1937–38 Port Vale F.C. season


The 1937–38 season was Port Vale's 32nd season of football in the English Football League, and their second successive season in the Third Division North. With thirty goals, Jack Roberts was the division's top scorer. However the club managed only a mid-table finish, also exiting both cup competitions at the first stage.

Overview

Third Division North

The pre-season saw the arrival of goalkeepers James Nicholls and George Heppell ; veteran right-back Johnny Rowe ; left-back Harry Johnson ; winger Charlie Rattray ; experienced inside-right Arthur Masters ; and 'clever' inside-left William Price. Pre-season training included bowls, cricket, and practice with rubbers balls and rubber boots to improve ball control. The fans were not optimistic for the campaign, and so ticket sales were low despite lowered prices.
The season began with a 3–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park. Tom Nolan found himself dropped in favour of Jack Roberts, who immediately went on a run of three goals in three games. The team went on to go six games unbeaten, including a 4–0 win over Barrow in which Roberts scored all four. Their 5–1 win over Hartlepools United – in which Arthur Caldwell scored a hat-trick – took them into seventh in the table. This run ended with a 5–0 drubbing at Valley Parade. After this defeat to Bradford City the Vale signed forward Ken Fish from Aston Villa for 'a sizeable fee'. In November, William Price was released from his contract. The next month the side were on the end of a 7–2 beating by Chester at Sealand Road. Soon after this Tom Morgan was re-appointed as manager, having been demoted to assistant-secretary in June 1932. Immediately following this the club went on a run of one defeat in nine games. During this run Roberts scored a hat-trick past Accrington Stanley in a 4–1 win.
In February, Tommy Ward was traded to Stoke City in exchange for Harry Davies and a small fee. On 5 March, Vale inflicted a 4–3 win over Bradford City, soon after which Sam Baum was signed from Bolton Wanderers just two minutes before the transfer deadline closed. On 15 April, the club saw its first five-figure crowd of the season, as promotion-chasing Hull City took away both the points despite a brace from Roberts. Revenge came at Anlaby Road three days later, when the "Valiants" held a clean sheet to damage the "Tigers" promotion prospects. On the final home game of the season a seventeen-year-old Alf Bellis scored on his debut as Vale beat Rochdale 4–1.
They finished fifteenth with 38 points, just six points clear of the re-election zone. Away from The Old Recreation Ground the side struggled, managing just a single win. Jack Roberts was the club's top goalscorer with 28 league strikes in 37 games – also making him the division's top scorer.

Finances

On the financial side, a bare profit of some £300 was recorded, due to a transfer credit of £2,900. The annual summer clear-out saw the departure of fourteen of the twenty-six players, including Sam Baum; Spencer Evans ; Roderick Welsh; Charlie Rattray ; Harry Johnson ; Trevor Rhodes; and Fred Obrey. At the season's end the club were delighted to hear they had been transferred to the Third Division South, where gate receipts were higher. On 27 June another meeting at the Grand Hotel saw the issue of a name change debated, where Stoke United and Stoke North End were again considered. A change of name was advocated by every letter written in by supporters, however once again there was insufficient time to implement a name change before the upcoming season.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, a First Round exit came at the hands of Midland League Gainsborough Trinity, after Trinity won the replay 2–1. In the short-lived Football League Third Division North Cup, Vale went out in the First Round to Tranmere Rovers – a 1–1 stalemate at home was followed by a 2–0 defeat in the replay at Prenton Park.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Third Division North

Results by matchday

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
28 August 1937Oldham AthleticA0–35,781
30 August 1937GatesheadH2–26,699Caldwell, Roberts
4 September 1937DarlingtonH1–07,233Roberts
8 September 1937GatesheadA1–29,641Roberts
11 September 1937Doncaster RoversA2–311,538Price, Caldwell
13 September 1937New BrightonH3–24,257Caldwell, Roberts, Masters
18 September 1937Crewe AlexandraA2–15,888Price, Roberts
25 September 1937BarrowH4–07,416Roberts
2 October 1937WrexhamA0–05,364
9 October 1937Hartlepools UnitedH5–17,951Caldwell, Ward
16 October 1937SouthportH1–18,151Masters
23 October 1937Bradford CityA0–53,176
30 October 1937York CityH3–25,139Masters, Caldwell
6 November 1937Tranmere RoversA1–27,597Masters
13 November 1937Halifax TownH0–26,579
20 November 1937Carlisle UnitedA1–34,959Fish
4 December 1937ChesterA2–73,849Roberts
18 December 1937RochdaleA1–13,560Roberts
27 December 1937Lincoln CityA0–113,354
28 December 1937Lincoln CityH1–05,740Roberts
1 January 1938Oldham AthleticH2–26,878Roberts, Ward
3 January 1938Rotherham UnitedH0–03,604
8 January 1938Accrington StanleyH4–15,443Roberts, Masters
15 January 1938DarlingtonA2–22,330Roberts, Ward
22 January 1938Doncaster RoversH1–17,153Caldwell
29 January 1938Crewe AlexandraH1–15,851Caldwell
5 February 1938BarrowA0–35,759
12 February 1938WrexhamH2–07,861Davies, Caldwell
19 February 1938Hartlepools UnitedA1–24,483Roberts
26 February 1938SouthportA0–13,797
5 March 1938Bradford CityH4–38,022Nolan, Davies, Roberts
12 March 1938York CityA2–27,319Roberts
19 March 1938Tranmere RoversH1–09,916Nolan
26 March 1938Halifax TownA1–24,363Roberts
2 April 1938Carlisle UnitedH2–26,463Rattray, Roberts
9 April 1938Accrington StanleyA1–22,990Nolan
15 April 1938Hull CityH2–410,984Roberts
16 April 1938ChesterH2–26,695Nolan
18 April 1938Hull CityA0–013,564
23 April 1938Rotherham UnitedA2–35,346Roberts, Nolan
30 April 1938RochdaleH4–12,992Masters, Roberts, Bellis
7 May 1938New BrightonA1–13,259Griffiths

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R127 November 1937Gainsborough TrinityH1–16,772Roberts
R1 Replay1 December 1937Gainsborough TrinityA1–24,220Roberts

Third Division North Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
111 October 1937Tranmere RoversH1–1900Rattray
Replay10 November 1937Tranmere RoversA0–2500

Player statistics

Appearances

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out