1918–19 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1918–19 season
Chairman	Frank Huntbach
Manager	Jock Cameron; (until January); Joe Schofield; (January onwards)
Stadium	Old Recreation Ground
Football League Lancashire Section	12th (24 points)
Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament	4th (3 points)
Top goalscorer	League: Harry Howell (6); All: Harry Howell (9)
Highest home attendance	16,000 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919
Lowest home attendance	2,000 vs. Blackpool, 28 September 1918
Average home league attendance	5,772
Biggest win	4–1 vs. Stoke, 28 April 1919
Biggest defeat	1–8 vs. Stoke, 12 October 1918
	← 1917–18 1919–20 →

The 1918–19 season was Port Vale's third season of football after going into abeyance during World War I.^[1] They competed in the Football League Lancashire Section under manager-secretaries Jock Cameron (until January) and Joe Schofield (from January), with Frank Huntbach as chairman at the Old Recreation Ground. The club finished 12th in the 30‑match league season, accumulating 24 points from 10 wins, 4 draws, and 16 losses, with a goal tally of 39 scored and 77 conceded. Vale also competed in the Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament, finishing 4th with 3 points from that mini-competition

Forward Harry Howell led the team as top scorer, with 6 league goals and 9 in all competitions. The season included mixed fortunes: the club suffered its largest defeat of the era, an 8–1 loss to Stoke in October, yet achieved occasional strong results, including resounding wins of 4–0 and 5–1 in league play. Attendances were variable — peaking at around 16,000 spectators for a Potteries derby match against Stoke on 28 April 1919, with an average attendance of approximately 5,772

Overall, the 1918–19 campaign signalled Port Vale's final phase in wartime regional football and served as a transitional foundation for their reinstatement into the national Football League in October 1919.

Overview

With Tom Holford largely unavailable, Jock Cameron was promoted to captain and team manager.^[1] The squad had to be made up largely of players available and willing to play, with only the Pearson brothers (Harry and Albert) offering much in the way of continuity from the previous campaign.^[1] The team started with a four-game unbeaten run, only to pick up one point from their next six games.^[1] The poor run included an embarrassing 8–1 defeat by Stoke at the Old Recreation Ground.^[1] The war was drawing to a close, ending on 11 November, but not before claiming the lives of Bob Suart and Jack Shelton.^[1] Vale beat bottom-club Burnley 4–2 five days later, and began to be strengthened by first-team players who returned from their wartime duties – as were every other club however.^[1] From this point, Vale began winning their home games but losing their away matches, ending this run with a 2–0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on 18 January – the first away win of the campaign.^[1] A sign of things returning to normal was the sale of Albert Pearson to Liverpool in January.^[1]

As players again started to be paid their regular wage, the Football League began a tax on rich clubs to support poorer clubs, which benefited Vale to the tune of £71.^[1] Eager to win a place in the expanding Football League the following season, Vale appointed former England international Joe Schofield as team secretary in January.^[1] Four straight wins around the new year were followed by four straight defeats in February, though attendance began to rise back to regular peacetime levels.^[1] On 10 March, the Football League held a vote on which clubs to admit for the 1919–20 season and Vale were disappointed only to tally 27 votes, leaving Stoke, West Ham United, South Shields, Rotherham County and Coventry City as the successful applicants.^[1] Vale also ended the league programme with eight defeats in their last ten matches, losing heavily to Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers.^[1] They ended the season 12th out of 16 teams, scoring 39 goals whilst conceding 77.^[1] The club set up a Supporters' club in April with 220 members each contributing a shilling subscription.^[1] Vale again fared poorly in the six-game Subsidiary Tournament, losing four and winning only once.^[1] They did end positively, though, beating Potteries derby rivals Stoke 4–1 in front of a season-high crowd of 16,000.^[1]

Results

Win	Draw	Loss

Football League Lancashire Section

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
11	Blackpool	30	10	5	15	45	61	0.738	25
12	Port Vale	30	10	4	16	39	77	0.506	24
13	Burnley	30	10	3	17	54	76	0.711	23

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches

7 September 1918 1	Bury	1–1	Burslem Port Vale	Bury, Greater Manchester
			Rogers	Stadium: Gigg Lane

14 September 1918 2	Burslem Port Vale	2–1	Bury	Hanley
	McCarthy Lyons			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground

21 September 1918 3	Blackpool	1–1	Burslem Port Vale	Blackpool
			Davies	Stadium: Bloomfield Road

28 September 1918 4	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	Blackpool	Hanley
	A.Pearson			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 2,000

5 October 1918 5	Stoke	3–2	Burslem Port Vale	Stoke-upon-Trent
	Turner Bowser McGregor		Foster	Stadium: Victoria Ground

12 October 1918 6	Burslem Port Vale	1–8	Stoke	Hanley
	Davies		Bowser Lockett Whittingham Herbert	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground

19 October 1918 7	Stockport County	3–0	Burslem Port Vale	Stockport
				Stadium: Edgeley Park Attendance: 3,000

26 October 1918 8	Burslem Port Vale	2–2	Stockport County	Hanley
	Blood H.Pearson			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground

2 November 1918 9	Burslem Port Vale	0–2	Liverpool	Hanley
		Report	Green Lewis	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,000

9 November 1918 10	Liverpool	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Liverpool
	Green 4' Bennett 28' Wadsworth	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 14,000

16 November 1918 11	Burslem Port Vale	4–2	Burnley	Hanley
	H.Pearson Salt Cope o.g.			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 4,000

23 November 1918 12	Burnley	4–1	Burslem Port Vale	Burnley
			Fitchford	Stadium: Turf Moor Attendance: 4,000

30 November 1918 13	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Southport Vulcan	Hanley
	Kelly A.Pearson			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground

7 December 1918 14	Southport Vulcan	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Southport
				Stadium: Ash Lane

14 December 1918 15	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Manchester United	Hanley
	Burgess Garner Brennan			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 4,000

21 December 1918 16	Manchester United	5–1	Burslem Port Vale	Old Trafford
			H.Pearson (pen)	Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 5,000

28 December 1918 17	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Bolton Wanderers	Hanley
	o.g. Fitchford Asbury			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,000

11 January 1919 18	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Preston North End	Hanley
	Burgess			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 4,000

18 January 1919 19	Preston North End	0–2	Burslem Port Vale	Preston, Lancashire
			Cameron Burgess	Stadium: Deepdale

25 January 1919 20	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Rochdale	Hanley
	Howell Burgess		Burgess	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 3,000

1 February 1919 21	Rochdale	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Rochdale
	Goodwin Hawksworth			Stadium: Spotland Stadium Attendance: 3,500

8 February 1919 22	Burslem Port Vale	0–1	Everton	Hanley
				Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 10,000

15 February 1919 23	Everton	3–1	Burslem Port Vale	Walton, Liverpool
			Howell	Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 20,000

22 February 1919 24	Oldham Athletic	6–0	Burslem Port Vale	Oldham
				Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 5,875

1 March 1919 25	Burslem Port Vale	3–1	Oldham Athletic	Hanley
	Brennan Howell Hill			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,301

8 March 1919 26	Manchester City	6–1	Burslem Port Vale	Gorton
	Johnson Browell Barnes		Howell	Stadium: Hyde Road Attendance: 14,000

15 March 1919 27	Burslem Port Vale	1–5	Manchester City	Hanley
	Fitchford		Barnes Browell A. Fairclough	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,500

22 March 1919 28	Burslem Port Vale	3–2	Blackburn Rovers	Hanley
	Howell Fitchford			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,000

29 March 1919 29	Blackburn Rovers	6–0	Burslem Port Vale	Blackburn
				Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 5,000

18 April 1919 30	Bolton Wanderers	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Bolton
			Hill (pen)	Stadium: Burnden Park Attendance: 20,000

Lancashire Section Subsidiary Tournament

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
2	Stoke	6	2	2	2	9	10	0.900	6
3	Manchester United	6	2	0	4	9	14	0.643	4
4	Port Vale	6	1	1	4	9	13	0.692	3

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches

5 April 1919 1	Burslem Port Vale	1–3	Manchester United	Hanley
	J.Parker			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 6,000

12 April 1919 2	Manchester United	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Old Trafford
			J.Parker	Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 8,000

19 April 1919 3	Burslem Port Vale	0–1	Manchester City	Hanley
			Browell	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,000

21 April 1919 4	Stoke	2–2	Burslem Port Vale	Stoke-upon-Trent
	Phillips Wootton		Briscoe Brennan	Stadium: Victoria Ground

26 April 1919 5	Manchester City	4–1	Burslem Port Vale	Gorton
	Browell Barnes		Howell	Stadium: Hyde Road Attendance: 20,000

28 April 1919 6	Burslem Port Vale	4–1	Stoke	Hanley
	Howell o.g. Joe Smith		Herbert	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 16,000

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

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

Pos.	Name	League		Subsidiary		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Jonathan Hammond	28	0	6	0	34	0
GK	F Clements	1	0	0	0	1	0
GK	John Dennis	1	0	0	0	1	0
FB	Jock Cameron	7	1	0	0	7	1
FB	George Holmes	20	0	0	0	20	0
FB	Tom Lyons	25	1	5	0	30	1
FB	Edgar Bentley	11	0	2	0	13	0
FB	W Dalton	1	0	0	0	1	0
FB	Eli Fletcher	0	0	1	0	1	0
FB	W Garner	1	1	0	0	1	1
FB	Harry Leese	1	0	5	0	6	0
FB	Ben Marsden	6	0	0	0	6	0
HB	Harry Pearson	29	3	6	0	35	3
HB	Andie Newton	1	0	3	0	4	0
HB	Fred Parker	6	0	0	0	6	0
FB	J Taylor	8	0	1	0	9	0
HB	G Arrowsmith	11	0	0	0	11	0
HB	Tom Holford	0	0	1	0	1	0
HB	W Brooks	1	0	0	0	1	0
HB	F Langley	10	0	1	0	11	0
HB	Arthur McGarry	7	0	5	0	12	0
HB	J McGarry	1	0	0	0	1	0
HB	Walter Rowley	2	0	0	0	2	0
HB	Alf Smith	12	0	0	0	12	0
FW	Joe Daley	8	0	0	0	8	0
FW	James Hill	12	2	4	0	16	2
FW	William Ashmole	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	E Bell	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Albert Broadhouse	6	0	4	0	10	0
FW	Sammy Brooks	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Billy Fitchford	13	4	3	0	16	4
FW	H Hale	2	0	0	0	2	0
FW	J Kelly	2	1	0	0	2	1
FW	Jack Smith	5	0	0	0	5	0
FW	Walter Watson	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	David Bowcock	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Tom Brennan	11	2	2	1	13	3
FW	Billy Briscoe	1	0	3	1	4	1
FW	Jack Foster	14	2	1	0	15	2
FW	Albert Pearson	19	2	0	0	19	2
FW	Arthur Rogers	3	1	0	0	3	1
FW	J Asbury	2	1	0	0	2	1
FW	Bobby Blood	4	1	0	0	4	1
FW	J Bradbury	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	David Brown	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Dick Burgess	7	4	0	0	7	4
FW	G Cooper	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	A Cope	1	1	0	0	1	1
FW	Tom Davies	4	2	0	0	4	2
FW	Alex Donaldson	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	A Floyd	0	0	2	0	2	0
FW	W Gould	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Harry Howell	9	6	2	3	11	9
FW	F McCarthy	5	1	0	0	5	1
FW	J Parker	4	0	3	2	7	2
FW	A Salt	1	1	0	0	1	1
FW	Joe Smith	0	0	1	1	1	1
FW	Bob Whittingham	0	0	2	0	2	0

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	League	Subsidiary	Total
1	FW	England	Harry Howell	6	3	9
2	FW	England	Dick Burgess	4	0	4
–	FW	England	Billy Fitchford	4	0	4
4	FW	England	Harry Pearson	3	0	3
–	FW	England	Tom Brennan	2	1	3
6	FW	England	Tom Davies	2	0	2
–	FW	England	Jack Foster	2	0	2
–	FW	England	James Hill	2	0	2
–	FW	England	Albert Pearson	2	0	2
–	FW	England	J Parker	0	2	2
11	FW	England	A Cope	1	0	1
–	FW	England	A Salt	1	0	1
–	FB	England	Tom Lyons	1	0	1
–	FB	Scotland	Jock Cameron	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Bobby Blood	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Arthur Rogers	1	0	1
–	FW	England	J Kelly	1	0	1
–	FB	England	W Garner	1	0	1
–	FW	England	F McCarthy	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Joe Smith	0	1	1
–	FW	England	Billy Briscoe	0	1	1
–	FW	England	J Asbury	1	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	2	1	2
			TOTALS	39	9	48

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1918	FB	Ben Marsden		Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1918	FW	F McCarthy		Free transfer	^[2]
Autumn 1918	HB	Arthur McGarry		Free transfer	^[2]
Autumn 1918	FB	J Taylor		Free transfer	^[2]
November 1918	FW	J Parker	Longton	Free transfer	^[2]
December 1918	FW	Dick Burgess		Free transfer	^[2]
April 1919	HB	Andie Newton	Manchester City	Free transfer	^[2]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
Autumn 1918	FW	Joe Daley		Released	^[2]
October 1918	FW	F McCarthy	Stafford Rangers	Free transfer	^[2]
November 1918	HB	Alf Smith		Released	^[2]
1919	FW	Tom Davies		Released	^[2]
1919	FW	Arthur Rogers		Released	^[2]
January 1919	FW	Albert Pearson	Liverpool	Transfer	^[2]
February 1919	FW	Dick Burgess	Arsenal	Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1919	HB	G Arrowsmith		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	GK	John Dennis		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	A Floyd		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	Jack Foster		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FB	George Holmes	Merthyr Tydfil	Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FB	Harry Leese	Crewe Alexandra	Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	J Parker		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FW	Jack Smith		Released	^[2]
Summer 1919	FB	J Taylor		Released	^[2]

References

Specific

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hard Road Back (1907–1919)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 71–97. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w 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 ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hard Road Back (1907–1919)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 71–97. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

[transfers-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

[1]

[2]

v t e Port Vale F.C. seasons
1880–81 1881–82 1882–83 1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889–90
1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–00
1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10
1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20
1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30
1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40
1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50
1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 2026–27 2027–28 2028–29 2029–30