1964–65 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1964–65 season was Port Vale's 53rd season of football in the English Football League, and their sixth season in the Third Division.^[1] Under manager Freddie Steele (until February) and chairman Tom Talbot, the club endured a disastrous league season, finishing 22nd with 32 points, resulting in relegation to the Fourth Division.

Offensively, Vale were the poorest scorers in the entire Football League, mustering just 41 goals in 46 games, with Albert Cheesebrough topping the charts with a mere seven goals in both league and overall tallies. A club record run of 13 home matches without a clean sheet, stretching from 26 September to 15 March, highlighted defensive woes. The season began poorly and Steele departed by mutual consent in February 1965, with veteran forward Jackie Mudie stepping in as caretaker manager and igniting a brief revival. However, Vale remained five points adrift of safety, and relegation could not be avoided.

In cup competitions, Vale exited the FA Cup in the Second Round, losing to Millwall, and were knocked out of the League Cup in the First Round. Home attendance averaged 5,508, with the highest gate recorded at 8,190 for the opening home fixture against Colchester United on 29 August 1964.

Overall, the 1964–65 season was marked by managerial upheaval and poor results, culminating in relegation and the club's worst-ever goalscoring record.

The pre-season saw manager Freddie Steele attempt to sign legendary Spurs striker Bobby Smith, this audacious attempt failed partly due to the financially precarious situation the club found itself in after the previous season.^[1] Instead Steele signed Ron Andrew from Stoke City for £3,000, as well as goalkeeper Reg Davies from Leyton Orient.^[1]

The season began with a 4–1 beating at Borough Park from newly-promoted Workington after Tony Richards found himself sidelined following an insect bite.^[1] They picked up just three points in their next six league games. The fans were already showing their disappointment in the team 20 minutes before the end of the first home game – a 2–1 defeat to Colchester United.^[1] Ken Hancock and Jackie Mudie were both dropped following this game.^[1] Richards made his return only to suffer a knee injury which required surgery, thereby keeping him out of action for the rest of the campaign.^[1] On 5 September, Billy Bingham had played his last game, as he broke his leg in a 4–0 beating by Brentford at Griffin Park.^[1] Two successive mid-September 1–0 victories (both goals scored by Albert Cheesebrough) were rare bright rays of sunshine for the "Valiants".^[1] A 'punchless' and 'guileless' run of twelve games without a win followed, which saw the club drop to third from bottom, as attendances tailed off accordingly.^[1] On 5 October, a mere 4,247 turned out to witness a 2–2 draw with Mansfield Town. Cheeseborough also picked up an injury, whilst Mudie found he was now unable to play on hard surfaces.^[1] Reserves filled the gaps in the first XI as at Vale Park "the loud mouths on the terraces certainly did a good job [of] hindering Stan Trafford" on his home debut on 17 October.^[1] Goals in short supply, numerous players were tried in the centre-forward role, to no avail.^[1]

On 21 November, Vale picked up their third league win of the campaign, beating lowly Barnsley 2–0 at Oakwell.^[1] Youth players continued to be drafted in as Vale finished the year with four straight league defeats, picking up injuries and sendings off along the way.^[1] In December, Ken Hancock was sold to Ipswich Town for £10,000 to balance the books following sliding attendance figures.^[1] The club gave a debut to 16-year-old Clint Boulton on Boxing Day, a 3–0 defeat to Hull City in which Ron Smith damaged his eye. Steele made nine changes for the return fixture two days later, which ended in a 4–0 defeat after Cheesebrough was sent off on 30 minutes for arguing with the referee. A 2–1 victory over promotion-chasers Brentford on 2 January failed to spark a revival, partly because the Bees were forced to play almost the entire match with ten players and an outside player in goal following an injury to Chic Brodie.^[1] Steele tried to play a settled team, but that proved to be as unsuccessful as when he switched the team round constantly.^[1] By the end of the month the club were bottom of the league and morale was low.^[1] On 16 January, Stan Steele broke his toe in a 4–0 defeat at Bristol Rovers as the team's "defensive weaknesses were glaring exposed".

In mid-February, the club four points short of safety, Freddie Steele left the club by mutual consent, as Jackie Mudie was appointed caretaker manager.^[1] Following a 4–0 hammering from Gillingham, Mudie signed veteran stopper Jimmy O'Neill from Darlington, and the former Ireland international seemed to improve the team, as just two defeats in eight games followed after he replaced regular custodian Reg Davies.^[1] Mudie instilled discipline into the team, and so was made manager permanently on 3 March.^[1] He then ensured Reg Davies was transferred to Leyton Orient.^[1] He tried and failed to re-sign Terry Harkin from Crewe Alexandra.^[1] One win in their final six games doomed the Vale to relegation, just as survival seemed possible.^[1] Only 3,521 witnessed a final day victory over Walsall.^[1]

They finished in twenty-second position, their 32 points five short of safety.^[1] Losing ten home games, they recorded just two wins on their travels.^[1] No team in the top four divisions scored fewer than Vale's 41 goals, as Cheeseborough took the honour of top-scorer with a mere seven goals – this was the lowest total for a Vale top-scorer in a Football League season since Meshach Dean scored six in 1892–93 (in a 22-game league season).^[1] The club embarked on a post-season tour of Germany, where they played SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin at the Poststadion on 15 June.^[2]

On the financial side, £15,497 was recorded despite a £16,320 donation from the Sportsmen's Association, the Development Fund, and the social club.^[1] The average home attendance was a mere 5,508, almost half that of the previous season.^[1] Gate receipts had plummeted to just £24,117, compared to a wage bill of £41,092; meanwhile, a £6,250 profit was made on transfers.^[1] A clear-out of players could not be avoided, as twelve were handed free transfers, including: Billy Bingham (retired); Stan Steele (left the country); Ron Smith (Southport); Ron Andrew (retired); Tim Rawlings (Nuneaton Borough); Stan Trafford (retired); and Albert Cheesebrough (joined Mansfield Town for free, although Vale had wanted £5,000 for him).^[1]

In the FA Cup, Vale made 'an inglorious passage' past amateurs Hendon of the Isthmian League with a difficult 2–1 victory.^[1] Fourth Division club Millwall proved to be too tough an opponent in the second round however, as the "Lions" picked up a 'decisive' 4–0 win at The Den.^[1]

Once again, the club exited at the first hurdle in the League Cup, this time losing 1–0 at home to Luton Town with 18-year-old David Mitchell at centre-forward.^[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.