Port Vale
1973–74 season
ChairmanMark Singer
ManagerGordon Lee
(until January)
Roy Sproson
(from 14 January)
StadiumVale Park
Football League Third Division20th (42 Points)
FA CupThird Round
(knocked out by Luton Town)
League CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Stockport County)
Player of the YearDavid Harris
Top goalscorerLeague: John Woodward (16)
All: John Woodward (18)
Highest home attendance8,505 vs. Bristol Rovers, 17 February 1974
Lowest home attendance2,556 vs. Charlton Athletic, 27 April 1974
Average home league attendance3,959
Biggest win3–0 (twice)
Biggest defeat0–3 (twice)

The 1973–74 season was Port Vale's 62nd season of football in the Football League, and their fourth-successive season (tenth overall) in the Third Division.[1] They finished in twentieth spot, though were seven points clear of relegation. Manager Gordon Lee left the club in January, and was replaced by club legend Roy Sproson.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw Sammy Morgan sold to Aston Villa for £22,222 (plus top-up fees).[1] Gordon Lee drafted in tall young players David Harris and John Ridley from the youth set-up, as well as versatile Keith Chadwick from Crewe Alexandra.[1] The club also erected a 2.5 feet (0.76 m) high steel fence around the Bycars End to help combat hooliganism.[1]

The season opened with four games unbeaten, though Tommy McLaren soon damaged his ligaments, and the team suffered in his absence.[1] On 1 October, Vale beat Wrexham 1–0 in an 'ugly' game that saw five players booked and Colin Tartt and opposition player Arfon Griffiths separated by police following a scrap in the tunnel.[1] Later in the month Roy Cross badly injured his knee, and would later have to leave the professional game due to the injury.[1] Vale slipped down the league, and by Christmas they were sixth from bottom, with only John Woodward in good form.[1] Lee then took out striker Keith Leonard on loan from Aston Villa, and bought left-back Neil Griffiths from Chester for a £5,000 fee.[1] He also changed the formation from 4–4–2 to 4–3–3, hoping to give Brian Horton more room in the centre of the park.[1] After an upturn in form in the new year, Bill Summerscales broke his neck, and Lee departed for the management position at Blackburn Rovers.[1] Lee had been seen to have done an excellent job with little money.[1]

Club legend Roy Sproson was appointed as caretaker manager, who advocated an 'entertaining' style of play as opposed to battling for every point.[1] Winning his first match 1–0 at Shrewsbury Town, he cracked his head on the concrete trainer's box after leaping up to celebrate McLaren's goal.[1] On 17 February, 8,505 turned up at Vale Park to witness a 3–1 win over high-flying Bristol Rovers in an experimental Sunday game.[1] Later Leonard returned to Villa Park at the end of his loan deal, and £5,000 was not enough to tempt Villa to part with his services permanently.[1] From mid-March Vale went eleven games without a win, and on 25 March they could have ended this run, but 'a shocking mistake' from Alan Boswell handed Walsall an equaliser as he palmed a header into his own net.[1] The team continued to rack up yellow cards, and following a warning from The Football Association, Sproson arranged for local referee Roy Capey to lecture the players on sportsmanship.[1] In the middle of April, Sproson was given the management job on a permanent basis, despite his team falling to fifth from bottom.[1] Sproson stated that he was 'calculated' and 'controlled', compared to Lee who 'fizzes like a bottle of pop'.[1] By the time they broke their poor run with a 2–1 home win over managerless Charlton Athletic, other results had already ensured their safety from the drop.[1]

They finished in twentieth position with 42 points, though this meant they were seven points clear of relegated Cambridge United in 21st place.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, an average home attendance of under 4,000 failed to prevent a profit of £17,831.[1] This profit came from the early sale of Morgan, and donations of £16,443 from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund.[1] The club's total debt stood at £121,647, as Chairman Singer warned of more player sales to balance the books.[1] Two players leaving for free at the end of the season were Bobby Gough (Southport) and Alan Boswell (Oswestry Town) – Boswell was described as 'capable of brilliant saves and conceding soft goals'.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale won away at Stockport County 1–0, before advancing past Northern Premier League Scarborough in the Second Round. After a 1–1 draw in Burslem with Second Division Luton Town, they lost the replay at Kenilworth Road 4–2.

In the League Cup, Vale exited at the first stage with a 2–0 defeat at Edgeley Park to Fourth Division Stockport County.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Third Division

Results by matchday

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAHHAAHAHHAHAAHAHAAHHAAHHAHHAHAHHAAHHAAAHHAAHA
ResultWDWWLDDLWLDDLLWDLLLDLWLWDWWWLWLWWDLLDDLDDLLLWD
Position155253474911111215141516171716181617161814131213121411910131514151618192020202020
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
25 August 1973Shrewsbury TownH3–03,717Horton, Mountford, Woodward
1 September 1973Oldham AthleticA1–15,716Lacey
8 September 1973Huddersfield TownH4–25,003Woodward (2), Mountford, McLaren
10 September 1973Cambridge UnitedH2–15,829Horton (pen), Gough
15 September 1973York CityA1–33,370Williams
17 September 1973WrexhamA0–07,730
22 September 1973Southend UnitedH0–04,323
29 September 1973ChesterfieldA1–24,754o.g.
1 October 1973WrexhamH1–04,791Brodie
6 October 1973Hereford UnitedH1–35,802Woodward
13 October 1973Bristol RoversA1–18,880McLaren
20 October 1973BournemouthH0–04,006
24 October 1973Cambridge UnitedA2–43,612Lacey, Woodward
27 October 1973Plymouth ArgyleA0–29,383
3 November 1973RochdaleH3–13,223Williams (2), Woodward
10 November 1973AldershotA0–03,577
12 November 1973Blackburn RoversH1–23,633Woodward
17 November 1973Halifax TownA0–12,255
1 December 1973Charlton AthleticA0–24,390
8 December 1973Grimsby TownH1–13,157Woodward
22 December 1973ChesterfieldH0–12,916
26 December 1973SouthportA1–02,721Williams
29 December 1973Huddersfield TownH0–37,702
1 January 1974Oldham AthleticH3–04,300Woodward (2), Williams
12 January 1974York CityH2–23,537Woodward, Williams
19 January 1974Shrewsbury TownA1–02,771McLaren
26 January 1974Tranmere RoversH1–03,004Harris
2 February 1974Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–13,728Horton, Williams
9 February 1974Southend UnitedA0–14,376
17 February 1974Bristol RoversH3–18,505Williams (2), Leonard
23 February 1974Hereford UnitedA1–26,565Woodward
2 March 1974SouthportH2–13,220o.g., Gough
10 March 1974Plymouth ArgyleH2–13,128Woodward (2)
16 March 1974BournemouthA2–27,968o.g., Harris
20 March 1974Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–29,365Harris
23 March 1974AldershotH0–13,254
25 March 1974WalsallH1–13,659Lacey
30 March 1974RochdaleA1–1982Mountford
1 April 1974Tranmere RoversA0–33,050
6 April 1974Blackburn RoversA1–15,298Mountford
13 April 1974Halifax TownH1–12,707McLaren
16 April 1974WatfordH1–23,056Horton
20 April 1974Grimsby TownA0–26,443
24 April 1974WatfordA1–25,883o.g.
27 April 1974Charlton AthleticH3–12,556Woodward (2), Ridley
30 April 1974WalsallA0–04,228

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R124 November 1973Stockport CountyA1–03,364Summerscales
R215 December 1973ScarboroughH2–13,528Harris, Woodward
R35 January 1974Luton TownH1–18,127Harris
R3 Replay9 January 1974Luton TownA2–45,833Mountford, Woodward

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R129 August 1973Stockport CountyA0–23,314

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Alan Boswell 4204000460
GKEngland Reg Edwards 40001050
DFEngland Bill Summerscales 2204110271
DFEngland Roy Cross 1100010120
DFEngland John Brodie 4513010491
DFEngland Tony Loska 901000100
DFEngland Neil Griffiths 2402000260
DFEngland Andy Carr 00100010
DFEngland David Harris 3234200365
MFScotland Tommy McLaren 4244010474
MFEngland Brian Horton 4144010464
MFEngland Tony Lacey 4434010493
MFEngland Colin Tartt 4202010450
MFEngland John Ridley 1010000101
MFEngland Keith Chadwick 50000050
MFEngland Ron Pountney 00000000
FWEngland Bobby Gough 2421010262
FWEngland Bob Mountford 3844110435
FWEngland John Woodward 431642104818
FWEngland Ray Williams 3994000439
FWEngland Keith Leonard 1310000131

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Third Division FA Cup League Cup Total
1FW EnglandJohn Woodward162018
2FW EnglandRay Williams9009
3FW EnglandBob Mountford4105
–DF EnglandDavid Harris3205
5MF ScotlandTommy McLaren4004
–MF EnglandBrian Horton4004
7MF EnglandTony Lacey3003
8FW EnglandBobby Gough2002
9MF EnglandJohn Ridley1001
–DF EnglandJohn Brodie1001
–FW EnglandKeith Leonard1001
–DF EnglandBill Summerscales0101
–––Own goals4004
TOTALS 52 6 0 58

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
July 1973MFEnglandKeith ChadwickCrewe AlexandraFree transfer[3]
December 1973DFEnglandNeil GriffithsChesterExchange[3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
August 1973FWNorthern IrelandSammy MorganAston Villa£22,222[3]
December 1973DFEnglandTony LoskaChesterExchange[3]
May 1974GKEnglandAlan BoswellWales Oswestry TownFree transfer[3]
May 1974FWEnglandBobby GoughSouthportFree transfer[3]

Loans out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
November 1973FWEnglandKeith LeonardAston VillaFebruary 1974[3]

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 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ↑ Port Vale 1973–1974 : Results & Fixtures Archived 2 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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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