1984–85 Port Vale F.C. season

Port Vale
1984–85 season
Chairman England Jim Lloyd
Manager England John Rudge
Stadium Vale Park
Football League Fourth Division 12th (60 Points)
FA Cup Third Round
League Cup Second Round
League Trophy Second Round
Player of the Year England Alan Webb
Top goalscorer League: Ally Brown (17)
All: Ally Brown (21)
Highest home attendance 6,949 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (24 September 1984)
Lowest home attendance 1,386 vs. Northampton Town (29 January 1985)
Average home league attendance 3,267
Home colours

The 1984–85 season was Port Vale's 73rd season of football in the Football League, and first (12th overall) back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division.[1] John Rudge's first full season in charge, the Vale finished in mid-table following a season of rebuilding the squad. Veteran striker Ally Brown was top-scorer with 21 goals, whilst midfield dynamo Robbie Earle hit 19 goals. Defender Alan Webb was elected Player of the Year, whilst a young Ray Walker also spent a short period on loan at the club. Vale progressed to the Third Round of the FA Cup, and the Second Rounds of the League Cup and League Trophy.

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw four new arrivals: veteran striker Ally Brown (Walsall); winger Peter Griffiths (Stoke City); and both forward Derek Monaghan and reliable defender Alan Webb (West Bromwich Albion).[1] This came after John Rudge stated that "Vale's reputation has been built on grit and determination and I will be looking to bring in the player who is willing to die for the cause".[1] Attempts to re-sign Brian Horton failed once again, whilst Martin Henderson had his contract cancelled after failing to report for pre-season training – he later signed with Spalding United.[1] Just before the season began Gary Brazil was signed on loan from Sheffield United.[1]

The season opened with a 1–0 defeat to Mansfield Town.[1] Tommy Gore soon announced his retirement due to a neck injury.[1] The Vale then went five games unbeaten, as the club announced a new five year shirt sponsorship deal with Trentham firm Eagle Delivery Service.[1] Young winger Ray Walker also arrived on loan from Aston Villa.[1] The fans chanted 'what a load of rubbish' on 1 October, as Vale lost 3–0 at home to struggling side Northampton Town.[1] Rudge stated that 'In truth we were rubbish' and promptly cancelled the player's day off.[1] Another five game unbeaten run followed, as Brown showed his 'class' and Walker impressed.[1] On 5 November, Eamonn O'Keefe scored a 'brilliant' hat-trick past Southend United in a 4–1 win.[1] Rudge then signed Stockport County's outside-right Oshor Williams for £7,000.[1] Vale's form then suffered after Walker returned to Villa Park.[1] To remedy this Rudge signed Southend United midfielder Billy Kellock, who made 'a stunning impact' in his debut, playing a key part in the 5–1 victory over Exeter City on New Year's Day.[1] This was the first of a sixteen-game unbeaten run, in which the team equalled a club-record six straight away draws between 19 January and 29 March.

On 2 February, Robbie Earle scored a hat-trick past Hereford United.[1] Striker partner Ally Brown claimed "He is my brains and I am his legs".[1] John Rudge received the Manager of the Month award for February.[1] The next month Barry Siddall joined Stoke City on a free transfer, after Chris Pearce had established himself as the Vale's #1.[1] Wayne Cegielski also signed with Blackpool and Eamonn O'Keefe followed him to Bloomfield Road for a £10,000 fee.[1] Five victories in the opening six games of April took Vale sliding down the league, as Brown was out with a knee injury.[1] Vale rallied to go through the final five games unbeaten.[1]

They finished in twelfth place with sixty points, winning and losing fourteen games.[1] Between them Brown and Earle racked up a combined total of forty goals in all competitions.[1] Yet it was Russell Bromage who was selected for the PFA Fourth Division team.[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a loss was made of £7,793 due to a 20% drop in attendance figures.[1] The wage bill stood at £389,341, whilst gate receipts took in £128,954 and the lottery raised £191,000.[1] The club's shirt sponsors were EDS. Five players left on free transfers, most significant were the departures of: Terry Armstrong and Derek Monaghan (retired); Colin Tartt (Shepshed Charterhouse); and Ian Griffiths (Wigan Athletic).[1] Billy Kellock also refused terms, and so joined Halifax Town, whilst John Ridley joined Stafford Rangers as a player-coach.[1] Vale received £700 following a tribunal claim, becoming the first Football League club to take a non-league club to a tribunal.[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale beat Northern Premier League side Macclesfield Town 2–1 at Moss Rose.[1] This game was overshadowed by a fence collapse that left thirteen injured and led to 21 arrests.[1] Town Chairman Alan Brocklehurst blamed 'the hooligan element of the Vale support', however Vale Chairman Jim Lloyd laid the blame at the feet of the police.[1] The next round saw Vale conquer Scunthorpe United with a 4–1 home victory.[1] In the Third Round they travelled to West Ham United's Upton Park, where the First Division club beat the "Valiants" 4–1.

In the League Cup, Vale went past Bury on away goals, having scored one of their two goals at Gigg Lane.[1] In the Second Round they lost 2–1 at home to Second Division Wolverhampton Wanderers, though they did earn a goalless draw at Molineux.

In the League Trophy, Vale eliminated Northampton Town in a 2–1 replay victory at Sixfields. The original match saw an attendance of just 1,386 at Vale Park.[1] At the replay Ian Griffiths required a skin graft after getting his hand trapped in a toilet door.[1] Vale were knocked out in the next round by Bristol City, losing 2–1 to the Third Division side at Ashton Gate.

Final league table

P WDLFAGDPts
1Chesterfield46261376435+2991
2Blackpool46241487339+3486
3Darlington46241396649+1785
4Bury462412107650+2684
5Hereford United462211136547+1877
6Tranmere Rovers46243198366+1775
7Colchester United462014128765+2274
8Swindon Town46219166258+472
9Scunthorpe United461914138362+2171
10Crewe Alexandra461812166569-466
11Peterborough United461614165453+162
12Port Vale461418146159+260
13Aldershot46178215663-759
14Mansfield Town461318154138+357
15Wrexham46159226770-354
16Chester City46159226072-1254
17Rochdale461314195569-1453
18Exeter City461314195779-2253
19Hartlepool United461410225467-1352
20Southend United461311225883-2550
21Halifax Town46155264269-2750
22Stockport County46138255879-2147
23Northampton Town46145275374-2147
24Torquay United46914233863-2541

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundHAHAAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHHAAHAHHHAAHAHAHAAHAHAAHHAHA
Result L D D W D W L L W W W D W L W L D L L D L L W D D W W D D W D W D D D L D L L L L D W D W D
Position 18 18 19 13 13 9 10 12 11 8 6 6 7 11 6 9 8 9 11 12 14 14 13 13 13 11 13 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 12 12 12

Sourced from Statto.[2]

Football League Fourth Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
25 August 1984 Mansfield TownH0–13,552
1 September 1984 WrexhamA1–11,849Brazil
8 September 1984 Hartlepool UnitedH1–13,232Sproson
15 September 1984 Torquay UnitedA3–11,692Walker, Earle, Brown
18 September 1984 BlackpoolA1–14,902Brazil
22 September 1984 Tranmere RoversH2–13,301Brazil, Earle
29 September 1984 Hereford UnitedA0–14,093
1 October 1984 Northampton TownH0–33,235
6 October 1984 Crewe AlexandraH2–04,145Brown, P.Griffiths
13 October 1984 RochdaleA2–11,722O'Keefe, Brown
20 October 1984 Swindon TownA1–03,056O'Keefe
22 October 1984 ChesterfieldH0–04,988
27 October 1984 Peterborough UnitedH3–13,943Brown (2), O'Keefe
3 November 1984 Stockport CountyA1–32,698O'Keefe
5 November 1984 Southend UnitedH4–12,989O'Keefe (3), Earle
10 November 1984 AldershotA0–12,188
23 November 1984 Chester CityH0–03,391
30 November 1984 Halifax TownA1–21,689Hunter
15 December 1984 DarlingtonH0–13,645
22 December 1984 Scunthorpe UnitedH1–12,521P.Griffiths
26 December 1984 BuryA0–44,664
28 December 1984 Colchester UnitedA2–32,014Brown, Smith
1 January 1985 Exeter CityH5–13,306Kellock (2 [1 pen]), Brown (2), Earle
19 January 1985 Hartlepool UnitedA2–22,285Brown, Williams
26 January 1985 Torquay UnitedH2–22,839Hunter, Earle
2 February 1985 Hereford UnitedH3–13,453Earle (3)
23 February 1985 Stockport CountyH3–23,154Brown (2), Bromage
2 March 1985 Peterborough UnitedA0–02,817
5 March 1985 ChesterfieldA0–03,480
9 March 1985 Swindon TownH2–03,300Sproson, Brown
13 March 1985 Mansfield TownH1–12,161Sproson
16 March 1985 RochdaleH3–12,788P.Griffiths, Kellock (pen), Brown
22 March 1985 Crewe AlexandraA0–04,763
25 March 1985 WrexhamH0–02,964
29 March 1985 Southend UnitedA1–12,407Earle
1 April 1985 Tranmere RoversA1–41,450Earle
6 April 1985 BuryH0–03,544
8 April 1985 Exeter CityA1–22,427Earle
13 April 1985 AldershotH1–22,562Earle
17 April 1985 Northampton TownA0–11,311
20 April 1985 Chester CityA0–21,575
22 April 1985 BlackpoolH1–13,725Brown
27 April 1985 Halifax TownH3–12,029Brown, Earle, Williams
4 May 1985 DarlingtonA1–13,565Earle
6 May 1985 Colchester UnitedH3–22,526Brown, Kellock, Earle (pen)
10 May 1985 Scunthorpe UnitedA3–31,867Brown, Tartt, Williams

FA Cup

Main article: 1984–85 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R119 November 1984 Macclesfield TownA2–14,672Brown, Earle
R27 December 1984 Scunthorpe UnitedH4–14,268Brown, O'Keefe (pen), Bromage, I.Griffiths
R35 January 1985 West Ham UnitedA1–411,452P.Griffiths

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg28 August 1984 BuryH1–02,498Earle
R1 2nd Leg4 September 1984 BuryA1–22,257Tartt
R2 1st Leg24 September 1984 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–26,949Brown
R2 2nd Leg9 October 1984 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–05,964

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R129 January 1985 Northampton TownH1–11,386Williams
R1 Replay5 February 1985 Northampton TownA2–11,405Earle (2)
R218 March 1985 Bristol CityA1–23,635Brown

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKEngland Barry Siddall 90101010120
GKWales Chris Pearce 360203020430
GKEngland Karl Austin 1000000010
DFEngland Phil Sproson 443304030543
DFWales Wayne Cegielski 80101000100
DFEngland Alan Webb 460304030560
DFEngland Wayne Ebanks 110000000110
DFEngland Chris Banks 70000030100
MFEngland Russell Bromage 371314020462
MFEngland Terry Armstrong 4000200060
MFEngland Colin Tartt 121003100152
MFEngland Geoff Hunter 422303030512
MFEngland John Ridley 430204020510
MFJamaica Robbie Earle 46153141325619
MFEngland Tommy Gore 0000100010
MFEngland Ray Walker 151000000151
MFEngland Martyn Smith 131003010171
MFEngland Adrian Reeves-Jones 3000000030
MFScotland Billy Kellock 114000020134
MFEngland Wayne Kerrins 8000000080
MFEngland Paul Lodge 3000000030
MFEngland Ian Griffiths 120110020151
MFEngland Peter Griffiths 313214020394
FWRepublic of Ireland Eamonn O'Keefe 227311010278
FWEngland Oshor Williams 173300021224
FWEngland Derek Monaghan 7000101090
FWScotland Ally Brown 40173241214921
FWEngland Gary Brazil 6300000063

Scorers

All competitions

Scorer Goals
Scotland Ally Brown 21
Jamaica Robbie Earle 19
Republic of Ireland Eamonn O'Keefe 8
Scotland Billy Kellock 4
England Oshor Williams
England Peter Griffiths
England Gary Brazil 3
England Phil Sproson
England Geoff Hunter 2
England Colin Tartt
England Russell Bromage
England Ray Walker 1
England Martyn Smith
England Ian Griffiths

League

Scorer Goals
Scotland Ally Brown 17
Jamaica Robbie Earle 15
Republic of Ireland Eamonn O'Keefe 7
Scotland Billy Kellock 4
England Oshor Williams 3
England Peter Griffiths
England Gary Brazil
England Phil Sproson
England Geoff Hunter 2
England Ray Walker 1
England Colin Tartt
England Russell Bromage
England Martyn Smith

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
December 1982 DF England Chris Banks Free transfer [3]
1984 MF England Oshor Williams Stockport County Free transfer [3]
July 1984 FW Scotland Alistair Brown Walsall Free transfer [3]
July 1984 MF England Peter Griffiths Stoke City Free transfer [3]
July 1984 FW England Derek Monaghan West Bromwich Albion Free transfer [3]
July 1984 DF England Alan Webb West Bromwich Albion Free transfer [3]
August 1984 MF England Martyn Smith Leek Town Free transfer [3]
October 1984 MF England Ian Griffiths Rochdale Free transfer [3]
November 1984 MF England Adrian Reeves-Jones Free transfer [3]
December 1984 MF Scotland Billy Kellock Southend United Free transfer [3]
February 1985 GK England Karl Austin Stafford Rangers Non-contract [3]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
October 1984 MF England Tommy Gore Retired [3]
March 1985 DF Wales Wayne Cegielski Blackpool Free transfer [3]
March 1985 MF Republic of Ireland Eamonn O'Keefe Blackpool £17,500 [3]
March 1985 GK England Barry Siddall Stoke City Free transfer [3]
May 1985 MF England Terry Armstrong Nuneaton Borough Free transfer [3]
May 1985 FW England Derek Monaghan Redditch United Free transfer [3]
May 1985 MF England Adrian Reeves-Jones Leek Town Free transfer [3]
May 1985 MF England Martyn Smith Macclesfield Town Free transfer [3]
May 1985 MF England Colin Tartt Shepshed Charterhouse Free transfer [3]
June 1985 MF Scotland Billy Kellock Halifax Town Free transfer [3]
Summer 1985 GK England Karl Austin Gresley Rovers Free transfer [3]
Summer 1985 MF England Ian Griffiths Wigan Athletic Free transfer [3]
Summer 1985 MF England John Ridley Stafford Rangers £700 [3]

Loans in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Date to Ref.
August 1984 FW England Gary Brazil Aston Villa August 1984 [3]
August 1984 MF England Ray Walker Aston Villa End of season [3]
November 1984 MF England Paul Lodge Bolton Wanderers January 1985 [3]
March 1985 DF England Wayne Ebanks West Bromwich Albion End of season [3]
March 1985 MF England Wayne Kerrins Fulham End of season [3]

Loans out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
January 1985 GK England Barry Siddall Stoke City March 1985 [3]

References

Specific
  1. 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 Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. Port Vale 1984–1985 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. 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 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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