1899–1900 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

Burslem Port Vale
1899–1900 season
Chairman	Robert Audley
Secretary	Sam Gleaves
Stadium	Athletic Ground
Football League Second Division	11th (34 Points)
FA Cup	Fifth Qualifying Round; (knocked out by Stalybridge Rovers)
Birmingham Senior Cup	Runners-up; (knocked out by Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Staffordshire Senior Cup	Runners-up; (knocked out by West Bromwich Albion)
Top goalscorer	League: Howard Harvey (10); All: Howard Harvey (17)
Highest home attendance	3,000 vs Newton Heath, 7 April 1900; vs. Grimsby Town, 9 September 1899
Lowest home attendance	300 vs Lincoln City, 21 April 1900
Average home league attendance	1,518+
Biggest win	5–0 vs. West Bromwich Albion, 11 December 1899
Biggest defeat	0–5 (twice)
	Home colours
	Home colours

The 1899–1900 season was Burslem Port Vale's second consecutive season (sixth overall) of football in the English Football League.^[1] Under the stewardship of chairman Robert Audley and manager Sam Gleaves, Vale finished 11th in the league with 34 points, registering a decent defensive record but struggling for goals—the second‑lowest tally in the division. In the FA Cup, Vale reached the Fifth Qualifying Round before being eliminated by Stalybridge Rovers. They were also runners-up in both the Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Senior Cup, losing finals to West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. The team's league top scorer was Howard Harvey, with 10 goals in the Second Division (17 in all competitions). Attendances were low: the highest home gates reached about 3,000 for matches against Newton Heath (7 April 1900) and Grimsby Town (9 September 1899), while the lowest dipped to just 300 spectators for the home win over Lincoln City on 21 April 1900. The average league attendance was approximately 1,518.

Not long after his debut, left-half Billy Leech established himself as an essential first-teamer.

Striker Danny Simpson was nearing the end of his playing career.

Striker George Price would be a key player the next season.

Overview

Second Division

During the pre-season, the Athletic Ground had its capacity increased to 25,000. Four new forwards were signed, namely Scots Billy Grassam (Maryhill) and James Reid (Hibernian), and local lads Charles Walters (Gainsborough Trinity) and Billy Leech (Tottenham Hotspur).^[1]

The season started with three defeats in four games, including a 3–2 loss to Grimsby Town in a home tie that the hosts had looked comfortably ahead with 20 minutes to play. The team won all six league fixtures in the months of October and November, with just two goals conceded. However, attendance figures made grim reading, and left-half Ted McDonald had to be sold to Notts County in November to raise cash.^[1] A top-of-the-table clash with Newton Heath at Bank Street ended in a 3–0 defeat. A 5–0 humbling at Bolton Wanderers on 2 January signalled the end of the club's promotion hopes. Goalkeeper Herbert Birchenough was sold to Glossop in January, with top scorer Howard Harvey also sold to Manchester City that same month.^[1]

The club were in a downward spiral, and the team went on a ten-game sequence without a win. A 4–0 loss at Gainsborough Trinity on 17 March demonstrated the team's lack of confidence, though it was the poor attendances that were more worrying for the club's survival as a Football League club. Three wins in the final five games of the campaign kept the club securely in mid-table. Their second-to-last match saw a mere 300 supporters turn up to watch a 2–1 win over Lincoln City. The club finished in 11th position and only the bottom club Loughborough scored fewer goals. All players of monetary value were made available for transfer, with Scottish forwards James Reid and Billy Grassam being signed by Southern League side West Ham United. Billy Leech joined Stoke and left-back Tom McFarlane moved on to Middlesbrough.^[1]

Finances

Club chairman Robert Audley warned in November that poor attendances would lead to the club's demise. Secretary Sam Gleaves said that £500 was urgently needed, and it was noted that Port Vale were the only club in the division to be operating at a loss. A Shilling Fund was started to meet the shortfall, though only £39 was raised. The players agreed to go two weeks without wages in February to avoid complete financial collapse. On 27 March, Audley reported that the club were in debt to the tune of £940. Huge reductions in the playing budget still required a committee to raise £500 to try and keep the club as a going concern. At the end of the season, there were drastic budget cuts, even so much as to stop paying players wages over the summer period – the only club in the league to do so.^[1] Cheaper, local talent was recruited to fill the void left by departing stars. The club lost £73 throughout the campaign despite having trimmed ten times that figure from the playing budget.^[2]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, the club vanquished nearby Nantwich despite having to play with ten men following a head injury to Charles Walters in the first half. They then overcame Crewe Alexandra following a replay. However, a 1–0 home defeat to Lancashire Combination side Stalybridge Rovers eliminated Vale at the fifth qualification round.^[1]

They reached the final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the Birmingham Senior Cup, losing to West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.^[1] West Brom defeated Vale 5–0 in the final at Villa Park, taking revenge for the "Valeites" dumping West Brom out of the Birmingham Cup by the same scoreline.^[1]

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
9	Lincoln City	34	14	8	12	46	43	1.070	36
10	New Brighton Tower	34	13	9	12	66	58	1.138	35
11	Burslem Port Vale	34	14	6	14	39	49	0.796	34
12	Walsall	34	12	8	14	50	55	0.909	32
13	Gainsborough Trinity	34	9	7	18	47	75	0.627	25

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

Football League Second Division

Results by matchday

Round	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
Ground	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	H
Result	L	W	L	L	W	L	W	W	W	W	W	W	L	D	W	D	L	D	D	L	L	L	D	L	D	W	L	W	L	W	W	L	W	L
Position	16	8	10	12	9	12	8	6	5	4	4	4	5	6	5	6	6	7	6	7	8	8	9	9	9	9	9	8	9	10	9	9	9	11
Points	0	2	2	2	4	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	16	17	19	20	20	21	22	22	22	22	23	23	24	26	26	28	28	30	32	32	34	34

Source: Statto^[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

2 September 1899	New Brighton Tower	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	New Brighton, Merseyside
				Stadium: Tower Athletic Ground Attendance: 3,000

4 September 1899	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Middlesbrough	Cobridge
	Harvey Bayley Grassam			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

9 September 1899	Burslem Port Vale	2–3	Grimsby Town	Cobridge
	Heames Grassam			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 3,000

16 September 1899	Woolwich Arsenal	1–0	Burslem Port Vale	Plumstead, London
				Stadium: Manor Ground Attendance: 5,000

23 September 1899	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Barnsley	Cobridge
	Heames Grassam Harvey			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

30 September 1899	Leicester Fosse	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Leicester
				Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 4,000

7 October 1899	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Luton Town	Cobridge
	Boullemier			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,500

14 October 1899	Burslem Port Vale	2–1	Burton Swifts	Cobridge
	Boullemier Heames			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

21 October 1899	Walsall	0–1	Burslem Port Vale	Walsall
			Reid	Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 3,000

4 November 1899	Chesterfield	0–4	Burslem Port Vale	Chesterfield, Derbyshire
			Harvey Leech	Stadium: Saltergate Attendance: 2,000

11 November 1899	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Gainsborough Trinity	Cobridge
	Harvey			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,000

25 November 1899	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Loughborough	Cobridge
	Harvey Walters Reid			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 800

2 December 1899	Newton Heath	3–0	Burslem Port Vale	Clayton, Manchester
				Stadium: Bank Street Attendance: 5,000

16 December 1899	Lincoln City	1–1	Burslem Port Vale	Lincoln
			Harvey	Stadium: Sincil Bank Attendance: 200

23 December 1899	Burslem Port Vale	3–0	Small Heath	Cobridge
	Heames Harvey Price			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 500

30 December 1899	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	New Brighton Tower	Cobridge
	Harvey			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

2 January 1900	Bolton Wanderers	5–0	Burslem Port Vale	Bolton
				Stadium: Burnden Park Attendance: 2,570

6 January 1900	Grimsby Town	1–1	Burslem Port Vale	Cleethorpes
			Simpson	Stadium: Blundell Park Attendance: 3,000

13 January 1900	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	Woolwich Arsenal	Cobridge
	Grassam			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

20 January 1900	Barnsley	3–0	Burslem Port Vale	Barnsley
				Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 2,000

27 January 1900	Small Heath	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Small Heath
			Whitehouse	Stadium: Muntz Street Attendance: 5,000

3 February 1900	Burslem Port Vale	0–2	Leicester Fosse	Cobridge
				Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 600

10 February 1900	Luton Town	1–1	Burslem Port Vale	Luton
			Eardley	Stadium: Dunstable Road Attendance: 500

12 February 1900	Burslem Port Vale	0–3	The Wednesday	Cobridge
				Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

17 February 1900	Burton Swifts	2–2	Burslem Port Vale	Burton upon Trent
			Walters Beech	Stadium: Peel Croft

24 February 1900	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Walsall	Cobridge
	Heames			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 700

3 March 1900	Middlesbrough	1–0	Burslem Port Vale	Middlesbrough
				Stadium: Linthorpe Road Attendance: 6,000

10 March 1900	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Chesterfield	Cobridge
	Simpson Grassam			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

17 March 1900	Gainsborough Trinity	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
				Stadium: The Northolme Attendance: 1,000

31 March 1900	Loughborough	1–2	Burslem Port Vale	Loughborough
			Price Simpson	Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 500

7 April 1900	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Newton Heath	Cobridge
	Boullemier			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 3,000

14 April 1900	The Wednesday	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Owlerton
				Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium Attendance: 5,000

21 April 1900	Burslem Port Vale	2–1	Lincoln City	Cobridge
	Price Heames			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 300

23 April 1900	Burslem Port Vale	0–2	Bolton Wanderers	Cobridge
				Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 400

FA Cup

28 October 1899 3Q	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Nantwich	Cobridge
	Reid Heames			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 600

18 November 1899 4Q	Crewe Alexandra	2–2	Burslem Port Vale	Crewe
			Harvey pen'	Stadium: Gresty Road Attendance: 4,000

22 November 1899 Replay	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Crewe Alexandra	Cobridge
	Harvey pen' Walters Grassam			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

9 December 1899 5Q	Burslem Port Vale	0–1	Stalybridge Rovers	Cobridge
				Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 3,000

Birmingham Senior Cup

11 December 1899 1	Burslem Port Vale	5–0	West Bromwich Albion	Cobridge
	Harvey pen' Whitehouse			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

15 January 1900 2	Burslem Port Vale	3–0	Burton Swifts	Cobridge
	Price unknown unknown			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 500

5 March 1900 Semi-final	Burslem Port Vale	6–3	Ironbridge	Cobridge
	Heames Whitehouse Grassam unknown unknown unknown			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,000

2 April 1900 Final	Burslem Port Vale	1–2	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Neutral
	Grassam			Attendance: 500

Staffordshire Senior Cup

2 October 1899 2	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Burton Swifts	Cobridge
	Reid Grassam unknown			Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 800

30 October 1899 Semi-final	Walsall	1–3	Burslem Port Vale	Walsall
			McDonald Grassam Harvey	Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 1,000

4 December 1899 Final	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	West Bromwich Albion	Neutral
	Reid			Attendance: 4,000

26 April 1900 Replay	West Bromwich Albion	5–0	Burslem Port Vale	Neutral
				Attendance: 5,000

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward

Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Herbert Birchenough	18	0	3	0	3	0	24	0
GK	William Saunders	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
GK	Tom Poole	15	0	1	0	3	0	19	0
FB	Tom McFarlane	31	0	4	0	6	0	41	0
FB	Thomas Spilsbury	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FB	Frank Stokes	32	0	4	0	6	0	42	0
FB	Tom Davies	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
FB	Joseph Bennett	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
HB	Ted McDonald	9	0	0	0	1	1	10	1
HB	S. E. Bayley	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	1
HB	Jim Beech	31	1	4	0	6	0	41	1
HB	Lucien Boullemier	32	3	4	0	5	0	41	3
HB	Billy Leech	26	1	4	0	6	0	36	1
FW	Billy Heames	31	6	3	1	5	1	39	8
FW	Bert Eardley	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
FW	Danny Simpson	17	3	0	0	2	0	19	3
FW	George Price	21	3	0	0	5	1	26	4
FW	Tommy Lander	8	0	2	0	2	0	12	0
FW	Howard Harvey	17	10	4	3	3	4	24	17
FW	Frank Whitehouse	19	1	0	0	4	3	23	4
FW	Charles Walters	10	2	3	1	3	0	16	3
FW	James Reid	17	2	4	1	4	2	25	5
FW	Billy Grassam	31	5	4	1	6	4	41	10

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Second Division	FA Cup	Other	Total
1	FW	England	Howard Harvey	10	3	4	17
2	FW	Scotland	Billy Grassam	5	1	4	10
3	FW	England	Billy Heames	6	1	1	8
4	FW	Scotland	James Reid	2	1	2	5
5	FW	England	Frank Whitehouse	1	0	3	4
–	FW	England	George Price	3	0	1	4
7	FW	England	Danny Simpson	3	0	0	3
–	FW		Charles Walters	2	1	0	3
–	HB	England	Lucien Boullemier	3	0	0	3
10	HB		S. E. Bayley	1	0	0	1
–	HB		Jim Beech	1	0	0	1
–	HB		Billy Leech	1	0	0	1
–	FW	England	Bert Eardley	1	0	0	1
–	HB	England	Ted McDonald	0	0	1	1
–	–	–	Unknown	0	0	4	4
			TOTALS	39	7	20	66

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
Summer 1899	FW	Frank Whitehouse	Bucknall	Free transfer	^[4]
June 1899	HB	Billy Leech	Tottenham Hotspur	Free transfer	^[4]
June 1899	FW	Charles Walters	Gainsborough Trinity	Free transfer	^[4]
June 1899	FW	James Reid	Hibernian	Free transfer	^[4]
July 1899	FW	Billy Grassam	Maryhill	Free transfer	^[4]
September 1899	FB	Joseph Bennett	Porthill	Free transfer	^[4]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
November 1899	HB	Ted McDonald	Notts County	'considerable'	^[4]
January 1900	GK	Herbert Birchenough	Glossop	£250	^[4]
January 1900	FW	Howard Harvey	Manchester City	unknown	^[4]
May 1900	FW	Frank Whitehouse	Stoke	Free transfer	^[4]
Summer 1900	FB	Joseph Bennett		Released	^[4]
Summer 1900	FW	Billy Grassam	West Ham United	Free transfer	^[4]
Summer 1900	HB	Billy Leech	Stoke	Free transfer	^[4]
Summer 1900	FB	Tom McFarlane	Middlesbrough	Free transfer	^[4]
Summer 1900	FW	James Reid	West Ham United	Free transfer	^[4]
Summer 1900	FW	Charles Walters		Released	^[4]

References

Specific

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 50–70. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
^ What If There Had Been No Port In The Vale?: Startling Port Vale Stories! (Witan Books, 2011, ISBN 978-0-9529152-8-7)
^ Port Vale 1899–1900 : Results & Fixtures Archived 17 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p 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.

[Kent-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 50–70. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

[if-2] What If There Had Been No Port In The Vale?: Startling Port Vale Stories! (Witan Books, 2011, ISBN 978-0-9529152-8-7)

[3] Port Vale 1899–1900 : Results & Fixtures Archived 17 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.

[transfers-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

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