1969–70 Port Vale F.C. season


The 1969–70 season was Port Vale's 58th season of football in the English Football League, and their fifth successive season in the Fourth Division. They achieved promotion with a fourth-place finish, taking them back into the Third Division. They started the season with an eighteen match unbeaten run in the league, and finished with nine games unbeaten following a dip in form around January. Manager Gordon Lee credited the teamwork and fitness of an extremely settled side for the promotion campaign, as ten players made at least 35 league appearances.

Overview

Fourth Division

In the pre-season there were talks of bringing speedway to Vale Park, introducing a new team to the British League Division Two. However many were opposed to the idea, and a 2,600 strong petition was given to local MP John Forrester. The idea was killed when the council failed to grant planning permission, despite a 3,000 strong petition in favour of the proposal. The club had hoped to profit from the venture, however many locals were concerned about noise pollution. Gordon Lee meanwhile had little in the way of funds when it came to signing new players, and so he was only able to bring in three new attackers on free transfers: Ken Wookey ; Stuart Shaw ; and Eric Magee.
They continued on from their unbeaten result at the end of the previous season, to make a club-record unbeaten sequence of ten away games, and nineteen games home and away. Five of these results were goalless draws, as the defence proved stronger than the attack following the departure of top-scorer Roy Chapman at the end of the previous season. Nevertheless, the run put them at the top of the table, and Lee credited his team's hard work and fitness. John James played on despite an injured ankle, Mick Morris found himself a permanent fixture as an energetic utility man, whilst Tommy McLaren also worked his way into the first eleven. The defence conceded just six goals in the opening fifteen league games. The run included a 1–0 win over Chesterfield at Saltergate, a 2–0 win over nearby Crewe Alexandra in front of a season-best Burslem crowd of 12,538, and a 'war of attrition' in a 1–1 draw 'full of ugly incidents' with Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground in front of a crowd of 19,946. Their 22 November fixture at the Old Showground with Scunthorpe United could have seen the Vale equal the best start to an English League season in the twentieth century. After a Wookey goal put them ahead they lost after a disputed penalty and a bizarre own goal from Roy Sproson. Meanwhile, Vale could not afford the £500 registration fee for Ian Buxton following the player's departure from Notts County, and so the club could only sign him for an initial three-month period.
Injuries and suspensions helped to dent the Vale's form, as they lost their status as league leaders. On 17 January, Sproson made his 800th senior appearance in a 2–0 victory over Exeter City. In an attempt to lift the club, Lee signed wing-half Tony Lacey on loan from Stoke City, and also bought Bill Summerscales from Leek Town for £400. Heading into a six-game unbeaten run, Lee signed Buxton permanently, despite the player's decision to retire at the end of the season. In March, Chairman Arthur McPherson pleaded guilty to receiving stolen goods and so was sentenced to an eighteen-month suspended sentence and fined £1,500. Resigning his position at the club, he was replaced by Mark Singer. On 9 March, the match against Hartlepool had to be suspended for five minutes after Vale fans continually pelted the opposition keeper with snowballs. Signing Lacey permanently for £2,500, and Sammy Morgan on a free from Gorleston, Vale were in a close battle for promotion. Unbeaten in their final nine games, they secured promotion with what The Sentinel's Peter Hewitt called a 'blockade formula' – they conceded just four goals in this run.
They finished in fourth place with 59 points, three points clear of fifth place. His side promoted, Lee said that 'no team could have deserved reward as much for their hard work and strength of character'. With 33 goals conceded, only Chesterfield conceded fewer. Only seventeen players were used all season, whilst eight barely missed a game between them. On 31 May, they played a Potteries derby friendly with First Division Stoke and won 3–2 at the Victoria Ground.

Finances

On the financial side, a loss of £3,003 was made despite fund raising donations of £17,925. Gate receipts were up by over £13,000 as home attendances were encouraging, however expenditure had increased and there was a transfer deficit of £2,900. Six players were let go at the season's end, including Ken Wookey ; Stuart Shaw ; Eric Magee ; Stuart Chapman ; and Gordon Logan.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, they had to overcome Northern Premier League Wigan Athletic at Springfield Park, but could only manage a 1–1 draw. After a 2–2 draw back in Stoke-on-Trent, the second replay was held at Old Trafford, Manchester. James scored two minutes from the end of extra-time to finally kill off the non-leaguers. After a 3–1 defeat at Prenton Park to Tranmere Rovers in a replay, the Vale were out of the competition with a profit of £5,000 from their five games.
In the League Cup, a First Round exit came courtesy of Third Division Tranmere Rovers at Vale Park.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Fourth Division

Results by matchday

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
9 August 1969Peterborough UnitedH0–05,453
16 August 1969ChesterfieldA1–05,062Sproson
23 August 1969Northampton TownH4–14,809Green, Wookey, Gough, Magee
27 August 1969Lincoln CityA0–06,865
30 August 1969Colchester UnitedA0–06,323
6 September 1969ChesterH3–06,874James, Wookey, Green
13 September 1969Oldham AthleticA3–25,777Gough, Logan, James
15 September 1969Crewe AlexandraH2–012,538James, Morris
20 September 1969Grimsby TownH1–08,787James
27 September 1969Exeter CityA2–15,503Green, McLaren
29 September 1969Southend UnitedA1–17,704James
4 October 1969AldershotH0–08,858
6 October 1969ChesterfieldH1–19,506Wookey
11 October 1969York CityA1–07,195Gough
18 October 1969Swansea CityH0–07,195
25 October 1969WrexhamA1–119,946McLaren
1 November 1969Newport CountyH3–17,477Sproson, Boulton
8 November 1969Bradford Park AvenueA2–13,498o.g., Boulton
22 November 1969Scunthorpe UnitedA1–25,750Wookey
29 November 1969WorkingtonH3–14,891James, Sproson
13 December 1969Oldham AthleticH1–05,387Buxton
20 December 1969ChesterA1–15,235McLaren
26 December 1969Northampton TownA0–27,522
10 January 1970Grimsby TownA0–24,654
17 January 1970Exeter CityH2–04,633o.g., James
24 January 1970BrentfordA0–18,661
31 January 1970AldershotA0–26,858
7 February 1970York CityH1–13,955Gough
21 February 1970Bradford Park AvenueH4–14,416James, Boulton
23 February 1970Southend UnitedH3–06,333Gough, James
28 February 1970Swansea CityA0–06,576
2 March 1970DarlingtonA2–22,152Boulton, James
9 March 1970HartlepoolH3–05,456Boulton, Lacey
14 March 1970WorkingtonA2–32,047Buxton, Gough
16 March 1970BrentfordH0–07,944
21 March 1970DarlingtonH4–04,717Buxton, Green, Gough
23 March 1970Scunthorpe UnitedH1–26,394Gough
28 March 1970HartlepoolA2–02,227Morris, Buxton
30 March 1970Newport CountyA1–12,218Morgan
1 April 1970WrexhamH1–010,954James
4 April 1970Lincoln CityH0–07,414
8 April 1970Notts CountyA2–15,010Sproson, Buxton
15 April 1970Crewe AlexandraA0–07,155
18 April 1970Notts CountyH1–18,042Morris
22 April 1970Peterborough UnitedA0–03,844
25 April 1970Colchester UnitedH1–15,626McLaren

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R115 November 1969Wigan AthleticA1–112,622James
R1 Replay18 November 1969Wigan AthleticH2–29,703McLaren, Sproson
R1 Replay24 November 1969Wigan AthleticN1–016,453James
R26 December 1969Tranmere RoversH2–26,883James, Green
R2 Replay8 December 1969Tranmere RoversA1–37,156Magee

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R113 August 1969Tranmere RoversH0–14,955

Player statistics

Appearances

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out

Loans in