Port Vale
1964–65 season
ChairmanTom Talbot
ManagerFreddie Steele
(until February)
Jackie Mudie
(from February)
StadiumVale Park
Football League Third Division22nd (32 Points)
FA CupSecond Round
(knocked out by Millwall)
League CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Luton Town)
Top goalscorerLeague: Albert Cheesebrough (7)
All: Albert Cheesebrough (7)
Highest home attendance8,190 vs. Colchester United, 29 August 1964
Lowest home attendance3,071 vs. Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, 13 February 1965
Average home league attendance5,508
Biggest win2–0 (four games)
Biggest defeat0–4 (five games)

The 1964–65 season was Port Vale's 53rd season of football in the English Football League, and their sixth season in the Third Division.[1] They went on a club record streak of 13 home games without a clean sheet from 26 September to 15 March. After an awful start to the season that saw the club bottom of the league, manager Freddie Steele left the club in February, and was replaced by one of his players, Jackie Mudie. A mini-revival under Mudie was not enough to prevent relegation at the end of the season, as the club finished five points adrift of safety in 22nd place. Their 41 goals scored in 46 league games was the worst record in the Football League, as Albert Cheesebrough managed to become the club's top-scorer with only seven goals.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw manager Freddie Steele attempt to sign legendary Spurs striker Bobby Smith, this audacious attempt failed partly due to the financially precarious situation the club found itself in after the previous season.[1] Instead Steele signed Ron Andrew from Stoke City for £3,000, as well as goalkeeper Reg Davies from Leyton Orient.[1]

The season began with a 4–1 beating at Borough Park from Workington after Tony Richards found himself sidelined following an insect bite.[1] They went on to pick up just three points in their next six league games. The fans were already showing their disappointment in the team twenty minutes before the end of the first home game – a 2–1 defeat to Colchester United.[1] Ken Hancock and Jackie Mudie were both dropped following this game.[1] Richards made his return only to suffer a knee injury which required surgery, thereby keeping him out of action for the rest of the campaign.[1] On 5 September Billy Bingham had played his last game, as he broke his leg in a 4–0 beating by Brentford at Griffin Park.[1] Two successive mid-September 1–0 victories (both goals scored by Albert Cheesebrough) were rare bright rays of sunshine for the "Valiants".[1] A 'punchless' and 'guileless' run of twelve games without a win followed, which saw the club drop to third from bottom, as attendances tailed off accordingly.[1] Cheeseborough also picked up an injury, whilst Mudie found he was now unable to play on hard surfaces.[1] Reserves filled the gaps in the first XI as at Vale Park 'the loud mouths on the terraces certainly did a good job [of] hindering Stan Trafford' on his home debut on 17 October.[1] Goals in short-supply, numerous players were tried in the centre-forward role, to no avail.[1]

On 21 November, Vale picked up their third league win of the campaign, beating lowly Barnsley 2–0 at Oakwell.[1] Youth players continued to be drafted in as Vale finished the year with four straight league defeats, picking up injuries and sendings off along the way.[1] In December, Hancock was sold to Ipswich Town for £10,000.[1] A 2–1 victory over promotion-chasers Brentford on 2 January failed to spark a revival, partly due to the fact that the Bees were forced to play almost the entire match with ten players and an outside player in goal following an injury to Chic Brodie.[1] Steele tried to play a settled team, but that proved to be as unsuccessful as when he switched the team round constantly.[1] By the end of the month the club were bottom of the league and morale was low.[1] In mid-February, the club four points short of safety, Steele left the club 'by mutual consent', as Jackie Mudie was appointed caretaker manager.[1] Following a 4–0 hammering from Gillingham, Mudie signed veteran stopper Jimmy O'Neill from Darlington, and the former Ireland international seemed to improve the team, as just two defeats in eight games followed.[1] Mudie instilled discipline into the team, and so was made manager on a permanent basis on 3 March.[1] He then ensured Reg Davies was transferred to Leyton Orient.[1] He tried and failed to re-sign Terry Harkin from Crewe Alexandra.[1] One win in their final six games doomed the Vale to relegation, just as survival seemed possible.[1] Only 3,521 witnessed a final day victory over Walsall.[1]

They finished in twenty-second position, their 32 points five short of safety.[1] Losing ten home games, they also recorded just two wins on their travels.[1] No team in the top four divisions scored fewer than Vale's 41 goals, as Cheeseborough took the honour of top-scorer with a mere seven goals – this was the lowest total for a Vale top-scorer in a Football League season since Meshach Dean scored six in 1892–93 (in a 22-game league season).[1] The club embarked on a post-season tour of Germany, where they played SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin at the Poststadion on 15 June.[2]

Finances

On the financial side, a £15,497 was recorded despite a donation of £16,320 from the Sportsmen's Association, the Development Fund, and the social club.[1] The average home attendance was a mere 5,508, almost half that of the previous season.[1] Gate receipts had plummeted to just £24,117, compared to a wage bill of £41,092; meanwhile a £6,250 profit was made on transfers.[1] A clear-out of players could not be avoided, as twelve were handed free transfers, including: Billy Bingham (retired); Stan Steele (left the country); Ron Smith (Southport); Ron Andrew (retired); Tim Rawlings (Nuneaton Borough); Stan Trafford (retired); and Albert Cheesebrough (joined Mansfield Town for free, although Vale had wanted £5,000 for him).[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale made 'an inglorious passage' past amateurs Hendon of the Isthmian League with a difficult 2–1 victory.[1] Fourth Division Millwall proved to be too tough an opponent in the Second Round however, as the "Lions" picked a 'decisive' 4–0 win at The Den.[1]

In the League Cup, once again the club exited at the first hurdle, this time going down 1–0 to Luton Town at home.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
20 Oldham Athletic 46 13 10 23 61 83 0.735 36
21 Luton Town 46 11 11 24 51 94 0.543 33 Relegated
22 Port Vale 46 9 14 23 41 76 0.539 32
23 Colchester United 46 10 10 26 50 89 0.562 30
24 Barnsley 46 9 11 26 54 90 0.600 29
Source:

Results

Football League Third Division

Results by matchday

Port Vale's score comes first

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAAHHAAHHAHAAHAAHHAHHAAHAHAHHAAAHHAAHHAHHAAHHAH
ResultLDLLLDDWWLDLDLDLLLDDDWLLLLWDLDLLLLDWWLWWDLDLLW
Position19172222242422191820182120202120202121222221212324242323232424242424242424242323232323232322
Source: Statto[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
22 August 1964WorkingtonA1–45,228Andrew
24 August 1964Carlisle UnitedA1–111,809Cheesebrough
29 August 1964Colchester UnitedH1–28,190Poole
31 August 1964Carlisle UnitedH1–38,003Cheesebrough
5 September 1964BrentfordA0–48,397
9 September 1964Luton TownA1–111,649Poole
12 September 1964Bristol RoversH1–17,571Steele
14 September 1964Luton TownH1–06,381Cheesebrough
19 September 1964Oldham AthleticA1–09,575Cheesebrough
26 September 1964Exeter CityH0–17,006
28 September 1964Mansfield TownA2–210,709Porter, Mitchell
3 October 1964Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–38,609
5 October 1964Mansfield TownH2–24,247Rowland, Cheesebrough
10 October 1964GillinghamA0–28,839
12 October 1964Peterborough UnitedA2–29,878Miles (2)
17 October 1964Bristol CityH1–25,564Miles
19 October 1964Peterborough UnitedH0–16,110
23 October 1964Queens Park RangersA1–34,489Machin
26 October 1964WatfordH2–25,271Machin, Rawlings
31 October 1964Shrewsbury TownH1–16,363Mitchell
7 November 1964ReadingA1–17,360Mudie
21 November 1964BarnsleyA2–05,288Porter, Smith
28 November 1964Scunthorpe UnitedH0–14,620
19 December 1964Colchester UnitedA0–22,528
26 December 1964Hull CityH0–36,099
28 December 1964Hull CityA0–412,468
2 January 1965BrentfordH2–14,533Miles, Mudie
8 January 1965Southend UnitedH2–24,852Rowland (pen), Miles
16 January 1965Bristol RoversA0–410,011
30 January 1965WalsallA0–07,324
6 February 1965Exeter CityA1–25,465Poole
13 February 1965Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–23,071Mitchell
20 February 1965GillinghamH0–44,203
27 February 1965Bristol CityA0–38,552
13 March 1965Shrewsbury TownA0–05,546
15 March 1965Oldham AthleticH2–15,057Cheesebrough, Trafford
20 March 1965ReadingH2–04,162Machin, Steele
26 March 1965Southend UnitedA1–26,017Cheesebrough
29 March 1965WorkingtonH2–07,175Steele, Rowland
3 April 1965BarnsleyH2–06,311o.g., Machin
9 April 1965Scunthorpe UnitedA0–03,894
16 April 1965Grimsby TownA0–28,325
17 April 1965Queens Park RangersH0–04,816
20 April 1965Grimsby TownH2–33,569Rowland (2)
24 April 1965WatfordA0–17,627
26 April 1965WalsallH2–13,521Boulton, Bannister

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R114 November 1964HendonH2–18,039Smith, Mitchell
R25 December 1964MillwallA0–47,521

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R17 September 1964Luton TownH0–15,111

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Ken Hancock 2001010220
GKEngland Reg Davies 1301000140
GKRepublic of Ireland Jimmy O'Neill 1300000130
GKEngland Ken Oxford 00000000
DFEngland Roy Sproson 4502010480
DFEngland Selwyn Whalley 1501000160
DFEngland Terry Lowe 20000020
DFEngland Terry Alcock 2802010310
DFEngland Clint Boulton 51000051
DFScotland Ron Wilson 2102000230
DFEngland John Nicholson 4602010490
MFEngland Terry Miles 3351010355
MFEngland Tim Rawlings 1211010141
MFEngland Ron Smith 2512110282
MFEngland Mel Machin 1141000124
MFEngland Ron Andrew 81000081
FWEngland Harry Poole 3731010393
FWEngland Stan Steele 3431000353
FWEngland John Rowland 4052010435
FWEngland Tony Richards 10000010
FWScotland Jackie Mudie 1821000192
FWEngland Mick Porter 1120010122
FWNorthern Ireland Billy Bingham 50000050
FWEngland Albert Cheesebrough 3270000327
FWEngland Stan Trafford 1210000121
FWEngland David Mitchell 1731110194
FWEngland Paul Bannister 21000021

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total
1FW EnglandAlbert Cheesebrough7007
2MF EnglandTerry Miles5005
–FW EnglandJohn Rowland5005
4MF EnglandMel Machin4004
–FW EnglandDavid Mitchell3104
6FW EnglandHarry Poole3003
–FW EnglandStan Steele3003
8FW EnglandMick Porter2002
–FW ScotlandJackie Mudie2002
–MF EnglandRon Smith1102
11FW Northern IrelandStan Trafford1001
–MF EnglandTim Rawlings1001
–FW EnglandPaul Bannister1001
–DF EnglandClint Boulton1001
–MF EnglandRon Andrew1001
–––Own goals1001
TOTALS 41 2 0 43

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1964DFEnglandRon AndrewStoke City£3,000[4]
July 1964GKEnglandReg DaviesLeyton OrientFree transfer[4]
February 1965GKRepublic of IrelandJimmy O'NeillDarlingtonFree transfer[4]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
August 1964MFEnglandColin GraingerDoncaster RoversFree transfer[4]
December 1964GKEnglandKen HancockIpswich Town£10,000[4]
March 1965GKEnglandReg DaviesLeyton Orient'small'[4]
April 1965DFEnglandRon AndrewFree transfer[4]
April 1965FWNorthern IrelandBilly BinghamSouthportFree transfer[4]
April 1965FWEnglandMick PorterPortmadocFree transfer[4]
April 1965MFEnglandTim RawlingsNuneaton BoroughFree transfer[4]
April 1965MFEnglandRon SmithSouthportFree transfer[4]
April 1965FWEnglandStan SteeleSouth Africa Port Elizabeth CityFree transfer[4]
April 1965FWEnglandStan TraffordReleased[4]
July 1965FWEnglandAlbert CheesebroughMansfield TownFree transfer[4]

References

Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Flattering Only to Deceive (1960–1969)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 196–226. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ official matchday programme Port Vale v Oldham Athletic (PDF). 9 March 2021. p. 25. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Port Vale 1964–1965 : Results & Fixtures Archived 7 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 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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