1984–85 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale

1984–85 season
Chairman	Jim Lloyd
Manager	John Rudge
Stadium	Vale Park
Football League Fourth Division	12th (60 Points)
FA Cup	Third Round (knocked out by West Ham United)
League Cup	Second Round (knocked out by Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Associate Members' Cup	Second Round (knocked out by Bristol City)
Player of the Year	Alan Webb
Top goalscorer	League: Ally Brown (17) All: Ally Brown (21)
Highest home attendance	6,949 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 24 September 1984
Lowest home attendance	1,386 vs. Northampton Town, 29 January 1985
Average home league attendance	3,267
Biggest win	5–1 vs. Exeter City, 1 January 1985
Biggest defeat	0–4 vs. Bury, 26 December 1984
Home colours Away colours
← 1983–84 1985–86 →

The 1984–85 season was Port Vale's 73rd season of football in the English Football League, and first (12th overall) back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division.^[1] John Rudge led his first full campaign as manager, overseeing a period of rebuilding that resulted in a mid-table 12th‑place finish

Veteran striker Ally Brown emerged as both league and season top‑scorer with 17 and 21 goals respectively, while young midfield dynamo Robbie Earle added 19 goals, signalling the club's attacking promise for the future. Defender Alan Webb, solid and consistent at the back, was voted the club's Player of the Year. In cup competitions, Vale reached the Third Round of the FA Cup, were eliminated in the Second Round of the Associate Members' Cup, and made it to the Second Round of the League Cup. Off the pitch, the club recorded its largest league win of 5–1 against Exeter City on New Year's Day, suffered a heaviest defeat of 4–0 at Bury on Boxing Day, and averaged an attendance of 3,267 at Vale Park.

A transitional yet promising season under John Rudge — quietly steady, powered by key performers Brown, Earle, and Webb — laid the groundwork for future progress despite a return to the lower tier.

The pre-season saw four new arrivals: veteran striker Ally Brown (Walsall); winger Peter Griffiths (Stoke City); and both forward Derek Monaghan and reliable defender Alan Webb (West Bromwich Albion).^[1] This came after John Rudge stated that "Vale's reputation has been built on grit and determination and I will be looking to bring in the player who is willing to die for the cause".^[1] Attempts to re-sign Brian Horton failed once again, whilst Martin Henderson had his contract cancelled after failing to report for pre-season training – he later signed with Spalding United.^[1] Just before the season began Gary Brazil was signed on loan from Sheffield United.^[1]

The season opened with a 1–0 defeat to Mansfield Town.^[1] Tommy Gore soon announced his retirement due to a neck injury.^[1] The Vale then went five games unbeaten, starting with a 1–1 draw at Wrexham on 1 September. The club announced a new five-year shirt sponsorship deal with Trentham firm Eagle Delivery Service.^[1] Young winger Ray Walker also arrived on loan from Aston Villa.^[1] On 22 September, Vale defeated Tranmere Rovers 2–1, due in part to a superb performance from Robbie Earle.^[2] However, the fans chanted 'what a load of rubbish' on 1 October, as Vale lost 3–0 at home to struggling side Northampton Town.^[1] Rudge stated that 'In truth we were rubbish' and promptly cancelled the player's day off.^[1] Another five-game unbeaten run followed, as Brown showed his 'class' and Walker impressed.^[1] On 20 October, Vale won 1–0 away at Swindon Town, who were coached by player-manager Lou Macari.^[3]

On 5 November, Eamonn O'Keefe scored a 'brilliant' hat-trick past Southend United in a 4–1 win.^[1] Rudge then signed Stockport County's outside-right Oshor Williams for £7,000.^[1] Vale's form then suffered after Walker returned to Villa Park.^[1] To remedy this Rudge signed Southend United midfielder Billy Kellock, who made 'a stunning impact' in his debut, playing a key part in the 5–1 victory over Exeter City on New Year's Day.^[1] This was the first of a 16-game unbeaten run, in which the team equalled a club-record six straight away draws between 19 January and 29 March.^[1]

On 2 February, Earle scored a hat-trick past Hereford United.^[1] Striker partner Ally Brown claimed "He is my brains and I am his legs".^[1] John Rudge received the Manager of the Month award for February.^[1] The next month Barry Siddall joined Stoke City on a free transfer, after Chris Pearce had established himself as the Vale's #1.^[1] Wayne Cegielski also signed with Blackpool and Eamonn O'Keefe followed him to Bloomfield Road for a £10,000 fee.^[1] On 16 March, Vale celebrated Rudge's Manager of the Month award for February with a 3–1 home win over Rochdale.^[4] Five victories in the opening six games of April took Vale sliding down the league, as Brown was out with a knee injury.^[1] Vale rallied to go through the final five games unbeaten.^[1] The season concluded with a 3–3 draw at Scunthorpe United after a two-goal lead was lost and only a late Williams strike salvaged a draw.^[5]

They finished in twelfth place with sixty points, winning and losing 14 games.^[1] Between them, Brown and Earle racked up a combined total of 40 goals in all competitions.^[1] Yet it was Russell Bromage who was selected for the PFA Fourth Division team.^[1]

On the financial side, a loss was made of £7,793 due to a 20% drop in attendance figures.^[1] The wage bill stood at £389,341, whilst gate receipts took in £128,954 and the lottery raised £191,000.^[1] The club's shirt sponsors were EDS. Five players left on free transfers, most significant were the departures of: Terry Armstrong and Derek Monaghan (retired); Colin Tartt (Shepshed Charterhouse); and Ian Griffiths (Wigan Athletic).^[1] Billy Kellock also refused terms, and so joined Halifax Town, whilst John Ridley joined Stafford Rangers as a player-coach.^[1] Vale received £700 following a tribunal claim, becoming the first Football League club to take a non-League club to a tribunal.^[1] The Sentinel's Vale reporter Chris Harper wrote that "Mr Rudge has shown himself to be a diligent, responsible type of manager and the Board could rest assured that he is not likely to pour money down the drain."^[5]

In the FA Cup, Vale beat Northern Premier League leaders Macclesfield Town by two goals to one at Moss Rose.^[1] This game was overshadowed by a fence collapse that left 13 injured and led to 21 arrests.^[1] Town Chairman Alan Brocklehurst blamed 'the hooligan element of the Vale support'; however, Vale Chairman Jim Lloyd laid the blame at the feet of the police.^[1] The next round saw Vale come from a goal down to claim a 4–1 home victory over Scunthorpe United in a Friday night game, with Brown's equalising goal changing the pattern of the game just before half-time.^[1][6] In the third round they travelled to West Ham United's Upton Park, where the First Division club beat the "Valiants" 4–1.^[1]

In the League Cup, Vale went past Bury on away goals, having scored one of their two goals at Gigg Lane.^[1] In the second round they lost 2–1 at home to Second Division Wolverhampton Wanderers, though they did earn a goalless draw at Molineux.^[1]

In the Associate Members' Cup, Vale eliminated Northampton Town in a 2–1 replay victory at Sixfields. The original match saw an attendance of just 1,386 at Vale Park.^[1] At the replay, Ian Griffiths required a skin graft after getting his hand trapped in a toilet door.^[1] Vale were knocked out in the next round by Bristol City, losing 2–1 to the Third Division side at Ashton Gate.^[1]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
10	Crewe Alexandra	46	18	12	16	65	69	−4	66
11	Peterborough United	46	16	14	16	54	53	+1	62
12	Port Vale	46	14	18	14	61	59	+2	60
13	Aldershot	46	17	8	21	56	63	−7	59
14	Mansfield Town	46	13	18	15	41	38	+3	57

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

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		League Cup		Associate Members' Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Barry Siddall	9	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	12	0
GK	Chris Pearce	36	0	2	0	3	0	2	0	43	0
GK	Karl Austin	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
DF	Phil Sproson	44	3	3	0	4	0	3	0	54	3
DF	Wayne Cegielski	8	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	10	0
DF	Alan Webb	46	0	3	0	4	0	3	0	56	0
DF	Wayne Ebanks	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
DF	Chris Banks	7	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	10	0
DF	Russell Bromage	37	1	3	1	4	0	2	0	46	2
MF	Terry Armstrong	4	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	6	0
MF	Colin Tartt	12	1	0	0	3	1	0	0	15	2
MF	Geoff Hunter	42	2	3	0	3	0	3	0	51	2
MF	John Ridley	43	0	2	0	4	0	2	0	51	0
MF	Robbie Earle	46	15	3	1	4	1	3	2	56	19
MF	Tommy Gore	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
MF	Ray Walker	15	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	1
MF	Martyn Smith	13	1	0	0	3	0	1	0	17	1
MF	Adrian Reeves-Jones	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
MF	Billy Kellock	11	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	13	4
MF	Wayne Kerrins	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
MF	Paul Lodge	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
MF	Ian Griffiths	12	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	15	1
MF	Peter Griffiths	31	3	2	1	4	0	2	0	39	4
FW	Eamonn O'Keefe	22	7	3	1	1	0	1	0	27	8
FW	Oshor Williams	17	3	3	0	0	0	2	1	22	4
FW	Derek Monaghan	7	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	9	0
FW	Ally Brown	40	17	3	2	4	1	2	1	49	21
FW	Gary Brazil	6	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	3

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Fourth Division	FA Cup	League Cup	Associate Members' Cup	Total
1	FW	Scotland	Ally Brown	17	2	1	1	21
2	MF	Jamaica	Robbie Earle	15	1	1	2	19
3	FW	Ireland	Eamonn O'Keefe	7	1	0	0	8
4	MF	Scotland	Billy Kellock	4	0	0	0	4
–	FW	England	Oshor Williams	3	0	1	0	4
–	MF	England	Peter Griffiths	3	1	0	0	4
7	FW	England	Gary Brazil	3	0	0	0	3
–	DF	England	Phil Sproson	3	0	0	0	3
9	MF	England	Geoff Hunter	2	0	0	0	2
–	MF	England	Colin Tartt	1	0	1	0	2
–	DF	England	Russell Bromage	1	1	0	0	2
12	MF	England	Ray Walker	1	0	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Martyn Smith	1	0	0	0	1
–	FW	England	Ian Griffiths	0	1	0	0	1
			TOTALS	61	7	3	4	75

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1984	MF		Oshor Williams	Stockport County	Free transfer	[8]
July 1984	FW		Alistair Brown	Walsall	Free transfer	[8]
July 1984	MF		Peter Griffiths	Stoke City	Free transfer	[8]
July 1984	FW		Derek Monaghan	West Bromwich Albion	Free transfer	[8]
July 1984	DF		Alan Webb	West Bromwich Albion	Free transfer	[8]
August 1984	MF		Martyn Smith	Leek Town	Free transfer	[8]
October 1984	MF		Ian Griffiths	Rochdale	Free transfer	[8]
December 1984	MF		Billy Kellock	Southend United	Free transfer	[8]
February 1985	GK		Karl Austin	Stafford Rangers	Non-contract	[8]

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
October 1984	MF		Tommy Gore	Retired		[8]
March 1985	DF		Wayne Cegielski	Blackpool	Free transfer	[8]
March 1985	MF		Eamonn O'Keefe	Blackpool	£17,500	[8]
March 1985	GK		Barry Siddall	Stoke City	Free transfer	[8]
May 1985	MF		Terry Armstrong	Nuneaton Borough	Free transfer	[8]
May 1985	FW		Derek Monaghan	Redditch United	Free transfer	[8]
May 1985	MF		Adrian Reeves-Jones	Leek Town	Free transfer	[8]
May 1985	MF		Martyn Smith	Macclesfield Town	Free transfer	[8]
May 1985	MF		Colin Tartt	Shepshed Charterhouse	Free transfer	[8]
June 1985	MF		Billy Kellock	Halifax Town	Free transfer	[8]
Summer 1985	GK		Karl Austin	Gresley Rovers	Free transfer	[8]
Summer 1985	MF		Ian Griffiths	Wigan Athletic	Free transfer	[8]
Summer 1985	MF		John Ridley	Stafford Rangers	£700	[8]

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Date to	Ref.
August 1984	FW		Gary Brazil	Aston Villa	August 1984	[8]
August 1984	MF		Ray Walker	Aston Villa	End of season	[8]
November 1984	MF		Paul Lodge	Bolton Wanderers	January 1985	[8]
March 1985	DF		Wayne Ebanks	West Bromwich Albion	End of season	[8]
March 1985	MF		Wayne Kerrins	Fulham	End of season	[8]

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Date to	Ref.
January 1985	GK		Barry Siddall	Stoke City	March 1985	[8]

Specific

General

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