1960–61 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1960–61 season was Port Vale's 49th season of football in the English Football League, and their second season in the Third Division.^[1] Under manager Norman Low and chairman Jake Bloom, the Valiants mounted a promotion push but ultimately finished seventh with 49 points from 46 league matches, producing an impressive 96 goals scored — the third‑highest tally in the division — even though their away form (just two wins on the road) ultimately curtailed their ambitions.

In cup competitions, Vale reached the Third Round of the FA Cup, falling to Swansea Town, and went out in the Second Round of the inaugural League Cup, beaten by Tranmere Rovers. A highlight came in the final staging of the Supporters' Clubs' Trophy, where Vale beat Potteries derby rivals Stoke City 1–0 in a replay to lift the trophy — marking a rare piece of silverware for the club that season. League goals were shared among a powerful attack, with Cliff Portwood finishing as the season's top scorer with 26 goals (24 in the league), while new signing Bert Llewellyn netted 20 after his mid‑season move from Crewe Alexandra — both proving to be vital to Vale's goal production.

At Vale Park, home support held up reasonably given expectations, with an average league attendance of 9,702, peaking at 15,504 in the season opener against Walsall (1–1 draw on 20 August 1960), and hitting a low of just 4,068 against Bristol City in April 1961. Off the pitch, the club reported a modest profit (£4,253), buttressed by a generous £9,501 donation from the Sportsmen's Association and cost‑cutting measures including wage reductions and player departures.

Overall, the 1960–61 campaign was one of near success but ultimately mid‑table consolidation. A potent attack and cup success in the Supporters' Clubs' Trophy provided highlights, but inconsistent away results and underwhelming league consistency meant Vale missed out on promotion despite finishing with one of the division's best scoring records.

The pre-season saw the club's management attempt to build a squad capable of promotion, this meant recruiting former Wales international inside-right Noel Kinsey from Birmingham City as a player-coach, and 21-year-old outside-left Dennis Fidler from the Manchester City Reserves.^[1] It also meant a concerted effort to sign a star forward, a £10,000 offer for Aston Villa's Gerry Hitchens was rejected, and the club's interest in Ronnie Allen also went nowhere.^[1] Instead 'bustling' Ted Calland was signed on a free transfer from Exeter City.^[1] Fred Donaldson was sold to Exeter for £2,000.^[1] Vale Park was also improved, with yet more new drains installed to help ease the winter mud spots.^[1]

The season opened with a Harry Poole goal 50 seconds into an eventual 1–1 draw with Walsall in front of a season-best attendance of 15,504 on 20 August.^[1] Vale's campaign got going nine days later, however, with three consecutive victories.^[1] This included a 7–1 'annihilation' of Chesterfield.^[1] Calland scored a brace against Chesterfield and The Sentinel's John Abberley reported that "it was a performance of all-round merit and grand team work".^[2] Seven games without a win followed, ending with a 6–0 collapse to an impressive Swindon Town side at The County Ground on 1 October.^[1] Vale were much improved after this, recording six wins from eight games. The second game in the sequence saw Vale come from 3–1 down at Bristol City with 16 minutes to go, to win the match 4–3.

The following month, Norman Low signed Bert Llewellyn from Crewe Alexandra for £7,000.^[1] Llewellyn scored past Barnsley in his debut game on 12 November and scored a hat-trick past Hull City the next month.^[1] This win over the "Tigers" came a week after a 5–0 win over high-flying Grimsby Town at Blundell Park, in what Roy Sproson later described as his 'greatest memory' and 'one of their finest hours'.^[1] The performance was so impressive they received 'a standing ovation' from the home crowd, as the "Valiants" finished the game 'rolling the ball about like a game of chess'.^[1] They followed this up with a 4–1 win over Hull City, where Llewellyn claimed a hat-trick. Up to sixth place in the table, a 6–2 hammering from Walsall at Fellows Park on 17 December set them back.^[1] The goals continued, this time in Vale's favour, with a 5–0 win and 3–3 draw with Tranmere Rovers, and a 4–1 victory over Bury.^[1]

In January, Albert Leake was transferred to Macclesfield Town, leaving Sproson as the only survivor of the legendary 1953–54 club.^[1] Vale continued to entertain and win games, as The Sentinel's Jon Abberley described Harry Poole as "one of the best wing-halves ever produced in the Potteries".^[1] On 21 January, Vale defeated Southend United by four goals to nil. By 11 February, Vale were four points from second place, as Vale battled to a 1–1 draw with Torquay United in 'a sea of mud' at Plainmoor.^[1] A week later, Llewellyn scored a hat-trick past Swindon Town.^[1] However, on 4 March QPR ended their promotion hopes with a 1–0 win at Loftus Road, the second of a streak of five games without a win for Vale.^[1] The next week Notts County easily beat Vale 3–1, in a game for which Stan Steele was rested after 195 consecutive appearances.^[1] Steele immediately handed in a transfer request and got picked up by West Bromwich Albion for a £10,000 fee.^[1] Vale's season then petered out, ending with an attendance of only 4,088 for a 1–1 draw with Bristol City at Vale Park, followed by two away draws.^[1]

They finished in seventh place with 49 points, with their tally of 96 goals bettered only by the two promoted clubs.^[1] The season was a disappointment, and their away record of two wins in twelve games was put to blame for killing their promotion hopes.^[1] Cliff Portwood scored an impressive 26 goals, followed closely by Bert Llewellyn on 20 (who had also scored 10 for Crewe).^[1]

On the financial side, a disappointing home attendance average of 9,702 was a concern, though a profit of £4,253 was recorded.^[1] This was down to a £9,501 donation from the Sportsmen's Association and a slashing of the wage bill by around £4,000 to £29,915.^[1] The management decided to cut the playing staff and increase the wage budget.^[1] Eleven players were let go, crucially: Harry Oscroft (Brantham Athletic), Ted Calland (Lincoln City), John Poole (Macclesfield Town), and Peter Hall (Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic).^[1]

In the FA Cup, Vale were superior to non-League side Chelmsford City, winning 3–2 in the first round clash.^[1] Fourth Division club Carlisle United were Vale's second round opponents, who Vale dispatched 2–1 in an "exciting" game. Struggling Second Division side Swansea Town bettered Vale on a mud-filled and hole-ridden Vetch Field.^[1]

In the League Cup, they bettered Queens Park Rangers in a replay following a 2–2 draw at Loftus Road. The next round held Tranmere Rovers, who eliminated Vale with a 2–0 win.

In the Supporters' Clubs' Trophy, the two-leg game with rivals Stoke City came to a 1–1 draw, and so a replay was held at the Victoria Ground on 24 April, which Vale won 1–0 thanks to an own goal.^[1]

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

Specific

General

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