1987–88 Port Vale F.C. season
Encyclopedia
The 1987–88 season was Port Vale
's seventy-sixth season of football in the Football League
, and second successive (seventeenth overall) season in the Third Division
. John Rudge
's side started the season well, but then suffered following the sale of star striker Andy Jones
. Just as Rudge seemed to be struggling, the Vale earned a memorable 2–1 victory over top-flight Tottenham Hotspur
at Vale Park
in the FA Cup
Fourth Round. They exited the competition at the next stage at the hands of Watford
, following a replay. Vale's league form also improved, as they finished in eleventh place, helped by midfielders Ray Walker
and Robbie Earle
, defenders Phil Sproson
and Bob Hazell
, and goalkeeper Mark Grew
. Darren Beckford
and David Riley
were joint-top-scorers with ten goals each. Vale exited the League Cup
and the League Trophy
at the First Round.
traded to Bristol City
in exchange for Lawrie Pearson
and £25,000. Jon Bowden
was also sold to Wrexham for £12,500. The club also announced a new sponsorship deal with ABC Minolta, whilst the Football League
announced that midweek games would be played on Monday nights instead of Tuesday nights. John Rudge
bought Darren Beckford
from Manchester City
for £15,000.
The season began with Andy Jones
scoring all four goals in his 100th appearance for the club, to beat Aldershot
4–2. With Pearson performing poorly, Darren Hughes
was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion
for a £10,000 fee. Paul Smith
was also offloaded to Lincoln City
for £40,000. Vale then won three consecutive games to go top of the table. After goal machine Andy Jones was sold to First Division
Charlton Athletic
for £350,000 – a sale Rudge described as like 'cutting off my right arm' – Vale slid down the table. Alex Williams was also forced to retire with a back injury, leading to the return of a fit again Mark Grew
in goal. More injuries came as Chris Banks
had his nose broken
after a reserve match at Barnsley
when he was attacked by a gang of youths whilst waiting at a fish and chip shop
. Alan Webb
then suffered second degree burns at Preston North End
's plastic pitch at Deepdale
. The next month Rudge tried to replace Jones when he signed David Riley
from Nottingham Forest
for £20,000. Despite a good start Riley soon entered a goal drought, as Vale went twelve league games without a win (including eight defeats). Robbie Earle
missed much of this period with a hernia injury. In November Kevin Steggles
was signed from West Bromwich Albion
for 'a small fee' to replace the still-injured Webb. More signings were made with former England
international Peter Barnes
arriving on loan from Manchester City, and 'hard-working' Simon Mills purchased from York City
for £35,000.
Rumours of a Rudge exit from Vale Park
came after Alan Oakes
quit in protest after being demoted to youth coach, and 'taskmaster' Mike Pejic
was promoted in his place. Nevertheless he signed Gary Ford
from Leicester City
for £36,000, whilst Pearson had his contract cancelled by mutual consent. Michael Cole
also arrived on loan from Ipswich Town
. Rudge switched from a formation of 4–4–2 to 4–3–3 and only one defeat followed in the next thirteen league games. As Barnes returned to Manchester
, Richard O'Kelly
was transferred to Walsall
. Cole was replaced by another loanee Dean Holdsworth
(from Watford), who found greater success with Vale. However Gary Hamson
was forced to retire through injury. A 5–0 win over Doncaster Rovers
on 2 April helped the Vale into tenth place, giving Vale a faint hope of reaching the play-offs. Vale ended the season poorly however, winning just two of their final nine games.
They finished in eleventh place with 65 points, ten points short of play-off contenders Bristol City
. Top-scorers Beckford and Riley had managed ten goals each, just four more than Jones had done in his eight games. Ray Walker was honoured with the club's Player of the Year award and was selected for the PFA
's Third Division
team of the year.
), Chris Banks (Exeter City
), and Paul Maguire
(Northwich Victoria
).
, Vale put in their 'worst away performance of the season' in a 2–2 draw at Prenton Park
. They managed to beat Tranmere Rovers
3–1 in the replay in Burslem
. A 'splendid' performance then defeated Notts County
2–0. They overcame non-league Macclesfield Town
with a Kevin Finney
goal to book a Fourth Round home tie with Tottenham Hotspur
. Ground improvements increased Vale Park's capacity, as 20,045 turned up to witness a 'famous' 2–1 victory. The "Valiants" were in 'another gear' as Ray Walker
nailed a 'stunning' 25 yard strike and Phil Sproson
scored the second vital goal. The club received £80,000 for the game from the BBC
, with the match also broadcast on radio in Australia
. The Fourth Round held Watford
, and 22,483 turned up for the original goalless tie in Stoke-on-Trent
(the highest Vale Park attendance since the visit of Liverpool
in 1964
). A further £87,699 was taken from the game. At the replay at Vicarage Road
Vale were eliminated 2–0, though Vale were delighted with their £175,000 winning cup run.
In the League Cup
, 3,460 saw Vale's opening tie with Northampton Town
fail 'to produce the passion of a schoolyard kickabout', though both sides had two players sent off in the 2–0 defeat. Vale were then thumped 4–0 at Sixfields
to exit the tournament 6–0 on aggregate.
In the League Trophy
, Fourth Division
strugglers Newport County
beat the Vale 2–0 at Somerton Park
, though a 2–0 home win over Exeter City
took the Vale through the group stage. They then were eliminated by Torquay United
at Plainmoor
with a 1–0 loss.
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
's seventy-sixth season of football in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, and second successive (seventeenth overall) season in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. John Rudge
John Rudge
John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....
's side started the season well, but then suffered following the sale of star striker Andy Jones
Andy Jones (footballer)
Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals....
. Just as Rudge seemed to be struggling, the Vale earned a memorable 2–1 victory over top-flight Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Fourth Round. They exited the competition at the next stage at the hands of Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, following a replay. Vale's league form also improved, as they finished in eleventh place, helped by midfielders Ray Walker
Ray Walker (footballer)
Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times...
and Robbie Earle
Robbie Earle
Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
, defenders Phil Sproson
Phil Sproson
Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale...
and Bob Hazell
Bob Hazell
Robert Joseph Hazell is a former footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, notably with Wolves, Port Vale, Luton Town, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City...
, and goalkeeper Mark Grew
Mark Grew
Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011....
. Darren Beckford
Darren Beckford
Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....
and David Riley
David Riley
David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987...
were joint-top-scorers with ten goals each. Vale exited the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and the League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
at the First Round.
Third Division
The pre-season saw Russell BromageRussell Bromage
Russell Bromage is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. In a fourteen year career in the Football League he made 400 league appearances, scoring 14 goals....
traded to Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in exchange for Lawrie Pearson
Lawrie Pearson
Lawrence Pearson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Pearson played for Manchester United, Gateshead, Hull City and Bristol City before joining Port Vale, along with £25,000, in exchange for Russell Bromage in August 1987...
and £25,000. Jon Bowden
Jon Bowden
Jonathan Lee Bowden is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Bowden played for Oldham Athletic before joining Port Vale for £5,000 in September 1985...
was also sold to Wrexham for £12,500. The club also announced a new sponsorship deal with ABC Minolta, whilst the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
announced that midweek games would be played on Monday nights instead of Tuesday nights. John Rudge
John Rudge
John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....
bought Darren Beckford
Darren Beckford
Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....
from Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
for £15,000.
The season began with Andy Jones
Andy Jones (footballer)
Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals....
scoring all four goals in his 100th appearance for the club, to beat Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
4–2. With Pearson performing poorly, Darren Hughes
Darren Hughes (footballer)
Darren John Hughes is a former English footballer. He was a left-back noted for his pace. He played 333 games for six clubs over a fourteen year career in the Football League...
was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
for a £10,000 fee. Paul Smith
Paul Smith (footballer born 1964)
Paul Michael Smith is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Smith played for Sheffield United and spent time on loan at Stockport County before joining Port Vale for £10,000 in July 1986. He played 54 games for the Vale before being sold on to Lincoln City for £40,000 in September 1987...
was also offloaded to Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
for £40,000. Vale then won three consecutive games to go top of the table. After goal machine Andy Jones was sold to First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
for £350,000 – a sale Rudge described as like 'cutting off my right arm' – Vale slid down the table. Alex Williams was also forced to retire with a back injury, leading to the return of a fit again Mark Grew
Mark Grew
Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011....
in goal. More injuries came as Chris Banks
Chris Banks (footballer)
Christopher N. Banks is an English former professional football defender, now a physiotherapist at Stoke City....
had his nose broken
Nasal fracture
Broken Nose' redirects here, for the Song by Catherine Wheel, please see Adam and EveA nasal fracture, commonly referred to as a broken nose, is a fracture of the bone or cartilage of the nose...
after a reserve match at Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
when he was attacked by a gang of youths whilst waiting at a fish and chip shop
Fish and chips
Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
. Alan Webb
Alan Webb (footballer)
Alan Richard Webb is an English former footballer who played as a right-back. He played 225 league games in an eleven year career in the Football League. He spent 1981 to 1984 with West Bromwich Albion, and also played on loan at Lincoln City, but spent most of his career at Port Vale. He was...
then suffered second degree burns at Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
's plastic pitch at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
. The next month Rudge tried to replace Jones when he signed David Riley
David Riley
David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987...
from Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
for £20,000. Despite a good start Riley soon entered a goal drought, as Vale went twelve league games without a win (including eight defeats). Robbie Earle
Robbie Earle
Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
missed much of this period with a hernia injury. In November Kevin Steggles
Kevin Steggles
Kevin Peter Steggles is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Steggles played for Ipswich Town, where he spent loan spells with Southend United and Fulham before transferring to West Bromwich Albion. He joined Port Vale for 'a small fee' in November 1987 and made twenty league and five FA...
was signed from West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
for 'a small fee' to replace the still-injured Webb. More signings were made with former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international Peter Barnes
Peter Barnes (footballer)
Peter Simon Barnes is an English former international footballer, and the son of footballer Ken Barnes. A textbook journeyman player, he played for numerous clubs across England, Wales, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Ireland, and the United States...
arriving on loan from Manchester City, and 'hard-working' Simon Mills purchased from York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
for £35,000.
Rumours of a Rudge exit from Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
came after Alan Oakes
Alan Oakes
Alan Arthur Oakes is an English footballer who holds Manchester City's all-time record for appearances. Thanks to a further six year stint at Chester , Oakes played 776 Football League matches – the seventh most in history.-Permanent Fixture with Man City:Oakes signed for Manchester City on...
quit in protest after being demoted to youth coach, and 'taskmaster' Mike Pejic
Mike Pejic
Mike Pejic , is a retired English-Serbian footballer. His father was Serbian and his mother was English.-Career:...
was promoted in his place. Nevertheless he signed Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435...
from Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
for £36,000, whilst Pearson had his contract cancelled by mutual consent. Michael Cole
Michael Cole (footballer)
Michael Wade Cole is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cole played for Ipswich Town; whilst at the club he spent a month on loan at Port Vale from January to February 1988. He played four league and three FA Cup games and scored one goal during his spell. After returning to Town he...
also arrived on loan from Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. Rudge switched from a formation of 4–4–2 to 4–3–3 and only one defeat followed in the next thirteen league games. As Barnes returned to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Richard O'Kelly
Richard O'Kelly
Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster...
was transferred to Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
. Cole was replaced by another loanee Dean Holdsworth
Dean Holdsworth
Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton...
(from Watford), who found greater success with Vale. However Gary Hamson
Gary Hamson
Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City...
was forced to retire through injury. A 5–0 win over Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
on 2 April helped the Vale into tenth place, giving Vale a faint hope of reaching the play-offs. Vale ended the season poorly however, winning just two of their final nine games.
They finished in eleventh place with 65 points, ten points short of play-off contenders Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
. Top-scorers Beckford and Riley had managed ten goals each, just four more than Jones had done in his eight games. Ray Walker was honoured with the club's Player of the Year award and was selected for the PFA
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
's Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
team of the year.
Finances
On the financial side, the cup run and sale of Jones had raised a record profit of £410,239. Match receipts had increased by 67% to £380,387, whilst advertising and broadcast revenues had more than doubled to £157,861. The wage bill had also fallen to £367,836. Three players were given free transfers at the season's end: Kevin Steggles (Bury TownBury Town F.C.
Bury Town Football Club is an English semi-professional football club, based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League Premier Division and play at Ram Meadow.-Early history:...
), Chris Banks (Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
), and Paul Maguire
Paul Maguire (footballer)
Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:...
(Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
).
Cup competitions
In the FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, Vale put in their 'worst away performance of the season' in a 2–2 draw at Prenton Park
Prenton Park
Prenton Park is an association football stadium in Birkenhead, England. It is the home ground of Tranmere Rovers F.C. The club moved to the current Prenton Park in 1912. The ground has had several rebuilds, with the most recent occurring in 1995 in response to the requirement of the Taylor Report...
. They managed to beat Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
3–1 in the replay in Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
. A 'splendid' performance then defeated Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
2–0. They overcame non-league Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
with a Kevin Finney
Kevin Finney
Kevin Finney is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Finney came up through the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1987. He made numerous appearances throughout the 1987–88 campaign, but was used mainly as a substitute for the next three seasons...
goal to book a Fourth Round home tie with Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. Ground improvements increased Vale Park's capacity, as 20,045 turned up to witness a 'famous' 2–1 victory. The "Valiants" were in 'another gear' as Ray Walker
Ray Walker (footballer)
Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times...
nailed a 'stunning' 25 yard strike and Phil Sproson
Phil Sproson
Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale...
scored the second vital goal. The club received £80,000 for the game from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, with the match also broadcast on radio in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The Fourth Round held Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, and 22,483 turned up for the original goalless tie in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
(the highest Vale Park attendance since the visit of Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in 1964
1963–64 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1963–64 season was Port Vale's fifty-second season of football in the Football League, and their fifth season in the Third Division. Freddie Steele spent big on transfers, bringing in players such as Billy Bingham, Albert Cheesebrough, and Jackie Mudie. However it was a disappointing season in...
). A further £87,699 was taken from the game. At the replay at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
Vale were eliminated 2–0, though Vale were delighted with their £175,000 winning cup run.
In the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, 3,460 saw Vale's opening tie with Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
fail 'to produce the passion of a schoolyard kickabout', though both sides had two players sent off in the 2–0 defeat. Vale were then thumped 4–0 at Sixfields
Sixfields Stadium
Sixfields Stadium is a 7,653-capacity all-seater sports stadium in Northampton, England. It has been the home ground of Northampton Town Football Club following their move from the County Ground in October 1994....
to exit the tournament 6–0 on aggregate.
In the League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
, Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
strugglers Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
beat the Vale 2–0 at Somerton Park
Somerton Park
Somerton Park was a football, greyhound and speedway stadium in Newport, Monmouthshire. In April 1912 Newport County had been accepted to play in the Southern League for the 1912–13 season. Shortly afterwards, the site for the ground was obtained by the Club's chairman Bert Moss...
, though a 2–0 home win over Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
took the Vale through the group stage. They then were eliminated by Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
at Plainmoor
Plainmoor
Plainmoor is a suburb of Torquay, Devon, but is best known as the name of the stadium in which Torquay United Football Club currently play.-History:...
with a 1–0 loss.
Final league table
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
46 | 27 | 12 | 7 | 92 | 48 | 93 | |
| 2 | Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... |
46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 69 | 47 | 84 | |
| 3 | Walsall Walsall F.C. Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second... |
46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 68 | 50 | 82 | |
| 4 | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 82 | 49 | 81 | |
| 5 | Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 77 | 62 | 75 | |
| 6 | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
46 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 70 | 51 | 73 | |
| 7 | Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 70 | 61 | 72 | |
| 8 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 68 | 56 | 66 | |
| 9 | Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
46 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 69 | 60 | 66 | |
| 10 | Blackpool Blackpool F.C. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the... |
46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 71 | 62 | 65 | |
| 11 | Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... |
46 | 18 | 11 | 17 | 58 | 56 | +2 | 65 |
| 12 | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
46 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 53 | 59 | ||
| 62 | |||||||||
| 13 | Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
46 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 77 | 61 | 59 | |
| 14 | Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
46 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 58 | 57 | 59 | |
| 15 | Chester City Chester City F.C. Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the... |
46 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 51 | 62 | ||
| 58 | |||||||||
| 16 | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 48 | 59 | ||
| 58 | |||||||||
| 17 | Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 65 | 83 | ||
| 55 | |||||||||
| 18 | Chesterfield Chesterfield F.C. Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower... |
46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 41 | 70 | ||
| 55 | |||||||||
| 19 | Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C. Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... |
46 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 48 | 59 | ||
| 54 | |||||||||
| 20 | Aldershot Aldershot F.C. Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable... |
46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 64 | 74 | ||
| 53 | |||||||||
| 21 | Rotherham United Rotherham United F.C. Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history... |
46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 50 | 66 | ||
| 52 | |||||||||
| 22 | Grimsby Town Grimsby Town F.C. Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town... |
46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 48 | 58 | ||
| 50 | |||||||||
| 23 | York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
46 | 8 | 9 | 29 | 48 | 91 | ||
| 33 | |||||||||
| 24 | Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers F.C. Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in... |
46 | 8 | 9 | 29 | 40 | 84 | ||
| 33 |
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Legend
| Win | Draw | Loss |
Football League Third Division
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 August 1987 | Aldershot Aldershot F.C. Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable... |
|H | 4–2 | 3,160 | Jones Andy Jones (footballer) Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals.... (4 [1 pen]) |
| 29 August 1987 | Rotherham United Rotherham United F.C. Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history... |
|H | 0–0 | 2,895 | |
| 31 August 1987 | Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
|A | 0–1 | 8,716 | |
| 5 September 1987 | York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
|H | 2–1 | 2,711 | Jones Andy Jones (footballer) Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals.... , Harper Steve Harper (footballer born 1969) Steven James Harper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Harper graduated through Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms in June 1987. He played regular football for the start of the 1987–88 season but lost his place in January 1988. He was sold to Preston North End for £35,000... |
| 12 September 1987 | Chesterfield Chesterfield F.C. Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower... |
|A | 3–1 | 2,406 | Earle Robbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... , Jones Andy Jones (footballer) Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals.... , O'Kelly Richard O'Kelly Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster... |
| 14 September 1987 | Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
|H | 4–1 | 3,670 | Maguire Paul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... (2), Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... , Harper Steve Harper (footballer born 1969) Steven James Harper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Harper graduated through Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms in June 1987. He played regular football for the start of the 1987–88 season but lost his place in January 1988. He was sold to Preston North End for £35,000... |
| 19 September 1987 | Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
|H | 1–1 | 3,894 | Maguire Paul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... (pen) |
| 26 September 1987 | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
|A | 0–1 | 5,072 | |
| 28 September 1987 | Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... |
|H | 2–0 | 3,789 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... , Hughes Darren Hughes (footballer) Darren John Hughes is a former English footballer. He was a left-back noted for his pace. He played 333 games for six clubs over a fourteen year career in the Football League... |
| 3 October 1987 | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
|A | 0–1 | 4,007 | |
| 10 October 1987 | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
|A | 2–3 | 6,375 | Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... (2) |
| 17 October 1987 | Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
|H | 1–0 | 3,235 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
| 19 October 1987 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
|H | 2–1 | 3,598 | Maguire Paul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... (pen), Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| 24 October 1987 | Walsall Walsall F.C. Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second... |
|A | 1–2 | 6,083 | Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| 31 October 1987 | Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
|H | 0–0 | 3,495 | |
| 4 November 1987 | Chester City Chester City F.C. Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the... |
|A | 0–1 | 2,825 | |
| 7 November 1987 | Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers F.C. Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in... |
|A | 1–1 | 1,365 | Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... |
| 22 November 1987 | Blackpool Blackpool F.C. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the... |
|H | 0–0 | 3,594 | |
| 28 November 1987 | Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
|A | 1–2 | 15,655 | Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| 12 December 1987 | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
|H | 1–3 | 3,358 | Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| 20 December 1987 | Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C. Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... |
|A | 0–4 | 3,173 | |
| 26 December 1987 | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
|H | 1–1 | 4,446 | Hamson Gary Hamson Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City... (pen) |
| 28 December 1987 | Grimsby Town Grimsby Town F.C. Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town... |
|A | 1–3 | 2,941 | Hamson Gary Hamson Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City... |
| 1 January 1988 | Rotherham United Rotherham United F.C. Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history... |
|A | 0–1 | 3,911 | |
| 2 January 1988 | Chesterfield Chesterfield F.C. Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower... |
|H | 0–1 | 3,495 | |
| 16 January 1988 | Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
|A | 2–1 | 3,792 | Mills, Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| 22 January 1988 | Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
|A | 3–3 | 3,038 | Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... , Ford Gary Ford Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435... , Mills |
| 6 February 1988 | York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
|A | 3–2 | 2,420 | Cole Michael Cole (footballer) Michael Wade Cole is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cole played for Ipswich Town; whilst at the club he spent a month on loan at Port Vale from January to February 1988. He played four league and three FA Cup games and scored one goal during his spell. After returning to Town he... , Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... , Mills |
| 13 February 1988 | Grimsby Town Grimsby Town F.C. Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town... |
|H | 2–0 | 3,417 | Earle Robbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... (2) |
| 27 February 1988 | Brentford Brentford F.C. Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One.... |
|H | 1–0 | 3,876 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
| 2 March 1988 | Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... |
|A | 0–2 | 7,303 | |
| 5 March 1988 | Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
|A | 1–0 | 2,635 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
| 12 March 1988 | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
|H | 3–2 | 4,647 | Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... , Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... , o.g. Own goal An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents.... |
| 19 March 1988 | Gillingham Gillingham F.C. Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium... |
|A | 0–0 | 3,367 | |
| 26 March 1988 | Walsall Walsall F.C. Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second... |
|H | 2–1 | 6,347 | Holdsworth Dean Holdsworth Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton... , Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| 2 April 1988 | Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers F.C. Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in... |
|H | 5–0 | 3,680 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... (3 [1 pen]), Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... , Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... |
| 4 April 1988 | Blackpool Blackpool F.C. Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the... |
|A | 2–1 | 5,516 | Ford Gary Ford Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435... , Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
| 9 April 1988 | Chester City Chester City F.C. Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the... |
|H | 1–1 | 4,278 | Holdsworth Dean Holdsworth Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton... |
| 12 April 1988 | Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
|A | 0–2 | 4,438 | |
| 15 April 1988 | Aldershot Aldershot F.C. Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable... |
|A | 0–3 | 2,257 | |
| 18 April 1988 | Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
|H | 1–1 | 2,671 | Mills |
| 23 April 1988 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
|A | 0–1 | 3,280 | |
| 25 April 1988 | Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
|H | 2–1 | 3,044 | Ford Gary Ford Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435... , Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... |
| 30 April 1988 | Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
|H | 0–1 | 7,569 | |
| 2 May 1988 | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
|A | 2–1 | 7,702 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... , Earle Robbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... |
| 7 May 1988 | Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C. Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... |
|H | 1–1 | 3,617 | Mills |
FA Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 14 November 1987 | Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system... |
A | 2–2 | 4,035 | Maguire Paul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... , o.g. Own goal An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents.... |
| R1 Replay | 16 November 1987 | Tranmere Rovers Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system... |
H | 3–1 | 4,097 | O'Kelly Richard O'Kelly Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster... , Hamson Gary Hamson Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City... , Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| R2 | 5 December 1987 | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
H | 2–0 | 5,039 | Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... , Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... |
| R3 | 10 January 1988 | Macclesfield Town Macclesfield Town F.C. Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium... |
H | 1–0 | 10,808 | Finney Kevin Finney Kevin Finney is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Finney came up through the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1987. He made numerous appearances throughout the 1987–88 campaign, but was used mainly as a substitute for the next three seasons... |
| R4 | 30 January 1988 | Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
H | 2–1 | 20,045 | Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... , Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... |
| R5 | 20 February 1988 | Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... |
H | 0–0 | 22,483 | |
| R5 Replay | 23 February 1988 | Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... |
A | 0–2 | 18,539 |
League Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 1st Leg | 17 August 1987 | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
H | 0–1 | 3,460 | |
| R1 2nd Leg | 2 September 1987 | Northampton Town Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season... |
A | 0–4 | 4,748 |
League Trophy
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 13 October 1987 | Newport County Newport County A.F.C. Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... |
A | 0–2 | 569 | |
| P | 26 October 1987 | Exeter City Exeter City F.C. Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003... |
H | 2–0 | 2,176 | O'Kelly Richard O'Kelly Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster... , Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
| R1 | 19 January 1988 | Torquay United Torquay United F.C. Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley... |
A | 0–1 | 2,624 |
Appearances
| Pos. | Name | Football League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| GK |  Alex Williams |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| GK | Mark Grew Mark Grew Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011.... |
41 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| GK |  Alan SimonsAlan Simons Alan G. Simons is a former Welsh footballer.-Playing career:Simons graduated through Vale juniors to sign professional forms with the team in September 1987. He first team debut came in a 1–1 draw at Doncaster Rovers on 7 November 1987. He managed to get a game in the FA Cup but was released in... |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | Phil Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... |
44 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 5 |
| DF | Alan Webb Alan Webb (footballer) Alan Richard Webb is an English former footballer who played as a right-back. He played 225 league games in an eleven year career in the Football League. He spent 1981 to 1984 with West Bromwich Albion, and also played on loan at Lincoln City, but spent most of his career at Port Vale. He was... |
26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| DF | Chris Banks Chris Banks (footballer) Christopher N. Banks is an English former professional football defender, now a physiotherapist at Stoke City.... |
14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| DF | Bob Hazell Bob Hazell Robert Joseph Hazell is a former footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, notably with Wolves, Port Vale, Luton Town, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City... |
43 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| DF | Simon Mills |
19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 |
| DF | Lawrie Pearson Lawrie Pearson Lawrence Pearson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Pearson played for Manchester United, Gateshead, Hull City and Bristol City before joining Port Vale, along with £25,000, in exchange for Russell Bromage in August 1987... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | Kevin Steggles Kevin Steggles Kevin Peter Steggles is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Steggles played for Ipswich Town, where he spent loan spells with Southend United and Fulham before transferring to West Bromwich Albion. He joined Port Vale for 'a small fee' in November 1987 and made twenty league and five FA... |
20 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| DF | Darren Hughes Darren Hughes (footballer) Darren John Hughes is a former English footballer. He was a left-back noted for his pace. He played 333 games for six clubs over a fourteen year career in the Football League... |
43 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 1 |
| MF |  Robbie EarleRobbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... |
25 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 4 |
| MF |  Paul MaguirePaul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... |
28 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 5 |
| MF | Andy Porter Andy Porter (footballer) Andrew Michael "Andy" Porter is an English former footballer, turned coach and manager, who is now a youth team coach at Stockport County... |
6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| MF | Paul Smith Paul Smith (footballer born 1964) Paul Michael Smith is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Smith played for Sheffield United and spent time on loan at Stockport County before joining Port Vale for £10,000 in July 1986. He played 54 games for the Vale before being sold on to Lincoln City for £40,000 in September 1987... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | Gary Hamson Gary Hamson Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City... |
11 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 3 |
| MF | Ray Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... |
42 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 7 |
| MF | Steve Harper Steve Harper (footballer born 1969) Steven James Harper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Harper graduated through Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms in June 1987. He played regular football for the start of the 1987–88 season but lost his place in January 1988. He was sold to Preston North End for £35,000... |
21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| MF | Kevin Finney Kevin Finney Kevin Finney is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Finney came up through the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1987. He made numerous appearances throughout the 1987–88 campaign, but was used mainly as a substitute for the next three seasons... |
15 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| MF | Gary Ford Gary Ford Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435... |
23 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 3 |
| MF | Steve Davies Steve Davies (footballer born 1960) Stephen Easmon Davies is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Davies played for Congleton Town before joining Port Vale in December 1987. He came on as a substitute five times, only starting one game, before being loaned to Northwich Victoria in a three month deal in February 1989... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| FW | Andy Jones Andy Jones (footballer) Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals.... |
6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 |
| FW | Richard O'Kelly Richard O'Kelly Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster... |
16 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
| FW | Darren Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
40 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 10 |
| FW | Brian Palgrave Brian Palgrave Brian Uriel Palgrave is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Palgrave played for Alvechurch and Walsall before joining Port Vale on trial in October 1987. His only appearance was as a substitute in a 2–1 home win over Exeter City in a preliminary round Freight Rover Trophy match on 26... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | David Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
34 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 |
| FW | Dean Holdsworth Dean Holdsworth Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton... |
6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| FW | Michael Cole Michael Cole (footballer) Michael Wade Cole is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cole played for Ipswich Town; whilst at the club he spent a month on loan at Port Vale from January to February 1988. He played four league and three FA Cup games and scored one goal during his spell. After returning to Town he... |
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| FW | Peter Barnes Peter Barnes (footballer) Peter Simon Barnes is an English former international footballer, and the son of footballer Ken Barnes. A textbook journeyman player, he played for numerous clubs across England, Wales, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Ireland, and the United States... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
All competitions
| Scorer | Goals |
|---|---|
| Darren Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
10 |
| David Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
|
| Ray Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... |
7 |
| Andy Jones Andy Jones (footballer) Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals.... |
6 |
| Simon Mills |
5 |
| Paul Maguire Paul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... |
|
| Phil Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... |
|
| Robbie Earle Robbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... |
4 |
| Gary Ford Gary Ford Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435... |
3 |
| Gary Hamson Gary Hamson Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City... |
|
| Steve Harper Steve Harper (footballer born 1969) Steven James Harper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Harper graduated through Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms in June 1987. He played regular football for the start of the 1987–88 season but lost his place in January 1988. He was sold to Preston North End for £35,000... |
2 |
| Dean Holdsworth Dean Holdsworth Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton... |
|
| Richard O'Kelly Richard O'Kelly Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster... |
|
| Michael Cole Michael Cole (footballer) Michael Wade Cole is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cole played for Ipswich Town; whilst at the club he spent a month on loan at Port Vale from January to February 1988. He played four league and three FA Cup games and scored one goal during his spell. After returning to Town he... |
1 |
| Darren Hughes Darren Hughes (footballer) Darren John Hughes is a former English footballer. He was a left-back noted for his pace. He played 333 games for six clubs over a fourteen year career in the Football League... |
|
| Kevin Finney Kevin Finney Kevin Finney is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Finney came up through the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1987. He made numerous appearances throughout the 1987–88 campaign, but was used mainly as a substitute for the next three seasons... |
|
League
| Scorer | Goals |
|---|---|
| Darren Beckford Darren Beckford Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards.... |
9 |
| David Riley David Riley David Sidney Riley is a former English footballer. He was a small midfielder and striker.-Playing career:Riley played for Keyworth United and Nottingham Forest, and also enjoyed loans spells at Darlington and Peterborough United before he joined Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987... |
8 |
| Ray Walker Ray Walker (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times... |
6 |
| Andy Jones Andy Jones (footballer) Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals.... |
|
| Simon Mills |
5 |
| Paul Maguire Paul Maguire (footballer) Paul Edward Maguire is a Scottish footballer who played for a number of English clubs, racking up 373 appearances in the Football League.-Playing career:... |
4 |
| Robbie Earle Robbie Earle Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.... |
|
| Phil Sproson Phil Sproson Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale... |
3 |
| Gary Ford Gary Ford Gary Ford is an English former footballer. He played on the right-wing.-Playing career:Ford started playing with small York based team, Leeman United and then turned professional with York City at 18-years-of-age in February 1979. He stayed at the club for the next eight years, racking up 435... |
|
| Gary Hamson Gary Hamson Gary Hamson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hamson played for 108 games for Sheffield United before being sold on to Leeds United for £140,000 in July 1979. He spent seven seasons with Leeds and racked up 152 first-class appearances before moving on to Bristol City... |
2 |
| Steve Harper Steve Harper (footballer born 1969) Steven James Harper is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Harper graduated through Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms in June 1987. He played regular football for the start of the 1987–88 season but lost his place in January 1988. He was sold to Preston North End for £35,000... |
|
| Dean Holdsworth Dean Holdsworth Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton... |
|
| Richard O'Kelly Richard O'Kelly Richard Florence O'Kelly is an English former footballer. After retiring due to injury in 1989 he took up coaching and in 2002 landed his first management position as an assistant, since then he has continued in that capacity for numerous clubs and was last the assistant manager at Doncaster... |
1 |
| Michael Cole Michael Cole (footballer) Michael Wade Cole is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Cole played for Ipswich Town; whilst at the club he spent a month on loan at Port Vale from January to February 1988. He played four league and three FA Cup games and scored one goal during his spell. After returning to Town he... |
|
| Darren Hughes Darren Hughes (footballer) Darren John Hughes is a former English footballer. He was a left-back noted for his pace. He played 333 games for six clubs over a fourteen year career in the Football League... |
|