1904–05 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1904–05 season was Burslem Port Vale's seventh consecutive season (11th overall) of football in the English Football League.^[1] They played home fixtures at the Athletic Ground under manager‑secretary Sam Gleaves and chairman Robert Audley. The club finished 16th in the league with 27 points (10 wins, 7 draws, 17 losses), scoring 47 goals and conceding 72. The club had to apply (successfully) for re-election and had to continue selling their best players to survive.

In cup competitions, Vale were eliminated in the Sixth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup by Barnsley, reached the Semi-final of the Birmingham Senior Cup before being knocked out by West Bromwich Albion, and exited the Staffordshire Senior Cup in the First Round after a defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Dick Allman was the club's top scorer with eight goals across all competitions. Attendances varied, with a season-high of 5,000 spectators for the home fixture against Manchester United on 3 September 1904, while the lowest recorded crowd was 500 for matches against Bradford City on 21 January 1905 and Doncaster Rovers on 18 March 1905, giving an average attendance of approximately 2,536.

A rather quiet pre-season saw no signings of note, however, past player, outside-right Dick Evans re-signed from Southampton in September.^[1] This return was ended in his second game of the season – a Staffordshire Senior Cup defeat to Wolves – when he suffered a career-ending injury.^[1] The league campaign opened with four consecutive draws, with a healthy 5,000 in attendance to see a 2–2 draw with Manchester United in which visiting fans turned up with "highly-coloured gamps" and "weird shrieking trumpets". Four defeats followed the draws despite the team playing some good football as the forwards were ineffective and Adrian Capes had lost his dangerous pace. The first win came on 29 October, as Burnley were beaten by three goals to one after Vale had trailed at the interval. On 5 November, the club's record 29 away games without a win streak came to an end with a 3–0 victory at Grimsby Town.^[1] The next match saw Liverpool win 2–1 thanks to a goal that never actually crossed the line – the referee had to leave the pitch under escort.^[1]

With results turning in the club's favour, the directors saw fit to sell both right-back Ernest Mullineux and forward Tom Simpson to First Division club Bury for a total of £800. Vale subsequently were beaten by league leaders Bolton Wanderers and a 4–2 defeat at Bristol City came after the players felt stiff after a long wait at Birmingham train station. They claimed a 1–0 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day despite the bus driver taking the team to Villa Park by mistake. Only two points were gained in the next five matches, however, including a 6–1 defeat to Manchester United at Bank Street. Following a 1–0 home loss to third-from-bottom Glossop, 'The Placer' of The Staffordshire Sentinel commented that "eleven lads from the street could give a better exposition of the game". On 11 February, they found themselves three goals down at Barnsley after only 18 minutes, though no more goals were scored in the remaining 72.^[1]

In February, the club's revival was helped by new signing Robert Carter^[1] Carter scored two goals on his debut in a 3–2 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Vale went on to win five of their last six home games, though they lost their remaining seven away matches. The away defeats included a 5–0 beating at Burnley. The one home reversal came at the hands of Leicester Fosse on 3 April, who roughed up their hosts. An 8–1 thrashing came at Anfield as Liverpool's "superiority was never in doubt". Management continued to shuffle players around, and the team put up " a better fight than expected" in a 3–1 loss at Bolton Wanderers. Vale needed to win at Chesterfield Town on the final day to escape a re-election vote, but good chances were squandered and two goals were conceding whilst kicking down the slope as Vale lost 2–1.^[1]

The club finished in 16th place, though their 27 points saw them just one point off Blackpool and six points off seventh place. Burton United and Doncaster Rovers both finished well below Vale, and at the end of the season, both Vale and Burton were re-elected.^[1] Dick Allman was the top scorer with eight goals, though scoring proved to be a team effort to give Vale a reasonable total of 47 league goals. However, in defensive terms the season was awful, their 72 conceded would always guarantee a battle against dropping into the lottery of the re-election zones.^[1]

Allman left for Reading at the season's end.^[1] Harry Croxton was an ever-present, and other regulars included goalkeeper Harry Cotton, and outfielders Sam Whittingham, Joseph Holyhead, George Price, and Adrian Capes. Club secretary Sam Gleaves stepped down at the end of the season and was given the position of director. His replacement, with the position of manager-secretary, was former player Tommy Clare.^[1]

Player sales gave the club a season profit of £140 and reduced club debt to just £33. However, gate receipts had fallen by £150.^[1] The directors opted to pay players summer wages again in order to attract better quality players.^[1]

The club came up against tough competition in both county cup competitions, losing 1–0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup.^[1] They found rather more success in the Birmingham Senior Cup, where Vale defeated rivals Stoke with a Tom Simpson hat-trick at home, following a goalless draw at the Victoria Ground.^[1] This achievement was less significant due to a slight from Stoke, who only sent out their reserve team.^[1] Vale complained to the Birmingham FA as they had lost our on gate receipts as spectators stayed away, but the FA replied that Stoke were to go unpunished. Vale then lost in the semi-final to Second Division rivals West Bromwich Albion.^[1] The club yet again failed to qualify for the FA Cup, losing narrowly to Barnsley in the qualification stages.^[1]

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward

Specific

General

• Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.