1918–19 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1918–19 season
Chairman	Frank Huntbach
Manager	Jock Cameron; (until January); Joe Schofield; (January onwards)
Stadium	Old Recreation Ground
Football League Lancashire Section	12th (24 points)
Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament	4th (3 points)
Top goalscorer	League: Harry Howell (6); All: Harry Howell (9)
Highest home attendance	16,000 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919
Lowest home attendance	2,000 vs. Blackpool, 28 September 1918
Average home league attendance	5,772
Biggest win	4–1 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919
Biggest defeat	1–8 vs. Stoke, 12 October 1918
	← 1917–18 1919–20 →

The 1918–19 season was Port Vale's third season of football after going into abeyance during World War I.^[1] They finished 12th in the Football League Lancashire Section, going on to finish bottom of their group in the Subsidiary Tournament. The club applied to join the Football League in March but were unsuccessful.

Overview

With Tom Holford largely unavailable, Jock Cameron was promoted to captain and team manager.^[1] The squad had to be made up largely of players available and willing to play, with only the Pearson brothers (Harry and Albert) offering much in the way of continuity from the previous campaign.^[1] The team started with a four-game unbeaten run, only to pick up one point from their next six games.^[1] The poor run included an embarrassing 8–1 defeat by Stoke at the Old Recreation Ground.^[1] The war was drawing to a close, ending on 11 November, but not before claiming the lives of Bob Suart and Jack Shelton.^[1] Vale beat bottom-club Burnley 4–2 five days later, and began to be strengthened by first-team players who returned from their wartime duties – as were every other club however.^[1] From this point, Vale began winning their home games but losing their away matches, ending this run with a 2–0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on 18 January – the first away win of the campaign.^[1] A sign of things returning to normal was the sale of Albert Pearson to Liverpool in January.^[1]

As players again started to be paid their regular wage, the Football League began a tax on rich clubs to support poorer clubs, which benefited Vale to the tune of £71.^[1] Eager to win a place in the expanding Football League the following season, Vale appointed former England international Joe Schofield as team secretary in January.^[1] Four straight wins around the new year were followed by four straight defeats in February, though attendance began to rise back to regular peacetime levels.^[1] On 10 March, the Football League held a vote on which clubs to admit for the 1919–20 season and Vale were disappointed only to tally 27 votes, leaving Stoke, West Ham United, South Shields, Rotherham County and Coventry City as the successful applicants.^[1] Vale also ended the league programme with eight defeats in their last ten matches, losing heavily to Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers.^[1] They ended the season 12th out of 16 teams, scoring 39 goals whilst conceding 77.^[1] The club set up a Supporters' club in April with 220 members each contributing a shilling subscription.^[1] Vale again fared poorly in the six-game Subsidiary Tournament, losing four and winning only once.^[1] They did end positively, though, beating Potteries derby rivals Stoke 4–1 in front of a season-high crowd of 16,000.^[1]

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win	Draw	Loss

Football League Lancashire Section

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
11	Blackpool	30	10	5	15	45	61	0.738	25
12	Port Vale	30	10	4	16	39	77	0.506	24
13	Burnley	30	10	3	17	54	76	0.711	23

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
7 September 1918	Bury	A	1–1		Rogers
14 September 1918	Bury	H	2–1		McCarthy, Lyons
21 September 1918	Blackpool	A	1–1		Davies
28 September 1918	Blackpool	H	1–1	2,000	A.Pearson
5 October 1918	Stoke	A	2–3		Foster (2)
12 October 1918	Stoke	H	1–8		Davies
19 October 1918	Stockport County	A	0–3	3,000
26 October 1918	Stockport County	H	2–2		Blood, H.Pearson
2 November 1918	Liverpool	H	0–2	5,000
9 November 1918	Liverpool	A	0–4	14,000
16 November 1918	Burnley	H	4–2	4,000	H.Pearson, Salt, Cope, o.g.
23 November 1918	Burnley	A	1–4	4,000	Fitchford
30 November 1918	Southport Vulcan	H	2–0		Kelly, A.Pearson
7 December 1918	Southport Vulcan	A	0–4
14 December 1918	Manchester United	H	3–1	4,000	Burgess, Garner, Brennan
21 December 1918	Manchester United	A	1–5	5,000	H.Pearson (pen)
28 December 1918	Bolton Wanderers	H	3–1	5,000	o.g., Fitchford, Asbury
11 January 1919	Preston North End	H	1–0	4,000	Burgess
18 January 1919	Preston North End	A	2–0		Cameron, Burgess
25 January 1919	Rochdale	H	2–0	3,000	Howell, Burgess
1 February 1919	Rochdale	A	0–2	3,500
8 February 1919	Everton	H	0–1	10,000
15 February 1919	Everton	A	1–3	20,000	Howell
22 February 1919	Oldham Athletic	A	0–6	5,875
1 March 1919	Oldham Athletic	H	3–1	5,301	Brennan, Howell, Hill
8 March 1919	Manchester City	A	1–6	14,000	Howell
15 March 1919	Manchester City	H	1–5	8,500	Fitchford
22 March 1919	Blackburn Rovers	H	3–2	5,000	Howell (2), Fitchford
29 March 1919	Blackburn Rovers	A	0–6	5,000
18 April 1919	Bolton Wanderers	A	1–2	20,000	Hill (pen)

Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
2	Stoke	6	2	2	2	9	10	0.900	6
3	Manchester United	6	2	0	4	9	14	0.643	4
4	Port Vale	6	1	1	4	9	13	0.692	3

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches


Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
5 April 1919	Manchester United	H	1–3	6,000	J.Parker
12 April 1919	Manchester United	A	1–2	8,000	J.Parker
19 April 1919	Manchester City	H	0–1	8,000
21 April 1919	Stoke	A	2–2		Briscoe, Brennan
26 April 1919	Manchester City	A	1–4	20,000	Howell
28 April 1919	Stoke	H	4–1	16,000	Howell (2), o.g., Joe Smith

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Pos.	Name	League		Subsidiary		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Jonathan Hammond	28	0	6	0	34	0
GK	F Clements	1	0	0	0	1	0
GK	John Dennis	1	0	0	0	1	0
DF	Jock Cameron	7	1	0	0	7	1
DF	George Holmes	20	0	0	0	20	0
DF	Tom Lyons	25	1	5	0	30	1
DF	Harry Pearson	29	3	6	0	35	3
DF	Edgar Bentley	11	0	2	0	13	0
DF	W Dalton	1	0	0	0	1	0
DF	Eli Fletcher	0	0	1	0	1	0
DF	W Garner	1	1	0	0	1	1
DF	Harry Leese	1	0	5	0	6	0
DF	Ben Marsden	6	0	0	0	6	0
DF	Andie Newton	1	0	3	0	4	0
DF	Fred Parker	6	0	0	0	6	0
DF	J Taylor	8	0	1	0	9	0
MF	G Arrowsmith	11	0	0	0	11	0
MF	Tom Holford	0	0	1	0	1	0
MF	Joe Daley	8	0	0	0	8	0
MF	James Hill	12	2	4	0	16	2
MF	William Ashmole	0	0	1	0	1	0
MF	E Bell	1	0	0	0	1	0
MF	Albert Broadhouse	6	0	4	0	10	0
MF	Sammy Brooks	1	0	0	0	1	0
MF	W Brooks	1	0	0	0	1	0
MF	Billy Fitchford	13	4	3	0	16	4
MF	H Hale	2	0	0	0	2	0
MF	J Kelly	2	1	0	0	2	1
MF	F Langley	10	0	1	0	11	0
MF	Arthur McGarry	7	0	5	0	12	0
MF	J McGarry	1	0	0	0	1	0
MF	Walter Rowley	2	0	0	0	2	0
MF	Alf Smith	12	0	0	0	12	0
MF	Jack Smith	5	0	0	0	5	0
MF	Walter Watson	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	David Bowcock	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Tom Brennan	11	2	2	1	13	3
FW	Billy Briscoe	1	0	3	1	4	1
FW	Jack Foster	14	2	1	0	15	2
FW	Albert Pearson	19	2	0	0	19	2
FW	Arthur Rogers	3	1	0	0	3	1
FW	J Asbury	2	1	0	0	2	1
FW	Bobby Blood	4	1	0	0	4	1
FW	J Bradbury	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	David Brown	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Dick Burgess	7	4	0	0	7	4
FW	G Cooper	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	A Cope	1	1	0	0	1	1
FW	Tom Davies	4	2	0	0	4	2
FW	Alex Donaldson	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	A Floyd	0	0	2	0	2	0
FW	W Gould	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Harry Howell	9	6	2	3	11	9
FW	F McCarthy	5	1	0	0	5	1
FW	J Parker	4	0	3	2	7	2
FW	A Salt	1	1	0	0	1	1
FW	Joe Smith	0	0	1	1	1	1
FW	Bob Whittingham	0	0	2	0	2	0

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	League	Subsidiary	Total
1	FW	England	Harry Howell	6	3	9
2	FW	England	Dick Burgess	4	0	4
–	MF	England	Billy Fitchford	4	0	4
4	FW	England	Harry Pearson	3	0	3
–	FW	England	Tom Brennan	2	1	3
6	FW	England	Tom Davies	2	0	2
–	FW	England	Jack Foster	2	0	2
–	MF	England	James Hill	2	0	2
–	DF	England	Albert Pearson	2	0	2
–	FW	England	J Parker	0	2	2
11	FW	England	A Cope	1	0	1
–	FW	England	A Salt	1	0	1
–	DF	England	Tom Lyons	1	0	1
–	DF	Scotland	Jock Cameron	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Bobby Blood	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Arthur Rogers	1	0	1
–	MF	England	J Kelly	1	0	1
–	DF	England	W Garner	1	0	1
–	FW	England	F McCarthy	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Joe Smith	0	1	1
–	FW	England	Billy Briscoe	0	1	1
–	FW	England	J Asbury	1	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	2	1	2
			TOTALS	39	9	48

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1918	DF	Ben Marsden		Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1918	FW	F McCarthy		Free transfer	^[2]
Autumn 1918	MF	Arthur McGarry		Free transfer	^[2]
Autumn 1918	DF	J Taylor		Free transfer	^[2]
November 1918	FW	J Parker	Longton	Free transfer	^[2]
December 1918	FW	Dick Burgess		Free transfer	^[2]
April 1919	MF	Andie Newton	Manchester City	Free transfer	^[2]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
Autumn 1918	MF	Joe Daley		Released	^[2]
October 1918	FW	F McCarthy	Stafford Rangers	Free transfer	^[2]
November 1918	MF	Alf Smith		Released	^[2]
1919	FW	Tom Davies		Released	^[2]
1919	FW	Arthur Rogers		Released	^[2]
January 1919	FW	Albert Pearson	Liverpool	Transfer	^[2]
February 1919	FW	Dick Burgess	Arsenal	Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1919	MF	G Arrowsmith		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	GK	John Dennis		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	A Floyd		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	Jack Foster		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	DF	George Holmes	Merthyr Tydfil	Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	DF	Harry Leese	Crewe Alexandra	Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	J Parker		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	MF	Jack Smith		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	DF	J Taylor		Released	^[2]

References

Specific

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hard Road Back (1907–1919)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 71–97. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w 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.

[Kent-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hard Road Back (1907–1919)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 71–97. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

[transfers-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

[1]

[2]

v t e Port Vale F.C. seasons
1880–81 1881–82 1882–83 1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889–90
1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–00
1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10
1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20
1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30
1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40
1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50
1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 2026–27 2027–28 2028–29 2029–30