1968–69 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1968–69 season was Port Vale's 57th season of football in the English Football League, and their fourth successive season (fifth overall) in the Fourth Division.[1] New manager Gordon Lee used the season to consolidate the club after it was readmitted to the Football League immediately after being expelled for illegal payment of players. Managing 46 goals scored and conceded, and 46 points gained in 46 games, he had built a solid base for future progress. However the club's financial problems continued, as another loss was made to increase the club's debt levels.

Port Vale
1968–69 season
ChairmanArthur McPherson
ManagerGordon Lee
StadiumVale Park
Football League Fourth Division13th (46 Points)
FA CupThird Round
(knocked out by Watford)
League CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Wrexham)
Player of the YearRon Wilson
Top goalscorerLeague: Roy Chapman (11)
All: Roy Chapman (12)
Highest home attendance8,800 vs. Shrewsbury Town, 18 November 1968
Lowest home attendance2,679 vs. Grimsby Town, 21 April 1969
Average home league attendance4,361
Biggest win5–0 vs. Newport County, 18 January 1969
Biggest defeat0–3 vs. Aldershot, 5 March 1969

Overview

Fourth Division

On 8 June, the club's future was decided, as a vote of 39 to 9 allowed the club readmission to the Football League, despite the conclusion of an investigation earlier in the year which ruled that the club should be expelled from the League.[1] New manager Gordon Lee thus began work on rebuilding his squad, announcing a team approach with an additional 'individual coaching plan' for players to improve their personal weaknesses.[1] Lee was big on coaching, and replaced cross country running exercises with realistic match-day situations.[1] Stanley Matthews would become more of a scout and would only visit Burslem on a weekly basis, he also agreed to allow the £9,000 owed to him in payments delayed until the club were on a sounder financial footing.[1] His name removed from his office door, he 'gradually drifted out of the picture'.[1] Three signings of note included: 'tenacious' wing-half John King (Tranmere Rovers); Wales international winger Graham Williams (Tranmere Rovers); and teenager Bobby Gough (Walsall).[1]

The season opened with four Roy Chapman goals in four games, though only three points were won in the first six encounters. With Sharratt out injured, in came 'part-time, pipe-smoking civil servant' Geoff Hickson on loan from Crewe Alexandra.[1] Lee quickly earned the respect of the Vale fans despite his team lying bottom of the table in mid-September.[1] A new club mascot was unveiled at this time – 'Prince Val'.[1] Some good home performances lifted the club off the bottom of the table, including a 4–1 thumping of Scunthorpe United and a stylish back-heeled goal from Roy Sproson in a 1–1 draw with Lincoln City.[1] Chapman then developed sciatica and had to be rested until December.[1] An excellent defence helped the club then to achieve a five-game unbeaten run in the league.[1] In November, goalkeeper Keith Ball was signed from Walsall for 'a small fee' and Graham Newton joined on trial after leaving the Atlanta Chiefs.[1] On Boxing day, Vale travelled to Sincil Bank, where they beat second-placed Lincoln 1–0 in front of 12,208 spectators.[1] Soon after Bill Asprey retired as a player to coach at Sheffield Wednesday.[1]

A 5–0 mauling of Newport County on 18 January sent the Vale into the top half of the table, though just one goal was scored and one point gained in the next four games.[1] In March, Lee adopted a more 'hit and run' style, and saw his team achieve three straight wins.[1] On the 29th, with the club seeming safe from re-election, 'hooliganism reared its ugly head' as Chester found their team bus smashed with bricks following a 2–1 loss at Burslem.[1] On 21 April, Sproson made his 700th league appearance in a 1–0 win over struggling Grimsby Town.[1] The final day was a 1–1 draw with wooden-spoon club Bradford Park Avenue, though the Vale had five goals disallowed.[1] Nevertheless, this game was the first of a club-record nineteen league game streak without a loss that would end on 22 November 1969 the following season.

They finished in thirteenth place with 46 points from their 46 games, scoring 46 and conceding 46 goals.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a £10,900 loss was made despite donations of £16,734 from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund.[1] This left the club's total debts standing at £178,277.[1] The club needed an average home attendance of 6,000 to break even, and were almost two thousand short of this total.[1] More stringent economies were thus imposed upon the club.[1] Five professionals left on free transfers: Mick Cullerton (Chester); Mick Mahon (York City); Jimmy Goodfellow (Workington); Graham Williams (Runcorn); and Milija Aleksic (Eastwood).[1] Lee claimed 'it was a hard decision, but I have had to create room for improvement'.[1] Roy Chapman was offered a new contract, but opted instead to sign with Chester.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, with Sharrat injured and Hickson re-called by Crewe, seventeen-year-old Milija Aleksic was roped in to play in the First Round clash with Third Division Shrewsbury Town.[1] He also played in the replay following the 1–1 draw, and the club progressed with a 3–1 win over their 'lacklustre' opponents.[1] The "Valiants" also required a replay to progress past Workington. Vale then exited at the Third Round with a 1–0 defeat at Vicarage Road to Watford.

In the League Cup, defeat came in the First Round to Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground. Stuart Sharratt cracked a kneecap in the game and later contracted a virus in his blood, which kept him out of action for the rest of the season.[1]

League table
Main article: 1968–69 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
11 Brentford 46 18 12 16 64 65 0.985 48
12 Workington 46 15 17 14 40 43 0.930 47
13 Port Vale 46 16 14 16 46 46 1.000 46
14 Chester 46 16 13 17 76 66 1.152 45
15 Aldershot 46 19 7 20 66 66 1.000 45
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Fourth Division

Results by matchday
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHAHAHHAHHHAAHAHHAAHHAAHAHAAHAAHHAHHAAHHAAHHAA
ResultLWLDLLWLWWDLDDLWDDDWLLWWDWLDLLWWWLDWLWDDDLWDLW
Position20151720202422231913151817171818181819171819151315121516171917141215131314111413141412131313
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
10 August 1968ChesterfieldA1–37,158Chapman
17 August 1968Peterborough UnitedH1–05,085Chapman
24 August 1968BrentfordA1–37,443Chapman
31 August 1968RochdaleH1–14,591Chapman
6 September 1968ChesterA0–28,144
14 September 1968Doncaster RoversH0–24,616
16 September 1968York CityH3–03,466Chapman, Gough, Cullerton
20 September 1968Colchester UnitedA0–16,441
28 September 1968Scunthorpe UnitedH4–13,823Chapman (2), Goodfellow, o.g.
30 September 1968Exeter CityH1–05,235Gough
5 October 1968Lincoln CityH1–16,152Sproson
8 October 1968Exeter CityA1–33,981Chapman
12 October 1968Notts CountyA0–04,127
19 October 1968Halifax TownH1–14,493Morris
26 October 1968Swansea TownA0–16,091
2 November 1968WorkingtonH3–12,953Sproson, Morris, Williams
4 November 1968Southend UnitedH1–13,668Wilson
8 November 1968Newport CountyA0–03,137
23 November 1968Grimsby TownA1–13,313Goodfellow
30 November 1968WrexhamH1–05,421Sproson
14 December 1968Notts CountyH0–24,169
21 December 1968Halifax TownA1–23,806Chapman
26 December 1968Lincoln CityA1–012,208Newton
28 December 1968Swansea TownH1–05,431Chapman
11 January 1969WorkingtonA0–02,538
18 January 1969Newport CountyH5–04,040Mahon (2), Sproson, Morris, Green
1 February 1969DarlingtonA0–15,071
24 February 1969Southend UnitedA1–110,888Mahon
1 March 1969ChesterfieldH0–13,610
5 March 1969AldershotA0–35,020
8 March 1969Peterborough UnitedA1–05,337Mahon
10 March 1969DarlingtonA1–03,957Morris
15 March 1969BrentfordH4–14,478James (2 [1 pen]), Wilson, Carrick
22 March 1969RochdaleA0–14,860
24 March 1969AldershotH0–04,140
29 March 1969ChesterH2–14,690Green, Sproson
4 April 1969York CityA1–34,999Chapman
5 April 1969Scunthorpe UnitedA1–02,966James
8 April 1969Bradford CityH1–15,963James
12 April 1969Colchester UnitedH0–03,774
16 April 1969Bradford CityA2–28,772McLaren, Sproson
19 April 1969Doncaster RoversA0–29,795
21 April 1969Grimsby TownH1–02,679Mahon
25 April 1969Bradford Park AvenueH1–13,873Sproson
28 April 1969WrexhamA0–23,787
5 May 1969Bradford Park AvenueA1–01,572McLaren

FA Cup
Main article: 1968–69 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1968Shrewsbury TownA1–15,933Gough
R1 Replay18 November 1968Shrewsbury TownH3–18,800Gough, Mahon, Morris
R27 December 1968WorkingtonH0–07,635
R2 Replay11 December 1968WorkingtonA2–16,038Chapman, James
R34 January 1969WatfordA0–214,076

League Cup
Main article: 1968–69 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R114 August 1968WrexhamA0–26,927

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Stuart Sharratt 40001050
GK Geoff Hickson 1700000170
GK Milija Aleksic 00200020
GK Keith Ball 2503000280
DF Roy Sproson 4275000497
DF Clint Boulton 4104010460
DF Ron Wilson 4625010522
DF Gordon Logan 40000040
DF Bill Asprey 901010110
DF Keith Broomhall 20000020
MF Mick Mahon 3353110376
MF Stuart Chapman 50000050
MF Jimmy Goodfellow 3125000362
MF Tommy McLaren 1820010192
MF John Green 1220000122
MF Graham Williams 2311010251
MF John King 4005010460
MF Malcolm Bailey 20000020
FW John James 3444110395
FW Mick Cullerton 2315000281
FW Roy Chapman 301131103412
FW Mick Morris 3245110385
FW Graham Newton 41100051
FW Bob Mountford 10000010
FW Bobby Gough 3625210424
FW David Carrick 1610000161

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total
1FW EnglandRoy Chapman111012
2DF EnglandRoy Sproson7007
3MF EnglandMick Mahon5106
4MF EnglandJohn James4105
–FW EnglandMick Morris4105
6FW EnglandBobby Gough2204
7MF EnglandJimmy Goodfellow2002
–MF ScotlandTommy McLaren2002
–FW EnglandJohn Green2002
–DF ScotlandRon Wilson2002
11FW EnglandGraham Newton1001
–FW EnglandDavid Carrick1001
–MF WalesGraham Williams1001
–FW ScotlandMick Cullerton1001
–––Own goals1001
TOTALS 46 6 0 52

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1968FWBobby GoughWalsallFree transfer[3]
June 1968MFJohn KingTranmere RoversFree transfer[3]
July 1968MFGraham WilliamsTranmere RoversFree transfer[3]
November 1968GKKeith BallWalsall'small'[3]
November 1968FWGraham Newton Atlanta ChiefsTrial[3]
January 1969FWDavid CarrickAltrinchamFree transfer[3]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
October 1968MFMalcolm GibbonAston VillaFree transfer[3]
December 1968DFBill AspreyRetired[3]
January 1969FWGraham Newton Atlanta ChiefsTrial ended[3]
May 1969GKMilija AleksicEastwoodFree transfer[3]
May 1969DFKeith BroomhallEastwoodFree transfer[3]
May 1969FWRoy ChapmanChesterFree transfer[3]
May 1969FWMick CullertonChesterFree transfer[3]
May 1969MFJimmy GoodfellowWorkingtonFree transfer[3]
May 1969MFGraham WilliamsRuncornFree transfer[3]
Summer 1969FWDavid CarrickStalybridge CelticReleased[3]

Loans in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Date to Ref.
August 1968GKGeoff HicksonCrewe AlexandraNovember 1968[3]

Loans out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
May 1968MFJohn Green Vancouver RoyalsOctober 1968[3]
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References
Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "Flattering Only to Deceive (1960–1969)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 196–226. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1968–1969 : Results & Fixtures Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 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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