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1992–93 Port Vale F.C. season

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Port Vale
1992–93 season
ChairmanBill Bell
ManagerJohn Rudge
StadiumVale Park
Football League Second Division3rd (89 Points)
play-off runners-up
(knocked out by West Bromwich Albion)
FA CupThird Round
(knocked out by Newcastle United)
League CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Bolton Wanderers)
Football League TrophyWinners
TNT TournamentWinners
Player of the YearIan Taylor
Top goalscorerLeague: Ian Taylor (15)
All: Ian Taylor (19)
Highest home attendance20,373 vs. Stoke City, 31 March 1993
Lowest home attendance3,851 vs. Fulham, 12 January 1993
Average home league attendance8,092
Biggest win4–0 (twice)
Biggest defeat0–4 vs. Newcastle United, 2 January 1993

The 1992–93 season was Port Vale's 81st season of football in the English Football League, and fourth-successive (36th overall) season in the Second Division. John Rudge found new stars by bringing both Ian Taylor and Paul Musselwhite to the club at a combined fee of just £40,000. His team won the pre-season TNT Tournament and also won the Football League Trophy. In the league, Vale reached third place, four points off their rivals Stoke City, who lifted the title. They reached the play-off final but lost out 3–0 to West Bromwich Albion. They left the FA Cup and the League Cup at the Third Round and First Round stages respectively. They played five Potteries derby games, winning the Football League Trophy clash and the FA Cup clash after a replay, but losing both encounters in the league.

The Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy victory commemoration plate

Overview

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Second Division

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The pre-season saw Vale tour the Netherlands and participate in a TNT Tournament. Beating De Graafschap 5–0, van der Laan scoring a brace, they then lost 4–3 to the Go Ahead Eagles on penalties, following a goalless draw. Despite this, they were crowned the tournament's winners on aggregate. John Rudge uncovered another 'gem' by signing midfielder Ian Taylor from non-League side Moor Green for a fee of just £15,000.[1] He also spent a mere £25,000 to bring Scunthorpe United goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite to Vale Park. Musslewhite's arrival came due to the departure of Mark Grew to Cardiff City. Paul Kerr also arrived in Burslem from Millwall for a £140,000 fee. Another new face was defender Bradley Sandeman, who arrived on a free transfer from Maidstone United.

The season started poorly, with the Vale picking up just one win in the opening eight games. On 5 September, Trevor Wood conceded a penalty at Vetch Field in an 'off the ball' incident with a Swansea player and was subsequently dropped in favour of Musselwhite, who remained an ever-present in the Vale side for the rest of the season. On 17 October, Vale won 4–0 at home to Plymouth Argyle.[2] From 12 September to 13 February, they went on a club-record streak of 22 games without failing to score – losing just two games in the process (one of these being a 2–1 defeat to Stoke City at the Victoria Ground). Overlapping this spell, from 1 January to 14 March they went on a club-record six straight home defeats. This was followed by two further club-records, as between 20 March and 24 April, they made five consecutive away wins, picking up clean sheets in all five games. The first encounter with Stoke came in the league at the Victoria Ground on 24 October, when Mark Stein converted a controversial penalty he had won following a foul by Musselwhite to give the home side a 2–1 win.[3] Mark Stein described an "electric" atmosphere, saying the hissing sound from the ground "was like something I had never known, I'd had derbies before for Luton against Watford, but Stoke–Vale was something different".[3]

In January, Dean Stokes was signed from non-League Halesowen Town for £5,000. The next month Peter Billing arrived on loan from Coventry City, and impressed enough to earn a permanent move three months later, at a fee of £35,000. Alex Mathie also arrived on loan from Greenock Morton, but failed to make an impact. Six straight league wins in the new year were followed by losses on the road at Stockport County and Rotherham United. In the driving snow, they returned to winning ways with a 2–1 home win over promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion.[4] The return league Potteries derby fixture was held at Vale Park on 31 March, with 20,373 fans turning out to see if the Vale could close the seven-point gap on league leaders Stoke City, who would virtually seal promotion with an away victory.[3] Stein opened the scoring with a volley on five minutes and Nigel Gleghorn headed in a corner kick on 64 minutes to seal a league double for the Potters over their city rivals.[3] They won four of their final five games, but this was not enough to gain them a promotion place, as Bolton won fifteen of their final eighteen games.[5]

They finished in third place with 89 points, one point short of promoted Bolton Wanderers and four points behind rivals Stoke City. Their two draws with Bolton and two defeats to Stoke proved fatal. They were a massive seventeen points clear of seventh place Leyton Orient, and so went into the play-offs. Facing the foes of their Football League Trophy final success, Stockport County, in the semi-finals, Vale drew 1–1 at Edgeley Park thanks to a Dean Glover goal.[6] They won the return leg in front of 12,689 fans with a Martin Foyle goal. In the final were the side that had knocked them out of the FA Cup semi-finals in 1954, West Bromwich Albion. The game was goalless until Peter Swan was dismissed for bringing down an advancing Bob Taylor. They tasted defeat at Wembley for the first time as a crowd of 53,471 witnessed three subsequent West Brom goals, scored by Andy Hunt, Nicky Reid, and Kevin Donovan.

Player of the Year Ian Taylor, top-scorer with nineteen goals, was also picked for the PFA Second Division Team of the Year.

Finances

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The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

Cup competitions

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In the FA Cup, Vale were drawn against Stoke City. After a goalless draw at the Victoria Ground, some 19,810 turned up to see the replay at Vale Park. A 3–1 victory followed, with a Foyle brace and a third from Andy Porter; the game was best remembered for a patch of mud however, which stopped a certain goal from Dave Regis which would have levelled the score at 2–2.[7] The "Valiants" then easily dispatched non-league Altrincham with a 4–1 win at Moss Lane. Drawn against First Division Newcastle United at St James' Park in the Third Round, Vale were brushed aside 4–0 by the "Magpies".

In the League Cup, Vale faced a tricky encounter with league rivals Bolton Wanderers. Losing 2–1 at Burnden Park, a 1–1 draw in Burslem meant the "Trotters" advanced at the expense of the Vale.

In the Football League Trophy, Vale overcame Fulham with a 4–3 victory, despite going behind in extra time, Glover bagging a brace.[8] They then faced Third Division Northampton Town, who they dispatched with a 4–2 win. Facing Stoke City once again in the Southern Section semi-finals, Robin van der Laan scored the only goal of the game at the Victoria Ground to take Vale into the Southern Area final.[9] They advanced past Exeter City with a 2–1 home win and a 1–1 draw at St James Park, with Slaven scoring the crucial third goal of the aggregate tie with 13 minutes left to play.[10] The league was the priority. Yet, Vale had made it into the Football League Trophy final. Stockport County were out for revenge after Vale had edged them out of the play-offs. Paul Kerr put the Vale ahead, before Bernie Slaven made it two before half-time. Giant striker Kevin Francis pulled one back, but Vale held on for the win.

League table

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Main article: 1992–93 Football League

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Stoke City (C, P) 46 27 12 7 73 34 +39 93 Promotion to the First Division
2 Bolton Wanderers (P) 46 27 9 10 80 41 +39 90
3 Port Vale 46 26 11 9 79 44 +35 89 Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4 West Bromwich Albion (O, P) 46 25 10 11 88 54 +34 85
5 Swansea City 46 20 13 13 65 47 +18 73
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Results

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Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

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Results by matchday

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAHHAHAAHHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAHAAHAHAHHHAHAAHAA
ResultDLDWLDDDWWWWLWWDDWWDLWWWWWWLLWWLDWWWLWDWLWWWDW
Position132019111415161714131289955763375444222222222222222222233
Source: Statto[11]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
15 August 1992 Fulham H 0–0 6,746
22 August 1992 Bournemouth A 1–2 4,825 Taylor
29 August 1992 Stockport County H 0–0 6,340
1 September 1992 Rotherham United H 4–2 5,370 Taylor, Jeffers, Swan, van der Laan
5 September 1992 Swansea City A 0–2 3,868
12 September 1992 Exeter City H 2–2 5,642 Taylor, o.g.
15 September 1992 Burnley A 1–1 8,551 Houchen
19 September 1992 Hartlepool United A 1–1 2,815 Walker (pen)
26 September 1992 Chester City H 2–0 6,392 Bartlett, Walker
3 October 1992 Brighton & Hove Albion H 3–1 5,731 Cross, Walker (pen), Houchen
10 October 1992 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 17,512 Taylor
17 October 1992 Plymouth Argyle H 4–0 6,584 Sandeman, Glover, Taylor, Houchen
24 October 1992 Stoke City A 1–2 24,334 Kerr
31 October 1992 Blackpool H 2–1 7,057 Taylor, Walker
3 November 1992 Leyton Orient H 2–0 7,357 Taylor, Kerr
7 November 1992 Bolton Wanderers A 1–1 7,349 o.g.
21 November 1992 Hull City H 1–1 6,202 Taylor
28 November 1992 Huddersfield Town A 2–1 5,822 Swan, Foyle
12 December 1992 Preston North End A 5–2 6,038 Cross, van der Laan, Taylor, Porter, Foyle
19 December 1992 Wigan Athletic H 2–2 6,647 Walker, van der Laan
28 December 1992 Bradford City A 2–3 8,018 Glover, Taylor
9 January 1993 Burnley H 3–0 8,815 Taylor, Cross, Swan
16 January 1993 Chester City A 2–1 4,367 Foyle, Kerr
30 January 1993 Bournemouth H 3–0 6,834 Cross (2), Houchen
6 February 1993 Fulham A 2–1 4,905 Taylor, Kerr
9 February 1993 Hartlepool United H 2–0 6,629 Taylor, Jeffers
13 February 1993 Swansea City H 2–0 7,191 Cross, Houchen
16 February 1993 Stockport County A 0–2 7,449
20 February 1993 Rotherham United A 1–4 5,546 Sulley
27 February 1993 West Bromwich Albion H 2–1 13,291 Cross, Foyle
6 March 1993 Brighton & Hove Albion A 2–0 7,294 Glover, Kent
10 March 1993 Reading A 0–1 4,873
13 March 1993 Bolton Wanderers H 0–0 11,055
20 March 1993 Leyton Orient A 1–0 5,950 Walker
23 March 1993 Huddersfield Town H 1–0 7,747 van der Laan
27 March 1993 Hull City A 1–0 4,558 Walker
31 March 1993 Stoke City H 0–2 20,373
3 April 1993 Reading H 3–1 7,099 Houchen, Cross, Walker (pen)
6 April 1993 Preston North End H 2–2 8,271 Cross, Kerr
10 April 1993 Mansfield Town A 1–0 5,081 Kerr
13 April 1993 Bradford City H 1–2 8,743 Cross
17 April 1993 Wigan Athletic A 4–0 3,743 Slaven, Kerr (pen), van der Laan, Cross
24 April 1993 Plymouth Argyle A 1–0 5,563 Cross
27 April 1993 Mansfield Town H 3–0 9,996 Kerr (2), Taylor
4 May 1993 Exeter City A 1–1 3,219 Kerr (pen)
8 May 1993 Blackpool A 4–2 9,295 van der Laan, Kerr, Slaven, Taylor

Football League Second Division play-offs

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SF 16 May 1993 Stockport County A 1–1 7,856 Glover
SF 19 May 1993 Stockport County H 1–0 12,689 Foyle
F 30 May 1993 West Bromwich Albion N 0–3 53,471

FA Cup

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Main article: 1992–93 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 16 November 1992 Stoke City A 0–0 24,490
R1 Replay 24 November 1992 Stoke City H 3–1 19,810 Foyle (2), Porter
R2 5 December 1992 Altrincham A 4–1 3,859 Swan, Foyle, Taylor, van der Laan
R3 2 January 1993 Newcastle United A 0–4 29,873

League Cup

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Main article: 1992–93 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 18 August 1992 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 3,282 Foyle
R1 2nd Leg 25 August 1992 Bolton Wanderers H 1–1 4,870 Taylor

Football League Trophy

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Main article: 1992–93 Football League Trophy
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 12 January 1993 Fulham H 4–3 3,851 Glover (2 [1 pen]), Foyle, Taylor
R3 2 February 1993 Northampton Town H 4–2 4,834 Swan, Smith, Kerr, Walker
SSSF 3 March 1993 Stoke City A 1–0 22,254 van der Laan
SSF 16 March 1993 Exeter City H 2–1 8,866 Kerr (pen), Taylor
SSF 21 April 1993 Exeter City A 1–1 7,060 Slaven
F 22 May 1993 Stockport County N 2–1 35,881 Kerr, Slaven

Player statistics

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Appearances and goals

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Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Northern Ireland Trevor Wood 5 0 0 0 2 0 7 0
GK England Paul Musselwhite 41 0 4 0 9 0 54 0
DF England Simon Mills 3 0 1 0 1 0 5 0
DF England Dean Glover 39 3 3 0 10 3 52 6
DF England Neil Aspin 35 0 3 0 8 0 46 0
DF England Peter Swan 38 3 4 1 9 1 51 5
DF England Chris Sulley 40 1 4 0 7 0 51 1
DF England Bradley Sandeman 22 1 3 0 4 0 29 1
DF England Mark Smith 6 0 0 0 1 1 7 1
DF England Peter Billing 12 0 0 0 5 0 17 0
MF England Andy Porter 17 1 2 1 6 0 25 2
MF England Ray Walker 35 8 4 0 5 1 44 10
MF England John Jeffers 26 2 4 0 3 0 33 2
MF Netherlands Robin van der Laan 38 6 2 1 10 1 50 8
MF England Kevin Kent 27 1 0 0 10 0 37 1
MF England Ian Taylor 41 15 4 1 11 3 56 18
MF England Paul Kerr 38 11 1 0 11 3 50 14
FW England Nicky Cross 37 12 4 0 6 0 48 12
FW England Martin Foyle 16 4 4 3 9 3 29 10
FW England Keith Houchen 28 6 1 0 3 0 32 6
FW Scotland Bernie Slaven 10 2 0 0 5 2 15 4
FW Scotland Alex Mathie 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
FW England Kevin Bartlett 5 1 0 0 0 0 5 1

Top scorers

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Place Position Nation Name Second Division Play-offs FA Cup League Cup Football League Trophy Total
1 MF  England Ian Taylor 15 0 1 1 2 19
2 MF  England Paul Kerr 11 0 0 0 3 14
3 FW  England Nicky Cross 12 0 0 0 0 12
4 MF  England Ray Walker 8 0 0 0 1 10
– MF  Netherlands Robin van der Laan 6 0 1 0 1 10
6 FW  England Martin Foyle 4 1 3 1 1 9
7 FW  England Keith Houchen 6 0 0 0 0 6
– DF  England Dean Glover 3 1 0 0 2 6
9 DF  England Peter Swan 3 0 1 0 1 5
10 FW  Scotland Bernie Slaven 2 0 0 0 2 4
11 MF  England John Jeffers 2 0 0 0 0 2
– MF  England Andy Porter 1 0 1 0 0 2
13 DF  England Chris Sulley 1 0 0 0 0 1
– DF  England Bradley Sandeman 1 0 0 0 0 1
– MF  England Kevin Kent 1 0 0 0 0 1
– DF  England Mark Smith 0 0 0 0 1 1
– FW  England Kevin Bartlett 1 0 0 0 0 1
– – Own goals 2 0 0 0 0 2
TOTALS 79 2 7 2 14 104

Transfers

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Transfers in

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Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1992 MF England Ian Taylor Moor Green £25,000 [12]
30 July 1992 GK England Paul Musselwhite Scunthorpe United £17,500 [12]
July 1992 MF England Paul Kerr Millwall £140,000 [12]
July 1992 DF England Bradley Sandeman Maidstone United Free transfer [12]
July 1992 DF England Chris Sulley Blackburn Rovers Free transfer [12]
March 1993 FW Scotland Bernie Slaven Middlesbrough Free transfer [12]

Transfers out

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Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
June 1993 FW England Keith Houchen Hartlepool United Free transfer [12]
June 1993 DF England Chris Sulley Preston North End Free transfer [12]

Loans in

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Date from Position Nationality Name From Date to Ref.
1992 FW England Kevin Bartlett Notts County 1992 [12]
1992 DF England Mark Smith Notts County 1993 [12]
February 1993 DF England Peter Billing Coventry City May 1993 [12]
April 1993 FW Scotland Alex Mathie Scotland Greenock Morton April 1993 [12]

References

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Specific
  1. ^ Baggaley, Mike (7 January 2024). "Mixed emotions for Vale after Charlton thriller". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  2. ^ Baggaley, Mike (17 October 2024). "Matt Hancock and Darren Moore have their say". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Bullock, Liam (2023). El Ceramico: The Story of the Potteries Derby. Pitch. ISBN 978-1-80150-393-8.
  4. ^ Baggaley, Mike (23 February 2024). "Crunch time for Port Vale as Fleetwood await". The Valiant. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Dodgy penalty was not enough for a promotion". The Sentinel. 19 February 2011. p. 26.
  6. ^ Andrews, Phil (23 October 2011). "Football: Glover pushes Vale back into the frame: Barclays League". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  7. ^ Baggaley, Mike (24 November 2015). "Port Vale archives: Vale's FA Cup epic against Stoke City 23 years ago today". The Sentinel. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  8. ^ Sherwin, Phil (1 October 2011). "Extra time helped Vale to victory in tense game". The Sentinel: The Way We Were. p. 16.
  9. ^ Baggaley, Michael (3 March 2018). "Happy anniversary Port Vale 25 years on from Autoglass Trophy win at Stoke City". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  10. ^ Baggaley, Michael (21 April 2020). "'We're going to Wembley' - Port Vale's huge result at Exeter is archive classic". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  11. ^ Port Vale 1992–1993 : Results & Fixtures Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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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