2006–07 Port Vale F.C. season


The 2006–07 season was Port Vale's 95th season of football in the English Football League, and third successive season in League One. Martin Foyle's side again finished in mid-table, whilst exiting the FA Cup and the League Trophy at the Second Round. Vale, notoriously poor performers in the League Cup, managed to reach the Fourth Round for the first time, at which point they were beaten by top-flight Tottenham Hotspur. Strike partners Leon Constantine and Akpo Sodje put in a 42-goal partnership, with Sodje picking up the club's Player of the Year award. At the end of the season top-scorer Constantine left the club, as did senior midfielder Danny Sonner, scuppering Foyle's long-term plans.
.
.
.

Overview

League One

The pre-season saw Martin Foyle make a number of signings, including: Danny Sonner ; Jason Talbot ; Paul Harsley ; Richard Walker ; Danny Whitaker ; Colin Miles ; and Akpo Sodje. He also took Stefan Moore on loan from Queens Park Rangers, and utility player Ritchie Humphreys from Hartlepool United. Youth team player Danny Glover, son of assistant manager Dean Glover, was also given a squad number.
The season started with Vale in fine form, winning their first four games. His four goals meant Constantine was named the division's Player of the Month for August. This run came to a halt with four defeats in the next five games, Vale scoring just three goals. In November, Ross Gardner was signed on loan from Nottingham Forest, and would join permanently in the January transfer window. Foyle also signed defender Clayton Fortune on a season long loan for a second time, this time from Leyton Orient. Heading into December with just three wins in fifteen league games, they won their first four games, with Constantine hitting five of Vale's nine goals. In January, Foyle splashed out £30,000 on Crewe Alexandra striker Luke Rodgers. He also signed former teammate Paul Musselwhite as an emergency back-up goalkeeper following an injury to Mark Goodlad, as well as Cardiff City midfielder Malvin Kamara. He also turned down an offer from Barnsley of £200,000 for Constantine, who claimed to be happy at Vale Park. However he did sell skilful winger Jeff Smith to Carlisle United for £60,000. Also leaving Burslem was Louis Briscoe, who was allowed to join Leek Town. Vale's form had left them once again, as they failed to pick up a win in a sequence of seven games. In February, defender Rhys Weston joined on a short-term contract, having left Norwegian club Viking FK. On 10 March, Vale travelled to the Don Valley Stadium, and Sodje managed to hit four goals past the Rotherham United defence to give Vale a 5–1 win. This gave Vale fans a sliver of hope of reaching the play-offs, but Vale failed to string two wins together in their final nine games, despite a 3–0 win over nearby Crewe Alexandra.
They finished in twelfth place with sixty points, a clear distance from both the play-off and the relegation zones. They again had the lowest numbers of draws in the division, recording just six stalemates. Constantine was the second-highest scorer in the division after Billy Sharp of Scunthorpe United. Player of the Year Sodje also hit sixteen goals. Captain George Pilkington and midfielder Danny Whitaker missed just two games between them all season.
At the end of the season a number of players were released: Nathan Lowndes ; George Abbey ; Rhys Weston ; Michael Husbands ; Christian Smith ; Ross Gardner ; Malvin Kamara ; Michael Walsh and Mark Soboljew. Leon Constantine also decided against signing a new contract at Vale, and instead joined Leeds United. Danny Sonner also rejected his contract offer, and moved on to Walsall, but not before making a parting shot at the club's leadership.

Finances

The club had to make monthly repayments of around £19,000 for a £2.25 million loan taken out from the local council in 2005. The club's shirt sponsorship came from local company BGC Gas.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale advanced past League Two side Lincoln City with a 2–1 victory at Sincil Bank. However they then were on the end of a 4–0 hiding from Hereford United at Edgar Street in the Second Round.
In the League Cup, Vale faced Preston North End, who they defeated with goals from Sodje and Constantine. The "Valiants" then vanquished Queens Park Rangers 3–2 in the Second Round. This left them facing Norwich City, the third Championship club of the season to travel to Burslem in the League Cup. Vale against upset the odds by winning the penalty shoot-out 3–2 following a goalless draw against a strong "Canary" side. Premier League Tottenham Hotspur awaited in the Fourth Round, who at White Hart Lane proved to be too much of a challenge for the Vale. Constantine put Vale into the lead, but a Tom Huddlestone goal took the game into extra-time, before both Huddlestone and Jermain Defoe scored to give "Spurs" a 3–1 win, thus saving Martin Jol's blushes. This represented the club's greatest achievement in the competition, as Vale had never reached the Fourth Round before.
In the League Trophy, Vale advanced past Scunthorpe United after winning on penalties at Glanford Park. They then had a home tie with local rivals Crewe Alexandra. The "Railwaymen" won the game 3–2 despite a brace from Constantine.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League One

Results by matchday

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
5 August 2006Leyton OrientH3–05,631Constantine, Sodje
8 August 2006Oldham AthleticA1–04,975Sodje
12 August 2006Cheltenham TownA1–04,309Constantine
19 August 2006ChesterfieldH3–25,622Constantine, Pilkington
26 August 2006Yeovil TownA0–14,827
3 September 2006Doncaster RoversH1–24,862Whitaker
9 September 2006BlackpoolH2–15,171Constantine, Sodje
12 September 2006Scunthorpe UnitedA0–33,473
16 September 2006Bradford CityA0–27,829
23 September 2006Bristol CityH0–25,295
26 September 2006Nottingham ForestH1–17,388Husbands
30 September 2006Northampton TownA2–05,316Pilkington, Moore
8 October 2006Rotherham UnitedH1–34,810Constantine
13 October 2006Tranmere RoversA2–17,866Smith, Constantine
21 October 2006Huddersfield TownH1–25,225Constantine
28 October 2006MillwallA1–110,189Sodje
4 November 2006Crewe AlexandraA1–27,632Abbey
18 November 2006Swansea CityH0–24,615
25 November 2006Carlisle UnitedA2–37,543Harsley, Smith
5 December 2006GillinghamH2–03,077Gardner, Constantine
9 December 2006BournemouthA4–04,538Constantine, Pilkington, Sodje
16 December 2006BrentfordH1–04,166Pilkington
23 December 2006Brighton and Hove AlbionH2–14,349Constantine
26 December 2006Nottingham ForestA0–322,999
30 December 2006Bristol CityA1–212,776Smith
1 January 2007Scunthorpe UnitedH0–04,869
6 January 2007Bradford CityH0–14,146
13 January 2007BlackpoolA1–26,661Sodje
27 January 2007Brighton and Hove AlbionA0–05,177
3 February 2007Leyton OrientA1–24,295Gardner
6 February 2007Northampton TownH1–03,353Whitaker
17 February 2007ChesterfieldA0–33,752
20 February 2007Oldham AthleticH3–04,061Whitaker, Pilkington, Constantine
24 February 2007Doncaster RoversA0–17,848
3 March 2007Yeovil TownH4–24,202Constantine, Whitaker, Rose
6 March 2007Cheltenham TownH1–03,340Kamara
10 March 2007Rotherham UnitedA5–13,854Sodje, Pilkington
17 March 2007Tranmere RoversH2–34,809Sonner, Constantine
24 March 2007MillwallH2–03,973Whitaker, Sodje
31 March 2007Huddersfield TownA2–210,313Sodje
7 April 2007Carlisle UnitedH0–24,882
9 April 2007Swansea CityA0–312,465
14 April 2007Crewe AlexandraH3–05,740Hulbert, Constantine, Rodgers
21 April 2007GillinghamA2–35,928Whitaker, Constantine
28 April 2007BrentfordA3–45,125Constantine, Rodgers
5 May 2007BournemouthH2–15,080Sodje, Rodgers

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R111 November 2006Lincoln CityA2–13,884Whitaker, Sodje
R22 December 2006Hereford UnitedA0–44,076

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R123 August 2006Preston North EndH2–13,522Sodje, Constantine
R219 September 2006Queens Park RangersH3–23,550Smith, Whitaker, Walker
R324 October 2006Norwich CityH0–04,518
R48 November 2006Tottenham HotspurA1–334,560Constantine

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R130 October 2006Scunthorpe UnitedA0–03,421
R229 November 2006Crewe AlexandraH2–34,694Constantine

Player statistics

Appearances

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out

Loans in

Loans out