1936–37 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1936–37 season
Chairman Frank Huntbach
Manager Warney Cresswell
Stadium The Old Recreation Ground
Football League Third Division North 11th (44 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
Football League Third Division North Cup Semi-finals
Top goalscorer League: Tommy Ward (14)
All: Tommy Ward (18)
Highest home attendance 12,950 vs. Chester (5 December 1936)
Lowest home attendance 2,148 vs. Rochdale (17 April 1937)
Average home league attendance 7,298
Home colours

The 1936–37 season was Port Vale's 31st season of football in the Football League, and their first season (second overall) back in the Third Division North following their relegation from the Second Division.[1] For the first time in the club's history, rivals Stoke City were playing two leagues above them. The "Valiants" played in white shirts and black socks – a look that they kept for the rest of the century and beyond. Manager Warney Cresswell would prove to be the first of Vale's managers to be recognizable as a manager to modern observers, training the players to ensure fitness, allowing them to relax together as a group, and searching the country for fresh talent. His modern techniques were not enough to ensure promotion, despite a mid-season unbeaten run of thirteen games in an otherwise unremarkable season.

Chairman Frank Huntbach.

Overview

Third Division North

During the pre-season build-up, former England international full-back Warney Cresswell was appointed as manager-coach, filling a position which had remained vacant since September 1936.[1] Described as 'a very knowledgeable man about football', he increased the playing staff to twenty, signing winger Gerry Kelly (Chester); right-half Tommy Ward (Grimsby Town); and left-half Spencer Evans (Altrincham).[1] Cresswell also began running the players and pushing them in the gym, in order to get them fit for the season.[1] In between heavy training sessions he encouraged the players to relax with snooker and billiards competitions.[1] The club also decided to introduce a new strip of white shirts and black shorts, a look they retain to this day.[1]

The season opened with two defeats, as Vale found it tough to acclimatize to third tier football, their 3–1 home defeat to Hull City came despite them doing the double over the "Tigers" the previous season.[1] Following this, George Stabb transferred to Bradford Park Avenue, in a deal which saw Tom Nolan return to The Old Recreation Ground.[1] Continuing their poor form, by the end of September they were seventh from bottom.[1] This prompted Cresswell to sign inside-forward Alfred Dickinson from Everton.[1] On 26 September, Nolan scored a hat-trick past Stockport County, but the Vale would have to wait a little longer before getting into their stride.[1] Seven changes were made for the 24 October win over Hartlepools United, and the wait would be worth it, as Vale then went on a thirteen game unbeaten run.[1] Nevertheless, Cresswell continued to travel the country in the hunt for talented young amateurs.[1] By the end of October the 40,000 Shilling Fund completed its mission.[1] With Ward scoring two hat-tricks during the spell, Michael Curley and George Heywood were judged as surplus to requirements, and moved on to Colwyn Bay and Southport respectively.[1] Fred Obrey also proved to be a revelation in the centre of the pitch.[1]

By the time Vale lost their unbeaten run – 1–0 at struggling Darlington's Feethams – they were up to fourth in the table.[1] Vale were then in indifferent form for the remainder of the season, as their promotion hopes petered away.[1] On 27 March a heavy 7–1 defeat was recorded to Mansfield Town at Field Mill.[1] Cresswell's contract was cancelled by mutual consent, and he quickly took up the management reins at Third Division South side Northampton Town.[1]

They finished in eleventh position with 44 points.[1] This meant they were sixteen points short of promotion and twelve points clear of the re-election zones. With 58 goals scored they had the third weakest attack in the division, and had almost half the tally of runners-up Lincoln City.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a profit of £401 was made, though £1,923 of income came through the Shilling Fund.[1] Gate receipts had tailed off by another £1,065; whilst the wage bill was trimmed to £5,656 and a transfer credit of £465 was made.[1] Fourteen players departed at the season's end, including: Ken Gunn (sold to Creswell's Northampton Town); Eric Hayward (sold to Blackpool); goalkeeper Allan Todd (refused terms and was transferred to Nottingham Forest); fourteen year club veteran Roger Jones (retirement); and Gerry Kelly (signed with Southampton).[1] The club also petitioned the Football League for a switch to the Third Division South, where gates were believed to be higher, however the League replied that circumstance and not applications determined where club's were placed – despite this Mansfield Town were the ones transferred, Mansfield being a town some forty miles north of Stoke-on-Trent.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, they fell at the Third Round to First Division Sheffield Wednesday with a 2–0 defeat at Hillsborough, having been forced to play six reserves due to injury.[1] In the short-lived Football League Third Division North Cup, the club progressed to the semi-finals with victories over Mansfield Town (2–0), Stockport County (4–0), and Rotherham United (1–0); where they lost 3–0 to Chester.[1] Attendances of around 100 exemplified the lack of interest in the competition.[1]

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Stockport County42173159186114252184392.154+ 4560
2Lincoln City42181265207683837103571.807+ 4657
3Chester42155168217410193687571.526+ 3053
4Oldham Athletic42137149257410283477591.305+ 1851
5Hull City42136239224611294768690.986– 146
6Hartlepools United42161453213612224875691.087+ 645
7Halifax Town42124540206510284368631.079+ 545
8Wrexham4212364121498303671571.246+ 1444
9Mansfield Town4213176435579274191761.197+ 1544
10Carlisle United42136242195214234965680.956– 344
11Port Vale42126339235412194158640.906– 644
12York City42133554273810254379701.129+ 943
13Accrington Stanley42142551262712254376691.101+ 741
14Southport42108339282514345973870.839– 1437
15New Brighton42108336163315195455700.786– 1537
16Barrow42115542252514286170860.814– 1636
17Rotherham United42117352283018266378910.857– 1335
18Rochdale42123644271614255969860.802– 1735
19Tranmere Rovers42108352302118195871880.807– 1733
20Crewe Alexandra4268731314413245255830.663– 2832
21Gateshead4298440312217236763980.643– 3532
22Darlington4268742462613245066960.688– 3030

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAH
Result L L W W D L L W L D L W D W W W D W W W W D D W L W L L W W W L L L W D L L D D L W
Position 18 21 17 9 12 13 16 11 15 14 18 14 13 13 13 9 8 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 6 6 5 4 4 4 6 5 4 4 6 6 6 7 11 11

Sourced from Statto.[2]

Football League Third Division North

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
29 August 1936 Hull CityH1–39,207Miller
2 September 1936 New BrightonA0–24,522
5 September 1936 GatesheadA1–04,538Rhodes
7 September 1936 New BrightonH3–16,096Roberts (2), Rhodes
12 September 1936 DarlingtonH2–27,628Caldwell, Nolan
14 September 1936 Oldham AthleticA1–53,622Roberts
19 September 1936 WrexhamA0–17,746
26 September 1936 Stockport CountyH3–09,407Nolan (3)
3 October 1936 Rotherham UnitedA0–27,032
10 October 1936 York CityH1–17,627Caldwell
17 October 1936 Carlisle UnitedA2–54,691Nolan, Rhodes
24 October 1936 Hartlepools UnitedH1–06,659Roberts
31 October 1936 SouthportA3–37,483Roberts (2), Nolan
7 November 1936 Tranmere RoversH2–16,551Roberts, Nolan
14 November 1936 Halifax TownA1–07,443Goodfellow
21 November 1936 Mansfield TownH5–18,983Jones (3), Ward, Dean
28 November 1936 ChesterA0–07,616
5 December 1936 ChesterH4–012,950Ward (3), Rhodes (pen)
12 December 1936 RochdaleA0–02,218
19 December 1936 BarrowH3–28,431Nolan (2), Kelly
25 December 1936 Accrington StanleyA3–25,997Ward (2), Jones
26 December 1936 Hull CityA1–114,928Ward
28 December 1936 Accrington StanleyH1–18,030Ward
2 January 1937 GatesheadH4–28,472Ward (3), Dean
9 January 1937 DarlingtonA0–15,177
20 January 1937 Crewe AlexandraA1–02,059Kelly
23 January 1937 WrexhamH0–37,432
30 January 1937 Stockport CountyA0–110,690
6 February 1937 Rotherham UnitedH2–17,440Dean, Rhodes
13 February 1937 York CityA2–14,241Obrey, Jones
20 February 1937 Carlisle UnitedH1–06,585Ward
27 February 1937 Hartlepools UnitedA0–22,645
6 March 1937 SouthportH0–26,986
13 March 1937 Tranmere RoversA2–45,732Ward (2)
20 March 1937 Halifax TownH3–18,815Jones (3)
26 March 1937 Lincoln CityH1–16,243Dean
27 March 1937 Mansfield TownA1–76,348Jones
29 March 1937 Lincoln CityA0–113,715
3 April 1937 Crewe AlexandraH0–06,365
17 April 1937 RochdaleH1–12,148Nolan
24 April 1937 BarrowA1–34,298Nolan
1 May 1937 Oldham AthleticH1–02,353Roberts

FA Cup

Main article: 1936–37 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R316 January 1937 Sheffield WednesdayA0–227,450

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKScotland Allan Todd 39000430
GKWales John Jones 301040
DFEngland Trevor Rhodes 33500365
DFEngland Eric Hayward 18010210
DFEngland Roderick Welsh 17010210
DFEngland George Heywood 200020
DFEngland Harry Griffiths 800080
DFEngland Claude Barrett 19000190
MFEngland Roger Jones 36910399
MFScotland Ken Gunn 37000400
MFEngland Arthur Caldwell 13200142
MFEngland Frank Ryder 601080
MFEngland Michael Curley 300030
MFEngland Tommy Ward 2714103218
MFEngland Billy Tunnicliffe 200031
MFEngland Wilf Smith 100010
MFEngland Fred Obrey 29110331
MFEngland Gerry Kelly 20210212
MFEngland Jack Harrison 200040
MFEngland Spencer Evans 34010381
MFEngland Arthur Cumberlidge 800090
MFEngland Percy Adams 100010
FWEngland Luke Dean 13400144
FWEngland Jack Roberts 15800168
FWEngland George Stabb 200020
FWEngland Tom Nolan 3711104112
FWScotland Peter Miller 13110171
FWEngland Arthur Ford 300040
FWEngland Syd Goodfellow 16100161
FWWales Alfred Dickinson 500050

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
England Tommy Ward 18
England Tom Nolan 12
England Roger Jones 9
England Jack Roberts 8
England Trevor Rhodes 5
England Luke Dean 4
England Arthur Caldwell 2
England Gerry Kelly
Scotland Peter Miller 1
England Syd Goodfellow
England Billy Tunnicliffe
England Fred Obrey
England Spencer Evans

League

Scorer Goals
England Tommy Ward 14
England Tom Nolan 11
England Roger Jones 9
England Jack Roberts 8
England Trevor Rhodes 5
England Luke Dean 4
England Arthur Caldwell 2
England Gerry Kelly
Scotland Peter Miller 1
England Syd Goodfellow
England Fred Obrey

References

  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 Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Glory to Despair (1929–1939)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 124–150. ISBN 978-0-9508981-4-8.
  2. Port Vale 1936–1937 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
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