1999–2000 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale

1999–2000 season

Chairman

Bill Bell

Manager

Brian Horton

Stadium

Vale Park

Football League First Division

23rd

Third Round

First Round

Top goalscorer

League: Tony Rougier (8)
All: Tony Rougier (9)

Highest home attendance

10,250 vs. Manchester City (30 October 1999)

Lowest home attendance

2,625 vs. Chester City (24 August 1999)

Average home league attendance

5,906

Home colours

← 1998–99

2000–01 →

The 1999–2000 season was Port Vale's eighty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and sixth successive season in the First Division. Vale suffered relegation in 23rd place, some thirteen points adrift of safety. They also exited the FA Cup at the Third Round, and were knocked out of the League Cup at the First Round by fourth tier Chester City for the second consecutive season. The club spent nothing on transfers, but sold young players for some £1.5 million – despite this the club was heading towards bankruptcy. The club continued to gain one generation of players at the expense of the successful '90s generation; Martin Foyle, Paul Musselwhite and Ian Bogie departing, with fresh talent such as Micky Cummins and Mark Goodlad arriving in their place.

Overview

First Division

The pre-season saw Brian Horton sign Jeff Minton (Brighton & Hove Albion), Tommy Widdrington (Grimsby Town), and Steve Rimmer (Manchester City) on free transfers. He also took Andy Oakes in on loan from Derby County and Matt Glennon from Bolton Wanderers as back-up goalkeepers, and striker Martin Aldridge on loan from Blackpool.

The season started with a goalless draw at Ewood Park with Blackburn Rovers, but soon went downhill with two defeats. Vale then entered inconsistent form, winning three and losing three in a run of six games. However just two points from seven October games indicated Vale's future. Also in the month, striker Marcus Bent, signed by John Rudge nine months earlier for £375,000, was sold to Sheffield United for a bargain £300,000, and was later sold on by the "Blades" for a £1.7 million profit. The club set a record on 5 September, when just 3,737 turned up to see a 3–0 win over Grimsby Town – a division record low for a television match.^[1] The Vale ended the year in solid form, unbeaten in seven games, despite just two victories (over rivals Crewe Alexandra and against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane).^[1] In December, Carl Griffiths was sold back to former club Leyton Orient for £100,000.

In January, Horton signed defender Sagi Burton (Sheffield United) on a free transfer, and signed Martin Bullock and Gareth Taylor on one month loans from Barnsley and Manchester City respectively. Controversially, he also sold promising young defender Anthony Gardner to Tottenham Hotspur for £1 million.^[1] The next month David Healy would arrive on loan from Manchester United for the remainder of the season. Also, former international Ville Viljanen became the first Fin to play for the club, when he joined from Västra Frölunda IF. In March, Horton made two key signings, bringing two young players that would be with the club for several years to come: Irish midfielder Micky Cummins (Middlesbrough) and goalkeeper Mark Goodlad (Nottingham Forest). He also sold Tony Butler to West Bromwich Albion for £140,000. During this transfer activity Vale won just once in a sequence of seventeen games. A 2–0 win over Portsmouth on 1 April raised hopes of Vale escaping the drop, but Horton's side gained just three points in their final eight games, thus dooming Vale to third tier football.

They finished in 23rd place with 36 points, a massive thirteen points away from the safety of West Bromwich Albion, and only ahead of Swindon Town on goals scored. With just seven victories, they had the fewest wins in the division. Tony Rougier only needed nine goals in all competitions to become the club's top-scorer. The relegation meant that Brian Horton lost his 'proud record' of never being relegated as a player or as a manager.^[1]

At the end of the season numerous players were allowed to leave on free transfers: eight-year club veteran goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite (Hull City); five-year club favourite Ian Bogie (Kidderminster Harriers); Wayne Corden (Mansfield Town); Stewart Talbot (Rotherham United);^[2] Mark Snijders (AFC '34); Kevin Pilkington (Aberystwyth Town); and Steve Rimmer (Marine). Legendary striker Martin Foyle also retired, after nine years as Vale's star striker. Simon Barker also retired, at the age of 35. Meanwhile the club's board increased to five members: Bill Bell (chairman), Andrew Bellfield, Paul Wright, Neil Hughes, and Charles Machin.^[3]

Finances

The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale lost 2–0 to Premier League outfit Leeds United at Elland Road, to exit the competition at the Third Round. Just 11,912 turned up for the game, after the Vale board refused to allow a price reduction.^[1]

In the League Cup, for the second successive season Third Division Chester City knocked the Vale out at the First Round. In the 2–1 defeat at the Deva Stadium both sides finished the game with ten men, and as the return leg was a 4–4 draw, Chester achieved a 6–5 aggregate win.

Final league table

Main article: 1999–2000 Football League

!Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1.	Charlton Athletic	46	27	10	9	79	45	91
2.	Manchester City	46	26	11	9	78	40	89
3.	Ipswich Town	46	25	12	9	71	42	87
4.	Barnsley	46	24	10	12	88	67	82
5.	Birmingham City	46	22	11	13	65	44	77
6.	Bolton Wanderers	46	21	13	12	69	50	76
7.	Wolverhampton Wanderers	46	21	11	14	64	48	74
8.	Huddersfield Town	46	21	11	14	62	49	74
9.	Fulham	46	17	16	13	49	41	67
10.	Queens Park Rangers	46	16	18	12	62	53	66
11.	Blackburn Rovers	46	15	17	14	55	51	62
12.	Norwich City	46	14	15	17	45	50	57
13.	Tranmere Rovers	46	15	12	19	57	68	57
14.	Nottingham Forest	46	14	14	18	53	55	56
15.	Crystal Palace	46	13	15	18	57	67	54
16.	Sheffield United	46	13	15	18	59	66	54
17.	Stockport County	46	13	15	18	55	67	54
18.	Portsmouth	46	13	12	21	55	66	51
19.	Crewe Alexandra	46	14	9	23	46	67	51
20.	Grimsby Town	46	13	12	21	41	67	51
21.	West Bromwich Albion	46	10	19	17	43	60	49
22.	Walsall	46	11	13	22	52	77	46
23.	Port Vale	46	7	15	24	48	69	36
24.	Swindon Town	46	8	12	26	38	77	36

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

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win	Draw	Loss

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
Ground	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H
Result	D	L	L	W	L	W	L	L	W	L	D	L	L	D	L	L	W	D	D	W	D	D	D	L	L	D	W	D	L	L	D	L	L	L	D	L	L	W	D	L	D	L	D	L	L	L
Position	12	18	23	19	20	13	16	17	15	17	17	21	23	21	24	24	20	19	20	18	19	18	20	21	21	22	22	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23

Sourced from Statto.^[4]

Football League First Division

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
7 August 1999	Blackburn Rovers	A	0–0	20,530
14 August 1999	West Bromwich Albion	H	1–2	7,891	Minton (pen)
21 August 1999	Birmingham City	A	2–4	18,089	Rougier, Naylor
28 August 1999	Tranmere Rovers	H	1–0	4,657	Naylor
31 August 1999	Queens Park Rangers	A	2–3	9,502	Minton (pen), Gardner
5 September 1999	Grimsby Town	H	3–1	3,737	Bent, Naylor, Foyle
11 September 1999	Fulham	H	0–2	6,130
18 September 1999	Stockport County	A	0–1	7,632
25 September 1999	Swindon Town	H	2–0	4,629	Carragher, own goal
2 October 1999	Manchester City	A	1–2	31,608	Foyle
9 October 1999	Huddersfield Town	A	2–2	11,885	Gardner, Foyle
16 October 1999	Norwich City	H	0–1	5,790
19 October 1999	Nottingham Forest	H	0–2	5,714
23 October 1999	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	2–2	20,488	Walsh, Rougier
26 October 1999	Swindon Town	A	1–2	5,703	Rougier
30 October 1999	Manchester City	H	1–2	10,250	Foyle
5 November 1999	Crewe Alexandra	H	1–0	3,500	Rougier
12 November 1999	Walsall	A	0–0	6,190
20 November 1999	Crystal Palace	H	2–2	5,170	Rougier, Foyle
23 November 1999	Sheffield United	A	3–2	8,965	Eyre, Tankard, Gardner
27 November 1999	Charlton Athletic	A	2–2	19,266	Rougier, Foyle
4 December 1999	Blackburn Rovers	H	0–0	6,084
18 December 1999	Portsmouth	A	0–0	11,869
28 December 1999	Barnsley	A	1–3	16,855	Minton
3 January 2000	Ipswich Town	H	1–2	6,908	Naylor
15 January 2000	West Bromwich Albion	A	0–0	10,831
22 January 2000	Birmingham City	H	3–1	7,702	Naylor, Widdrington (pen), Rougier
5 February 2000	Queens Park Rangers	H	1–1	5,493	Bullock
8 February 2000	Bolton Wanderers	H	0–1	5,092
12 February 2000	Grimsby Town	A	0–2	6,265
26 February 2000	Stockport County	H	1–1	5,663	Widdrington
4 March 2000	Fulham	A	1–3	10,418	Healy
7 March 2000	Crewe Alexandra	A	1–2	8,044	Viljanen
11 March 2000	Sheffield United	H	2–3	5,484	Healy, Rougier
18 March 2000	Crystal Palace	A	1–1	18,954	Widdrington (pen)
21 March 2000	Walsall	H	1–2	5,737	Cummins
25 March 2000	Bolton Wanderers	A	1–2	12,292	Viljanen
1 April 2000	Portsmouth	H	2–0	5,426	Viljanen, Widdrington (pen)
4 April 2000	Charlton Athletic	H	2–2	4,513	Viljanen, Burton
8 April 2000	Ipswich Town	A	0–3	19,663
15 April 2000	Barnsley	H	2–2	5,918	Burton, Widdrington (pen)
18 April 2000	Tranmere Rovers	A	1–2	5,602	Healy
22 April 2000	Norwich City	A	0–0	15,526
24 April 2000	Huddersfield Town	H	1–2	5,828	Naylor
29 April 2000	Nottingham Forest	A	0–2	15,534
7 May 2000	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	0–1	8,525

FA Cup

Main article: 1999–2000 FA Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R3	12 December 1999	Leeds United	A	0–2	11,912

League Cup

Main article: 1999–2000 Football League Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg	10 August 1999	Chester City	A	1–2	2,102	Rougier
R1 2nd Leg	24 August 1999	Chester City	H	4–4	2,625	Naylor (2), Minton, Griffiths

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Paul Musselwhite	30	0	1	0	1	0	32	0
GK	Kevin Pilkington	15	0	0	0	1	0	16	0
GK	Mark Goodlad	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
GK	Matt Glennon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
GK	Andy Oakes	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
DF	Allen Tankard	35	1	1	0	1	0	37	1
DF	Matt Carragher	37	1	0	0	2	0	39	1
DF	Liam Burns	24	0	1	0	0	0	25	0
DF	Mark Snijders	21	0	1	0	0	0	22	0
DF	Michael Walsh	12	1	0	0	2	0	14	1
DF	Tony Butler	15	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
DF	Anthony Gardner	26	3	1	0	2	0	29	3
DF	Alex Smith	13	0	0	0	2	0	15	0
DF	Sagi Burton	20	2	0	0	0	0	22	2
DF	Paul Donnelly	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
DF	Steve Rimmer	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
DF	Gareth Taylor	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
MF	Ian Bogie	9	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
MF	Wayne Corden	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
MF	Stewart Talbot	6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
MF	Richard Eyre	30	1	1	0	2	0	33	1
MF	Tommy Widdrington	38	5	1	0	0	0	39	5
MF	Simon Barker	5	0	0	0	1	0	6	0
MF	Dave Brammer	29	0	0	0	2	0	31	0
MF	Neil Brisco	13	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
MF	George O'Callaghan	11	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
MF	Tony Rougier	38	8	1	0	2	1	41	9
MF	Martin Bullock	6	1	0	0	0	0	6	1
MF	Micky Cummins	12	1	0	0	0	0	12	1
MF	Jeff Minton	23	3	1	0	2	1	26	4
FW	Martin Foyle	22	6	1	0	1	0	24	6
FW	Tony Naylor	36	6	1	0	2	2	39	8
FW	Marcus Bent	8	1	0	0	1	0	9	1
FW	Carl Griffiths	5	0	0	0	2	1	7	1
FW	Martin Aldridge	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
FW	David Healy	16	3	0	0	0	0	16	3
FW	Ville Viljanen	14	4	0	0	0	0	14	4

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer	Goals
Tony Rougier	9
Tony Naylor	8
Martin Foyle	6
Tommy Widdrington	5
Ville Viljanen	4
Jeff Minton	4
Anthony Gardner	3
David Healy	3
Sagi Burton	2
Richard Eyre	1
Allen Tankard
Matt Carragher
Brian McGlinchey
Marcus Bent
Michael Walsh
Martin Bullock
Micky Cummins
Carl Griffiths

League

Scorer	Goals
Tony Rougier	8
Martin Foyle	6
Tony Naylor	6
Tommy Widdrington	5
Ville Viljanen	4
Jeff Minton	3
Anthony Gardner
David Healy
Sagi Burton	2
Richard Eyre	1
Allen Tankard
Matt Carragher
Brian McGlinchey
Marcus Bent
Michael Walsh
Martin Bullock
Micky Cummins

References

1 2 3 4 5 "Vale slide into Division Two". BBC Sport. 28 June 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
↑ "Millers snap up Talbot". BBC Sport. 12 July 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
↑ "Board change at Vale". BBC Sport. 10 July 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
↑ Port Vale 1999–2000 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.

Soccerbase

Port Vale F.C. seasons

1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 99–1900

1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10

1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20

1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30

1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40

1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50

1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60

1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70

1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80

1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90

1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 99–2000

2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10

2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20

Port Vale Football Club

History Honours Managers Records Reserves & Youth Seasons

Grounds	Athletic Ground Old Recreation Ground Vale Park

Players	25+ appearances <25 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

1999–2000 in English football

« 1998–99

2000–01 »

FA competitions

Premier League and
Football League

Football Conference

Football Conference
Conference League Cup

Lower leagues

European competitions

Related to national team

Club seasons

Premier League	Arsenal Aston Villa Bradford City Chelsea Coventry City Derby County Everton Leeds United Leicester City Liverpool Manchester United Middlesbrough Newcastle United Sheffield Wednesday Southampton Sunderland Tottenham Hotspur Watford West Ham United Wimbledon

First Division	Barnsley Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Charlton Athletic Crewe Alexandra Crystal Palace Fulham Grimsby Town Huddersfield Town Ipswich Town Manchester City Norwich City Nottingham Forest Port Vale Portsmouth Queens Park Rangers Sheffield United Stockport County Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Walsall West Bromwich Albion Wolverhampton Wanderers

Second Division	Bournemouth Blackpool Brentford Bristol City Bristol Rovers Burnley Bury Cambridge United Cardiff City Chesterfield Colchester United Gillingham Luton Town Millwall Notts County Oldham Athletic Oxford United Preston North End Reading Scunthorpe United Stoke City Wigan Athletic Wrexham Wycombe Wanderers

Third Division	Barnet Brighton & Hove Albion Carlisle United Cheltenham Town Chester City Darlington Exeter City Halifax Town Hartlepool United Hull City Leyton Orient Lincoln City Macclesfield Town Mansfield Town Northampton Town Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Rochdale Rotherham United Shrewsbury Town Southend United Swansea City Torquay United York City

Football Conference	Altrincham Doncaster Rovers Dover Athletic Forest Green Rovers Hayes Hednesford Town Hereford United Kettering Town Kidderminster Harriers Kingstonian Morecambe Northwich Victoria Nuneaton Borough Rushden & Diamonds Scarborough Southport Stevenage Borough Sutton United Telford United Welling United Woking

Others	Newport County

List of transfers

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