Manager Norman Low fashions an attacking side to craft a memorable promotion for the Valiants.
GOALS AND GLORY A club record one hundred and ten goals scored
Key figures
Manager Low
Stan Steele - 21 goals
Jack Wilkinson - 21 goals
Graham Barnett - 20 goals
The background
Norman Low had replaced Freddie Steele in February 1957 and his style of football for the Valiants was “to entertain the public.” His first season saw him add a key figure in striker Jack Wilkinson and his side showed glimpses of its promise in the 1957-58 season. A good start and plenty of goals entertained the public but the side petered out in the second-half of the campaign? Could they improve on it during the 1958-59 season?
Port Vale's 1958-59 side
The summer
Low’s main pre-season move was to add Brian Jackson, a speedy winger to his squad. Jackson cost £2,000 from Liverpool. Other summer additions were left-back Roy Pritchard and winger Peter Hall.
The manager was clearly happy with the majority of his side from the previous season. Strikers Steele and Wilkinson had scored 21 and 17 goals respectively – could they do the same this season?
The season
A 4-1 opening day loss gave no impression of what was to follow… Low’s side soon gelled and were to lose just once again in their next nine games. They also showed their prowess away from home by winning their first four away games.
In late September there was another milestone as Vale Park played its first game under its new floodlights. It took Vale until mid-October to fail to score as their potent forward-line showed their strengths.
The first half of the season ended on a high note with a memorable 8-0 thrashing of Gateshead. It was a record win at Vale Park and Vale’s biggest victory since 1932. That result came in the middle of a twelve match unbeaten run which saw Vale establish a lead at the top of the table.
Striker Jack Wilkinson had had a strong start with seven goals in the first ten games and by the season’s half-way mark he had joined Harry Poole and Stan Steele by being in double figures with half the season to play.
The season in five facts
The season in five facts- Vale finished as champions with 64 points
- The Valiants lined up in a new black and amber kit instigated by new chairman Jake Bloom
- Port Vale scored a club record 110 goals during the season
- Five players reached double figures in the scoring charts
- They won twelve games away from home
A report on the 8-0 win over Gateshead
The title is secured
The promotion
Low was proving a canny operator. In mid-season he gave debuts to goalkeeper Ken Hancock and Graham Barnett, both of which would be significant contributors to the side’s success. Striker Barnett came to the fore in the New Year with a spell of seven goals in seven games.
Vale continued to push for promotion and by April they were six points clear of the pack. Promotion was secured in mid-April with a 1-1 draw at Darlington. The title was won on the final day of the season with a free scoring 5-2 win over Millwall.
The side had finished four points clear of second place and five players – Steele, Wilkinson, Barnett, Poole and Cunliffe had scored double figures.
Selected player bios
- Jack Wilkinson – the striker made it 40 goals in two seasons for Norman Low’s side.
- Ken Hancock – the goalkeeper is regarded by many Vale fans as the finest to play in a Vale shirt.
- Roy Sproson – the club legend secured another promotion although he was dropped for a spell during this season.
- Stan Steele – the local lad was the side’s top scorer with 21 goals.
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