1947–48 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1947–48 season
Chairman William Holdcroft
Manager Gordon Hodgson
Stadium The Old Recreation Ground
Football League Third Division South 8th (43 Points)
FA Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Ronnie Allen (13)
All: Ronnie Allen (13)
Highest home attendance 18,147 vs. Notts County (28 February 1948)
Lowest home attendance 5,602 vs. Exeter City (24 April 1948)
Average home league attendance 13,569
Home colours

The 1947–48 season was Port Vale's 36th season of football in the Football League, and their third full season in the Third Division South.[1] Gaining just three of their sixteen victories away from home, they were very much a club of two teams. Manager Gordon Hodgson continued his policy of developing young players, whilst work on the new stadium continued. Their club record run without failing to score reached 33 games, ending on 13 March 1948, having begun on 19 October 1946.

Manager Gordon Hodgson during his playing days.

Overview

Third Division South

The pre-season saw the arrival of outside-right John Currie from Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.[1] The total number of players at the club was 81, though the vast majority of these amateurs who never played for the first team.[1] Standing season tickets were reduced to £3 13s, in an attempt to boost support.[1]

The season began with a 1–1 draw with Bristol Rovers in front of 15,714 supporters, followed four days later by a 2–1 win at Carrow Road.[1] Following this the Vale were exceptional at home but poor away, as their unbeaten run at home reached fifteen games.[1] Their home form was exemplified by 6–4 and 7–0 wins over Aldershot and Watford respectively, in which Ronnie Allen scored a hat-trick in both games, and Morris Jones score a hat-trick past Aldershot.[1] The defence seeming too weak for a promotion push, Harry Hubbick was signed from Bolton Wanderers in October.[1] The Sentinel's "Placer" complained of the weakened passing of the post-war generation, in both the Vale side and in footballers in general.[1] In November Morris Jones was sold to Swindon Town for £2,500, having handed in a transfer request.[1] Gordon Hodgson searched for new attacking talents, leaving his players to relax with games of table tennis, darts, and reading material.[1] On Christmas day a 5–0 win was recorded over Brighton & Hove Albion, with defender Tommy Cheadle put into the centre-forward role.[1] This marked the start of an eight match unbeaten run which took the "Valiants" into fourth place by the end of January.[1]

Hodgson's policy of youth over experience led many older players to hand in transfer requests.[1] In January Alf Bellis was traded to Bury in exchange for Walter Keeley and 'a substantial fee'.[1] A 5–0 thrashing at muddy Plainmoor from Torquay United in February was followed by a win over Swindon Town which was disturbed by a dog on the pitch, whilst the week after came a draw in three inches of snow at Southend United.[1] The club's promotion hopes faded with a defeat by Notts County at the Rec, England star Tommy Lawton scoring the winner.[1] In preparation for next season Joe Dale was signed from Manchester United for £1,000.[1] The last game of the season attracted 5,602 spectators – the lowest total of the season – ironically this was against Exeter City, their opponents in the highest attended home game of the previous campaign. This low attendance was partly blamed on the FA Cup final, which was broadcast at the same time.[1]

They finished in eighth place with 43 points, thereby barely improving on the previous season.[1] Ronnie Allen was the top-scorer with just thirteen goals. Scoring was very much a team effort.

Finances

On the financial side, a loss of £1,292 was reported – mainly due to a transfer debit.[1] Gate receipts had increased to £26,666 and the wage bill had risen drastically to £13,647.[1] Cash was needed for the ongoing construction of 'The Wembley of the North', and so schemes such as the '100 Club' were introduced, offering supporters a seat for life at the stadium at a cost of £100.[1] Meanwhile Norman Hallam departed in the summer, who left the area to become a Methodist Minister in Carlisle.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale fell at the first hurdle, losing 2–1 to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a below-par performance.[1]

Final league table

P WDLFAGAPts
1Queens Park Rangers42269774372.00061
2Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic42249976352.17157
3Walsall422191270401.75051
4Ipswich Town422331667611.09849
5Swansea Town4218121270521.34648
6Notts County421981568591.15346
7Bristol City421871777651.18543
8Port Vale4216111563541.16743
9Southend United4215131451580.87943
10Reading4215111656580.96641
11Exeter City4215111655630.87341
12Newport County4214131561730.83641
13Crystal Palace4213131649491.00039
14Northampton Town4214111758720.80639
15Watford4214101857790.72238
16Swindon Town4210161641460.89136
17Leyton Orient4213101951730.69936
18Torquay United4211131863621.01635
19Aldershot4210151745670.67235
20Bristol Rovers421382171750.94734
21Norwich City421382161760.80334
22Brighton & Hove Albion4211121943730.58934

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

Win Draw Loss
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHHAAAHAHA
Result D W L W W D L W D L W L D L W L W W L W D W W D W W L W D L L W L L W L L D L D D D
Position 12 4 10 6 4 4 9 3 5 7 7 8 9 11 9 10 8 8 11 7 9 8 6 6 5 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 6 6 5 6 7 6 6 7 8 8

Sourced from Statto.[2]

Football League Third Division South

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
23 August 1947 Bristol RoversH1–115,714Pointon
27 August 1947 Norwich CityA2–122,024Cheadle, Smith
30 August 1947 Northampton TownA1–49,404Smith
1 September 1947 Norwich CityH2–011,688Pointon, Smith
6 September 1947 AldershotH6–413,840Allen (3), Jones (3)
10 September 1947 WatfordA1–18,802Hallam
13 September 1947 Crystal PalaceA0–215,063
15 September 1947 WatfordH7–012,232Allen (3), Hallam (2), Smith (2)
20 September 1947 Torquay UnitedH1–117,092Bellis
27 September 1947 Swindon TownA0–116,828
4 October 1947 Southend UnitedH2–115,106Allen, Smith
11 October 1947 Notts CountyA1–220,172Bellis
18 October 1947 Swansea TownH1–114,355Smith
25 October 1947 Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–317,025
1 November 1947 Ipswich TownH4–114,878Martin (2), Allen, Pointon
8 November 1947 Bristol CityA1–227,740Allen
15 November 1947 ReadingH1–013,305Smith
22 November 1947 WalsallA2–115,309Bellis, Allen
20 December 1947 Bristol RoversA1–211,651Martin
25 December 1947 Brighton & Hove AlbionH5–011,431Cheadle (2), McGarry, Martin, Triner
27 December 1947 Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–27,329Cheadle, Martin
3 January 1948 Northampton TownH1–012,905Bellis
10 January 1948 Leyton OrientH3–012,225Keeley (2), Cheadle
17 January 1948 AldershotA1–14,459Cheadle
24 January 1948 Newport CountyH4–110,816Pointon (2), Keeley, Martin (pen)
31 January 1948 Crystal PalaceH4–113,419Cheadle (2), Allen, Pointon
7 February 1948 Torquay UnitedA0–56,067
14 February 1948 Swindon TownH1–014,263Pointon
21 February 1948 Southend UnitedA1–13,961Martin
28 February 1948 Notts CountyH1–218,147Allen
6 March 1948 Swansea TownA0–218,180
13 March 1948 Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH2–115,221Allen, Martin
20 March 1948 Ipswich TownA1–211,100Pointon
26 March 1948 Queens Park RangersH0–217,889
27 March 1948 Bristol CityH1–012,541Pointon
29 March 1948 Queens Park RangersA1–224,053Pointon
3 April 1948 ReadingA0–212,293
7 April 1948 Exeter CityA0–07,653
10 April 1948 WalsallH0–112,282
17 April 1948 Leyton OrientA0–012,430
24 April 1948 Exeter CityH1–15,602Smith
1 May 1948 Newport CountyA0–08,309

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R129 November 1947 Crystal PalaceA1–213,000Smith

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland George Heppell 39010400
DFEngland Basil Hayward 24000240
DFEngland Tommy Cheadle 23800238
DFEngland Garth Butler 39010400
DFScotland Bob Pursell 700070
DFEngland Harry Hubbick 30010310
MFEngland Alf Bellis 17410184
MFEngland Wilf Smith 100010
MFEngland Don Triner 210021
MFNorthern Ireland Jimmy Todd 24000240
MFEngland Alan Martin 42810438
MFEngland Bill McGarry 26110271
MFEngland Eric Eastwood 18010190
MFEngland Norman Hallam 29310303
MFEngland Walter Keeley 16300163
MFEngland Joe Dale 300030
MFEngland John Currie 900090
MFEngland Ted Shore 300030
FWEngland Jack Smith 269112710
FWEngland Bill Pointon 2910103010
FWEngland Morris Jones 14300143
FWEngland Ronnie Allen 3813103913
FWEngland Eric Prince 300030

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
England Ronnie Allen 13
England Bill Pointon 10
England Jack Smith
England Alan Martin 8
England Tommy Cheadle
England Alf Bellis 4
England Morris Jones 3
England Norman Hallam
England Walter Keeley
England Bill McGarry 1
England Don Triner

League

Scorer Goals
England Ronnie Allen 13
England Bill Pointon 10
England Jack Smith 9
England Alan Martin 8
England Tommy Cheadle
England Alf Bellis 4
England Morris Jones 3
England Norman Hallam
England Walter Keeley
England Bill McGarry 1
England Don Triner

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1947 FW England Len Barber Bury Free transfer [3]
June 1947 MF England John Currie Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic Free transfer [3]
October 1947 DF England Harry Hubbick Bolton Wanderers £1,000 [3]
January 1948 MF England Walter Keeley Bury Exchange [3]
April 1948 MF England Joe Dale Manchester United £1,000 [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
November 1947 FW England Morris Jones Swindon Town £2,500 [3]
January 1948 MF England Alf Bellis Bury 'Substantial' [3]
February 1948 FW England Eric Prince Macclesfield Town Released [3]
Summer 1948 MF England John Currie Released [3]
Summer 1948 MF England Ted Shore Coventry City Released [3]
Summer 1948 FW England Jack Smith Congleton Town 'Free transfer [3]
Summer 1948 MF England Don Triner Witton Albion Released [3]

References

Specific
  1. 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 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Creating Sunshine from the Shadows (1939–1950)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 151–171. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1947–1948 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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