2–1 6,056 Greenhoff, Moss
8 January 1983 Bury A 1–0 4,748 Hunter
15 January 1983 Swindon Town H 3–0 6,397 Newton (2), Moss
22 January 1983 Chester A 0–1 4,269
29 January 1983 Mansfield Town H 4–1 4,102 Armstrong (2), Fox, Newton
5 February 1983 Darlington H 2–1 4,110 Armstrong, Moss
19 February 1983 Hereford United A 2–0 3,075 Newton, Ridley
26 February 1983 Halifax Town H 2–1 5,163 Sproson, Hunter
2 March 1983 Hartlepool United A 2–2 1,398 Ridley, Newton
5 March 1983 Crewe Alexandra H 1–1 8,241 Tartt
12 March 1983 Blackpool A 0–2 4,519
19 March 1983 Rochdale H 4–0 5,129 Newton (3), Bromage
26 March 1983 Hull City A 0–1 14,410
2 April 1983 Torquay United A 1–0 2,408 Steel
4 April 1983 Bristol City H 1–1 6,573 Armstrong
8 April 1983 Tranmere Rovers A 2–0 3,252 Newton, Fox
12 April 1983 Colchester United A 2–1 3,275 Newton, Fox
16 April 1983 Aldershot H 2–1 5,624 Cegielski, Newton (pen)
23 April 1983 Wimbledon A 0–1 4,061
29 April 1983 Peterborough United H 2–1 5,375 Cegielski, Newton
2 May 1983 York City A 0–0 4,814
6 May 1983 Stockport County A 2–0 5,516 Steel (2)
9 May 1983 Scunthorpe United H 0–1 6,212
14 May 1983 Northampton Town H 1–2 6,761 Newton (pen)

FA Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 20 November 1982 Bradford City H 0–1 6,151

League Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 30 August 1982 Rochdale H 1–0 2,565 Moss
R1 2nd Leg 14 September 1982 Rochdale A 0–2 1,546

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Barry Siddall 33 0 1 0 2 0 36 0
GK Neville Southall 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
GK Neil McAdam 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
GK Andy Poole 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
DF Phil Sproson 42 4 1 0 2 0 45 4
DF Wayne Cegielski 45 5 1 0 2 0 48 5
MF Russell Bromage 46 2 1 0 2 0 49 2
MF Terry Armstrong 42 7 1 0 2 0 45 7
MF Colin Tartt 45 2 1 0 2 0 48 2
MF Geoff Hunter 46 4 1 0 2 0 49 4
MF Steve Waddington 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
MF John Ridley 41 3 1 0 2 0 44 3
MF Kevin Sheldon 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
MF Mark Lawrence 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
MF Robbie Earle 8 1 0 0 1 0 9 1
MF Steve Fox 34 3 1 0 0 0 35 3
FW Neville Chamberlain 5 0 0 0 1 0 6 0
FW Andy Shankland 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0
FW Ernie Moss 30 10 1 0 2 1 33 11
FW Jimmy Greenhoff 15 2 1 0 1 0 17 2
FW Mark Bright 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
FW Jim Steel 13 3 0 0 0 0 13 3
FW Les Lawrence 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0
FW Bob Newton 41 20 1 0 0 0 42 20

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
Bob Newton 20
Ernie Moss 11
Terry Armstrong 7
Wayne Cegielski 5
Phil Sproson 4
Geoff Hunter
John Ridley 3
Steve Fox
Jim Steel
Russell Bromage 2
Colin Tartt
Jimmy Greenhoff
Robbie Earle 1
Mark Bright

League

Scorer Goals
Bob Newton 20
Ernie Moss 10
Terry Armstrong 7
Wayne Cegielski 5
Phil Sproson 4
Geoff Hunter
John Ridley 3
Steve Fox
Jim Steel
Russell Bromage 2
Colin Tartt
Jimmy Greenhoff
Robbie Earle 1
Mark Bright

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.