1898–99 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1898–99 season was Burslem Port Vale's fifth season of football in the English Football League; it followed a two-season absence, which the club spent in the Midland Football League.[1] A solid return to the Football League, they finished in mid-table. They had the strongest defence in the division as they conceded less goals than any other team in the division. It was instead a lack of firepower in front of goal that prevented a push for promotion.

Burslem Port Vale
1898–99 season
ChairmanRobert Audley
ManagerSam Gleaves
StadiumAthletic Ground
Football League Second Division9th (39 Points)
FA CupFifth Qualifying Round
(knocked out by Small Heath)
Birmingham Senior CupRunners-up
(knocked out by Aston Villa)
Staffordshire Senior CupSemi-final
(knocked out by Walsall)
Top goalscorerLeague: James Peake (11)
All: James Peake (17)
Highest home attendance12,000 vs Manchester City, 1 April 1899
Lowest home attendance1,000 vs Gainsborough Trinity, 26 November 1898
Average home league attendance4,500+
Biggest win5–0 (twice) and 6–1
Biggest defeat0–7 vs. Small Heath, 10 December 1898

Winning their opening six league games, just two points gained from their final five games ensured a top two position was out of their reach. Safety from the lottery of re-election was never in doubt though, as they finished nineteen points above the re-election places. Over the next eight seasons they never bettered their league finish of 1898–99, though they twice equalled it.

Squad photograph.
Ever-present Lucien Boullemier.
Winger Billy Heames would stay with the Vale for the next five seasons.

Overview

Second Division

Their FA Cup win over First Division champions Sheffield United in 1897–98 won Vale the respect (and votes) they needed to win re-election to the Football League for 1898–99.[1][2] To ensure a competitive campaign they signed striker Howard Harvey from Aston Villa for £50.[1] Winning their opening six league games, the semi-professional side conceded just one goal in this run. However Tommy Clare broke a leg at their final win of the streak of six, and their run ended at Newton Heath the following week – the team badly missed Clare.[1] Their fading hopes of promotion were bolstered by four wins in January, including a 6–1 win over Blackpool aided by a four-goal haul from James Peake.[1] Yet they finished the season with two points from five games, dropping into ninth place – their lowest position all season.[1]

Of the two clubs that failed to gain re-election, Darwen, who picked up a League record eighteen consecutive defeats, played regional football for the rest of their existence; whereas Blackpool gained re-election at the end of the following season, and never lost their League status again.

Right-half Lucien Boullemier was an ever-present throughout the campaign, with goalkeeper Herbert Birchenough missing just one game.[1] Winger Billy Heames and forward Howard Harvey rarely missed a game between them.[1]

Finances

Financially, the club lost £300 over the season.[1]

Cup competitions

Defending champions of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, Vale reached the semi-final, where they lost 4–0 to Walsall in a replay.[1] In the Birmingham Senior Cup, they defeated Walsall in the semi-final, in a replay, going on to lose 4–0 to Aston Villa in the final.[1] In the FA Cup they were turned over 7–0 at Small Heath in the qualification rounds.[1]

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
7 Woolwich Arsenal 34 18 5 11 72 41 1.756 41
8 Small Heath 34 17 7 10 85 50 1.700 41
9 Burslem Port Vale[lower-alpha 1] 34 17 5 12 56 34 1.647 39
10 Grimsby Town 34 15 5 14 71 60 1.183 35
11 Barnsley[lower-alpha 1] 34 12 7 15 52 56 0.929 31
Source:
Notes:
  1. New club in the league

Results
Burslem born Danny Simpson never played for any professional club other than Port Vale.
George Price played one, scored one in 1898-99.

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division
Main article: 1898–99 Football League

Results by matchday
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundHHAHAHAHAAHHAAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAH
ResultWWWWWWLDLWLWLDWLWWWWLWLWLLWDWLDLDL
Position1111111111125546664332433445446679
Source: Statto[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
3 September 1898BarnsleyH2–04,000Peake, Evans
5 September 1898Woolwich ArsenalH3–05,000Evans (2), unknown
10 September 1898Small HeathA2–15,500Evans, Peake
17 September 1898LoughboroughH3–05,000Peake (2), Simpson
24 September 1898BlackpoolA4–01,000Peake (2), Harvey, Beech
1 October 1898Grimsby TownH2–06,000Simpson, Evans
8 October 1898Newton HeathA1–210,000Simpson
15 October 1898New Brighton TowerH0–05,000
22 October 1898Lincoln CityA0–14,000
5 November 1898Luton TownA1–02,000Evans
12 November 1898Leicester FosseH0–24,000
26 November 1898Gainsborough TrinityH2–11,000Evans, Harvey
3 December 1898Manchester CityA1–36,000Peake
17 December 1898WalsallA1–13,000Evans
24 December 1898Burton SwiftsH4–12,000Beckett (2), Harvey, Beech
31 December 1898BarnsleyA1–21,000Evans
2 January 1899DarwenA3–1400Harvey (2), Mitchell
7 January 1899Small HeathH1–05,000Beckett
14 January 1899LoughboroughA3–02,000Evans, Harvey, Beckett
21 January 1899BlackpoolH6–1Peake (4), Beech, Beckett
28 January 1899Burton SwiftsA0–2500
4 February 1899Newton HeathH1–06,000Belfield
11 February 1899New Brighton TowerA0–12,000
18 February 1899Lincoln CityH2–13,000Harvey, Beech
21 February 1899Grimsby TownA1–32,500Beckett
25 February 1899Woolwich ArsenalA0–16,000
4 March 1899Luton TownH4–14,000McDonald (3), Simpson
11 March 1899Leicester FosseA1–19,000Harvey
18 March 1899DarwenH3–1Harvey, Beckett, McDonald
25 March 1899Gainsborough TrinityA2–3Simpson, Beckett
1 April 1899Manchester CityH1–112,000Heames
3 April 1899Glossop North EndH1–24,000Beckett
8 April 1899Glossop North EndA0–03,500
15 April 1899WalsallH0–11,500

FA Cup
Main article: 1898–99 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
3Q29 October 1898Wellington TownH5–01,000Peake (2), Evans (2), Price
4Q19 November 1898Burton WanderersH3–01,500Peake, Simpson, Harvey
5Q10 December 1898Small HeathA0–77,000

Birmingham Senior Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
119 December 1898Leicester FosseH5–0800Harvey (2), McDonald (2), rush
BYE
BYE
SF13 March 1899WalsallN1–14,000McDonald
Replay20 March 1899WalsallN2–01,000Harvey, Mitchell
Final27 March 1899Aston VillaA0–43,634

Staffordshire Senior Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
119 September 1898Burton WanderersH1–13,000+Peake
Replay26 September 1898Burton WanderersA4–04,000Peake, Evans, Spilsbury, Simpson
SF21 November 1898WalsallH1–12,000Peake
Replay26 December 1898WalsallA0–47,000

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Herbert Birchenough 3303080440
DFS.E. Bayley 30000030
DFJim Beech 3143060404
DF Lucien Boullemier 3403080450
DF John Bowman 00001010
DF Tommy Clare 1300030160
DFGeorge Hulme 802030130
DF Tom McFarlane 2201040270
DFHenry Platt 20100030
DF Thomas Spilsbury 1502041211
DF Frank Stokes 30002050
MF Billy Heames 3313070431
MF Charles Hodgkinson 600040100
MF Ted McDonald 3042073397
FW Danny Simpson 1752131227
FW George Price 00110011
FWJames Peake 221133332817
FWFrank Mitchell 41103182
FW Tommy Lander 1601050220
FW Howard Harvey 32921734113
FW Dick Evans 231032413013
FWR.H. Capener 10000010
FW Fred Belfield 51001061
FWErnest Beckett 2190050269

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Other Total
1FWJames Peake113317
2FW EnglandHoward Harvey91313
–FW EnglandDick Evans102113
4FWErnest Beckett9009
5MF EnglandTed McDonald4037
–FW EnglandDanny Simpson5117
7DFJim Beech4004
8FWFrank Mitchell1012
9MF EnglandBilly Heames1001
–FW EnglandFred Belfield1001
–FW EnglandGeorge Price0101
–DF EnglandThomas Spilsbury0011
–––Rush0011
–––Unknown1001
TOTALS 56 8 14 78

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1898FWHoward HarveyAston Villa£50[4]
Summer 1898DFTommy ClareManchester CityFree transfer[4]
August 1898FWErnest BeckettNewcastle SwiftsFree transfer[4]
August 1898DFTom McFarlane HibernianFree transfer[4]
October 1898DFFrank Stokes)Burslem ParkFree transfer[4]
February 1899DFJohn BowmanBurslem ParkFree transfer[4]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
Summer 1899FWJames PeakeMillwall AthleticFree transfer[4]
Summer 1899FWErnest BeckettReleased[4]
Summer 1899MFFred BelfieldReleased[4]
Summer 1899DFJohn BowmanStokeFree transfer[4]
Summer 1899FWR.H. CapenerReleased[4]
Summer 1899FWDick EvansReadingFree transfer[4]
Summer 1899MFCharles HodgkinsonReleased[4]
Summer 1899DFGeorge HulmeReleased[4]
Summer 1899FWFrank MitchellReleased[4]
Summer 1899DFHenry PlattReleased[4]
Summer 1899MFJos RandlesRetired[4]
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References
Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 50–70. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. "Vale revel in FA Cup glory". The Sentinel. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  3. Port Vale 1898–1899 : Results & Fixtures Archived 19 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
  • Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.
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