1948–49 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1948–49 season
ChairmanWilliam Holdcroft
ManagerGordon Hodgson
StadiumOld Recreation Ground
Football League Third Division South13th (39 Points)
FA CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Notts County)
Top goalscorerLeague: Walter Aveyard (13)
All: Walter Aveyard (13)
Highest home attendance18,497 vs. Aldershot, 28 August 1948
Lowest home attendance7,738 vs. Millwall, 18 December 1948
Average home league attendance12,069
Biggest win3–0 (three games)
Biggest defeat1–4 (twice)

The 1948–49 season was Port Vale's 37th season of football in the English Football League and their fourth full season in the Third Division South.[1] Under manager Gordon Hodgson and chairman William Holdcroft. After promising early form, Vale's promotion hopes fizzled out into a mid-table 13th‑place finish, accumulating 39 points from 42 league matches (14 wins, 11 draws, 17 losses).

In the FA Cup, Vale were eliminated in the First Round, ending hopes of a cup run early in the season. Walter Aveyard emerged as both league and season top scorer, netting 13 goals. The average home attendance stood at 12,069, with the lowest turnout recorded at 7,738 for the Millwall match on 18 December 1948. Vale's largest victories were 3–0 wins on three separate occasions, while their heaviest defeats came by 4–1 scorelines twice.

Overall, the season proved steady but unspectacular, as early promotion ambitions gave way to the realities of inconsistent form and the club's decision to sell Bill Pointon for a then‑club record fee in search of financial and on‑field balance.

Manager Gordon Hodgson during his playing days.

Overview

Third Division South

The pre-season saw the club attempt to sign Huddersfield Town's star forward Peter Doherty when this failed Gordon Hodgson instead signed Liverpool left-wing duo Stan Palk and Mick Hulligan for £10,000.[1] Striker Walter Aveyard was also signed from Birmingham City, despite his belief that a leg injury had finished him.[1] Fans were convinced promotion to the Second Division was possible, as was chairman William Holdcroft. So, there was a surge in season ticket sales.[1]

The season started with seven points from the opening four games, leaving the club top of the table.[1] The season-high 18,497 fans that turned up for a 3–0 win over Aldershot were impressed by the skill of the three new signings.[1] This followed on from a 3–0 win over Reading the previous week. They did lose by a goal to nil at Brighton & Hove Albion on 4 September, though Aveyard played most of the game as a passenger after sustaining an injury. Two days later, Vale beat league leaders Swindon Town by two clear goals. The club's good form continued to the end of September, despite the sale of Walter Keeley to Accrington Stanley for £1,500 – who had found himself relegated to the sidelines by Hulligan's good performances.[1] After this Hulligan broke his ankle, whilst other injuries also hit the squad.[1] Six weeks of six defeats in seven games followed, leaving Vale sixth from bottom.[1] During this spell, Joe Dale was offloaded to Witton Albion as Hodgson attempted to fill the gaps in the first-team with young reserves.[1] Winning three games on the trot, the Vale ended this bad spell and kept three clean sheets after Tommy Cheadle was moved to the forward lines to add weight to the attack.[1]

Over the Christmas period, talk was dominated by 'The Wembley of the North', which had been projected as an 80,000-capacity stadium, but now it was planned as a 40,000-capacity ground with room for future expansion.[1] Finding just fifty members for the '100 club', the financing was helped by a £8,000 grant from The Football Association.[1] In January, the club initiated a fire-sale of players: Bill Pointon went to Queens Park Rangers for a then-club record five-figure fee, whilst Harry Hubbick was sold to Rochdale for around £1,000.[1] Meanwhile, the club transfer listed Palk, Aveyard, and Eric Eastwood (who all lived outside North Staffordshire); whilst Hulligan returned from injury.[1] A two-month run without a win followed, in which Hodgson again experimented with the first XI.[1] This run finally ended with a 1–0 win over sixth-placed Notts County on 9 April.[1] Nine days later at Ashton Gate, goalkeeper Harry Prince was given a chance in place of injured regular George Heppell, who embarrassed himself by attempting to punch a 40 yards (37 m) punt from Stone, only to miss the ball entirely and thereby concede the equaliser.[1] Later in the month, Hodgson signed George King from Hull City for a four-figure fee.[1] King scored twice in his debut against Torquay United.[1] The match was marred by a Plainmoor spectator hitting the referee on the head with a stone after he disallowed a penalty.[1]

They finished a disappointing 13th, boasting just 39 points.[1] They had scored twelve fewer goals than in the previous campaign. However, their defensive record was identical.[1] Harry Prince's move to Stafford Rangers was the only significant departure of the summer.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a large transfer credit helped the club record a gross profit of £7,120.[1] Gate receipts had declined to £25,831, whilst wages had risen to £16,095.[1] The Burslem Supporters Club put forward a donation of £600, and the club issued 22,000 new five shilling shares to help with the New Ground Fund.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale were knocked out in the first round by Notts County at Meadow Lane in front of 36,514 spectators.[1]

League table

Main article: 1948–49 Football League

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
11 Notts County 42 19 5 18 102 68 1.500 43
12 Exeter City 42 15 10 17 63 76 0.829 40
13 Port Vale 42 14 11 17 51 54 0.944 39
14 Walsall 42 15 8 19 56 64 0.875 38
15 Newport County 42 14 9 19 68 92 0.739 37
Source:

Results

Football League Third Division South

Results by matchday

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundAHHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHHHAAHHAHAAHAHAHAAHHAAHAH
ResultDWWWLWLWDDLLDLLLLWWWLWWLDWDLDLLLLDDWWLDWLD
Position9121313225681012151717161511139910101111111112121213131313121212121213
Points13577991112131313141414141416182020222424252728282929292929303133353536383839
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

21 August 1948 1 Millwall 1–1 Port Vale New Cross, London
Aveyard Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 32,122
23 August 1948 2 Port Vale 3–0 Reading Hanley
Aveyard
Hulligan 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 17,394
28 August 1948 3 Port Vale 3–0 Aldershot Hanley
Hulligan
Dale 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 18,497
1 September 1948 4 Reading 1–2 Port Vale Reading, Berkshire
Palk
Martin 		Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 13,955
4 September 1948 5 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–0 Port Vale Hove
Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 20,383
6 September 1948 6 Port Vale 2–0 Swindon Town Hanley
Palk
Pointon 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 17,581
11 September 1948 7 Port Vale 0–2 Southend United Hanley
Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 16,592
15 September 1948 8 Swindon Town 0–2 Port Vale Swindon
Allen
Aveyard 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 16,894
18 September 1948 9 Northampton Town 2–2 Port Vale Northampton
Allen
Aveyard 		Stadium: County Cricket Ground
Attendance: 9,964
25 September 1948 10 Port Vale 0–0 Norwich City Hanley
Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 15,361
2 October 1948 11 Exeter City 2–1 Port Vale Exeter
Martin Stadium: St James Park
Attendance: 10,672
9 October 1948 12 Port Vale 0–2 Swansea Town Hanley
Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 17,888
16 October 1948 13 Newport County 2–2 Port Vale Newport, Wales
Aveyard Stadium: Somerton Park
Attendance: 10,037
23 October 1948 14 Port Vale 1–2 Ipswich Town Hanley
Aveyard Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 11,424
30 October 1948 15 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 2–0 Port Vale Bournemouth
Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 18,436
6 November 1948 16 Port Vale 0–2 Walsall Hanley
Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 11,559
13 November 1948 17 Notts County 2–1 Port Vale Nottingham
Aveyard Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 29,332
20 November 1948 18 Port Vale 2–0 Bristol Rovers Hanley
Cheadle
Palk 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,342
18 December 1948 19 Port Vale 1–0 Millwall Hanley
Pointon Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,738
25 December 1948 20 Port Vale 3–0 Leyton Orient Hanley
Allen
Pointon
Hubbick 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 9,480
27 December 1948 21 Leyton Orient 2–0 Port Vale Leyton, East London
Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 8,953
1 January 1949 22 Aldershot 0–1 Port Vale Aldershot
Pointon Stadium: Recreation Ground
Attendance: 4,510
8 January 1949 23 Port Vale 3–1 Watford Hanley
Aveyard
Allen 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,681
15 January 1949 24 Port Vale 3–4 Brighton & Hove Albion Hanley
Martin
Pointon
Aveyard 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 9,562
22 January 1949 25 Southend United 0–0 Port Vale Southend-on-Sea
Stadium: Southend Stadium
Attendance: 9,713
5 February 1949 26 Port Vale 1–0 Northampton Town Hanley
Allen Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 9,369
12 February 1949 27 Crystal Palace 1–1 Port Vale Selhurst, Croydon
Cheadle Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 12,409
19 February 1949 28 Norwich City 2–0 Port Vale Norwich
Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 26,323
26 February 1949 29 Port Vale 1–1 Exeter City Hanley
o.g. Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,437
5 March 1949 30 Swansea Town 3–1 Port Vale Swansea
Allen Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 13,769
12 March 1949 31 Port Vale 1–2 Newport County Hanley
Hulligan Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 9,487
19 March 1949 32 Ipswich Town 4–1 Port Vale Ipswich
Allen Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 10,722
26 March 1949 33 Port Vale 0–2 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Hanley
Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,560
30 March 1949 34 Torquay United 0–0 Port Vale Torquay
Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 6,483
2 April 1949 35 Walsall 1–1 Port Vale Walsall
Martin Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 9,767
9 April 1949 36 Port Vale 1–0 Notts County Hanley
Martin Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 12,198
15 April 1949 37 Port Vale 4–2 Bristol City Hanley
Allen
Martin
Hulligan 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 13,571
16 April 1949 38 Bristol Rovers 4–1 Port Vale Bristol
Aveyard Stadium: Eastville Stadium
Attendance: 15,477
18 April 1949 39 Bristol City 1–1 Port Vale Ashton Gate, Bristol
Palk Stadium: Ashton Gate
Attendance: 11,094
23 April 1949 40 Port Vale 3–1 Torquay United Hanley
King
McGarry 		Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 11,914
30 April 1949 41 Watford 2–1 Port Vale Watford
Allen Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,316
7 May 1949 42 Port Vale 0–0 Crystal Palace Hanley
Stadium: Old Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,821

FA Cup

Main article: 1948–49 FA Cup
27 November 1948 R1 Notts County 2–1 Port Vale Nottingham
Martin Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 36,514

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward
Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England George Heppell 37 0 1 0 38 0
GK England Ray Hancock 3 0 0 0 3 0
GK England Harry Prince 2 0 0 0 2 0
FB England Garth Butler 33 0 1 0 34 0
FB England Harry Hubbick 20 1 1 0 21 1
FB England Reg Potts 19 0 0 0 19 0
FB England Jim Elsby 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB England Basil Hayward 41 0 1 0 42 0
HB England Tommy Cheadle 22 2 1 0 23 2
HB England Wilf Smith 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB Northern Ireland Jimmy Todd 11 0 0 0 11 0
HB England Alan Martin 42 6 1 1 43 7
HB England Bill McGarry 40 1 1 0 41 1
HB England Eric Eastwood 4 0 0 0 4 0
FW England Walter Keeley 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England Joe Dale 6 1 0 0 6 1
FW England Mick Hulligan 28 5 0 0 28 5
FW England Alan Bennett 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Bernard Jones 6 0 1 0 7 0
FW England Bill Pointon 15 5 0 0 15 5
FW England Ronnie Allen 40 10 1 0 41 10
FW England Lewis White 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Pat Raftery 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England John Sherratt 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England George King 2 2 0 0 2 2
FW England George O'Neill 5 0 0 0 5 0
FW England Stan Palk 42 4 1 0 43 4
FW England Walter Aveyard 34 13 1 0 35 13

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1 FW  England Walter Aveyard 13 0 13
2 FW  England Ronnie Allen 10 0 10
3 HB  England Alan Martin 6 1 7
4 FW  England Bill Pointon 5 0 5
– FW  England Mick Hulligan 5 0 5
6 FW  England Stan Palk 4 0 4
7 FW  England George King 2 0 2
– HB  England Tommy Cheadle 2 0 2
9 FW  England Harry Hubbick 1 0 1
– HB  England Bill McGarry 1 0 1
– FW  England Joe Dale 1 0 1
– – – Own goals 1 0 1
TOTALS 51 1 52

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1948 GK England Ray Hancock Bury Free transfer [3]
June 1948 FW England Walter Aveyard Birmingham City Free transfer [3]
July 1948 FW England Mick Hulligan Liverpool £10,000 [3]
July 1948 FW England Stan Palk Liverpool £10,000 [3]
October 1948 FW England Bernard Jones Longport Free transfer [3]
November 1948 FW England George O'Neill Ellesmere Port Town Free transfer [3]
November 1948 FW England Pat Raftery Ravensdale Free transfer [3]
April 1949 FW England George King Hull City 'four-figure fee' [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
September 1948 FW England Walter Keeley Accrington Stanley £1,500 [3]
October 1948 FW England Joe Dale Witton Albion 'Cheshire League record fee' [3]
January 1949 FB England Harry Hubbick Rochdale £1,000 [3]
January 1949 FW England Bill Pointon Queens Park Rangers 'club record five-figure fee' [3]
May 1949 GK England Harry Prince Stafford Rangers Released [3]
July 1949 FB Scotland Bob Pursell Winsford United Free transfer [3]
July 1949 FW England Lewis White Winsford United Free transfer [3]
Summer 1949 FW England George O'Neill Released [3]
Summer 1949 FW England John Sherratt Released [3]

References

Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Kent, Jeff (1990). "Creating Sunshine from the Shadows (1939–1950)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 151–171. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ^ Port Vale 1948–1949 : Results & Fixtures Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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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