List of Port Vale F.C. records and statistics

Port Vale F.C. is an English professional association football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, playing in Football League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system, as of the 2008–09 season. The club was formed in 1876, in 1884 they took the name Burslem Port Vale F.C., dropping the 'Burslem' in 1907. They played their home matches at The Old Recreation Ground between 1912 and 1950 and at Vale Park from 1950 to the present day. The club joined the Football League in 1892 as founder members of the Football League Second Division, resigning in 1907, only to return in 1919.

Roy Sproson made 837 appearances (761 in the league) for Vale between 1950 and 1972, later becoming manager in 1974. Wilf Kirkham is the clubs record goalscorer with 154 goals in all competitions, as well as 38 goals in a season. Gareth Ainsworth is the player Vale have both received and spent the highest sum on in the transfer market, £500,000 spent in 1997 with £2,000,000 received as he exited the following year. Chris Birchall is the club record international cap holder with 22, playing for Trinidad and Tobago between 2001 and 2006, including 3 appearances in the 2006 World Cup.

As of 13 June 2011.

Honours and achievements

League

Football League Third Division (3rd tier)

• Runners–up: 1993–94
• Play–off winners: 1988–89 (3rd place)
• 3rd place: 1962–63,^[A] 1992–93^[A]

Football League Third Division North: 2 (3rd tier)

• Champions: 1929–1930, 1953–54
• Runners–up: 1952–53^[A]

Football League Fourth Division: 1 (4th tier)

• Champions: 1958–59
• 3rd place: 1982–83
• 4th place: 1969–70, 1985–86

North Staffordshire & District League: 1

• Champions: 1909–1910
• 4th place: 1910–1911^[A]

The Central League

• Runners–up: 1911–1912
• 3rd place: 1914–1915
• 4th place: 1912–1913, 1913–1914

Cups

Staffordshire Senior Cup: 2

• Winners: 1920, 2001
• Runners–up: 1900, 2010

Birmingham Senior Cup: 1

• Winners: 1913
• Runners–up: 1899, 1900, 1914

Staffordshire Junior Cup: 1

• Winners: 1910

North Staffordshire Charity Challenge Cup: 3

• Winners: 1883, 1885,^[B] 1891^[B]
• Runners–up: 1886

Staffordshire Senior Charity Cup: 2

• Winners: 1892, 1897

North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup: 2

• Winners: 1915, 1920^[B], 1922^[B]
• Runners–up: 1921, 1923, 1924, 1927, 1930, 1932

Burslem Challenge Cup: 1

• Winners: 1885

Hanley Cup

• Runners–up: 1910

Coronation Cup

• Runners–up: 1953

Anglo-Italian Cup

• Runners–up: 1996

Debenhams Cup

• Runners–up: 1977

FA Cup

• Semi Finalists: 1954

Trophies

Football League Trophy: 2

• Winners 1993, 2001

Supporters' Clubs' Trophy: 1

• Winners: 1961
• Runners–up: 1960

Player records

Age

• Youngest first team player: Malcolm MacKenzie, 15 years 347 days (against Newport County, 12 April 1966).
• Oldest first team player: Tom Holford, 46 years. (against Derby County, 5 April 1924).
• Youngest first team scorer: Neville Chamberlain, 17 years 150 days (against Huddersfield Town, 16 April 1979).

Appearances

• Most appearances: Roy Sproson, 837 (1950–1972).
• Most Football League appearances: Roy Sproson, 755 (1950–1972).
• Most consecutive appearances: John Nicholson, 208 (2 September 1961–8 September 1965).

Goalscorers

• Most goals in Port Vale colours: Wilf Kirkham, 167.
• Most Football League goals: Wilf Kirkham, 154.
• Most goals in a season: Joe Brough, 43 goals in the 1909–10 season.
• Most Football League goals in a season: Wilf Kirkham, 38 goals in Second Division in the 1926–27 season.
• Most goals in a Football League match: 6, Stewart Littlewood (against Chesterfield, 24 September 1932).
• Most goals in any match: 7, Chris Young (against Burton Rangers, Birmingham Senior Cup First Round, 21 September 1914).
• Most competitive hat-tricks: Wilf Kirkham, 13.
• Quickest competitive goal: 12 seconds, Ian Bogie (against Stoke City).
• Most successful penalty-taker: Andy Jones, 20 from 23.
• Most penalties in a season: Andy Jones, 12 from 15 in the 1986–87 season.^[1]

International caps

• Most international caps while a Port Vale player: Chris Birchall, 23 for Trinidad and Tobago
• First Port Vale player to appear in the World Cup finals: Chris Birchall, for Trinidad and Tobago against Sweden on 10 June 2006
• Most appearances by a Port Vale player in the World Cup finals: Chris Birchall, three appearances for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 World Cup

Transfer fees

• Highest transfer fee paid: £500,000. Gareth Ainsworth from Lincoln City, 11 September 1997
• Highest transfer fee received: £2,000,000. Gareth Ainsworth to Wimbledon, 29 October 1998

Discipline

• Most red cards: Jason Talbot, 5.

Clean sheets

• Most clean sheets in a season: 29, Ray King, 1953–54.

Club records

Goals

• Most Football League goals scored in a season: 110 in 46 matches, Fourth Division, 1958–59.
• Fewest Football League goals scored in a season: 30 in 22 matches, Second Division, 1892–93.
• Fewest Football League goals conceded in a season: 21 in 46 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54.^[2]
• Most Football League goals conceded in a season: 106 in 42 matches, Second Division, 1935–36.
• Fewest Football League goals conceded at home in a season: 5 in 23 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54.^[2]

Points

• Most points in a Football League season: 89 in 46 matches, Second Division 1992–93.
• Fewest points in a Football League season: 15 in 22 matches, Second Division, 1892–93 (21 points in modern day 3–points–for–a–win system).

Wins

• Most wins in a Football League season: 30 in 42 matches, Third Division North, 1929–30.
• Fewest wins in a Football League season: 6 in 22 matches, Second Division, 1892–93.

Defeats

• Fewest defeats in a Football League season: 3 in 46 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54.
• Most defeats in a Football League season: 28 in 42 matches, Second Division, 1956–57.

Streaks

• League wins: 8, 8 April 1893 to 30 September 1893
• Draws: 6, 26 April 1981 to 12 September 1981
• Losses: 9, 9 March 1957 to 20 April 1957
• Clean sheets: 7, 11 February 1922 to 18 March 1922
• Without a win: 17, 7 December 1991 to 21 March 1992
• Without a draw: 20, 10 September 1906 to 19 January 1907 & 30 October 2004 to 5 March 2005
• Without a loss: 19, 5 May 1969 to 8 November 1969
• Without a clean sheet: 22, 22 September 1956 to 23 February 1957
• Without failing to score: 22, 12 September 1992 to 13 February 1993

Home

• Wins: 12, 9 February 1952 to 8 September 1952
• Draws: 6, 10 October 1977 to 27 December 1977 & 20 January 1982 to 6 March 1982
• Losses: 6, 1 January 1992 to 14 March 1992
• Clean sheets: 11, 7 September 1953 to 13 February 1954
• Failing to score: 5, 13 April 1998 to 31 August 1998
• Without a win: 12, 28 March 1978 to 21 October 1978
• Without a draw: 19, 25 August 1928 to 6 April 1929
• Without a loss: 42, 8 November 1952 to 18 September 1954
• Without a clean sheet: 13, 26 September 1964 to 15 March 1965
• Without failing to score: 33, 19 October 1946 to 13 March 1948

Away

• Wins: 5, 20 March 1993 to 24 April 1993
• Draws: 6, 20 March 1954 to 26 April 1954 & 19 January 1985 to 29 March 1985
• Losses: 14, 21 September 1895 to 18 April 1896
• Clean sheets: 5, 20 March 1993 to 24 April 1993
• Failing to score: 6, 8 January 1966 to 9 March 1966
• Without a win: 29, 17 January 1903 to 8 October 1904
• Without a draw: 27, 26 January 1895 to 3 December 1898
• Without a loss: 10, 5 May 1969 to 8 November 1969
• Without a clean sheet: 42, 18 December 1976 to 30 September 1978
• Without failing to score: 15, 10 January 1998 to 26 September 1998

Matches

Record wins

• Record Football League win: 9–1 against Chesterfield in Second Division, 24 September 1932.
• Record cup win: 7–1 against Irthlingborough Town, 12 January 1907.
• Record win in any match: 16–0 against Middlewich, 2 February 1884.
• Record away win: 6–0 at Fulham, 28 March 1987.

Record defeat

• Record Football League defeat: 0–10 against Sheffield United in Second Division, 10 December 1892.^[C]
• Record cup defeat: 0–6 against Aston Villa, 27 January 1990.
• Record defeat in any match: 0–12 against Aston Villa, 26 January 1891.
• Record away defeat: 0–10 at Notts County, 26 February 1895.

Aggregate score

• Record aggregate score: 12 (3–9) at Tottenham Hotspur, 21 November 1931.
• Record aggregate cup score: 9 (2–7) at Aston Villa, 10 January 1925.

Attendances

• Highest home attendance: 49,768 against Aston Villa, FA Cup fifth round, 20 February 1960.
• Highest Football League attendance: 40,066 against Stoke City, Second Division, 25 April 1955.
• Highest home gate receipts: £170,349: against Everton, FA Cup fourth round, 14 February 1996.
• Highest average home attendance: 20,708 in 1954–55
• Lowest (competitive 1st team) attendance at Vale Park: 994 against Hereford United, Freight Rover Trophy Preliminary Round, 22 December 1986.
• Lowest Football League attendance at Vale Park: 1,924 against York City, 1 May 1982.

Discipline

• Most red cards in a season: 7 in 46 games, 1974–75 & 2001–02

Clean sheets

• Most clean sheets in a season: 30 in 46 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54^[C]

Notes

References

specific

general

• Records at statto.com
• Kent, Jeff: "The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale" (Witan Books, 1990, ISBN 0950898147).
• Kent, Jeff: "The Port Vale Record 1879–1993" (Witan Books, 1993, ISBN 0950898198).
• Kent, Jeff: "Port Vale Personalities: A Biographical Dictionary of Players, Officials and Supporters" (Witan Books, 1996, ISBN 0952915200).

Port Vale Football Club History · Honours · Managers · Records · Reserves & Youth · Seasons Grounds Athletic Ground · The Old Recreation Ground · Vale Park Players 25+ league appearances · <25 league appearances · Player of the Year Winners Matches 1989 Play-off Final · 1993 League Trophy Final · 1993 Play-off Final · 1996 Anglo-Italian Final · 2001 League Trophy Final · Potteries derby