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Burslem Port Vale 1888–89 football season
The 1888–89 season was Burslem Port Vale 's first season and only season of football in The Combination .[ 1] The league was abandoned before the fixture list was completed, though Vale were in poor form regardless. They exited the FA Cup , Staffordshire Senior Cup and North Staffordshire Challenge Cup in their opening rounds and also struggled in friendlies, the low point being a 3–1 defeat to village team Oswaldtwistle Rovers at the Athletic Ground .
Overview
The Combination
Burslem Port Vale prepared for their first ever league campaign by signings Lewis Ballham from Stoke and Dick Danks from Wolverhampton Wanderers , though they lost Harry Cookson to South Shore and Bob Ramsay to Stoke.[ 1] Despite being overweight, forward Billy Reynolds scored the winning goal in the season opening victory over Birmingham St George's at the Athletic Ground .[ 1] Though they lost 2–1 at home to Halliwell , they recorded 6–1 and 3–0 home victories over Gainsborough Trinity and South Shore .[ 1] However a sequence of away fixtures followed, in which they picked two points on the road all season.[ 1] Their home form remained steady though, picking up 16 of a possible 26 points at home.[ 1]
Cup competitions and friendlies
Vale's interest in the FA Cup ended early as they were beaten 3–2 at Small Heath Alliance .[ 1] Their friendlies in the first part of the season were also largely disappointing, losing 4–0 to Preston North End and 8–1 to Blackburn Rovers – both strong sides – but more worryingly they were humbled 4–0 at little-known side Witton .[ 1] A 3–1 home defeat to Lancashire village team Oswaldtwistle Rovers on 12 January was embarrassing, one of the worst results in the club's short history as they proved themselves "not worthy of a club their standing" on the day.[ 1] On 16 February, they fell to a 5–1 defeat at home to Potteries derby rivals Stoke in front of a season-high crowd of 5,000.[ 1] They managed to beat Burton Wanderers 4–2 in the fourth round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup on 9 March, but were forced to replay the game after the visitors complained about the state of the Athletic Ground pitch; the replay was lost 3–1 as the team reverted to "the old game of a long kick and a sharp rush".[ 1]
Desperate to turn around their poor form, the club signed "the best centre-forward that ever left Scotland" in 19-year old Frank McGinnes , who had built up a formidable reputation at Halliwell.[ 1] They travelled to Anfield on 20 April and recorded a 1–0 victory over Everton , but the season petered out with defeat to Leek in the semi-finals of the North Staffordshire Challenge Cup and a 7–1 thumping after fielding a weakened side at Bootle .[ 1] The Combination league collapsed, but the team's poor form meant they were not invited to compete in either the new Football Alliance .[ 1] The club management resolved to strengthen the team and had to be content with friendlies for the following campaign.[ 1]
Results
Burslem Port Vale's score comes first
Legend
The Combination
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorers
1 September 1888
Birmingham St George's
H
2–1
3,500
Ditchfield , Reynolds
3 September 1888
Halliwell
H
1–2
3,000
Ditchfield
8 September 1888
Gainsborough Trinity
H
6–1
2,500
Sproston (2), Ditchfield , Reynolds , Randles , Danks
17 September 1888
South Shore
H
3–0
2,000
rush, Ditchfield , Sproston
29 September 1888
Walsall Town Swifts
A
0–1
2,000
13 October 1888
Notts Rangers
H
1–2
rush
20 October 1888
Crewe Alexandra
A
1–4
3,000
Reynolds
22 October 1888
Leek
A
3–5
3,000
3 November 1888
Birmingham St George's
A
3–3
200
Danks , Ballham , Poulson
10 November 1888
Newton Heath
H
1–1
1,500
scrimmage
12 November 1888
Leek
H
4–1
2,000
Ditchfield (3), Poulson
17 November 1888
Long Eaton Rangers
A
1–3
Ditchfield
24 November 1888
Walsall Town Swifts
H
1–2
2,000
Poulson
1 December 1888
Lincoln City
H
2–1
1,500
Ballham (2)
15 December 1888
Halliwell
A
1–5
small
scrimmage
22 December 1888
Lincoln City
A
0–1
1,500
24 December 1888
Gainsborough Trinity
A
1–1
fair
Ballham
25 December 1888
Grimsby Town
A
2–6
1,500
29 December 1888
Crewe Alexandra
H
1–3
2,500
Randles
5 January 1889
Notts Rangers
A
1–4
Reynolds
19 January 1889
Newton Heath
A
0–3
2,500
26 January 1889
Long Eaton Rangers
H
1–1
moderate
McHarg
2 February 1889
Northwich Victoria
A
1–2
11 March 1889
Northwich Victoria
H
1–0
several hundred
16 March 1889
South Shore
A
0–3
not very big
6 April 1889
Grimsby Town
H
2–1
1,500
Ballham (2)
FA Cup
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
2Q
27 October 1888
Small Heath Alliance
A
2–3
scrimmage, o.g.
Staffordshire Senior Cup
North Staffordshire Challenge Cup
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
SF
4 May 1889
Leek
N
2–3
Danks , Stokes
Friendlies
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
15 September 1888
Derby St Luke's
H
1–1
2,000
rush
22 September 1888
Blackburn Park Road
H
3–4
1,500
Randles (2), Sproston
24 September 1888
Preston North End
H
0–4
3,000
1 October 1888
Burnley
H
2–0
1,400
Reynolds , Randles
6 October 1888
Witton
A
0–4
15 October 1888
Bolton Wanderers
H
3–1
2,000
o.g., Stokes, Ditchfield
29 October 1888
Blackburn Rovers
H
1–8
3,000
Ballham
8 December 1888
Rotherham Town
A
2–3
3,000
Reynolds , other
10 December 1888
Everton
H
2–2
2,000
Ballham , o.g.
12 January 1889
Oswaldtwistle Rovers
H
1–3
small
Ditchfield
16 February 1889
Stoke
H
1–5
5,000
Vessey
2 March 1889
Stoke
A
2–4
30 March 1889
Leek
A
1–1
Ditchfield
15 April 1889
Halliwell
H
1–2
Ballham
20 April 1889
Everton
A
1–0
8,000
Reynolds
22 April 1889
Witton
H
1–2
2,500
o.g.
29 April 1889
Crewe Alexandra
H
0–0
14 May 1889
Bootle
A
1–7
1,500
Ditchfield
Player statistics
Appearances
Pos.
Name
League
Staffordshire Cup
Challenge Cup
Friendlies
Total
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
GK
Arthur Broomhall
5
0
2
0
1
0
9
0
16
0
GK
Joseph Mawdesley
9
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
12
0
GK
Meakin
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
GK
Millward
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
GK
W Morgan
6
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
10
0
DF
George Bateman
18
0
2
0
0
0
14
0
34
0
DF
E Chadwick
11
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
14
0
DF
T Marriott
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
DF
G Martin
4
0
2
0
1
0
3
0
10
0
DF
Matthews
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
DF
W.E. Powell
6
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
11
0
DF
Albert Skinner
12
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
16
0
DF
Udall
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
0
DF
Underwood
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
DF
G Wardle
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
MF
Billy Elson
19
0
2
1
1
0
17
0
39
1
MF
Fred Farrington
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
MF
Kirkham
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
MF
Locker
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
MF
G McHarg
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
MF
Billy Poulson
19
3
2
0
1
0
17
0
39
3
MF
Jos Randles
18
2
0
0
0
0
9
3
27
5
MF
Robinson
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
MF
Jack Shields
20
0
2
0
1
0
17
0
40
0
MF
Charlie Simpson
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
MF
J.H. Sproston
9
3
2
2
1
0
4
1
16
6
MF
John Surtees
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
2
0
MF
H Wardle
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
FW
Lewis Ballham
16
6
2
2
1
0
12
3
31
11
FW
Dick Danks
15
2
0
0
1
z
9
0
25
3
FW
Jimmy Ditchfield
18
8
2
0
1
0
17
4
38
12
FW
Frank McGinnes
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
FW
Oxley
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
FW
Ernie Payne
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
3
0
FW
Billy Reynolds
14
4
0
0
0
0
14
3
28
7
FW
Fred Stokes
4
0
2
0
1
1
7
1
14
2
FW
Vessey
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
FW
F Wood
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
Top scorers
Transfers
Transfers in
Date from
Position
Nationality
Name
From
Fee
Ref.
Summer 1888
GK
Arthur Broomhall
Stoke
Free transfer
[ 2]
Summer 1888
DF
Udall
Free transfer
[ 2]
Summer 1888
FW
F Wood
Free transfer
[ 2]
Autumn 1888
FW
Lewis Ballham
Stoke
Free transfer
[ 2]
Autumn 1888
MF
Fred Farrington
Free transfer
[ 2]
Autumn 1888
DF
E Chadwick
Free transfer
[ 2]
September 1888
GK
Joseph Mawdesley
Free transfer
[ 2]
December 1888
MF
G McHarg
Free transfer
[ 2]
1889
DF
Matthews
Free transfer
[ 2]
January 1889
GK
Meakin
Free transfer
[ 2]
April 1889
MF
Fred Farrington
Halliwell
Free transfer
[ 2]
Transfers out
Date from
Position
Nationality
Name
To
Fee
Ref.
December 1888
DF
Jack Shields
Quit
[ 2]
Summer 1889
DF
E Chadwick
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
GK
Joseph Mawdesley
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
GK
Meakin
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
MF
G McHarg
Burslem Port Vale
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
GK
W Morgan
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
MF
Robinson
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
MF
J.H. Sproston
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
MF
John Surtees
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
DF
Udall
Released
[ 2]
Summer 1889
FW
F Wood
Free transfer
[ 2]
References
Specific
General
1880–81
1881–82
1882–83
1883–84
1884–85
1885–86
1886–87
1887–88
1888–89
1889–90