1970–71 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale

1970–71 season
Chairman	Mark Singer (until February) Graham Bourne (from February)
Manager	Gordon Lee
Stadium	Vale Park
Football League Third Division	17th (42 Points)
FA Cup	First Round (knocked out by Notts County)
League Cup	First Round (knocked out by Walsall)
Player of the Year	Tommy McLaren
Top goalscorer	League: John James (15) All: John James (15)
Highest home attendance	11,224 vs. Aston Villa, 19 October 1970
Lowest home attendance	3,450 vs. Reading, 13 March 1971
Average home league attendance	5,437
Biggest win	4–0 vs. Swansea City, 17 October 1970
Biggest defeat	3–7 vs. Shrewsbury Town, 12 September 1970
Home colours
← 1969–70 1971–72 →

The 1970–71 season was Port Vale's 59th season of football in the Football League, and their first (seventh overall) season back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division.^[1] Manager Gordon Lee oversaw the season, with Mark Singer as chairman until February before Graham Bourne took over. Vale ultimately secured safety with a 17th‑place finish, accumulating 42 points, thereby avoiding relegation back to the Fourth Division by a margin of three points.

Cup competitions offered no respite: Vale were eliminated in the First Round of both the FA Cup, losing to Notts County, and the League Cup, losing to Walsall. John James was once again the top scorer with 15 goals in the league and all competitions, while midfielder Tommy McLaren earned the club's Player of the Year award for his influential performances. Attendance figures saw a high of 11,224 against Aston Villa on 19 October 1970, a low of 3,450 versus Reading on 13 March 1971, and an average league turnout of 5,437 fans per match.

Overall, the 1970–71 season represented a solid consolidation year in the Third Division after promotion, characterised by mid-table stability under Gordon Lee, limited success in cup competitions, steady attendances, and dependable contributions from James and McLaren.

The pre-season saw the arrival of 22-year-old centre-half Roy Cross (Walsall); inside-forward Brian Horton (Hednesford Town); and full-back Mick Hopkinson (Mansfield Town) on free transfers.^[1] Manager Gordon Lee said that "versatility and dedication are important" as the wage budget was extremely limited.^[1]

The season began with two wins, including when they "handsomely won a battle of errors" at home to Rochdale. A run of one win in ten games then followed. In September, four of the five directors resigned, one of them (Len Cliff) stated that "the club is being run by outsiders".^[1] A new board was formed by November.^[1] Meanwhile, on 13 September the club suffered a loss of 7–3 at Gay Meadow to Shrewsbury Town, despite a Bobby Gough hat-trick – the match also saw a sending off, an attempted pitch invasion, and a £35 fine for Gordon Lee for remarks he made to referee Ricky Nicholson.^[1] Tommy McLaren then returned from injury to lead Vale on a four match winning streak that included a 2–0 win over fallen-giants Aston Villa in front of a Burslem crowd of 11,224 fans; Lee described the win as his "finest hour".^[1][2] Four straight defeats soon came after this sequence however, as Vale's form was patchy.^[1] They had to do without John King for three months owing to a chipped ankle bone.^[1] In December, Ron Wilson left the club as he emigrated to South Africa due to his son's ill health.^[1]

A 1–0 defeat to third-placed Aston Villa at Villa Park on 16 January was the first of a nine-match streak without a victory.^[1] At the end of the month, Lee signed 23-year-old full-back John Brodie from Northern Premier League side Bradford Park Avenue for £250.^[1] During this spell forward, Sammy Morgan began to be jeered by fans after losing his scoring touch.^[1] He also began studying to be a teacher.^[1] Lee said that "I really feel some of our lads have been singled out by the boo boys. If only they realised that encouragement can lift players, things would be so much better".^[1] In February, Mark Singer resigned as chairman, and was replaced by Graham Bourne.^[1] By then the club were hovering above the relegation zone, but a record of just ten goals conceded in their final twelve games was enough to secure safety, with Brian Horton in good form.^[1] On 20 February, the team were beaten 4–1 at third-placed Fulham. They lost 3–0 at Chesterfield on 10 March after the team bus crashed on the way to Saltergate. Three days later, however, Morgan scored his first goal in 18 appearances during a 3–1 home win over Reading.^[1]

They finished in the 17th spot, with 42 points, leaving them three clear of relegation.^[1] John James was the top-scorer with 15 goals.^[1] As a reward for their endeavours, the players were taken on a working holiday to Benidorm, Spain.^[1]

On the financial side, a profit of £3,424 was made, the club's first profitable season since 1962–63.^[1] A £19,322 donation from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund helped to reduce the club's total debt to £134,640.^[1] Speaking in March, new chairman Graham Bourne stated that "it will be a long, hard slog to pull the club around. The pressures are still on, especially from the bank". Three players were released: Mick Hopkinson (Boston United); John Green (Northwich Victoria); and John King (Wigan Athletic).^[1]

In the FA Cup, Vale were knocked out in the first round by Fourth Division leaders Notts County 1–0 in a 'physical' encounter at Meadow Lane.^[1]

In the League Cup, Vale were eliminated once again at the first stage, this time Walsall left Burslem with a 1–0 win.^[1]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
15	Plymouth Argyle	46	12	19	15	63	63	1.000	43
16	Rochdale	46	14	15	17	61	68	0.897	43
17	Port Vale	46	15	12	19	52	59	0.881	42
18	Tranmere Rovers	46	10	22	14	45	55	0.818	42
19	Bradford City	46	13	14	19	49	62	0.790	40

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Keith Ball	28	0	1	0	1	0	30	0
GK	Stuart Sharratt	18	0	0	0	0	0	18	0
DF	Roy Sproson	6	0	0	0	1	0	7	0
DF	Clint Boulton	45	2	1	0	1	0	47	2
DF	Ron Wilson	16	1	0	0	1	0	17	1
DF	Bill Summerscales	7	1	0	0	0	0	7	1
DF	Roy Cross	42	1	1	0	0	0	43	1
DF	Mick Hopkinson	13	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
DF	John Brodie	19	0	0	0	0	0	19	0
MF	Tommy McLaren	36	6	1	0	1	0	38	6
MF	John Green	25	1	1	0	1	0	27	1
MF	John King	26	0	0	0	1	0	27	0
MF	Brian Horton	39	1	1	0	0	0	40	1
MF	Tony Lacey	44	2	1	0	1	0	46	2
FW	John James	45	15	1	0	1	0	47	15
FW	Mick Morris	46	8	1	0	1	0	48	8
FW	Bobby Gough	36	8	1	0	0	0	37	8
FW	Sammy Morgan	38	6	1	0	1	0	40	6
FW	Bob Mountford	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Third Division	FA Cup	League Cup	Total
1	FW	England	John James	15	0	0	15
2	FW	England	Mick Morris	8	0	0	8
–	FW	England	Bobby Gough	8	0	0	8
4	MF	Scotland	Tommy McLaren	6	0	0	6
–	FW	Northern Ireland	Sammy Morgan	6	0	0	6
6	MF	England	Tony Lacey	2	0	0	2
–	DF	England	Clint Boulton	2	0	0	2
8	DF	Scotland	Ron Wilson	1	0	0	1
–	DF	England	Bill Summerscales	1	0	0	1
–	DF	England	Roy Cross	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	John Green	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Brian Horton	1	0	0	1
			TOTALS	52	0	0	52

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
June 1970	DF		Roy Cross	Walsall	Free transfer	[4]
July 1970	DF		Mick Hopkinson	Mansfield Town	Free transfer	[4]
July 1970	MF		Brian Horton	Hednesford Town	'a pint of shandy'	[4]
January 1971	DF		John Brodie	Bradford Park Avenue	£250	[4]

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
December 1970	DF		Ron Wilson	Hellenic	Released	[4]
May 1971	DF		Mick Hopkinson	Boston United	Free transfer	[4]
May 1971	MF		John King	Wigan Athletic	Free transfer	[4]
Summer 1971	MF		John Green	Northwich Victoria	Released	[4]

Specific

General

• Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.