1950–51 Port Vale F.C. season


The 1950–51 season was Port Vale's 39th season of football in the English Football League, and their sixth full season in the Third Division South. It was the first season to be played at Vale Park, and Roy Sproson also made his debut for the club. In the FA Cup there was excitement as the Vale took rivals Stoke City to a replay in the Fourth Round, only to lose 1–0. It was the last season in the reign of Gordon Hodgson, who died in the summer after long suffering from cancer.
during his playing days.

Overview

Third Division South

The pre-season saw expansion for the league, and so the addition of two new teams to the division, nevertheless only one promotion place was available for the 24 teams. For Vale, two attacking players were added to the squad; Syd Peppitt arrived from Stoke City for £4,000, and Roland Lewis was signed from Congleton Town.
The season opened with a 2–0 defeat at Carrow Road, though the real excitement came five days later on 24 August, when Vale Park hosted its first league game; 30,196 turned up to see Newport County beaten 1–0 with a Walter Aveyard goal. The stadium had cost £50,000 and held 40,000 spectators, though work was still needed to complete the covers. Three straight losses followed, and as a result four players were transfer listed. As the weather turned bleak the attendances suffered, as less than a fortnight after its opening the stadium hosted 15,884 fans for the win over Ipswich Town. The lack of cover did nothing to encourage fans to show up. Nevertheless the team won six of their opening seven home games, whilst they lost six of their first seven away games. On 28 October they travelled to The Den, where they fought to earn a 2–2 draw with high-flying Millwall, Tommy Cheadle playing on despite breaking three teeth in a hefty collision. On 11 November they drew 1–1 with Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium, a game which saw the first of Roy Sproson's 842 club appearances.
Results tailed off after Christmas, leaving Vale in a re-election fight by the start of February. This was partly due to an outbreak of flu, which affected eleven of the players. A run of eight wins in eleven games soon allayed any fears of Vale losing their league status. The club were so confident in fact as to sell right-half Bill McGarry to Huddersfield Town for £12,000 – he would later be selected in the England squad for the 1954 FIFA World Cup. Waterlogging of the Vale Park pitch caused numerous games to be postponed, this meant a run of six home games would be played between 23 April and 3 May. This gave young reserves the chance to impress.
They finished twelfth with 45 points, a whole 25 points short of promotion. Cliff Pinchbeck proved to be the only regular scorer, with nineteen goals, though he was on the transfer list at his own request.

Finances

On the financial side, a profit of £5,367 was recorded thanks to a transfer credit of £12,315. Gate receipts had fallen to £27,650, though the wage bill was slashed to £20,063. Leaving the club were new signings Peppitt and Lewis, the former joining Worcester City. On 16 May the club hosted Progrès Niederkorn of Luxembourg, who were on their British tour, Vale won 4–1. After the game 3,000 tons of soil were removed from the stadium, as a new drainage system was installed. On 14 June, manager Gordon Hodgson died following a lengthy battle against cancer, his funeral at Carmountside was conducted by Reverend Norman Hallam. His replacement was Ivor Powell, who was signed as player-manager from Aston Villa.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, the "Valiants" progressed past Third Division North New Brighton and Lancashire Combination Nelson with two 3–2 home victories. Drawn against First Division Potteries derby rivals Stoke in the Third Round, it was the first competitive derby game since 1933. Vale showed some 'lively attacking' to achieve a 2–2 draw at the Victoria Ground on 6 January in front of a crowd of 49,500. Vale Park had problems with drainage, and so the replay two days later had to be played at the Victoria Ground as well – this time 40,977 fans showed up. Stoke won by the odd goal from Frank Bowyer, though Vale were consoled by the £2,800 worth of gate receipts they had earned.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Third Division South

Results by matchday

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
19 August 1950Norwich CityA0–227,288
24 August 1950Newport CountyH1–030,196Aveyard
26 August 1950Northampton TownH0–321,424
31 August 1950Newport CountyA1–213,537Palk
2 September 1950Plymouth ArgyleA0–119,288
4 September 1950Ipswich TownH1–015,884Pinchbeck
9 September 1950Nottingham ForestA1–229,295Hulligan
13 September 1950Ipswich TownA2–210,724Pinchbeck, Hulligan
16 September 1950Torquay UnitedH1–014,424Pinchbeck
23 September 1950AldershotA0–27,358
30 September 1950Swindon TownH2–19,517Peppitt, Bennett
7 October 1950Leyton OrientH3–112,899Hulligan, Peppitt, Pinchbeck
14 October 1950WalsallA0–29,686
21 October 1950WatfordH2–112,112Pinchbeck
28 October 1950MillwallA2–225,799Martin, McGarry
4 November 1950Bristol CityH1–311,603Hulligan
11 November 1950GillinghamA1–112,103Peppitt
18 November 1950Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH3–18,153Pinchbeck, Palk, Aveyard
2 December 1950Southend UnitedH3–18,339Pinchbeck, Palk
23 December 1950Northampton TownA1–18,785Martin
25 December 1950Bristol RoversH0–013,250
26 December 1950Bristol RoversA0–222,279
13 January 1951Nottingham ForestH1–113,148Pinchbeck
17 January 1951Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–25,754Pinchbeck
20 January 1951Torquay UnitedA2–36,280Aveyard, McGarry
27 January 1951ReadingA0–315,409
3 February 1951AldershotH3–18,606Aveyard, Pinchbeck, Martin
10 February 1951Exeter CityA3–07,893Palk, Hulligan, Martin
17 February 1951Swindon TownA1–27,889Pinchbeck
24 February 1951Leyton OrientA3–26,861Hulligan, Pinchbeck, o.g.
3 March 1951WalsallH1–113,071Pinchbeck
5 March 1951Plymouth ArgyleH2–14,894Aveyard, Martin
10 March 1951WatfordA0–26,610
24 March 1951Bristol CityA1–317,301Hulligan
26 March 1951Crystal PalaceA2–011,320Barber, o.g.
31 March 1951GillinghamH4–35,947Aveyard, Griffiths, Barber
2 April 1951Norwich CityH2–110,247Barber
7 April 1951Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA1–38,742Barber
16 April 1951Colchester UnitedH1–18,520Palk
21 April 1951Southend UnitedA1–18,554Griffiths
23 April 1951Brighton & Hove AlbionH0–110,340
26 April 1951Crystal PalaceH2–27,069Palk, Bennett
28 April 1951ReadingH0–03,402
30 April 1951Exeter CityH2–02,630Cunliffe, Barber
3 May 1951MillwallH0–15,459
5 May 1951Colchester UnitedA1–18,414Barber

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R125 November 1950New BrightonH3–28,997Aveyard, Pinchbeck
R29 December 1950NelsonH3–211,088Pinchbeck, Hulligan, Aveyard
R36 January 1951Stoke CityA2–249,500Bennett, Pinchbeck
R3 Replay8 January 1951Stoke CityA0–140,977

Player statistics

Appearances

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out