Vic Rouse (footballer, born 1897)

Alfred Valentine "Val or Vic" Rouse (14 February 1897 – 1961) was an English footballer who played for Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Stoke, Swansea Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers and was described as a 'gentleman' player.[1]

Val Rouse
Personal information
Full name Alfred Valentine Rouse[1]
Date of birth (1897-02-14)14 February 1897[1]
Place of birth Hoddesdon, England[1]
Date of death 1961 (aged 63–64)[1]
Playing position(s) Left half
Youth career
Llanelly
Pontypridd
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1921–1922 Wolverhampton Wanderers 5 (0)
1922–1926 Stoke 92 (2)
1926 Swansea Town 4 (0)
1926–1929 Port Vale 95 (0)
1929–1931 Crewe Alexandra 83 (1)
Connah's Quay & Shotton
Total 279 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Rouse was born in Hoddesdon and played for Welsh sides Llanelly and Pontypridd, before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1921.[1] He played five Second Division games for "Wolves" in the 1921–22 campaign, before joining First Division club Stoke in August 1922.[1] He played in 38 matches in 1922–23 as Stoke suffered relegation back to the Second Division.[1] Manager Tom Mather kept faith with Rouse at left-half in 1923–24, and made him captain for the 1924–25 campaign. He scored his first senior goal in a 1–1 draw with Barnsley at the Victoria Ground on 1 November 1924. Despite possessing a strong squad, overall performances on the pitch were below standard and the team went 12 matches without a win (1 January 1925 to 21 March 1925) and were almost relegated.[1] Four wins and three draws in their last eight matches ensured survival by the narrowest of margins, a single point.[1] Rouse was the sold to Swansea Town, but featured just four times for the "Swans" in 1925–26. He left Vetch Field and joined Port Vale in June 1926.[2] He played 29 Second Division matches in the 1926–27 season and then 39 league games in the 1927–28 season, as Vale posted top ten finishes. However he lost his first team place at The Old Recreation Ground in February 1929, and was given a free transfer in May 1929. He spent the 1929–30 and 1930–31 seasons in the Third Division North with Crewe Alexandra, before joining Connah's Quay & Shotton.

Career statistics

Source:[3]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1921–22 Second Division 500050
Stoke 1922–23 First Division 37010380
1923–24 Second Division 24010250
1924–25 Second Division 31210322
Total 92230952
Swansea Town 1925–26 Second Division 400040
Port Vale 1926–27 Second Division 29030330
1927–28 Second Division 38030410
1928–29 Second Division 28010290
Total 950701020
Crewe Alexandra 1929–30 Third Division North 42020440
1930–31 Third Division North 41120431
Total 83140871
Career total 27931402933
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References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 254. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. Vic Rouse at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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