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1978–79 Port Vale F.C. season

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Port Vale
1978–79 season
ChairmanArthur McPherson
ManagerDennis Butler
StadiumVale Park
Football League Fourth Division16th (42 Points)
FA CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Bradford City)
League CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Chester)
Player of the YearBernie Wright
Top goalscorerLeague: Bernie Wright (14)
All: Bernie Wright (15)
Highest home attendance5,226 vs. Barnsley (14 April 1979)
Lowest home attendance2,160 vs. Hereford United (1 May 1979)
Average home league attendance3,287
Biggest win5–1 vs. Crewe Alexandra, 25 August 1978
Biggest defeat0–4 (twice) and 2–6

The 1978–79 season was Port Vale's 67th season of football in the Football League, and their first season (seventh overall) back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division.[1] Bernie Wright was highly impressive with his fifteen goals, though the rest of the team limped to a sixteenth-place finish, and exited both cup competitions at the first stage. This occurred with unrest in the boardroom behind the scenes, unrest amongst fans on the terraces, and annoyance from Butler towards the fans for their abuse of his players. Butler broke club transfer-records in both signing players and selling them.

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw new manager Dennis Butler sign big striker Bernie Wright from Bradford City for £9,000 and right-back Neil Wilkinson on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers.[1] Butler also took the team on a three match tour of Scotland.[1] Just before the start of the season Ken Todd was signed for a club-record £37,000, despite Todd having only made a handful of appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers.[1] In the summer former Valiant Tommy McLaren committed suicide, friend and teammate Ray Williams said 'leaving the club shattered him'.[1] On 2 October a Memorial Fund match was played, raising £3,000.[1]

The season opened with just two victories in eleven league games, as both Todd and keeper John Connaughton were sidelined with injuries.[1] The two wins came away from home, 5–1 over rivals Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road (Wright scoring a hat-trick) and 3–1 at Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium.[1] Butler then threw himself into the transfer market, selling John Froggatt to Northampton Town for £8,000, and then Mick Moore and Terry Bailey to Wigan Athletic and Northwich Victoria respectively, both for £2,000.[1] Another 'shrewd piece of business' came when star forward Ken Beamish was sold to Bury for £35,000, whilst Gerry Keenan moved the other way for £15,000.[1] In October, Felix Healy was signed from Finn Harps for £8,000, and Neil Wilkinson and £3,000 were traded to Crewe in exchange for outside-right Kevin Tully.[1] Winning five games in a sequence of eight, Todd was still a disappointment to fans, who began getting 'on his back'.[1] Butler's signings did not stop however, and instead he sold John Ridley to Leicester City for a club-record £55,000.[1] He then signed Andy Proudlove from Buxton for £1,000 – despite interest from Stafford Rangers.[1] Then in came midfielder Peter Farrell from Bury for a new club-record £40,000.[1] They ended their club-record streaks of 42 away games without keeping a clean sheet on 30 September, and of twelve home games without a win on 21 October.

Going into December four games unbeaten, Butler then splashed out £30,000 on Chester's Bob Delgado.[1] Despite this, Vale were thumped 6–2 by Barnsley in front of 10,532 at Oakwell.[1] In January, legendary England goalkeeper Gordon Banks was appointed as coach, and results began to pick up as Vale were lifted into eighth spot.[1] Healy left the club in February, only to return two weeks later.[1] Behind the scenes there was trouble when Arthur McPherson ruled that club shares could only be transferable to a male relation, in order 'to safeguard plans by the current directors'.[1] More defeats came, and the big money signings were targeted by fans for abuse.[1] Butler reacted by calling the fans 'a bunch of yobs'.[1] From mid-March, Vale went seven games with only one victory and one goal scored.[1] On 21 March violence returned to Vale Park, when Portsmouth keeper Peter Mellor saved a penalty, floored Peter Farrell and made an 'assortment of gestures' to the Bycars End – he found himself attacked by a Vale fan on the pitch for his efforts.[1] On 13 April, Vale surrendered a three-goal lead at Springfield Park to lose 5–3 to Wigan Athletic.[1] Danger of ending up in the re-election zone was ended with a late four game unbeaten spell, despite heavy defeats from Reading and York City.[1]

They finished in sixteenth place with 42 points, with an awful defensive record of seventy goals conceded.[1] Despite this their scoring tally away from Burslem was the highest in the Football League, and they were given £2,125 as a reward.[1] Player of the Year Bernie Wright secured fifteen goals in what was a poor season for the club.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a record £52,000 loss was made despite a remarkable £225,000 income from the club's commercial department.[1] Butler's transfer dealings had lost the club £36,000, whilst wages more than doubled from £113,000 to £259,000.[1] The club's liabilities stood at £187,000.[1] Despite all of this the club made 'surprisingly sparing use of the pruning knife', letting go just four players, most significantly David Harris (Halifax Town) and Andy Proudlove (Stafford Rangers).[1] Behind the scenes, long-time club servant and president Mark Singer was fired, though chairman Arthur McPherson made no comment to the press.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, a weeks preparation in Blackpool failed to prevent Vale exiting at the first stage with a 1–0 defeat to Bradford City at Valley Parade.[1]

In the League Cup, Third Division Chester knocked the Vale out 4–1 on aggregate.

Final league table

Main article: 1978–79 Football League
P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Reading 46 26 13 7 76 35 +41 65
2 Grimsby Town 46 26 9 11 82 49 +33 61
3 Wimbledon 46 25 11 10 78 46 +32 61
4 Barnsley 46 24 13 9 73 42 +31 61
5 Aldershot 46 20 17 9 63 47 +16 57
6 Wigan Athletic 46 21 13 12 63 48 +15 55
7 Portsmouth 46 20 12 14 62 48 +14 52
8 Newport County 46 21 10 15 66 55 +11 52
9 Huddersfield Town 46 18 11 17 57 53 +4 47
10 York City 46 18 11 17 51 55 -4 47
11 Torquay United 46 19 8 19 58 65 -7 46
12 Scunthorpe United 46 17 11 18 54 60 -6 45
13 Hartlepool United 46 13 18 15 57 66 -9 44
14 Hereford United 46 15 13 18 53 53 +0 43
15 Bradford City 46 17 9 20 62 68 -6 43
16 Port Vale 46 14 14 18 57 70 -13 42
17 Stockport County 46 14 12 20 58 60 -2 40
18 Bournemouth 46 14 11 21 47 48 -1 39
19 Northampton Town 46 15 9 22 64 76 -12 39
20 Rochdale 46 15 9 22 47 64 -17 39
21 Darlington 46 11 15 20 49 66 -17 37
22 Doncaster Rovers 46 13 11 22 50 73 -23 37
23 Halifax Town 46 9 8 29 39 72 -33 26
24 Crewe Alexandra 46 6 14 26 43 90 -47 26

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

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAAHHAAHHAHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAAAHAHAHHAHHAA
ResultDLWDDWLLDLDWWLLWWDWLLWWDLLLDWLDWLDLDLWLDWDDLLW
Position917699812151516151310141614111210151711889111515151513121213131315141616141315161716
Source: Statto[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Football League Fourth Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
19 August 1978 Scunthorpe United H 2–2 3,027 Wright, Bromage
22 August 1978 Wimbledon A 0–1 2,638
25 August 1978 Crewe Alexandra A 5–1 4,413 Wright (3), Bloor, Beamish
2 September 1978 Rochdale H 1–1 3,222 Beamish
9 September 1978 Aldershot H 1–1 3,045 Beamish
12 September 1978 Doncaster Rovers A 3–1 3,405 Bromage, Todd, Beamish
16 September 1978 Portsmouth A 0–2 9,937
23 September 1978 Bournemouth H 1–2 3,140 Griffiths (pen)
26 September 1978 Northampton Town H 2–2 3,245 N.Chamberlain (2)
30 September 1978 Hereford United A 0–1 3,963
7 October 1978 Grimsby Town H 1–1 3,433 N.Chamberlain
14 October 1978 Halifax Town A 3–0 1,591 Wright (2), Tully
18 October 1978 Bradford City A 3–2 4,136 Sutcliffe, Wright, Healy
21 October 1978 Torquay United H 1–2 4,108 Todd
28 October 1978 Darlington A 0–4 1,793
4 November 1978 Hartlepool United H 2–0 3,195 N.Chamberlain, Beech
11 November 1978 Rochdale A 1–0 1,882 Keenan
18 November 1978 Crewe Alexandra H 2–2 4,607 Farrell (pen), Healy
9 December 1978 Stockport County H 2–1 3,689 Wright, Farrell (pen)
26 December 1978 Barnsley A 2–6 10,532 Todd, Keenan
30 December 1978 Newport County A 0–1 4,075
1 January 1979 Huddersfield Town H 1–0 4,021 Wright
9 January 1979 Wigan Athletic H 2–1 3,746 Wright, Todd
13 January 1979 Aldershot A 1–1 3,708 Sinclair
16 January 1979 Doncaster Rovers H 1–3 3,381 o.g.
6 February 1979 Bournemouth A 1–3 3,416 o.g.
24 February 1979 Halifax Town H 0–1 3,117
3 March 1979 Torquay United A 2–2 1,711 Todd, Wright
10 March 1979 Darlington H 2–1 2,566 Hawkins, Beech
13 March 1979 Northampton Town A 0–1 1,572
21 March 1979 Portsmouth H 0–0 2,738
24 March 1979 Wimbledon H 1–0 2,906 Beech
27 March 1979 Scunthorpe United A 0–2 1,580
31 March 1979 Reading A 0–0 6,704
3 April 1979 Grimsby Town A 0–1 8,072
7 April 1979 York City H 0–0 2,712
13 April 1979 Wigan Athletic A 3–5 8,452 Todd (2), Wright
14 April 1979 Barnsley H 3–2 5,226 N.Chamberlain, Wright, Todd
16 April 1979 Huddersfield Town A 2–3 3,236 M.Chamberlain, Beech
21 April 1979 Newport County H 1–1 2,444 Wright
24 April 1979 Bradford City H 2–1 2,264 Farrell, N.Chamberlain
27 April 1979 Stockport County A 0–0 3,345
1 May 1979 Hereford United H 1–1 2,160 Hawkins
5 May 1979 Reading H 0–3 3,603
7 May 1979 York City A 0–4 2,344
10 May 1979 Hartlepool United A 2–1 2,007 Sinclair, Farrell

FA Cup

Main article: 1978–79 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 25 November 1978 Bradford City A 0–1 5,625

League Cup

Main article: 1978–79 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 12 August 1978 Chester H 0–3 2,819
R1 2nd Leg 16 August 1978 Chester A 1–1 3,741 Wright

Player statistics

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1978 DF England Neil Wilkinson Blackburn Rovers Free transfer [3]
June 1978 FW England Bernie Wright Bradford City £9,000 [3]
August 1978 FW England Brian Sinclair Blackpool Free transfer [3]
August 1978 MF England Ken Todd Wolverhampton Wanderers £37,000 [3]
September 1978 MF England Paul Bennett Everton Free transfer [3]
September 1978 DF England Gerry Keenan Bury £15,000 [3]
October 1978 FW Northern Ireland Felix Healy Republic of Ireland Finn Harps £8,000 [3]
October 1978 MF England Kevin Tully Crewe Alexandra Exchange [3]
November 1978 MF England Peter Farrell Bury £40,000 [3]
November 1978 MF England Andy Proudlove Buxton £1,000 [3]
December 1978 DF Wales Bob Delgado Chester £30,000 [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
August 1978 MF England Terry Bailey Northwich Victoria £2,000 [3]
August 1978 MF England Mick Moore Wigan Athletic £2,000 [3]
September 1978 DF England Alan Bloor Retired [3]
September 1978 FW England John Froggatt Northampton Town £8,000 [3]
September 1978 FW England Ken Beamish Bury £35,000 [3]
October 1978 MF England John Ridley Leicester City £55,000 [3]
October 1978 DF England Neil Wilkinson Crewe Alexandra Exchange [3]
December 1978 MF England Peter Sutcliffe Chester City £15,000 [3]
May 1979 DF England David Harris Halifax Town Free transfer [3]
May 1979 MF England Andy Proudlove Stafford Rangers Free transfer [3]

Loans out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
May 1978 GK England Trevor Dance Stoke City May 1978 [3]
May 1978 MF England Ian Elsby United States Cleveland Cobras August 1978 [3]
May 1978 DF England Neil Griffiths United States Cleveland Cobras August 1978 [3]
May 1978 DF England Billy Leese United States Cleveland Cobras July 1978 [3]
May 1978 MF England John Ridley United States Fort Lauderdale Strikers August 1978 [3]
August 1978 GK England Trevor Dance United States Cleveland Cobras August 1978 [3]

References

Specific
  1. ^ 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 ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ^ Port Vale 1978–1979 : Results & Fixtures Archived 6 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. ^ 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
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