In the first of a double header, we present a list of Port Vale seasons which were a let down. But don’t worry, we’ll also have a feature on surprisingly good Port Vale seasons too.
This latest feature comes thanks to a suggestion from Port Vale fan Lindsay Whitehouse. Lindsay writes – “One thing that runs constant through Vale’s history is the ability to completely surprise fans, in a good, and bad way.” His suggestion gave us the idea of a double-header feature – firstly here are some disappointing campaigns and we’ll follow it up with some surprisingly good campaigns.
Words by Lindsay Whitehouse and Rob Fielding
The 1954-1955 season
After their magnificent exploits and giant killing cup run during the previous Iron Curtain season, hopes were high for Vale to continue the momentum and perhaps add another promotion. Instead the Valiants limped through the campaign and the previously imperious defence conceded 71 goals – an increase of 50 on the previous season. Swansea and Birmingham each struck seven goals past the Vale, and Derby rattled in six. Vale’s policy of ‘no buy no sell’ had seemingly led the club to stagnate.
The 1957-1958 season
The season began with high hopes, it was Norman Low’s first full season as manager and he promised that Vale would fight like hell to get back into the second division, instead we dropped down in to the newly formed Division Four after a hugely disappointing fifteenth place finish. Normal Low signed several high profile players including Noel Kinsey a Welsh international who scored in the FA Cup final just one season before. It was a huge disappointment.
The 1963-64 season
Hopes were really high for the Valiants after the side finished third the previous season. Freddie Steele went on a spending spree, probably unequalled, before or since, in Vale’s history. He signed Billy Bingham the Northern Ireland captain, and a proven top flight goal scorer in Albert Cheeseborough along with Jackie Mudie who the previous season had scored 20 goals to lead Stoke to the Second Division championship. Those were the three marque signings but he also signed Tim Rawlings, Ron Smith and Ron Wilson. Although the club had a great FA Cup run, beating first division Birmingham before losing out to eventual league champions Liverpool, Vale finished a hugely disappointing 13th. The exploits in the cup simply underlined the woeful league performances that saw the beginning of a rapid decline.
The 1983-1984 season
Striker Martin Henderson celebrates a rare goal for Vale
Once again hopes were high after winning promotion under John McGrath the previous season. However, McGrath had crucially failed to strengthen the side in the summer despite the club reportedly having the third highest wage bill in the division. The season at least started promisingly with Vale thumping old rivals Wrexham 8-2 on aggregate in the League Cup but after that it was disaster after disaster – there was a run of fifteen games without a win and an 7-0 defeat at Burnley. McGrath was inevitably sacked and perhaps the sole brightspot of the campaign was the appointment of his assistant John Rudge as manager.
The 2016-2017 season
Michael Brown and Bruno Ribeiro
There’s a few recent seasons we could have selected but we’ve opted for this one because it offered such a contrast in fortunes. In the summer owner Norman Smurthwaite had allowed manager Rob Page to leave. Convinced he could create a new dynasty and identity at the club, Smurthwaite appointed rookie Bruno Ribeiro and allowed him to bring sixteen new players – the majority of which were new to the English Leagues. Incredibly at one point it looked like it just might work – boosted by the goals of loanee Alex Jones, Vale won four of their first eight games. And then it fell apart. Ribeiro had departed by Boxing Day and Jones ended his loan spell in January. Replacement manager Michael Brown was unable to strengthen in January and Vale were comfortably relegated back to the fourth tier.
I know we kept a lot of the Adidas shirts as training kit after we signed the kit deal with Hobott but on that photo a couple of the players look like they’re wearing shirts with Lincoln City badges
I don’t think the 2016-17 season was surprisingly poor. After all, many at the time thought Smurfwaite’s cull of a successful team with Page the previous season was mad, especially with his idea being a random selection of agent catalogue punts which nobody believed were likely to work. Biggest surprise was how well it started.
Alex Jones. Gave it large (as da kidz say) when he scored for Bradford . Now tearing it up for Stourbridge. Possibly the most disrecptful player I’ve seen in a long time (Burge doesn’t count as he is mentally ill)