1892–93 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

Burslem Port Vale
1892–93 season
Chairman Edward Oliver
Manager Enoch Hood
Stadium Athletic Ground
Football League Second Division 11th (15 Points)
FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Birmingham Senior Cup Second Round
Staffordshire Senior Cup First Round
Top goalscorer League: Meshach Dean (5)
All: Meshach Dean (6)
Highest home attendance 2,000 vs Darwen (1 October 1892)
Lowest home attendance 500 vs Grimsby Town (17 February 1893)
Average home league attendance 1,344+
Home colours

The 1892–93 season was Burslem Port Vale's first season of football in the Football League. The club were founding members of the Football League Second Division, the First Division having been in operation for four seasons prior to 1892–93. A learning curve for the club, it marked the first of four seasons of struggle in what was rapidly becoming the second tier of the strongest league in the world. This learning curve was punctuated by the biggest league defeat in the club's history, a 10–0 humiliation in a snowstorm at home to Sheffield United on 10 December 1892, still a Football League record for a home defeat.[1]

Other than the record defeat (which saw right-half Billy Delves play in goal[1]), and two away performances where five goals were conceded, the Vale were competitive in most matches, winning three of their games by at least a three goal margin. If not for the capitulation to Sheffield United then the club would have had one of the better defensive records in the league. However a run of one goal scored in five consecutive games highlighted their lack of offensive firepower. This run saw them lose eight of ten games.

Winning Football League status

Having spent their early history playing only friendly matches, cup games, and in minor leagues such as the Midland Football League; 1892–93 marked the club's first season in the Football League.[1] The Football League's merger with the Football Alliance saw the club granted Second Division status, due to their third place standing in the Midland League in 1891–92, along with Northwich Victoria and Sheffield United.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season started terribly, star striker Frank McGinnes dying of kidney disease before a ball was kicked.[1] His replacement was Wallace Bliss, and local headmaster Fred Farrington was appointed captain.[1] The first match continued in desperately poor fashion; Billy Beats missed the train, and so Vale played with ten men against Small Heath, losing 5–1, with Bliss scoring the club's first Football League goal – his only goal in the league ever. Away matches were difficult for the "Valeites" as players had trouble gaining permission from their employers to miss work.[1]

Finishing in 11th place, they finished one place above bottom club Walsall Town Swifts, and level on points with Crewe Alexandra. Their fifteen points were less than half the tally of champions Small Heath (who were not promoted after losing their 'Test Match'). A time of expansion for the competition, they retained their league status despite their poor showing (disbanded Bootle were the only team to lose their status), and the next season three more teams were added to the league. Vale's defence performed admirably (most of the time), however Vale only scored 30 goals in their 22 league games. Their first ever point came at Bootle, and their first ever win was a 4–1 home victory over Crewe Alexandra.

Cup competitions

Despite reaching the Fifth Round of the FA Cup in 1885–86, they failed to make it through the qualifying stages this time round. In the Staffordshire Senior Cup they exited in the First Round to Burton Wanderers, and in the Birmingham Senior Cup they left at the Second Round after a 4–1 defeat by Aston Villa.

Final league table

Billy Beats, one of the club's key players during the campaign.
Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GA GD Pts
1Small Heath2210105716713331990352.571+ 4536
2Sheffield United221010358623271162193.263+ 4335
3Darwen2210014315425172160361.667+ 2430
4Grimsby Town22812257308173442411.024+ 123
5Ardwick226322714308182645401.125+ 521
6Burton Swifts227133018218172947471.000± 020
7Northwich Victoria227042526227173242580.724– 1620
8Bootle228123520029144349630.778– 1419
9Lincoln City226233018119153345510.882– 617
10Crewe Alexandra226143024029124542690.609– 2715
11Burslem Port Vale224161623227143430570.5262715
12Walsall Town Swifts2243425241010125137750.493– 4013

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

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
GroundAAAHHHHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
Result L L D W L W L W L D L L L L W L L L W D L W
Position 10 12 9 7 8 7 7 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 11 12 12 11 11 11

Sourced from Statto.[2]

Football League Second Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
3 September 1892 Small HeathA1–52,500Bliss
10 September 1892 ArdwickA0–22,000
12 September 1892 BootleA1–13,000Dean
24 September 1892 Crewe AlexandraH4–11,500Farrington (2), Walker, Dean
1 October 1892 DarwenH2–42,000Walker, Bliss
8 October 1892 Burton SwiftsH1–0Farrington
10 October 1892 ArdwickH1–21,000Walker
22 October 1892 Lincoln CityA4–31,000J.Mountford, Bliss, unknown, unknown
5 November 1892 DarwenA1–43,000Farrington
12 November 1892 BootleH0–01,300
26 November 1892 Crewe AlexandraA0–5
3 December 1892 Lincoln CityH1–2Beats
10 December 1892 Sheffield UnitedH0–101,000
17 December 1892 Sheffield UnitedA0–42,000
31 December 1892 Walsall Town SwiftsH3–01,000Lander (2), unknown
14 January 1893 Grimsby TownA0–2500
11 February 1893 Grimsby TownH0–1500
18 February 1893 Walsall Town SwiftsA0–31,000
4 March 1893 Northwich VictoriaH4–0800Wood (2), Beats, Dean
18 March 1893 Burton SwiftsA3–3Dean (2), Scarratt
25 March 1893 Small HeathH0–33,000
8 April 1893 Northwich VictoriaA4–21,000Beats (2), G.Mountford (2)

FA Cup

Main article: 1892–93 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultGoalscorers
1Q15 October 1892 Burton SwiftsH0–2

Birmingham Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
22 February 1893 Aston VillaH1–42,000Elson

Staffordshire Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
17 January 1893 Burton WanderersH2–4100Scarratt, Dean

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Joe Frail 1901020220
GKEngland Levi Higginson 10000010
DF James Clutton 2101020240
DF W. Downwood 30100040
DF C. McAlpine 1000010110
DF W.E. Powell 30000030
DFEngland Albert Skinner 10000010
DF George Youds 20000020
MFEngland Meshach Dean 1651021196
MFEngland Billy Delves 20000020
MFEngland Billy Elson 1601021191
MF Fred Farrington (c) 1841010204
MF W. Jones 10000010
MFScotland Bob McCrindle 2001020230
MFEngland Jos Randles 20000020
MFEngland Jimmy Scarratt 2011021232
MF James Smith 40100050
MF Tommy Walker 1531020183
MFEngland Alf Wood 72002092
FW James Mountford 11000011
FWEngland Billy Beats 2141010234
FW Wallace Bliss 1331000143
FWEngland Jimmy Ditchfield 1100010120
FW Charles Garner 10000010
FW Johnny Lander 32000032
FW William McFarlane 40000040
FW George Mountford 32000043
FWEngland John Nash 20000020
FWEngland Arthur Pimlott 10000010

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
England Meshach Dean 6
England Billy Beats 4
Fred Farrington
Tommy Walker 3
Wallace Bliss
George Mountford
England Alf Wood 2
Johnny Lander
England Jimmy Scarratt
England Billy Elson 1
James Mountford

League

Scorer Goals
England Meshach Dean 5
England Billy Beats 4
Fred Farrington
Tommy Walker 3
Wallace Bliss
George Mountford
England Alf Wood 2
Johnny Lander
James Mountford 1

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1892 DF W. Downwood Free transfer [3]
June 1892 MF Jack Smith Free transfer [3]
August 1892 FW England Wallace Bliss Free transfer [3]
August 1892 MF James Mountford Free transfer [3]
September 1892 MF Johnny Lander Free transfer [3]
October 1892 DF C. McAlpine Darlington Free transfer [3]
November 1892 FW Charles Garner Free transfer [3]
November 1892 FW England Jim Mason Free transfer [3]
November 1892 FW George Mountford Free transfer [3]
November 1892 DF George Youds Kettering Town Free transfer [3]
December 1892 MF England Alf Wood Smallthorne Albion Free transfer [3]
January 1893 FW William McFarlane Free transfer [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
February 1893 DF C. McAlpine Released [3]
March 1893 MF Tommy Walker Burton Swifts Free transfer [3]
Summer 1893 FW England Wallace Bliss Released [3]
Summer 1893 MF Billy Delves Released [3]
Summer 1893 DF W. Downwood Released [3]
Summer 1893 FW Charles Garner Released [3]
Summer 1893 MF W. Jones) Released [3]
Summer 1893 MF Johnny Lander Released [3]
Summer 1893 FW William McFarlane Released [3]
Summer 1893 FW George Mountford Released [3]
Summer 1893 MF James Mountford Released [3]
Summer 1893 FW England John Nash Released [3]
Summer 1893 FW England Arthur Pimlott Released [3]
Summer 1893 DF W.E. Powell Released [3]
Summer 1893 DF England Albert Skinner Released [3]

References

Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kent, Jeff (1990). "Trying to make the Grade (1888-1898)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 26–50. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1892–1893 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 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 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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