1921–22 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1921–22 season was Port Vale's third consecutive season of football (16th overall) in the English Football League.^[1] Managed by Joe Schofield and chaired by Sampson Walker, the club played their home fixtures at the Old Recreation Ground. The team finished 18th in the 22-team league, accumulating 36 points from 14 wins, 8 draws, and 20 losses, scoring 43 goals and conceding 57. This marked the second successive season in which Vale secured 36 points, reflecting a period of stagnation in the club's league performance.

The season was characterised by inconsistency. After a promising start, the team endured a challenging mid-season, culminating in a nine-match winless streak. However, a remarkable turnaround occurred with a nine-match unbeaten run, including seven consecutive clean sheets, a club record achieved under goalkeeper Teddy Peers. Despite these highs, the team's performance remained erratic, and they ultimately finished just above the relegation zone.

In cup competitions, Vale exited the FA Cup in the First Round, suffering a 4–2 defeat to Potteries derby rivals Stoke. In the North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup, the final against Stoke ended in a 0–0 draw, leading to the trophy being shared between the two clubs. The season also saw the club's finances come under strain, with a reported loss of £4,641, attributed to declining gate receipts and increased wage bills following the raising of the maximum wage limit.

Despite the challenges, the club experienced moments of individual brilliance. Goalkeeper Teddy Peers made history by becoming the first Port Vale player to earn an international cap while still at the club, representing Wales during the season. Forward Tom Page was the team's top scorer, netting 10 goals in all competitions. The season concluded with the club narrowly avoiding relegation, setting the stage for future rebuilding efforts.

New additions to the squad in pre-season included: Welshman Jack Hampson signed from Aston Villa for £1,000; a returning Albert Pearson from Liverpool; half-back Ernest Collinge; centre-half from Nottingham Forest Robert Firth; young Scottish midfielder Bob Connelly; and forward Billy Agnew from Falkirk.^[1] The stadium was also improved, with a gym constructed, and the new stand extended.^[1]

The season started poorly, with Vale losing four of their opening five games, the one success being "a clever display" in a 3–0 home win over Clapton Orient on 29 August. A 0–0 draw was achieved away at Potteries derby rivals Stoke, though it remained one of many fixtures in which the forward line failed to find the net. Stoke defeated the Vale in the return fixture at the Old Recreation Ground by one goal to nil and so Bob Connelly was tried at centre-forward at Bury in the next game, which was an experiment that was abandoned following a 5–2 loss. The scoreline was reversed when Bury came to Hanley the following week, though spirits remained low as Jack Hampson suffered a foot injury which seemed at one stage to require a toe amputation. Nevertheless, the win started a sequence of one defeat in six games, concluding with an impressive 1–1 draw away at second-placed Nottingham Forest.^[1]

From the end of November until February, the club lost nine of their ten league games, standing rooted to the bottom slot.^[1] Connelly was constantly being switched from centre-half to centre-forward as management desperately searched for a solution. By 3 December, seven different players had been tried in the centre-forward role. Frustrated fans organised a protest outside the Directors' Box following defeat to Barnsley, which led to a warning from The Football Association due to the foul language used by the fans. An Extraordinary general meeting was called by the club, where directors explained to fans about the club's bleak finances. Fans volunteered to raise the money to buy back star forward Bobby Blood, but they were told West Bromwich Albion were not willing to entertain offers for the player. The team struggled on, losing goalkeeper Walter Smith to injury and finding a replacement in Wales international Teddy Peers. Forward Jack Peart was also signed from Ebbw Vale, though he failed to find the net. A 2–1 home defeat to second-bottom Coventry City on 30 January seemed to leave the club in a hopeless situation; however, it was to prove the end of the awful run of form.^[1]

The club turned things around in some style by going two months unbeaten, winning six of their nine games.^[1] During this run, they went seven games without conceding a goal, with goalkeeper Peers so confident he often felt able to lean casually on his goalpost to watch the Pursell brothers clear up any danger in front of him.^[1] The success began with a "clever" 2–1 win at Notts County on 4 February and simply a settled side was credited with the turnaround in form. Thanks to a bureaucratic selection method, the first team was unsettled throughout the first half of the campaign.^[1] The run was broken after injuries set in, including a broken leg for Bob Pursell that necessitated his retirement from the game.^[1] Nevertheless, the club continued to pick up enough points to ensure their Second Division survival.^[1] At the end of the season, the club were three points clear of the relegation zone but 16 points short of rivals Stoke, who were promoted. The team was hopeless in front of the goal, with only Tom Page managing double figures.^[1]

Budget cuts meant meant letting go of Bob Pursell, who had broken his leg; aged half-back Joe Brough who was said to have felt 'worn out'; 38-year-old stopper Walter Smith; forward Albert Pearson; 35-year-old Robert Firth; and 33-year-old Jack Peart.^[1] The former two experienced campaigners retired, with Smith joining Plymouth Argyle; Pearson joining Llanelli; Firth joining Southend United; and Peart joining Norwich City.

Finances were as ever of great concern to the club, and by February, the poor crowd figures meant that £2,000 was needed to keep the club afloat.^[1] A 'Shilling Fund' was established to raise donations, which resulted in donations from First Division sides Preston North End and Huddersfield Town.^[1] A loss of £4,641 was made on the season, with an economic downturn getting the blame for a shocking drop in gate receipt figures.^[1] The club even accused local paper The Sentinel of overestimating the crowd sizes.^[1] Finances were also hit by a rise in players' wages following the raising of the maximum payments limit.^[1] Aiming to make £500 the following season, the directors announced a cut in the wage bill to the tune of £3,000.^[1]

Vale left the FA Cup in the first round thanks to Arthur Watkin scoring a hat-trick, which helped secure a 4–2 win for Stoke at the Old Recreation Ground. The end of season North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup game finished goalless between the two clubs, and as was the case in 1920, the trophy was shared between the two clubs – the cup game was held on-and-off until 1932, and Vale would lose on all five occasions.

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.