1973–74 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Mark Singer | |
Manager | Gordon Lee (until January) Roy Sproson (from 14 January) | |
Stadium | Vale Park | |
Football League Third Division | 20th (42 Points) | |
FA Cup | Third Round (knocked out by Luton Town) | |
League Cup | First Round (knocked out by Stockport County) | |
Player of the Year | David Harris | |
Top goalscorer | League: John Woodward (16) All: John Woodward (18) | |
Highest home attendance | 8,505 vs. Bristol Rovers, 17 February 1974 | |
Lowest home attendance | 2,556 vs. Charlton Athletic, 27 April 1974 | |
Average home league attendance | 3,959 | |
Biggest win | 3–0 (twice) | |
Biggest defeat | 0–3 (twice) | |
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← 1972–73
1974–75 →
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The 1973–74 season was Port Vale's 62nd season of football in the Football League, and their fourth-successive season (tenth overall) in the Third Division.[1] They finished in twentieth spot, though were seven points clear of relegation. Manager Gordon Lee left the club in January and was replaced by club legend Roy Sproson.
The pre-season saw Sammy Morgan sold to Aston Villa for £22,222 (plus top-up fees).[1] Gordon Lee drafted in tall young players David Harris and John Ridley from the youth set-up, as well as versatile Keith Chadwick from Crewe Alexandra.[1] The club also erected a 2.5 feet (0.76 m) high steel fence around the Bycars End to help combat hooliganism.[1]
The season opened with four games unbeaten, though Tommy McLaren soon damaged his ligaments, and the team suffered in his absence.[1] On 1 October, Vale beat Wrexham 1–0 in an 'ugly' game that saw five players booked and Colin Tartt and opposition player Arfon Griffiths separated by police following a scrap in the tunnel.[1] Later in the month Roy Cross badly injured his knee and would later have to leave the professional game due to the injury.[1] Vale slipped down the league, and by Christmas they were sixth from bottom, with only John Woodward in good form.[1] Lee then took out striker Keith Leonardonloan from Aston Villa, and bought left-back Neil Griffiths from Chester for a £5,000 fee.[1] He also changed the formation from 4–4–2 to 4–3–3, hoping to give Brian Horton more room in the centre of the park.[1] After an upturn in form in the new year, Bill Summerscales broke his neck, and Lee departed for the management position at Blackburn Rovers.[1] Lee had been seen to have done an excellent job with little money.[1]
Club legend Roy Sproson was appointed as caretaker manager, who advocated an 'entertaining' style of play as opposed to battling for every point.[1] Winning his first match 1–0 at Shrewsbury Town, he cracked his head on the concrete trainer's box after leaping up to celebrate McLaren's goal.[1] On 17 February, 8,505 turned up at Vale Park to witness a 3–1 win over high-flying Bristol Rovers in an experimental Sunday game.[1] Later Leonard returned to Villa Park at the end of his loan deal, and £5,000 was not enough to tempt Villa to part with his services permanently.[1] From mid-March Vale went eleven games without a win, and on 25 March they could have ended this run, but 'a shocking mistake' from Alan Boswell handed Walsallanequaliser as he palmed a header into his own net.[1] The team continued to rack up yellow cards, and following a warning from The Football Association, Sproson arranged for local referee Roy Capey to lecture the players on sportsmanship.[1] In the middle of April, Sproson was given the management job on a permanent basis, despite his team falling to fifth from bottom.[1] Sproson stated that he was 'calculated' and 'controlled', compared to Lee who 'fizzes like a bottle of pop'.[1] By the time they broke their poor run with a 2–1 home win over managerless Charlton Athletic, other results had already ensured their safety from the drop.[1]
They finished in twentieth position with 42 points, though this meant they were seven points clear of relegated Cambridge United in 21st place.[1]
On the financial side, an average home attendance of under 4,000 failed to prevent a profit of £17,831.[1] This profit came from the early sale of Morgan and donations of £16,443 from the Sportsmen's Association and the Development Fund.[1] The club's total debt stood at £121,647, as Chairman Singer warned of more player sales to balance the books.[1] Two players leaving for free at the end of the season were Bobby Gough (Southport) and Alan Boswell (Oswestry Town) – Boswell was described as 'capable of brilliant saves and conceding soft goals'.[1]
In the FA Cup, Vale won away at Stockport County 1–0 before advancing past Northern Premier League Scarborough in the Second Round. After a 1–1 draw in Burslem with Second Division Luton Town, they lost the replayatKenilworth Road 4–2.
In the League Cup, Vale exited at the first stage with a 2–0 defeat at Edgeley ParktoFourth Division Stockport County.
Port Vale's score comes first
Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ground | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A |
Result | W | D | W | W | L | D | D | L | W | L | D | D | L | L | W | D | L | L | L | D | L | W | L | W | D | W | W | W | L | W | L | W | W | D | L | L | D | D | L | D | D | L | L | L | W | D |
Position | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 August 1973 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 3–0 | 3,717 | Horton, Mountford, Woodward |
1 September 1973 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–1 | 5,716 | Lacey |
8 September 1973 | Huddersfield Town | H | 4–2 | 5,003 | Woodward (2), Mountford, McLaren |
10 September 1973 | Cambridge United | H | 2–1 | 5,829 | Horton (pen), Gough |
15 September 1973 | York City | A | 1–3 | 3,370 | Williams |
17 September 1973 | Wrexham | A | 0–0 | 7,730 | |
22 September 1973 | Southend United | H | 0–0 | 4,323 | |
29 September 1973 | Chesterfield | A | 1–2 | 4,754 | o.g. |
1 October 1973 | Wrexham | H | 1–0 | 4,791 | Brodie |
6 October 1973 | Hereford United | H | 1–3 | 5,802 | Woodward |
13 October 1973 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–1 | 8,880 | McLaren |
20 October 1973 | Bournemouth | H | 0–0 | 4,006 | |
24 October 1973 | Cambridge United | A | 2–4 | 3,612 | Lacey, Woodward |
27 October 1973 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 9,383 | |
3 November 1973 | Rochdale | H | 3–1 | 3,223 | Williams (2), Woodward |
10 November 1973 | Aldershot | A | 0–0 | 3,577 | |
12 November 1973 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–2 | 3,633 | Woodward |
17 November 1973 | Halifax Town | A | 0–1 | 2,255 | |
1 December 1973 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–2 | 4,390 | |
8 December 1973 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–1 | 3,157 | Woodward |
22 December 1973 | Chesterfield | H | 0–1 | 2,916 | |
26 December 1973 | Southport | A | 1–0 | 2,721 | Williams |
29 December 1973 | Huddersfield Town | H | 0–3 | 7,702 | |
1 January 1974 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–0 | 4,300 | Woodward (2), Williams |
12 January 1974 | York City | H | 2–2 | 3,537 | Woodward, Williams |
19 January 1974 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–0 | 2,771 | McLaren |
26 January 1974 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–0 | 3,004 | Harris |
2 February 1974 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–1 | 3,728 | Horton, Williams |
9 February 1974 | Southend United | A | 0–1 | 4,376 | |
17 February 1974 | Bristol Rovers | H | 3–1 | 8,505 | Williams (2), Leonard |
23 February 1974 | Hereford United | A | 1–2 | 6,565 | Woodward |
2 March 1974 | Southport | H | 2–1 | 3,220 | o.g., Gough |
10 March 1974 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–1 | 3,128 | Woodward (2) |
16 March 1974 | Bournemouth | A | 2–2 | 7,968 | o.g., Harris |
20 March 1974 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–2 | 9,365 | Harris |
23 March 1974 | Aldershot | H | 0–1 | 3,254 | |
25 March 1974 | Walsall | H | 1–1 | 3,659 | Lacey |
30 March 1974 | Rochdale | A | 1–1 | 982 | Mountford |
1 April 1974 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–3 | 3,050 | |
6 April 1974 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–1 | 5,298 | Mountford |
13 April 1974 | Halifax Town | H | 1–1 | 2,707 | McLaren |
16 April 1974 | Watford | H | 1–2 | 3,056 | Horton |
20 April 1974 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–2 | 6,443 | |
24 April 1974 | Watford | A | 1–2 | 5,883 | o.g. |
27 April 1974 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–1 | 2,556 | Woodward (2), Ridley |
30 April 1974 | Walsall | A | 0–0 | 4,228 |
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R1 | 24 November 1973 | Stockport County | A | 1–0 | 3,364 | Summerscales |
R2 | 15 December 1973 | Scarborough | H | 2–1 | 3,528 | Harris, Woodward |
R3 | 5 January 1974 | Luton Town | H | 1–1 | 8,127 | Harris |
R3 Replay | 9 January 1974 | Luton Town | A | 2–4 | 5,833 | Mountford, Woodward |
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R1 | 29 August 1973 | Stockport County | A | 0–2 | 3,314 |
Pos. | Name | Football League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
GK | ![]() |
42 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
GK | ![]() |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
22 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
DF | ![]() |
11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
45 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
DF | ![]() |
9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
32 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 5 |
MF | ![]() |
42 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 4 |
MF | ![]() |
41 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 4 |
MF | ![]() |
44 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 3 |
MF | ![]() |
42 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
MF | ![]() |
10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
MF | ![]() |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
MF | ![]() |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
FW | ![]() |
24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 2 |
FW | ![]() |
38 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 5 |
FW | ![]() |
43 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 18 |
FW | ![]() |
39 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 9 |
FW | ![]() |
13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
Place | Position | Nation | Name | Third Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FW | ![]() |
John Woodward | 16 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
2 | FW | ![]() |
Ray Williams | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
3 | FW | ![]() |
Bob Mountford | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
– | DF | ![]() |
David Harris | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
5 | MF | ![]() |
Tommy McLaren | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
– | MF | ![]() |
Brian Horton | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
7 | MF | ![]() |
Tony Lacey | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
8 | FW | ![]() |
Bobby Gough | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
9 | MF | ![]() |
John Ridley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
– | DF | ![]() |
John Brodie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
– | FW | ![]() |
Keith Leonard | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
– | DF | ![]() |
Bill Summerscales | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
– | – | – | Own goals | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
TOTALS | 52 | 6 | 0 | 58 |
Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 1973 | MF | ![]() |
Keith Chadwick | Crewe Alexandra | Free transfer | [3] |
December 1973 | DF | ![]() |
Neil Griffiths | Chester | Exchange | [3] |
Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 1973 | FW | ![]() |
Sammy Morgan | Aston Villa | £22,222 | [3] |
December 1973 | DF | ![]() |
Tony Loska | Chester | Exchange | [3] |
May 1974 | GK | ![]() |
Alan Boswell | ![]() |
Free transfer | [3] |
May 1974 | FW | ![]() |
Bobby Gough | Southport | Free transfer | [3] |
Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
November 1973 | FW | ![]() |
Keith Leonard | Aston Villa | February 1974 | [3] |