60 years on: Vale’s proudest cup moment
To commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of Port Vale’s FA Cup semi-final appearances, here is a documentary video on that legendary Iron Curtain side.
The following is a brief documentary on the 1954 Iron Curtain Port Vale side, which won a record-breaking promotion, defeated Stanley Matthews’ Blackpool in a famous FA Cup giantkilling and reached the FA Cup semi-final only to controversially lose to West Brom.
This is from the “Up the Vale” video kindly supplied to OVF by Stuart Dean.
Click play to watch it. For more on the Iron Curtain side, click on the features below.
More Iron Curtain Features
1954 semi-final special – the front cover
To conclude our look at the Sentinel special marking the club’s FA Cup semi-final appearance in 1954, here is a Photoshopped copy of the front cover.
Port Vale v WBA, FA Cup semi-final special
Following on from the “players at home” feature, here are several more clippings from the Sentinel’s special on Port Vale’s 1954 FA Cup semi-final against West Bromwich Albion.
The 1954 side pictured at home…
Taken from a Sentinel FA Cup semi-final special on display at the Vale Vaults exhibition, here are some unique period portraits of the legendary Freddie Steele side pictured at home.
Video vault: The Iron Curtain season
Thanks to Stuart Dean, we have a short documentary clip of Port Vale’s 1954 record-breaking side.
Pictured: 1950s Port Vale autographs
Thanks to Pete T, we have some photos of Vale fan Geoff Austin’s autograph book from which dates back to the 1950’s. It contains autographs of both Vale and Stoke players from that era.
Pictured: the goal that took Vale into the semi-final
Thanks to OVF reader Paul Rafferty, we have an image of Vale’s crucial FA Cup goal against Leyton Orient – the strike that secured Port Vale’s place in the semi-finals.
The moment Vale’s cup final dreams were dashed…
Whilst in the course of research for more OVF historical features, we were given these amazing images of Vale’s 1954 FA Cup semi-final clash with West Bromwich Albion.
1954: Salute to Port Vale cartoon
OVF is proud to reproduce a vintage cartoon from the March 1954 edition of Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly. It celebrates the achievements of Port Vale’s legendary 1954 Iron Curtain side.
Port Vale players of the 1950’s and 1960’s
Thanks to Port Vale fan Angela Fox, OVF has been handed these amazing images of Port Vale players, fans and club staff during the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Player profiles of Port Vale’s Iron Curtain side
Exclusive images and contemporary text from the ‘Pride of Port Vale’ booklet. The book celebrated the achievements of the legendary 1954 ‘Iron Curtain’ side. These are the original text and cartoons that appear in the 1954 booklet.
Port Vale v Wrexham, 1954
Paul Humphreys has kindly provided the onevalefan viewers with the opportunity to leaf through the pages of a souvenir programme from the glorious 1954 Iron Curtain campaign.
The 1954 FA Cup semi-final programme
We present exclusive images from the programme for Vale’s biggest-ever match, the FA Cup semi-final against West Brom in 1954.
Vale 2-0 Blackpool, 1954
Port Vale stun the cup holders in one of Vale Park’s finest games of all time.
King of the Steele Curtain side
In 2000, OVF managed to speak to Ray King, a genuine Port Vale legend, who played in Vale’s FA Cup semi-final side. Read the great man’s thoughts.
