1956–57 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1956–57 season was Port Vale's 45th season of football in the English Football League, and their third successive season (thirty-second overall) in the Second Division.[1] An unmitigated disaster from start to finish, they were relegated in bottom place with just 22 points from 42 games. It was the end of an era, as the reputation of 'the Steele Curtain' had taken a severe blow, and its architect Freddie Steele left the club in January. The season was considered to be one where the old guard 'cracked',[1] and thus many loyal servants of the club were let go in the summer of 1957, including Ray King, Reg Potts, Stan Turner, Tommy Cheadle, and Stan Smith.

Port Vale
1956–57 season
ChairmanFred Burgess
ManagerFreddie Steele (until 15 January)
Norman Low (February onwards)
StadiumVale Park
Football League Second Division22nd (22 Points)
FA CupThird Round
(knocked out by Barnsley)
Top goalscorerLeague: Cyril Done (9)
All: Cyril Done (9)
Highest home attendance22,395 vs. Stoke City, 29 April 1957
Lowest home attendance7,038 vs. Rotherham United, 27 April 1957
Average home league attendance14,046
Biggest win3–0 and 4–1
Biggest defeat0–6 and 1–7

Three still-standing but unwanted club-records were set this season: a record 28 defeats in 42 matches, and a 22 game streak without a clean sheet (22 September 1956 to 23 February 1957), and a losing streak of nine straight games (9 March 1957 to 20 April 1957).

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of Harry Anders, a winger from Manchester City signed for 'a substantial fee'.[1]

The season started with Anders and Baily up front, a combination which failed during a goalless draw with Barnsley.[1] Two losses followed in which eight goals were conceded. Harry Poole replaced Albert Leake in what was 'one of the few rays of sunlight in an otherwise gloomy beginning'.[1] Vale then 'clicked into gear', picking up seven points out of a possible ten in September.[1] This included a 4–2 win at Ewood Park, their last away win of the campaign.[1] Injuries then ravaged the squad as Vale went on a sequence of eight straight defeats to take them from fourteenth to second from bottom.[1] These included losses at the City Ground, Victoria Ground (in the first ever floodlit game in the Potteries[1]), and Anfield. In October, Baily was sold to Nottingham Forest for £7,000 – exactly what Vale had paid for him earlier in the year.[1] Baily had failed to fit in with the team, and was seen as too individualist.[1] The next month Steele bought experienced forward Billy Spurdle from Manchester City for £4,000.[1] He scored on his debut in a 3–2 win over Bury, and two weeks later he scored a brace in a 4–2 win over Doncaster Rovers.[1] This temporarily took them away from relegation worries before a streak of seven games without victory.[1]

On 15 January, Steele resigned, saying "I am quite prepared to face the consequences".[1] On 2 February, Nottingham Forest travelled to Vale Park with Eddie Baily, and demolished Vale 7–1 in a record defeat for the club at the stadium.[1] A week later, the "Valiants" put three past Fulham at Craven Cottage, but failed to pick up any points as Ray King conceded six goals despite a brilliant performance.[1] On 18 February, 42-year-old Norman Low of Workington Town took the £2,000 a year job as Vale manager.[1] Low had no interest in the tactics of the opposition, and simply told his players to 'entertain the public'.[1] He was confident the players at his disposal could reach safety, despite the difficult situation they found themselves in.[1] His first match in charge saw a 3–0 win over Grimsby Town which took them out of the relegation zone.[1] Yet what followed was a club-record nine game losing streak that doomed their season, five of which were played in Burslem.[1] Low experimented with his team by dropping King and Roy Sproson (on a run of 128 consecutive appearances), but all that resulted was a 6–0 hammering from Sheffield United.[1] However it was their 1–0 defeat at Gigg Lane to struggling Bury that did more damage to their prospects of survival.[1] During this spell Reg Potts made his 166th consecutive appearance, though Low put young reserves into the fray after all seemed lost.[1] After relegation was confirmed, Vale seemed to play better with the pressure lifted, and picked up five points in their last three games, including a 2–2 draw at home to rivals Stoke City.[1] Low also announced his plans to rebuild the club, initiating a lengthy series of schoolboy trials.[1]

They finished bottom of the table with 22 points, losing 18 of their 21 away games.[1] They were eight points short of third-from-bottom Notts County.[1] Their 57 goals scored was greater only than Lincoln City, whilst 'the Steele Curtain' was broken, conceding 101 goals, fewer than only two Football League clubs (Charlton Athletic and Crewe Alexandra).[1] Top scorer Cyril Done only score nine goals, as no consistent scorer emerged all season long.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, 105,000 spectators had been lost from the previous season to an average of only 14,046, leaving an income from gate receipts of £40,717.[1] Despite this a profit of £1,268 was recorded.[1] This occurred because of a wage budget cut of around £8,000 to £20,684 and a transfer credit of £625.[1] The club's debts were worrying however, causing the club's directors to funnel £2,500 of their own resources towards repaying this debt.[1] A clear-out of players was initiated for the first time in a good while, those departing included: Cyril Done (Winsford United); Ray King (sold to Boston United for £2,500); Reg Potts and Stan Turner (Worcester City); Tommy Cheadle, Stan Smith, and Derek Mountford (Crewe Alexandra); Len Stephenson and Billy Spurdle (Oldham Athletic); and Harry Anders (Accrington Stanley).[1] Though many of these were some of the club's best players, many had also reached retirement age.[1] Low admitted that he would have to buy young players to fill the vacancies in the first team.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale drew 3–3 with Barnsley at Oakwell, before losing the replay 1–0.[1]

League table
Main article: 1956–57 Football League
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion or relegation
18 Lincoln City 42 14 6 22 54 80 0.675 34
19 Barnsley 42 12 10 20 59 89 0.663 34
20 Notts County 42 9 12 21 58 86 0.674 30
21 Bury 42 8 9 25 60 96 0.625 25 Relegated
22 Port Vale 42 8 6 28 57 101 0.564 22
Source:

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

Results by matchday
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAAHH
ResultDLLDWWDLWLLLLLLLLWLWLDLLLLLWLWLLLLLLLLLDWD
Position81820181616161714171817182020202020202020202021212121212121212122222222222222222222
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
18 August 1956BarnsleyH0–014,336
22 August 1956Lincoln CityA0–411,863
25 August 1956Sheffield UnitedA2–421,950Smith (2)
27 August 1956Lincoln CityH1–113,595Done
1 September 1956Bristol CityH3–117,645Smith (2), Done
8 September 1956Blackburn RoversA4–220,753Smith(2), Stephenson, o.g.
15 September 1956West Ham UnitedH0–017,582
22 September 1956Nottingham ForestA2–418,699Smith, Baily
29 September 1956FulhamH2–121,281Askey, Done
6 October 1956MiddlesbroughA1–318,586Stephenson
10 October 1956Stoke CityA1–339,446Smith
13 October 1956Leicester CityH2–321,690Hayward (2)
20 October 1956Grimsby TownA0–113,801
27 October 1956Notts CountyH1–213,137Done
3 November 1956LiverpoolA1–432,334Steele
10 November 1956Leyton OrientH1–28,404o.g.
17 November 1956Huddersfield TownA1–314,044Poole
24 November 1956BuryH3–211,840Askey, Spurdle, Stephenson
1 December 1956Bristol RoversA1–221,268Griffiths
8 December 1956Doncaster RoversH4–112,330Cunliffe (2), Spurdle (2)
15 December 1956BarnsleyA0–29,683
29 December 1956Bristol CityA3–318,561Poole (2), Hayward
1 January 1957Rotherham UnitedA0–18,120
12 January 1957Blackburn RoversH0–312,422
19 January 1957West Ham UnitedA1–217,229Sproson
2 February 1957Nottingham ForestH1–718,185Askey
9 February 1957FulhamA3–613,967Done, Cunliffe, Spurdle
16 February 1957MiddlesbroughH2–120,766Done, Cunliffe
23 February 1957Leicester CityA1–212,064Spurdle
2 March 1957Grimsby TownH3–015,293Done (2), Askey
9 March 1957Notts CountyA1–317,324Potts
16 March 1957LiverpoolH1–214,241Spurdle
23 March 1957Leyton OrientA2–314,412Askey, Leake
25 March 1957Sheffield UnitedH0–69,249
30 March 1957Huddersfield TownH1–210,500Spurdle
6 April 1957BuryA0–110,524
13 April 1957Bristol RoversH2–39,006Steele, Done (pen)
19 April 1957Swansea TownH0–212,729
20 April 1957Doncaster RoversA0–47,626
22 April 1957Swansea TownA2–211,629Cunliffe, Leake
27 April 1957Rotherham UnitedH2–17,038Leake (2)
29 April 1957Stoke CityH2–222,395Cunliffe, Steele

FA Cup
Main article: 1956–57 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R35 January 1957BarnsleyA3–317,720Poole (2), Stephenson
R3 Replay7 January 1957BarnsleyH0–115,718

Player statistics

Appearances
Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Ray King 37020390
GK John Poole 300030
GK Leslie Wood 200020
DF Tommy Cheadle 14000140
DF Reg Potts 39120411
DF Roy Sproson 39120411
DF Stan Turner 27020290
DF David Raine 100010
DF Selwyn Whalley 600060
DF Frank Wintle 100010
MF Alan Bennett 200020
MF Albert Leake 22400224
MF John Cunliffe 31620336
MF Derek Mountford 9020110
MF Colin Askey 37520395
MF Harry Anders 300030
MF Terry Miles 500050
MF Billy Spurdle 21720237
MF Basil Hayward 42320443
FW Ken Griffiths 17100171
FW Len Stephenson 20321224
FW Stan Smith 17800178
FW Cyril Done 16900169
FW Harry Poole 30322325
FW Eddie Baily 910091
FW Stan Steele 12300123

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Total
1FW EnglandCyril Done909
2FW EnglandStan Smith808
3MF EnglandBilly Spurdle707
4MF EnglandJohn Cunliffe606
5MF EnglandColin Askey505
–FW EnglandHarry Poole325
7MF EnglandAlbert Leake404
–FW EnglandLen Stephenson314
9FW EnglandStan Steele303
–MF EnglandBasil Hayward303
11FW EnglandKen Griffiths101
–FW EnglandEddie Baily101
–DF EnglandRoy Sproson101
–DF EnglandReg Potts101
–––Own goals202
TOTALS 57 3 60

Transfers

Transfers in
Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1956GKLeslie WoodBarrow'Reasonable'[3]
July 1956MFHarry AndersManchester City'Substantial'[3]
November 1956MFBilly SpurdleManchester City£4,000[3]

Transfers out
Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
October 1956FWEddie BailyNottingham Forest£7,000[3]
May 1957FWCyril DoneWinsford UnitedFree transfer[3]
May 1957DFFrank WintleCrewe AlexandraFree transfer[3]
June 1957MFHarry AndersAccrington Stanley'Small'[3]
June 1957FWLen StephensonOldham Athletic£1,025[3]
July 1957DFTommy CheadleCrewe AlexandraFree transfer[3]
July 1957GKRay KingBoston United£2,500[3]
July 1957MFDerek MountfordCrewe AlexandraReleased[3]
July 1957DFReg PottsWorcester CityUndisclosed[3]
July 1957FWStan SmithCrewe AlexandraUndisclosed[3]
July 1957DFStan TurnerWorcester CityFree transfer[3]
Summer 1957MFBilly SpurdleOldham Athletic£1,000[3]

References
Specific
  1. Kent, Jeff (1990). "Fame and Fortune (1950–1959)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 171–196. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1956–1957 : 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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