1944–45 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1944–45 season
Chairman	Tom Flint
Manager	Jack Diffin; (October – December); David Pratt; (December onwards)
Stadium	Old Recreation Ground
North First Championship	46th (12 points)
North Second Championship	54th (12 points)
League North Cup	48th (7 points)
Midland Cup	Did not qualify
Top goalscorer	League: Alf Bellis, Eric Prince (5 each); All: Alf Bellis (10)
Highest home attendance	17,040 vs. Stoke City, 24 February 1945
Lowest home attendance	2,195 vs. Walsall, 23 December 1944
Average home league attendance	5,969
Biggest win	5–0 vs. Stockport County, 3 March 1945
Biggest defeat	1–8 vs. Stoke City, 17 February 1945
	Home colours
	Home colours
	1945–46 →

The 1944–45 season was Port Vale's second season of football in the wartime league system of World War II.^[1] Under the stewardship of club director Jack Diffin — who managed from October to December before David Pratt took over (though he was never cleared by the RAF to actually manage a game) — the Valiants entered the Football League North First Championship, finishing 46th out of 54 clubs with just 18 matches played, accruing 12 points with 5 wins, 2 draws and 11 defeats.

Their cup campaigns were no better: they came 54th in the War League Cup with 12 points, 48th in the League North Cup with 7 points, and failed to qualify for the Midland Cup. Alf Bellis was the top scorer with ten goals in all competitions (including five in the league, level with Eric Prince), while home attendances ranged from a high of 17,040 (versus Stoke City on 24 February 1945) to just 2,195 (against Walsall on 23 December), averaging 5,969 for the season. Though limited success plagued the season, Port Vale managed a financial profit of £1,262, largely thanks to gate receipts of £11,200 despite severe challenges on and off the pitch.

Overview

Port Vale resumed first-team football for the first time since the 1939–40 season, entering the North Championship of the war league, which contained 54 teams but required only 18 games to be played by each club.^[1] The junior team had been active since then, and the club hoped they could perform at a senior level, supplemented by guest players.^[1] A good crowd of 8,768 turned up at the Old Recreation Ground for the season-opener to Birmingham, and a 3–0 victory offered hope of a successful season.^[1] However, they lost the reverse fixture 4–0 and went on to pick up only one more point by the end of September.^[1] Their home performances were generally competent, but they ended the league with only one point on the road. Vale ended the league programme in 46th place, having accrued just 12 points from their 18 games.^[1]

A ten-game series for qualification to the League North Cup began in December. The club appointed David Pratt to manage the players, succeeding director Jack Diffin, though Pratt failed to gain clearance from the Royal Air Force and so never actually took charge of a game.^[1] Vale managed to win 3–2 away at Chester on 6 January but lost six games of the series, including heavy 8–1 and 6–2 defeats to Potteries derby rivals Stoke City.^[1] A seven games series of the North Championship followed, which attracted little interest as crowds dwindled. Though Vale managed to beat Stockport County 5–0, they lost five of their seven games, including two further poor defeats at the hands of Stoke City.^[1] The season concluded with four games of Midland Cup competition, of which Vale lost three. The opening game of the competition did, though, see a 3–2 win over Walsall; the Vale line-up included a 16-year-old Ronnie Allen and renowned Ireland international Peter Doherty.^[1] The club made a profit of £1,262 on the season, thanks to gate receipts of £11,200.^[1]

Results

Win	Draw	Loss

North First Championship

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
45	Accrington Stanley	18	5	2	11	29	46	0.630	12
46	Port Vale	18	5	2	11	22	36	0.611	12
47	Bury	18	5	2	11	28	48	0.583	12

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches

26 August 1944 1	Burslem Port Vale	3–0	Birmingham	Hanley
	Kirkaldy Bellis			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,768

2 September 1944 2	Birmingham	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Birmingham
				Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 5,970

9 September 1944 3	West Bromwich Albion	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	West Bromwich
			E.Prince	Stadium: The Hawthorns Attendance: 7,760

16 September 1944 4	Burslem Port Vale	0–0	West Bromwich Albion	Hanley
				Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,134

23 September 1944 5	Northampton	3–1	Burslem Port Vale	Northampton
			E.Prince	Stadium: County Cricket Ground Attendance: 3,125

30 September 1944 6	Burslem Port Vale	1–2	Northampton	Hanley
	B.Pointon			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 6,549

7 October 1944 7	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Coventry City	Hanley
	Musgrave E.Prince			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 6,600

14 October 1944 8	Coventry City	4–3	Burslem Port Vale	Coventry
			Pepper E.Prince	Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 5,000

21 October 1944 9	Leicester City	4–1	Burslem Port Vale	Leicester
			E.Prince	Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 5,770

28 October 1944 10	Burslem Port Vale	2–1	Leicester City	Hanley
	Bellis McDowell			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 4,070

4 November 1944 11	Burslem Port Vale	2–1	Aston Villa	Hanley
	Bellis Pointon			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 9,700

11 November 1944 12	Aston Villa	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Birmingham
				Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 8,500

18 November 1944 13	Stoke City	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Stoke-upon-Trent
	Bowyer			Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 18,000

25 November 1944 14	Burslem Port Vale	3–0	Stoke City	Hanley
	McDowell Bellis P.Griffiths			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 9,618

2 December 1944 15	Burslem Port Vale	0–3	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Hanley
				Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 7,500

9 December 1944 16	Wolverhampton Wanderers	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Wolverhampton
				Stadium: Molineux Stadium Attendance: 8,493

16 December 1944 17	Walsall	2–2	Burslem Port Vale	Walsall
			Clunn Bellis	Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 2,000

23 December 1944 18	Burslem Port Vale	1–2	Walsall	Hanley
	McDowell			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 2,195

League North Cup

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
53	Swansea Town	20	6	1	13	42	63	0.667	13
54	Port Vale	21	5	2	14	27	60	0.450	12
55	Mansfield Town	12	5	1	6	22	38	0.579	11

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches

25 December 1944 1	Burslem Port Vale	1–3	Crewe Alexandra	Hanley
	Ware			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,500

30 December 1944 2	Crewe Alexandra	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Crewe
			McDowell	Stadium: Gresty Road Attendance: 5,000

6 January 1945 3	Chester	2–3	Burslem Port Vale	Chester
			Bellis E.Prince	Stadium: Sealand Road Attendance: 2,790

13 January 1945 4	Burslem Port Vale	0–2	Chester	Hanley
				Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,468

30 January 1945 5	Wrexham	5–0	Burslem Port Vale	Wrexham
				Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 2,165

3 February 1945 6	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Hanley
	McDowell Booth			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 4,626

10 February 1945 7	Wolverhampton Wanderers	1–2	Burslem Port Vale	Wolverhampton
			Booth Bellis	Stadium: Molineux Stadium Attendance: 8,548

17 February 1945 8	Stoke City	8–1	Burslem Port Vale	Stoke-upon-Trent
	G Mountford Sellars Sale		Cardwell	Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 12,644

24 February 1945 9	Burslem Port Vale	2–6	Stoke City	Hanley
	McShane B.Pointon		Sale Steele Soo	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 17,040

17 March 1945 10	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	Wrexham	Hanley
	Bellis			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 3,089

North Second Championship

26 December 1944 1	Wrexham	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Wrexham
				Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 7,668

3 March 1945 2	Burslem Port Vale	5–0	Stockport County	Hanley
	McShane B.Pointon Hall			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 3,200

10 March 1945 3	Stockport County	3–0	Burslem Port Vale	Stockport
				Stadium: Edgeley Park Attendance: 2,000

2 April 1945 4	Burslem Port Vale	2–2	Wrexham	Hanley
	P.Griffiths			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 6,079

28 April 1945 5	Burslem Port Vale	0–1	Tranmere Rovers	Hanley
				Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: small

5 May 1945 6	Stoke City	6–0	Burslem Port Vale	Stoke-upon-Trent
	Basnett G Mountford Soo			Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 1,000

9 May 1945 7	Burslem Port Vale	2–4	Stoke City	Hanley
	Isherwood H.Griffiths		Sellars Kirton Jackson	Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,550

Midland Cup

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
47	Southport	10	3	1	6	19	40	0.475	7
48	Port Vale	10	3	1	6	13	30	0.433	7
49	Bath City	10	3	0	7	28	34	0.824	6

Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Matches

24 March 1945 Q	Burslem Port Vale	3–2	Walsall	Hanley
	Clunn Bellis			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,870

31 March 1945 Q	Walsall	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Walsall
				Stadium: Fellows Park Attendance: 1,592

7 April 1945 Q	Burslem Port Vale	1–4	Notts County	Hanley
	F.Pointon			Stadium: Old Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,790

14 April 1945 Q	Notts County	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Nottingham
			Gregory	Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 3,000

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

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

Pos.	Name	North Championship		League North Cup		Midland Cup		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Arthur Jepson	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
GK	Albert Hankey	1	0	3	0	0	0	4	0
GK	Ron Mawson	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
GK	Harry Prince	23	0	7	0	3	0	33	0
FB	Sid Prince	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FB	Jack Griffiths	8	0	1	0	1	0	10	0
FB	Bob Pursell	8	0	0	0	1	0	9	0
FB	Arthur Bateman	3	0	8	0	2	0	13	0
FB	John Mills	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
HB	Arthur Cooper	17	0	6	0	3	0	27	0
HB	Bertie Duffy	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
HB	Harold Jervis	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
HB	Frank Marsh	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
HB	Alan Martin	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
HB	David Muir	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
HB	Jonty Musgrave	4	1	0	0	0	0	4	1
HB	Frank Pointon	6	0	4	0	4	1	14	1
HB	Joe Wheatley	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
HB	Harry Griffiths	22	1	5	0	2	0	29	1
HB	Edwin Blunt	6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
HB	Harry Betmead	6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
HB	Louis Cardwell	1	0	6	1	1	0	8	1
HB	Stephen Hughes	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
HB	Jock Lowe	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
HB	Cyril Johnson	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
HB	Wilf Smith	6	0	4	0	0	0	10	0
HB	George Hannah	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	0
HB	Jackie Bray	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Jess Sproson	22	0	9	0	1	0	32	0
FW	Alf Bellis	13	5	8	4	4	1	25	10
FW	Murdoch Dickie	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Phil Griffiths	2	1	2	2	1	0	5	3
FW	James Tunnicliffe	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Bob Allen	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	0
FW	Arthur Bailey	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Kenneth Banks	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
FW	William Birks	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	0
FW	Billy Buckley	3	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
FW	Jack Clunn	7	1	5	0	3	2	15	3
FW	Jack Kirkaldy	5	2	0	0	0	0	5	2
FW	John Maund	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Harry McShane	1	2	2	1	0	0	3	3
FW	Roy Meredith	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Robert Pepper	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	2
FW	John Sanderson	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	George Morrey	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Harry Ware	1	0	1	1	0	0	2	1
FW	Cecil Booth	0	0	4	2	0	0	4	2
FW	Peter Doherty	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
FW	Micky Fenton	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	Jack Gallon	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	Ralph Gregory	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
FW	Albert Hall	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
FW	Leonard Howell	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Dennis Isherwood	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
FW	Harry Lane	10	0	9	0	2	0	21	0
FW	Richard Maudsley	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
FW	Isaac McDowell	11	3	9	2	2	0	22	5
FW	Bill McKay	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	James Mee	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Roy Meiklem	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	George Morrey	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	George Moses	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
FW	Edward Nutting	1	0	2	0	0	0	3	0
FW	Bill Pointon	6	3	1	1	1	0	8	4
FW	Eric Prince	13	5	7	1	1	0	21	6
FW	Richard Roberts	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	John Roden	4	0	0	0	2	0	6	0
FW	Dennis Spender	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Dennis Wilshaw	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Bert Wright	14	0	0	0	0	0	14	0
FW	Dick Yates	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	North First Championship	League North Cup	North Second Championship	Midland Cup	Total
1	FW	England	Alf Bellis	5	4	0	1	10
2	FW	England	Eric Prince	5	1	0	0	6
3	FW	Scotland	Isaac McDowell	3	2	0	0	5
4	FW	England	Bill Pointon	2	1	2	0	4
5	FW	Scotland	Harry McShane	0	1	2	0	3
–	FW	Wales	Phil Griffiths	1	0	2	0	3
–	FW	England	Jack Clunn	1	0	0	2	3
8	FW	England	Jack Kirkaldy	2	0	0	0	2
–	FW	England	Robert Pepper	2	0	0	0	2
–	FW	England	Cecil Booth	0	2	0	0	2
11	HB	England	Frank Pointon	0	0	0	1	1
–	HB	England	Harry Griffiths	0	0	1	0	1
–	HB	England	Louis Cardwell	0	1	0	0	1
–	HB	England	Jonty Musgrave	1	0	0	0	1
–	FW	England	Harry Ware	0	1	0	0	1
–	FW	England	Ralph Gregory	0	0	0	1	1
–	FW	Wales	Albert Hall	0	0	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Dennis Isherwood	0	0	1	0	1
			TOTALS	22	13	9	5	49

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
July 1944	FW	Kenneth Banks		Free transfer	^[2]
August 1944	FW	William Birks		Free transfer	^[2]
August 1944	FW	Ralph Gregory		Free transfer	^[2]
August 1944	HB	Harold Jervis	Stoke City	Free transfer	^[2]
August 1944	FW	James Mee		Free transfer	^[2]
August 1944	HB	Frank Pointon	Endon	Free transfer	^[2]
August 1944	GK	Harry Prince	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Free transfer	^[2]
September 1944	HB	Jonty Musgrave	Hartlepools United	Free transfer	^[2]
September 1944	FW	Robert Pepper	Stafford Boys' Club	Free transfer	^[2]
September 1944	FW	Eric Prince	Ipstones	Free transfer	^[2]
October 1944	FW	Murdoch Dickie	Port Vale	Free transfer	^[2]
October 1944	FW	Isaac McDowell	Cowdenbeath	Free transfer	^[2]
October 1944	FW	Roy Meredith		Free transfer	^[2]
December 1944	FW	Jack Clunn	Michelin	Free transfer	^[2]
December 1944	FB	Sid Prince	Michelin	Free transfer	^[2]
December 1944	FW	Dennis Spender	Radway	Free transfer	^[2]
February 1945	FW	Cecil Booth		Free transfer	^[2]
March 1945	FW	Leonard Howell		Free transfer	^[2]
March 1945	FW	John Roden		Free transfer	^[2]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1945	FW	Kenneth Banks		Released	^[2]
1945	FW	Roy Meredith		Released	^[2]
1945	HB	Jonty Musgrave		Released	^[2]
1945	FW	Dennis Spender		Released	^[2]
1945	FW	James Tunnicliffe		Released	^[2]
Summer 1945	FW	Phil Griffiths		Released	^[2]
Summer 1945	FW	Leonard Howell		Released	^[2]
Summer 1945	FB	Sid Prince	Ipstones	Free transfer	^[2]

References

Specific

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k 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.
^ ^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 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 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.

[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 ^x ^y ^z ^aa 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