1944–45 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1944–45 season was Port Vale's second season of football in the wartime league system of World War II.[1] First-team football was reinstated at the Old Recreation Ground for the first time since the 1939–40 season, however success was limited as they finished in the lower reaches of the North Championship and the League North Cup.

Port Vale
1944–45 season
ChairmanTom Flint
ManagerJack Diffin (October to December)
David Pratt (December onwards)
StadiumOld Recreation Ground
North First Championship46th (12 points)
North Second Championship54th (12 points)
League North Cup48th (7 points)
Midland CupDid not qualify
Top goalscorerLeague: Alf Bellis / Eric Prince (5)
All: Alf Bellis (10)
Highest home attendance17,040 vs. Stoke City, 24 February 1945
Lowest home attendance2,195 vs. Walsall, 23 December 1944
Average home league attendance5,969
Biggest win5–0 vs. Stockport County, 3 March 1945
Biggest defeat1–8 vs. Stoke City, 17 February 1945

Overview

Port Vale resumed first-team football for the first time since the 1939–40 season, entering the North Championship of the war league, which contained 54 teams but required only 18 games to be played by each club.[1] The junior team had been active since this time and the club hoped they could step up to perform at a senior level, supplemented by guest players.[1] A good crowd of 8,768 turned up at the Old Recreation Ground for the season-opener to Birmingham, and a 3–0 victory offered hope of a successful season.[1] However they lost the reverse fixture 4–0 and went on to pick up only one more point by the end of September.[1] Their home performances were generally competent, but they ended the league with only one point on the road. Vale ended the league programme in 46th-place, having accrued just 12 points from their 18 games.[1]

A ten game series for qualification to the League North Cup began in December and the club appointed David Pratt to manage the players, succeeding director Jack Diffin, though Pratt failed to gain clearance from the Royal Air Force and so never actually took charge of a game.[1] Vale managed to win 3–2 away at Chester on 6 January, but lost six games of the series, including heavy 8–1 and 6–2 defeats to Potteries derby rivals Stoke City.[1] A seven games series of the North Championship followed, which attracted little interest as crowds dwindled. Though Vale managed to beat Stockport County 5–0, they lost five of their seven games, including two further poor defeats at the hands of Stoke City.[1] The season concluded with four games of Midland Cup competition, of which Vale lost three. The opening game of the competition did though see a 3–2 win over Walsall; the Vale line-up included a 16-year old Ronnie Allen and renowned Ireland international Peter Doherty.[1] The club made a profit of £1,262 on the season, thanks to gate receipts of £11,200.[1]

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend
Win Draw Loss

North First Championship

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
45 Accrington Stanley 18 5 2 11 29 46 0.630 12
46 Port Vale 18 5 2 11 22 36 0.611 12
47 Bury 18 5 2 11 28 48 0.583 12
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
26 August 1944BirminghamH3–08,768Kirkaldy (2), Bellis
2 September 1944BirminghamA0–45,970
9 September 1944West Bromwich AlbionA1–27,760E.Prince
16 September 1944West Bromwich AlbionH0–08,134
23 September 1944NorthamptonA1–33,125E.Prince
30 September 1944NorthamptonH1–26,549B.Pointon
7 October 1944Coventry CityH2–06,600Musgrave, E.Prince
14 October 1944Coventry CityA3–45,000Pepper (2), E.Prince
21 October 1944Leicester CityA1–45,770E.Prince
28 October 1944Leicester CityH2–14,070Bellis, McDowell
4 November 1944Aston VillaH2–19,700Bellis, Pointon
11 November 1944Aston VillaA0–48,500
18 November 1944Stoke CityA0–218,000
25 November 1944Stoke CityH3–09,618McDowell, Bellis, P.Griffiths
2 December 1944Wolverhampton WanderersH0–37,500
9 December 1944Wolverhampton WanderersA0–28,493
16 December 1944WalsallA2–22,000Clunn, Bellis
23 December 1944WalsallH1–22,195McDowell

League North Cup

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
53 Swansea Town 20 6 1 13 42 63 0.667 13
54 Port Vale 21 5 2 14 27 60 0.450 12
55 Mansfield Town 12 5 1 6 22 38 0.579 11
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
25 December 1944Crewe AlexandraH1–35,500Ware
30 December 1944Crewe AlexandraA1–25,000McDowell
6 January 1945ChesterA3–22,790Bellis (2), E.Prince
13 January 1945ChesterH0–25,468
30 January 1945WrexhamA0–52,165
3 February 1945Wolverhampton WanderersH2–04,626McDowell, Booth
10 February 1945Wolverhampton WanderersA2–18,548Booth, Bellis
17 February 1945Stoke CityA1–812,644Cardwell
24 February 1945Stoke CityH2–617,040McShane, B.Pointon
17 March 1945WrexhamH1–13,089Bellis

North Second Championship
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
26 December 1944WrexhamA0–47,668
3 March 1945Stockport CountyH5–03,200McShane (2), B.Pointon (2), Hall
10 March 1945Stockport CountyA0–32,000
2 April 1945WrexhamH2–26,079P.Griffiths (2)
28 April 1945Tranmere RoversH0–1small
5 May 1945Stoke CityA0–61,000
9 May 1945Stoke CityH2–45,550Isherwood, H.Griffiths

Midland Cup

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
47 Southport 10 3 1 6 19 40 0.475 7
48 Port Vale 10 3 1 6 13 30 0.433 7
49 Bath City 10 3 0 7 28 34 0.824 6
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
Q24 March 1945WalsallH3–25,870Clunn (2), Bellis
Q31 March 1945WalsallA0–21,592
Q7 April 1945Notts CountyH1–45,790F.Pointon
Q14 April 1945Notts CountyA1–23,000Gregory

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name North Championship League North Cup Midland Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Arthur Jepson 00001010
GK Albert Hankey 10300040
GK Ron Mawson 10000010
GK Harry Prince 2307030330
DF Harry Griffiths 2215020291
DF Edwin Blunt 60000060
DF Jack Griffiths 801010100
DF Bob Pursell 80001090
DF Jess Sproson 2209010320
DF Arthur Bateman 308020130
DF Harry Betmead 60000060
DF Louis Cardwell 10611081
DF Stephen Hughes 10000010
DF Jock Lowe 10001020
DF John Mills 00100010
DF Cyril Johnson 10000010
MF Wilf Smith 604000100
MF Alf Bellis 13584412510
MF George Hannah 00300030
MF Murdoch Dickie 20000020
MF Phil Griffiths 21221053
MF James Tunnicliffe 10100020
MF Bob Allen 20001030
MF Arthur Bailey 20000020
MF Kenneth Banks 10100020
MF William Birks 20100030
MF Jackie Bray 10000010
MF Billy Buckley 30100040
MF Jack Clunn 715032153
MF Arthur Cooper 1706030270
MF Bertie Duffy 00002020
MF Harold Jervis 10000010
MF Jack Kirkaldy 52000052
MF Frank Marsh 10100020
MF Alan Martin 30000030
MF John Maund 10000010
MF Harry McShane 12210033
MF Roy Meredith 20000020
MF David Muir 30000030
MF Jonty Musgrave 41000041
MF Robert Pepper 12000012
MF Frank Pointon 604041141
MF Sid Prince 10000010
MF Joe Wheatley 30000030
FW John Sanderson 10000010
FW George Morrey 20000020
FW Harry Ware 10110021
FW Cecil Booth 00420042
FW Peter Doherty 00002020
FW Micky Fenton 00001010
FW Jack Gallon 00001010
FW Ralph Gregory 00001111
FW Albert Hall 11000011
FW Leonard Howell 10000010
FW Dennis Isherwood 11000011
FW Harry Lane 1009020210
FW Richard Maudsley 30000030
FW Isaac McDowell 1139220225
FW Bill McKay 10000010
FW James Mee 10000010
FW Roy Meiklem 10000010
FW George Morrey 20000020
FW George Moses 00001010
FW Edward Nutting 10200030
FW Bill Pointon 63111084
FW Eric Prince 1357110216
FW Richard Roberts 20000020
FW John Roden 40002060
FW Dennis Spender 10000010
FW Dennis Wilshaw 10000010
FW Bert Wright 1400000140
FW Dick Yates 00100010

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name North First Championship League North Cup North Second Championship Midland Cup Total
1MF EnglandAlf Bellis540110
2FW EnglandEric Prince51006
3FW ScotlandIsaac McDowell32005
4FW EnglandBill Pointon21204
5MF ScotlandHarry McShane01203
–MF WalesPhil Griffiths10203
–MF EnglandJack Clunn10023
8MF EnglandJack Kirkaldy20002
–MF EnglandRobert Pepper20002
–FW EnglandCecil Booth02002
11MF EnglandFrank Pointon00011
–DF EnglandHarry Griffiths00101
–DF EnglandLouis Cardwell01001
–MF EnglandJonty Musgrave10001
–FW EnglandHarry Ware01001
–FW EnglandRalph Gregory00011
–FW WalesAlbert Hall00101
–FW EnglandDennis Isherwood00101
TOTALS 22 13 9 5 49

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
July 1944MFKenneth BanksFree transfer[2]
August 1944MFWilliam BirksFree transfer[2]
August 1944FWRalph GregoryFree transfer[2]
August 1944MFHarold JervisStoke CityFree transfer[2]
August 1944FWJames MeeFree transfer[2]
August 1944MFFrank PointonEndonFree transfer[2]
August 1944GKHarry PrinceWolverhampton WanderersFree transfer[2]
September 1944MFJonty MusgraveHartlepools UnitedFree transfer[2]
September 1944MFRobert PepperStafford Boys' ClubFree transfer[2]
September 1944FWEric PrinceIpstonesFree transfer[2]
October 1944MFMurdoch DickiePort ValeFree transfer[2]
October 1944MFIsaac McDowell CowdenbeathFree transfer[2]
October 1944MFRoy MeredithFree transfer[2]
December 1944FWJack ClunnMichelinFree transfer[2]
December 1944MFSid PrinceMichelinFree transfer[2]
December 1944FWDennis SpenderRadwayFree transfer[2]
February 1945FWCecil BoothFree transfer[2]
March 1945FWLeonard HowellFree transfer[2]
March 1945FWJohn RodenFree transfer[2]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
1945MFKenneth BanksReleased[2]
1945MFRoy MeredithReleased[2]
1945MFJonty MusgraveReleased[2]
1945FWDennis SpenderReleased[2]
1945MFJames TunnicliffeReleased[2]
Summer 1945DFPhil GriffithsReleased[2]
Summer 1945FWLeonard HowellReleased[2]
Summer 1945MFSid PrinceIpstonesFree transfer[2]

References
Specific
  1. 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. 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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