1978–79 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1978–79 season was Port Vale's 67th season of football in the Football League, and their first season (seventh overall) back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division.[1] Bernie Wright was highly impressive with his fifteen goals, though the rest of the team limped to a sixteenth-place finish, and exited both cup competitions at the first stage. This occurred with unrest in the boardroom behind the scenes, unrest amongst fans on the terraces, and annoyance from Butler towards the fans for their abuse of his players. Butler broke club transfer-records in both signing players and selling them.

Port Vale
1978–79 season
ChairmanArthur McPherson
ManagerDennis Butler
StadiumVale Park
Football League Fourth Division16th (42 Points)
FA CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Bradford City)
League CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Chester)
Player of the YearBernie Wright
Top goalscorerLeague: Bernie Wright (14)
All: Bernie Wright (15)
Highest home attendance5,226 vs. Barnsley, 14 April 1979
Lowest home attendance2,160 vs. Hereford United, 1 May 1979
Average home league attendance3,287
Biggest win5–1 vs. Crewe Alexandra, 25 August 1978
Biggest defeat0–4 (twice) and 2–6

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw new manager Dennis Butler sign big striker Bernie Wright from Bradford City for £9,000 and right-back Neil Wilkinson on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers.[1] Butler also took the team on a three match tour of Scotland.[1] Just before the start of the season Ken Todd was signed for a club-record £37,000, despite Todd having only made a handful of appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers.[1] In the summer former Valiant Tommy McLaren committed suicide, friend and teammate Ray Williams said 'leaving the club shattered him'.[1] On 2 October a Memorial Fund match was played, raising £3,000.[1]

The season opened with just two victories in eleven league games, as both Todd and keeper John Connaughton were sidelined with injuries.[1] The two wins came away from home, 5–1 over rivals Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road (Wright scoring a hat-trick) and 3–1 at Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium.[1] Butler then threw himself into the transfer market, selling John Froggatt to Northampton Town for £8,000, and then Mick Moore and Terry Bailey to Wigan Athletic and Northwich Victoria respectively, both for £2,000.[1] Another 'shrewd piece of business' came when star forward Ken Beamish was sold to Bury for £35,000, whilst Gerry Keenan moved the other way for £15,000.[1] In October, Felix Healy was signed from Finn Harps for £8,000, and Neil Wilkinson and £3,000 were traded to Crewe in exchange for outside-right Kevin Tully.[1] Winning five games in a sequence of eight, Todd was still a disappointment to fans, who began getting 'on his back'.[1] Butler's signings did not stop however, and instead he sold John Ridley to Leicester City for a club-record £55,000.[1] He then signed Andy Proudlove from Buxton for £1,000 – despite interest from Stafford Rangers.[1] Then in came midfielder Peter Farrell from Bury for a new club-record £40,000.[1] They ended their club-record streaks of 42 away games without keeping a clean sheet on 30 September, and of twelve home games without a win on 21 October.

Going into December four games unbeaten, Butler then splashed out £30,000 on Chester's Bob Delgado.[1] Despite this, Vale were thumped 6–2 by Barnsley in front of 10,532 at Oakwell.[1] In January, legendary England goalkeeper Gordon Banks was appointed as coach, and results began to pick up as Vale were lifted into eighth spot.[1] Healy left the club in February, only to return two weeks later.[1] Behind the scenes there was trouble when Arthur McPherson ruled that club shares could only be transferable to a male relation, in order 'to safeguard plans by the current directors'.[1] More defeats came, and the big money signings were targeted by fans for abuse.[1] Butler reacted by calling the fans 'a bunch of yobs'.[1] From mid-March, Vale went seven games with only one victory and one goal scored.[1] On 21 March violence returned to Vale Park, when Portsmouth keeper Peter Mellor saved a penalty, floored Peter Farrell and made an 'assortment of gestures' to the Bycars End – he found himself attacked by a Vale fan on the pitch for his efforts.[1] On 13 April, Vale surrendered a three-goal lead at Springfield Park to lose 5–3 to Wigan Athletic.[1] Danger of ending up in the re-election zone was ended with a late four game unbeaten spell, despite heavy defeats from Reading and York City.[1]

They finished in sixteenth place with 42 points, with an awful defensive record of seventy goals conceded.[1] Despite this their scoring tally away from Burslem was the highest in the Football League, and they were given £2,125 as a reward.[1] Player of the Year Bernie Wright secured fifteen goals in what was a poor season for the club.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a record £52,000 loss was made despite a remarkable £225,000 income from the club's commercial department.[1] Butler's transfer dealings had lost the club £36,000, whilst wages more than doubled from £113,000 to £259,000.[1] The club's liabilities stood at £187,000.[1] Despite all of this the club made 'surprisingly sparing use of the pruning knife', letting go just four players, most significantly David Harris (Halifax Town) and Andy Proudlove (Stafford Rangers).[1] Behind the scenes, long-time club servant and president Mark Singer was fired, though chairman Arthur McPherson made no comment to the press.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, a weeks preparation in Blackpool failed to prevent Vale exiting at the first stage with a 1–0 defeat to Bradford City at Valley Parade.[1]

In the League Cup, Third Division Chester knocked the Vale out 4–1 on aggregate.

League table
Main article: 1978–79 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
14 Hereford United 46 15 13 18 53 53 0 43
15 Bradford City 46 17 9 20 62 68 −6 43
16 Port Vale 46 14 14 18 57 70 −13 42
17 Stockport County 46 14 12 20 58 60 −2 40
18 Bournemouth 46 14 11 21 47 48 −1 39
Source:

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Fourth Division

Results by matchday
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAAHHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAAAHAHAHHAHHAA
ResultDLWDDWLLDLDWWLLWWDWLLWWDLLLDWLDWLDLDLWLDWDDLLW
Position917699812151516151310141614111210151711889111515151513121213131315141616141315161716
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
19 August 1978Scunthorpe UnitedH2–23,027Wright, Bromage
22 August 1978WimbledonA0–12,638
25 August 1978Crewe AlexandraA5–14,413Wright (3), Bloor, Beamish
2 September 1978RochdaleH1–13,222Beamish
9 September 1978AldershotH1–13,045Beamish
12 September 1978Doncaster RoversA3–13,405Bromage, Todd, Beamish
16 September 1978PortsmouthA0–29,937
23 September 1978BournemouthH1–23,140Griffiths (pen)
26 September 1978Northampton TownH2–23,245N.Chamberlain (2)
30 September 1978Hereford UnitedA0–13,963
7 October 1978Grimsby TownH1–13,433N.Chamberlain
14 October 1978Halifax TownA3–01,591Wright (2), Tully
18 October 1978Bradford CityA3–24,136Sutcliffe, Wright, Healy
21 October 1978Torquay UnitedH1–24,108Todd
28 October 1978DarlingtonA0–41,793
4 November 1978Hartlepool UnitedH2–03,195N.Chamberlain, Beech
11 November 1978RochdaleA1–01,882Keenan
18 November 1978Crewe AlexandraH2–24,607Farrell (pen), Healy
9 December 1978Stockport CountyH2–13,689Wright, Farrell (pen)
26 December 1978BarnsleyA2–610,532Todd, Keenan
30 December 1978Newport CountyA0–14,075
1 January 1979Huddersfield TownH1–04,021Wright
9 January 1979Wigan AthleticH2–13,746Wright, Todd
13 January 1979AldershotA1–13,708Sinclair
16 January 1979Doncaster RoversH1–33,381o.g.
6 February 1979BournemouthA1–33,416o.g.
24 February 1979Halifax TownH0–13,117
3 March 1979Torquay UnitedA2–21,711Todd, Wright
10 March 1979DarlingtonH2–12,566Hawkins, Beech
13 March 1979Northampton TownA0–11,572
21 March 1979PortsmouthH0–02,738
24 March 1979WimbledonH1–02,906Beech
27 March 1979Scunthorpe UnitedA0–21,580
31 March 1979ReadingA0–06,704
3 April 1979Grimsby TownA0–18,072
7 April 1979York CityH0–02,712
13 April 1979Wigan AthleticA3–58,452Todd (2), Wright
14 April 1979BarnsleyH3–25,226N.Chamberlain, Wright, Todd
16 April 1979Huddersfield TownA2–33,236M.Chamberlain, Beech
21 April 1979Newport CountyH1–12,444Wright
24 April 1979Bradford CityH2–12,264Farrell, N.Chamberlain
27 April 1979Stockport CountyA0–03,345
1 May 1979Hereford UnitedH1–12,160Hawkins
5 May 1979ReadingH0–33,603
7 May 1979York CityA0–42,344
10 May 1979Hartlepool UnitedA2–12,007Sinclair, Farrell

FA Cup
Main article: 1978–79 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R125 November 1978Bradford CityA0–15,625

League Cup
Main article: 1978–79 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg12 August 1978ChesterH0–32,819
R1 2nd Leg16 August 1978ChesterA1–13,741Wright

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK John Connaughton 1901020220
GK Trevor Dance 2700000270
DF Neil Griffiths 2610010271
DF David Harris 1101010130
DF Phil Sproson 2301010250
DF Graham Hawkins 4321020462
DF Bill Bentley 3101020340
DF Neil Wilkinson 70002090
DF Gerry Keenan 3221000332
DF Bob Delgado 2400000240
DF Billy Leese 00000000
MF John Ridley 70000070
MF Terry Bailey 00001010
MF Kenny Beech 2341000244
MF Peter Sutcliffe 81000081
MF Mick Moore 00001010
MF Russell Bromage 2020010212
MF Andy Proudlove 50000050
MF Ged Stenson 1100020130
MF Ken Todd 4181000428
MF Kevin Tully 81100091
MF Mark Chamberlain 81000081
MF Peter Farrell 2841000294
MF Ian Elsby 50000050
MF Alan Bloor 61000061
MF Felix Healy 2321000242
FW Ken Beamish 64002084
FW John Froggatt 20001030
FW Neville Chamberlain 2660020286
FW Bernie Wright 461410114815
FW Brian Sinclair 1820000182

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Fourth Division FA Cup League Cup Total
1FW EnglandBernie Wright140115
2MF EnglandKen Todd8008
3FW EnglandNeville Chamberlain6006
4MF EnglandKenny Beech4004
–MF EnglandPeter Farrell4004
–FW EnglandKen Beamish4004
7DF EnglandGraham Hawkins2002
–DF EnglandGerry Keenan2002
–MF Northern IrelandFelix Healy2002
–FW EnglandBrian Sinclair2002
–MF EnglandRussell Bromage2002
12MF EnglandKevin Tully1001
–MF EnglandMark Chamberlain1001
–MF EnglandAlan Bloor1001
–MF EnglandPeter Sutcliffe1001
–DF EnglandNeil Griffiths1001
–––Own goals2002
TOTALS 57 0 1 60

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1978DFNeil WilkinsonBlackburn RoversFree transfer[3]
June 1978FWBernie WrightBradford City£9,000[3]
August 1978FWBrian SinclairBlackpoolFree transfer[3]
August 1978MFKen ToddWolverhampton Wanderers£37,000[3]
September 1978MFPaul BennettEvertonFree transfer[3]
September 1978DFGerry KeenanBury£15,000[3]
October 1978FWFelix Healy Finn Harps£8,000[3]
October 1978MFKevin TullyCrewe AlexandraExchange[3]
November 1978MFPeter FarrellBury£40,000[3]
November 1978MFAndy ProudloveBuxton£1,000[3]
December 1978DFBob DelgadoChester£30,000[3]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
August 1978MFTerry BaileyNorthwich Victoria£2,000[3]
August 1978MFMick MooreWigan Athletic£2,000[3]
September 1978DFAlan BloorRetired[3]
September 1978FWJohn FroggattNorthampton Town£8,000[3]
September 1978FWKen BeamishBury£35,000[3]
October 1978MFJohn RidleyLeicester City£55,000[3]
October 1978DFNeil WilkinsonCrewe AlexandraExchange[3]
December 1978MFPeter SutcliffeChester City£15,000[3]
May 1979DFDavid HarrisHalifax TownFree transfer[3]
May 1979MFAndy ProudloveStafford RangersFree transfer[3]

Loans out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
May 1978GKTrevor DanceStoke CityMay 1978[3]
May 1978MFIan Elsby Cleveland CobrasAugust 1978[3]
May 1978DFNeil Griffiths Cleveland CobrasAugust 1978[3]
May 1978DFBilly Leese Cleveland CobrasJuly 1978[3]
May 1978MFJohn Ridley Fort Lauderdale Strikers August 1978[3]
August 1978GKTrevor Dance Cleveland CobrasAugust 1978[3]
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References
Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1978–1979 : Results & Fixtures Archived 6 September 2015 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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