1992–93 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1992–93 season
Chairman Bill Bell
Manager John Rudge
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Second Division 3rd (89 Points)
play-off runners-up
FA Cup Third Round
League Cup First Round
League Trophy Winners
TNT Tournament Winners
Player of the Year Ian Taylor
Top goalscorer League: Ian Taylor (15)
All: Ian Taylor (19)
Highest home attendance 20,373 vs. Stoke City (31 March 1993)
Lowest home attendance 3,851 vs. Fulham (12 January 1993)
Average home league attendance 8,092
Home colours

The 1992–93 season was Port Vale's 81st season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive (36th overall) season in the Second Division. John Rudge found new stars by bringing both Ian Taylor and Paul Musselwhite to the club at a combined fee of just £40,000. His team won the pre-season TNT Tournament, and also won the Football League Trophy. In the league Vale reached third place, four points off their rivals Stoke City, who lifted the title. They reached the play-off final, but lost out 3–0 to West Bromwich Albion. They left the FA Cup and the League Cup at the Third Round and First Round stages respectively. They played five Potteries derby games, winning the League Trophy clash and the FA Cup clash after a replay, but losing both encounters in the league.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw Vale tour the Netherlands and participate in a TNT Tournament. Beating De Graafschap 5–0, van der Laan scoring a brace, they then lost 4–3 to the Go Ahead Eagles on penalties, following a goalless draw. Despite this they were crowned the tournament's winners on aggregate. John Rudge uncovered another 'gem' by signing midfielder Ian Taylor from non-league Moor Green for a fee of just £15,000. He also spent a mere £25,000 to bring Scunthorpe United goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite to Vale Park. Musslewhite's arrival came due to the departure of Mark Grew to Cardiff City. Paul Kerr also arrived in Burslem from Millwall for a £140,000 fee. Another new face was defender Bradley Sandeman, who arrived on a free transfer from Maidstone United.

The season started poorly, with the Vale picking up just one win in the opening eight games. On 5 September, Trevor Wood conceded a penalty at Vetch Field in an 'off the ball' incident with a Swansea player and was subsequently dropped in favour of Musselwhite, who remained an ever present in the Vale side for the rest of the season. From 12 September to 13 February they went on a club-record streak of 22 games without failing to score – losing just two games in the process (one of these being a 2–1 defeat to Stoke City at the Victoria Ground). Overlapping this spell, from 1 January to 14 March they went on a club-record six straight home defeats. This in turn was followed by two further club-records, as between 20 March and 24 April they made five consecutive away wins, picking up clean sheets in all five games. In January, Dean Stokes was signed from non-league Halesowen Town for £5,000. The next month Peter Billing arrived on loan from Coventry City, and impressed enough to earn a permanent move three months later, at a fee of £35,000. Alex Mathie also arrived on loan from Greenock Morton, but failed to make an impact. They won four of their final five games, but this was not enough to gain them a promotion place, as Bolton won fifteen of their final eighteen games.[1]

They finished in third place with 89 points, one point short of promoted Bolton Wanderers and four points behind rivals Stoke City. Their two draws with Bolton and two defeats to Stoke proved fatal. They were a massive seventeen points clear of seventh place Leyton Orient, and so went into the play-offs. Facing the foes of their League Trophy Final success, Stockport County, in the semi-finals, Vale drew 1–1 at Edgeley Park thanks to a Dean Glover goal. They won the return leg in front of 12,689 fans with a Martin Foyle goal. In the final were the side that had knocked them out the FA Cup semi-finals in 1954, West Bromwich Albion. The game was goalless until Peter Swan was dismissed for bringing down an advancing Bob Taylor. They tasted defeat at Wembley for the first time as a crowd of 53,471 witnessed three subsequent West Brom goals, scored by Andy Hunt, Nicky Reid, and Kevin Donovan.

Player of the Year Ian Taylor, top-scorer with nineteen goals, was also picked for the PFA Second Division Team of the Year.

Finances

The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale were drawn against Stoke City. After a goalless draw at the Victoria Ground, some 19,810 turned up to see the replay at Vale Park. A 3–1 victory followed, with a Foyle brace and a third from Andy Porter; the game was best remembered for a patch of mud however, which stopped a certain goal from Dave Regis which would have levelled the score at 2–2.[2] The "Valiants" then easily dispatched non-league Altrincham with a 4–1 win at Moss Lane. Drawn against First Division Newcastle United at St James' Park in the Third Round, Vale were brushed aside 4–0 by the "Magpies".

In the League Cup, Vale faced a tricky encounter with league rivals Bolton Wanderers. Losing 2–1 at Burnden Park, a 1–1 draw in Burslem meant the "Trotters" advanced at the expense of the Vale.

In the League Trophy, Vale overcame Fulham with a 4–3 victory, despite going behind in extra time, Glover bagging a brace.[3] They then faced Third Division Northampton Town, who they dispatched with a 4–2 win. Facing Stoke City once again in the Southern Section semi-finals, Robin van der Laan scored the only goal of the game at the Victoria Ground to take Vale into the Southern Area final. They advanced past Exeter City with a 2–1 home win and a 1–1 draw at St James Park. The league was the priority, yet Vale had made it into the League Trophy Final. Stockport County were out for revenge after Vale had edged them out of the play-offs. Paul Kerr put the Vale ahead, before Bernie Slaven made it two before half-time. Giant striker Kevin Francis pulled one back but Vale held on for the win.

Final league table

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA Pts
1. Stoke City (C) (P) 46 27 12 7 73 34 93
2. Bolton Wanderers (P) 46 27 9 10 80 41 90
3. Port Vale 46 26 11 9 79 44 89
4. West Bromwich Albion (P) 46 25 10 11 88 54 85
5. Swansea City 46 20 13 13 65 47 73
6. Stockport County 46 19 15 12 81 57 72
7. Leyton Orient 46 21 9 16 69 53 72
8. Reading 46 18 15 13 66 51 69
9. Brighton & Hove Albion 46 20 9 17 63 59 69
10. Bradford City 46 18 14 14 69 67 68
11. Rotherham United 46 17 14 15 60 60 65
12. Fulham 46 16 17 13 57 55 65
13. Burnley 46 15 16 15 57 59 61
14. Plymouth Argyle 46 16 12 18 59 64 60
15. Huddersfield Town 46 17 9 20 54 61 60
16. Hartlepool United 46 14 12 20 42 60 54
17. Bournemouth 46 12 17 17 45 52 53
18. Blackpool 46 12 15 19 63 75 51
19. Exeter City 46 11 17 18 54 69 50
20. Hull City 46 13 11 22 46 69 50
21. Preston North End (R) 46 13 8 25 65 94 47
22. Mansfield Town (R) 46 11 11 24 52 80 44
23. Wigan Athletic (R) 46 10 11 25 43 72 41
24. Chester City (R) 46 8 5 33 49 102 29

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; Pts = Points

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAHHAHAAHHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAHAAHAHAHHHAHAAHAA
Result D L D W L D D D W W W W L W W D D W W D L W W W W W W L L W W L D W W W L W D W L W W W D W
Position 13 20 19 11 14 15 16 17 14 13 12 8 9 9 5 5 7 6 3 3 7 5 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3

Sourced from Statto.[4]

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
15 August 1992 FulhamH0–06,746
22 August 1992 BournemouthA1–24,825Taylor
29 August 1992 Stockport CountyH0–06,340
1 September 1992 Rotherham UnitedH4–25,370Taylor, Jeffers, Swan, van der Laan
5 September 1992 Swansea CityA0–23,868
12 September 1992 Exeter CityH2–25,642Taylor, o.g.
15 September 1992 BurnleyA1–18,551Houchen
19 September 1992 Hartlepool UnitedA1–12,815Walker (pen)
26 September 1992 Chester CityH2–06,392Bartlett, Walker
3 October 1992 Brighton & Hove AlbionH3–15,731Cross, Walker (pen), Houchen
10 October 1992 West Bromwich AlbionA1–017,512Taylor
17 October 1992 Plymouth ArgyleH4–06,584Sandeman, Glover, Taylor, Houchen
24 October 1992 Stoke CityA1–224,334Kerr
31 October 1992 BlackpoolH2–17,057Taylor, Walker
3 November 1992 Leyton OrientH2–07,357Taylor, Kerr
7 November 1992 Bolton WanderersA1–17,349o.g.
21 November 1992 Hull CityH1–16,202Taylor
28 November 1992 Huddersfield TownA2–15,822Swan, Foyle
12 December 1992 Preston North EndA5–26,038Cross, van der Laan, Taylor, Porter, Foyle
19 December 1992 Wigan AthleticH2–26,647Walker, van der Laan
28 December 1992 Bradford CityA2–38,018Glover, Taylor
9 January 1993 BurnleyH3–08,815Taylor, Cross, Swan
16 January 1993 Chester CityA2–14,367Foyle, Kerr
30 January 1993 BournemouthH3–06,834Cross (2), Houchen
6 February 1993 FulhamA2–14,905Taylor, Kerr
9 February 1993 Hartlepool UnitedH2–06,629Taylor, Jeffers
13 February 1993 Swansea CityH2–07,191Cross, Houchen
16 February 1993 Stockport CountyA0–27,449
20 February 1993 Rotherham UnitedA1–45,546Sulley
27 February 1993 West Bromwich AlbionH2–113,291Cross, Foyle
6 March 1993 Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–07,294Glover, Kent
10 March 1993 ReadingA0–14,873
13 March 1993 Bolton WanderersH0–011,055
20 March 1993 Leyton OrientA1–05,950Walker
23 March 1993 Huddersfield TownH1–07,747van der Laan
27 March 1993 Hull CityA1–04,558Walker
31 March 1993 Stoke CityH0–220,373
3 April 1993 ReadingH3–17,099Houchen, Cross, Walker (pen)
6 April 1993 Preston North EndH2–28,271Cross, Kerr
10 April 1993 Mansfield TownA1–05,081Kerr
13 April 1993 Bradford CityH1–28,743Cross
17 April 1993 Wigan AthleticA4–03,743Slaven, Kerr (pen), van der Laan, Cross
24 April 1993 Plymouth ArgyleA1–05,563Cross
27 April 1993 Mansfield TownH3–09,996Kerr (2), Taylor
4 May 1993 Exeter CityA1–13,219Kerr (pen)
8 May 1993 BlackpoolA4–29,295van der Laan, Kerr, Slaven, Taylor

Football League Second Division play-offs

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
SF16 May 1993 Stockport CountyA1–17,856Glover
SF19 May 1993 Stockport CountyH1–012,689Foyle
F30 May 1993 West Bromwich AlbionN0–353,471

FA Cup

Main article: 1992–93 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1992 Stoke CityA0–024,490
R1 Replay24 November 1992 Stoke CityH3–119,810Foyle (2), Porter
R25 December 1992 AltrinchamA4–13,859Swan, Foyle, Taylor, van der Laan
R32 January 1993 Newcastle UnitedA0–429,873

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg28 August 1992 Bolton WanderersA1–23,282Foyle
R1 2nd Leg25 August 1992 Bolton WanderersH1–14,870Taylor

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R212 January 1993 FulhamH4–33,851Glover (2 [1 pen]), Foyle, Taylor
R32 February 1993 Northampton TownH4–24,834Swan, Smith, Kerr, Walker
SSSF3 March 1993 Stoke CityA1–022,254van der Laan
SSF16 March 1993 Exeter CityH2–18,866Kerr (pen), Taylor
SSF21 April 1993 Exeter CityA1–17,060Slaven
F22 May 1993 Stockport CountyN2–135,881Kerr, Slaven

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKNorthern Ireland Trevor Wood 50002080
GKEngland Paul Musselwhite 4104000550
DFEngland Simon Mills 30101070
DFEngland Dean Glover 3933020526
DFEngland Neil Aspin 3503010480
DFEngland Peter Swan 3834110515
DFEngland Chris Sulley 4014020531
DFEngland Bradley Sandeman 2213020311
DFEngland Mark Smith 60000071
DFEngland Peter Billing 1200000170
MFEngland Andy Porter 1712100262
MFEngland Ray Walker 35840204610
MFEngland John Jeffers 2624010342
MFNetherlands Robin van der Laan 38621205310
MFEngland Kevin Kent 2810010401
MFEngland Ian Taylor 411541215819
MFEngland Paul Kerr 381110205215
FWEngland Nicky Cross 371240004712
FWEngland Martin Foyle 1644321309
FWEngland Keith Houchen 2861010327
FWScotland Bernie Slaven 1020000154
FWScotland Alex Mathie 30000030
FWEngland Kevin Bartlett 51000051

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
England Ian Taylor 19
England Paul Kerr 15
England Nicky Cross 12
England Ray Walker 10
Netherlands Robin van der Laan
England Martin Foyle 9
England Keith Houchen 7
England Dean Glover 6
England Peter Swan 5
Scotland Bernie Slaven 4
England John Jeffers 2
England Andy Porter
England Chris Sulley 1
England Bradley Sandeman
England Kevin Kent
England Mark Smith
England Kevin Bartlett

League

Scorer Goals
England Ian Taylor 15
England Nicky Cross 12
England Paul Kerr 11
England Ray Walker 8
Netherlands Robin van der Laan 6
England Keith Houchen
England Martin Foyle 4
England Dean Glover 3
England Peter Swan
Scotland Bernie Slaven 2
England John Jeffers
England Andy Porter 1
England Chris Sulley
England Bradley Sandeman
England Kevin Kent
England Kevin Bartlett

References

  1. "Dodgy penalty was not enough for a promotion". The Sentinel. 19 February 2011. p. 26.
  2. Baggaley, Mike (24 November 2015). "Port Vale archives: Vale's FA Cup epic against Stoke City 23 years ago today". The Sentinel. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. Sherwin, Phil (1 October 2011). "Extra time helped Vale to victory in tense game". The Sentinel: The Way We Were. p. 16.
  4. Port Vale 1992–1993 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
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