Roy Sproson
Encyclopedia
Roy Sproson was an English
footballer and football manager for Port Vale
. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts (and 5 substitute appearances) for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957. He is also fourteenth on the all time Football League appearance list.
Sproson is a Port Vale legend, sticking with the club from its highest peaks in the early 1950s until the troughs of the last 1960s near the bottom of the Football League
. He served under eight managers before taking the reins himself between 1974 and 1977. A relic of a bygone era when it was common for players to only play for a few clubs throughout their entire careers, his record for the club is unlikely ever to be equalled or bettered. He finished with around 350 more appearances for the club than his closest rival, and teammate of fifteen years, Harry Poole
.
's shop at 3 Slater Street, Burslem
, Stoke-on-Trent
on 23 September 1930. Legend has it he was named for the local featherweight
boxer
Roy Berrisford, after his father returned home from witnessing a Berrisford victory to find his wife had given birth in his absence.
The family later moved to Trent Vale, where a young Sproson played football for the Trent Vale Lifeboys, winning the Sentinel Shield with a 5–0 win over Port Vale
.
at an amateur level for twelve months in the late 1940s. He was courted by teams such as Aston Villa
, West Ham United
and Bolton Wanderers
. His father wished him to follow in his footsteps and sign for Stoke City. The Stoke manager Bob McGrory
promised him a contract after Sproson finished his National service, but after brother Jess introduced him to Port Vale manager Gordon Hodgson
, he signed with the Vale for £3 a week while he served his National service
. In July 1949 Sproson's time with the Royal Air Force
had finished and he signed with Port Vale as a professional. However he had to wait until 11 November 1950 for his debut, in a 1–1 draw with Gillingham
. He started the last five games of the season after sharing the #6 jersey with Jimmy Todd
and Bill McGarry
.
Hodgson's death in June 1951 did not keep Sproson out of the first eleven and he played most games under new manager Ivor Powell
. His first goal came on 22 September in a 2–2 draw at home with Torquay United
. However following the appointement of Freddie Steele
in December 1951, Sproson was dropped in favour of the experienced Stan Palk. Sproson won his place back in March 1952 and held on to his shirt for many years. Steele worked to develop the famous 'Iron Curtain' defence, as the Vale defence conceded just 35 times in 46 games in 1952–53
. Only Second Division Huddersfield Town
conceded fewer, though Vale still finished one point behind Oldham Athletic
.
The 1953–54
season would live on Vale folk-lore. Sproson was one of the men that made it happen, playing in 53 games. The club stormed to the Third Division North
championship with a 21 conceded in 46 games (a Football League record). Sproson helped keeper Ray King
keep thirty clean sheets in the league (again a record). He also played Vale's FA Cup
semi-final
defeat to West Bromwich Albion
.
He had little trouble adapting to life in the Second Division the following season
. He made 45 appearances in 1954–55 and 44 appearances in 1955–56
. However in 1956–57
the club struggled and suffered relegation – the 'Iron Curtain' was a thing of the past as they leaked 101 goals in the league.
In 1957–58
the club found themselves in the last ever season of the Third Division South
. Norman Low
couldn't bring his team to a top twelve finish, which meant the club spent 1958–59
in the new Fourth Division
. Low adopted an attacking policy, but still relied on men like Sproson to hold the fort at the back. They took the Fourth Division title in 1958–59, though Sproson spent the first half of the season on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Terry Miles
took his #6 jersey, though both Alan Martin and Roy Pritchard
failed to hold on to the #3 jersey, which Sproson claimed in February 1959. It was the first time in six season he played less than forty games, for the next eleven seasons he would make at least thirty games a season.
He played 49 games in 1959–60
. Sproson was back. In 1960–61
he hit 51 games. In 1961–62
, 1962–63
and 1963–64
he was a regular custodian in the back four, as the club tried and failed to win promotion. In 1964–65
the veteran couldn't prevent the club from slipping back into the fourth tier, as Freddie Steele's second time in charge proved much less successful than the first. Under Jackie Mudie
and then Stanley Matthews
the club struggled. Sproson was as much in demand as ever, in 1965–66
, 1966–67
, 1967–68
and again in 1968–69
the club frittered about at the foot of the league. He was made the inaugural winner of the Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year
award in 1967.
When new manager Gordon Lee
finally pushed the team to promotion in 1969–70
, forty year old Sproson was four years his manager's senior. Despite this he managed to post 52 appearances in the campaign. Lee had to regularly talk him out of retirement. With promotion secured, Sproson was allowed to drift out of the first team picture. Named Gillette Sportsman of the Year in April 1970, he made seven appearances in 1970–71
. His final appearance came on 8 May 1972 in a 2–1 defeat to Rotherham United
at Vale Park. It was his only League match of the season, and he continued at the club in a coaching capacity.
Sproson finished with a grand total 837 starts and five substitute appearances, being yellow carded just twice in his professional career. Many supporters believed if he had not remained so intensely loyal to Vale then he would certainly have played First Division
, and possibly even received international honours.
left to join Blackburn Rovers
in January 1974 he advised Vale's chairman Mark Singer to appoint Sproson as his successor. Singer took this advice and appointed him caretaker-manager, before handing him the job on a permanent basis in April of the same year. At the end of 1973–74
Vale finished twentieth, one place but seven points above the drop. His insisted that the players not call him 'boss' and in the spirit of Norman Low
his footballing philosophy was to go out and 'entertain the public'.
For the 1974–75
season he signed midfielders Terry Bailey
and Frank Sharp
, defender Garry Dulson
, and goalkeeper John Connaughton
. The club finished in sixth place, just four points short of promotion. However due to the club's precarious financial situation a total of thirteen players were released. He made ambition plans for the 1975–76
season, though he failed to land Wales internationals
Mike England
and Wyn Davies
. Instead he signed striker Mick Cullerton
from Stafford Rangers
for £4,000, and midfielders Terry Lees
(a £3,000 signing from Stoke City
) and Geoff Morris
(a £200 signing from Bangor City
). Cullerton hit 21 goals, but Vale could not repeat their efforts of the previous season and had to make do with a twelfth place finish.
For the 1976–77
season he was forced to sell Terry Lees to Sparta Rotterdam
for £25,000 (representing a £22,000 profit in the space of twelve months). He added to his squad with youngsters Ian Osborne
and Kevin Kennerley
, and experienced midfielder Geoff Davies
. After Cullerton suffered a cartilage injury he signed Ken Beamish
for a £12,000 fee from Blackburn Rovers
, as well as former Wigan Athletic
forward John Rogers
for 'a small fee'. His team struggled with poor discipline – Rotherham manager claimed Vale were 'the worst exhibition of football thuggery I have ever seen'. Mid-way through the season Sproson sold two more key players: striker Ray Williams
went into non-league football for 'a small fee' and midfielder Colin Tartt
joined Chesterfield
for £15,000. Sproson brought in Alan Lamb from Preston North End
and Peter Sutcliffe
from Stockport County
for a combined outlay of £8,000. Ultimately though, the loss of star midfielder Brian Horton
to Brighton
for £30,000 in March 1976, was something Sproson proved unable to remedy. Nevertheless relegation was narrowly avoided at the end of 1976–77, as his side finished nineteenth, three points above the drop.
There was unrest at Port Vale at the start of 1977–78
, as Sammy Morgan
and David Harris
were so upset by the low wages they were offered that they refused to play for the club. Sproson brought in three players on free transfers: Jeff Hemmerman
, Grahame McGifford
, and Bill Bentley
. However at a meeting on 28 June, Sproson was severely criticized for his supposed poor judgement of players and for seeming to place greater priority on his newsagent business than the club. The Sentinel reported that "there is disenchantment in the air", and there were rumours that former Stoke manager Tony Waddington
would be brought in to replace Sproson. Sproson was sacked in October 1977 after a poor run of results. His replacement Bobby Smith failed to rescue Vale from relegation despite making numerous signings. England
manager Don Revie
had predicted such a fate when he said at a dinner that "English football suffers from the same complaint all the time. You've got two local lads here as your management team [referring to Sproson and his assistant Reg Berks]. I'll tell you now, you won't give them enough money to get out of this division, but eventually you'll give them both the sack and then you'll give the next manager the lot."
Sproson refused the club's offer of "an executive position dealing with the club's youth policy". Taking his name plate off his office door "to spare anyone else the bother", it was clear his sacking had upset him greatly. Leaving under a cloud, he refused to return to the club whilst those that had sacked him remained in the boardroom. The next month he promised to help the club "in any capacity", though never returned to Vale Park again.
(Jess's son), was a central defender between 1978 and 1989. Another brother, Clifford, had played at amateur level for Vale in the Cheshire County League
. His father played professionally for Stoke during World War I
.
To this day, a group of Vale fans continue to raise money to erect a statue of Roy Sproson at Vale Park. Port Vale's away kit for the 2005–06
season (in the club's old amber and black colours) bore the motto '837 – One Man One Team', embroidered on the left sleeve to honour his memory.
A street by Vale Park
has been re-named 'Roy Sproson Way' in his memory. In March 2011, he was inducted into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Hall of Fame, along with Gordon Banks
.
Individual
|1950–51
||Port Vale
||Third Division South
||10||0||0||0||0||0||10||0
|-
|1951–52
||Port Vale
||Third Division South
||28||1||0||0||0||0||28||1
|-
|1952–53
||Port Vale
||Third Division North
||45||2||2||0||0||0||48||2
|-
|1953–54
||Port Vale
||Third Division North
||45||2||8||0||0||0||53||2
|-
|1954–55
||Port Vale
||Second Division
||42||1||3||0||0||0||45||1
|-
|1955–56
||Port Vale
||Second Division
||42||1||2||1||0||0||44||3
|-
|1956–57
||Port Vale
||Second Division
||39||1||2||0||0||0||41||1
|-
|1957–58
||Port Vale
||Third Division South
||37||1||3||1||0||0||40||2
|-
|1958–59
||Port Vale
||Fourth Division
||21||1||3||0||0||0||24||1
|-
|1959–60
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||41||1||6||0||0||0||49||1
|-
|1960–61
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||43||0||3||0||3||0||51||0
|-
|1961–62
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||46||1||7||0||1||0||54||1
|-
|1962–63
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||42||1||4||0||1||0||47||1
|-
|1963–64
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||46||0||5||1||1||0||52||1
|-
|1964–65
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||45||0||2||0||1||0||48||0
|-
|1965–66
||Port Vale
||Fourth Division
||30||1||4||1||0||0||34||2
|-
|1966–67
||Port Vale
||Fourth Division
||31||2||2||0||1||0||34||2
|-
|1967–68
||Port Vale
||Fourth Division
||32||2||1||0||1||0||34||2
|-
|1968–69
||Port Vale
||Fourth Division
||42||7||5||0||0||0||47||7
|-
|1969–70
||Port Vale
||Fourth Division
||46||5||5||1||1||0||52||6
|-
|1970–71
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||6||0||0||0||1||0||7||0
|-
|1971–72
||Port Vale
||Third Division
||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
760||30||65||5||11||0||842||35
760||30||65||5||11||0||842||35
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
footballer and football manager for 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...
. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts (and 5 substitute appearances) for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957. He is also fourteenth on the all time Football League appearance list.
Sproson is a Port Vale legend, sticking with the club from its highest peaks in the early 1950s until the troughs of the last 1960s near the bottom of 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...
. He served under eight managers before taking the reins himself between 1974 and 1977. A relic of a bygone era when it was common for players to only play for a few clubs throughout their entire careers, his record for the club is unlikely ever to be equalled or bettered. He finished with around 350 more appearances for the club than his closest rival, and teammate of fifteen years, Harry Poole
Harry Poole
Henry "Harry" Poole is an English former football player, noted for his swerving free kicks. A striker, he has the second highest amount of appearances for Port Vale. He made 499 league and cup appearances for the club in a fifteen year association from 1953 to 1968...
.
Early life
Roy Sproson was born above a greengrocerGreengrocer
A greengrocer or fruiterer is a retail trader in fruit and vegetables; that is, in green groceries. Greengrocer is primarily a British and Australian term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in suburbs, towns and villages...
's shop at 3 Slater Street, 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:...
, 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...
on 23 September 1930. Legend has it he was named for the local featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Roy Berrisford, after his father returned home from witnessing a Berrisford victory to find his wife had given birth in his absence.
The family later moved to Trent Vale, where a young Sproson played football for the Trent Vale Lifeboys, winning the Sentinel Shield with a 5–0 win over 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...
.
Playing career
Sproson played for Stoke CityStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
at an amateur level for twelve months in the late 1940s. He was courted by teams such as Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. His father wished him to follow in his footsteps and sign for Stoke City. The Stoke manager Bob McGrory
Bob McGrory
Robert McGrory was a Scottish footballer who played as a defender. After starting his career at Dumbarton, he later moved to the English club Burnley where he made three appearances. In 1921, he moved to First Division side Stoke City where he made 511 appearances as a full-back. He later became a...
promised him a contract after Sproson finished his National service, but after brother Jess introduced him to Port Vale manager Gordon Hodgson
Gordon Hodgson
Gordon Hodgson was a South African-born English sportsman, being best known for as a striker for Liverpool and also a first-class cricketer for Lancashire, he also excelled at baseball....
, he signed with the Vale for £3 a week while he served his National service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
. In July 1949 Sproson's time with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
had finished and he signed with Port Vale as a professional. However he had to wait until 11 November 1950 for his debut, in a 1–1 draw with 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...
. He started the last five games of the season after sharing the #6 jersey with Jimmy Todd
Jimmy Todd
James "Jimmy" Todd was a footballer from Northern Ireland who played most notably for Port Vale in the 1940s and '50s.-Playing career:...
and Bill McGarry
Bill McGarry
William Harry "Bill" McGarry was an English international football player and manager.A right-half as a player, he joined Port Vale following the end of World War II, and spent the next six years with the club. He then moved on to Huddersfield Town in 1951, where he would spend the next ten years...
.
Hodgson's death in June 1951 did not keep Sproson out of the first eleven and he played most games under new manager Ivor Powell
Ivor Powell
Ivor Verdun Powell MBE is a Welsh former footballer who gained eight Welsh caps and later became a manager. He was born in Gilfach, Bargoed....
. His first goal came on 22 September in a 2–2 draw at home with 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...
. However following the appointement of Freddie Steele
Freddie Steele (footballer)
Frederick Charles Steele was a footballer who played as a forward for Stoke City and was a former England international. He also had spells at Mansfield Town and Port Vale as a player-manager, leading Vale to a league title...
in December 1951, Sproson was dropped in favour of the experienced Stan Palk. Sproson won his place back in March 1952 and held on to his shirt for many years. Steele worked to develop the famous 'Iron Curtain' defence, as the Vale defence conceded just 35 times in 46 games in 1952–53
1952–53 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1952–53 season was Port Vale's forty-first season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Third Division North, following their switch from the Third Division South...
. Only Second Division Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
conceded fewer, though Vale still finished one point behind Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
.
The 1953–54
1953–54 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1953–54 season was Port Vale's forty-second season of football in the Football League, and their second season back in the Third Division North. Quite possibly the greatest season in the club's history, Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a...
season would live on Vale folk-lore. Sproson was one of the men that made it happen, playing in 53 games. The club stormed to the Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
championship with a 21 conceded in 46 games (a Football League record). Sproson helped keeper Ray King
Ray King (footballer)
Raymond King is a former English football goalkeeper. He is the younger brother of George King.A legend at Port Vale, he was their first choice keeper from 1949 to 1957. A key part of the squad, he was at the club during one of their brightest periods...
keep thirty clean sheets in the league (again a record). He also played Vale's 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...
semi-final
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
defeat to 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...
.
He had little trouble adapting to life in the Second Division the following season
1954–55 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1954–55 season was Port Vale's forty-third season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division North...
. He made 45 appearances in 1954–55 and 44 appearances in 1955–56
1955–56 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1955–56 season was Port Vale's forty-fourth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season in the Second Division. Gaining ten points on their previous season's total, the club progressed well, achieving their best finish since 1933–34...
. However in 1956–57
1956–57 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1956–57 season was Port Vale's forty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season in the Second Division. An unmitigated disaster from start to finish, they were relegated in bottom place with just 22 points from 42 games...
the club struggled and suffered relegation – the 'Iron Curtain' was a thing of the past as they leaked 101 goals in the league.
In 1957–58
1957–58 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1957–58 season was Port Vale's forty-sixth season of football in the Football League, and their first full season back in the Third Division South following their relegation from the Second Division...
the club found themselves in the last ever season of the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
. Norman Low
Norman Low
Norman Harvey Low was a Scottish football player and manager. He was the son of Scottish international footballer, Wilf Low....
couldn't bring his team to a top twelve finish, which meant the club spent 1958–59
1958–59 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the newly created Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division South. They scored a club-record 110 goals in 46 league matches to storm to the Fourth Division...
in the new 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...
. Low adopted an attacking policy, but still relied on men like Sproson to hold the fort at the back. They took the Fourth Division title in 1958–59, though Sproson spent the first half of the season on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Terry Miles
Terry Miles
Terrence Miles is a former English football midfielder. He played for Port Vale between 1955 and 1968, helping them to the Fourth Division title in 1958–1959. He later turned out for Eastwood, before returning to Vale Park as a coach....
took his #6 jersey, though both Alan Martin and Roy Pritchard
Roy Pritchard
Roy Thomas Pritchard was an English footballer. He played over 200 senior games for Wolverhampton Wanderers, with whom he played in the 1949 FA Cup Final.-Playing career:...
failed to hold on to the #3 jersey, which Sproson claimed in February 1959. It was the first time in six season he played less than forty games, for the next eleven seasons he would make at least thirty games a season.
He played 49 games in 1959–60
1959–60 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division. Progressing to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, there they set a Vale Park and club-record attendance of 49,768,...
. Sproson was back. In 1960–61
1960–61 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1960–61 season was Port Vale's forty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their second season in the Third Division. Aiming for promotion, the club were disappointed with their eventual seventh place finish. The first season of the League Cup ended for Vale at the Second Round,...
he hit 51 games. In 1961–62
1961–62 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1961–62 season was Port Vale's fiftieth season of football in the Football League, and their third season in the Third Division. The season was most notable for the win over Sunderland in the FA Cup, which followed a goalless draw at Roker Park in which the Vale defence prevented Brian Clough...
, 1962–63
1962–63 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1962–63 season was Port Vale's fifty-first season of football in the Football League, and their fourth season in the Third Division. An impressive season saw them finish in third position, one away from promotion. However promotions for both their rivals Stoke City and Crewe Alexandra meant...
and 1963–64
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...
he was a regular custodian in the back four, as the club tried and failed to win promotion. In 1964–65
1964–65 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1964–65 season was Port Vale's fifty-third season of football in the Football League, and their sixth season in the Third Division. They went on a club record streak of 13 home games without a clean sheet from 26 September to 15 March...
the veteran couldn't prevent the club from slipping back into the fourth tier, as Freddie Steele's second time in charge proved much less successful than the first. Under Jackie Mudie
Jackie Mudie
John "Jackie" Knight Mudie was a Scottish international footballer who played as a forward. He won seventeen caps for his country, helping the Scots to qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup....
and then Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
the club struggled. Sproson was as much in demand as ever, in 1965–66
1965–66 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1965–66 season was Port Vale's fifty-fourth season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division. For the first time in their Football League history they played three divisions below rivals Stoke City...
, 1966–67
1966–67 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1966–67 season was Port Vale's fifty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season in the Fourth Division. Again hopeful of escape from the basement division, Vale could only manage a mid-table finish. Player-manager Jackie Mudie resigned at the end of the...
, 1967–68
1967–68 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1967–68 season was Port Vale's fifty-sixth season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season in the Fourth Division. A poor season saw them battle to mid-table in order to avoid the re-election zone. Yet it would be off-the-field developments that would worry Vale...
and again in 1968–69
1968–69 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1968–69 season was Port Vale's fifty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Fourth Division. New manager Gordon Lee used the season to consolidate the club after it was readmitted to the Football League immediately after being expelled for...
the club frittered about at the foot of the league. He was made the inaugural winner of the Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year
Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year
The Port Vale Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Port Vale's supporters in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. Towards the end of each season, fans are invited to cast their votes for this award.The inaugural award was...
award in 1967.
When new manager Gordon Lee
Gordon Lee (footballer)
Gordon Francis Lee is a former English footballer and football manager.A right-back during his playing days, he moved from Hednesford Town to Aston Villa in 1955...
finally pushed the team to promotion in 1969–70
1969–70 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1969–70 season was Port Vale's fifty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their fifth successive season in the Fourth Division. They achieved promotion with a fourth place finish, taking them back into the Third Division...
, forty year old Sproson was four years his manager's senior. Despite this he managed to post 52 appearances in the campaign. Lee had to regularly talk him out of retirement. With promotion secured, Sproson was allowed to drift out of the first team picture. Named Gillette Sportsman of the Year in April 1970, he made seven appearances in 1970–71
1970–71 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1970–71 season was Port Vale's fifty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division...
. His final appearance came on 8 May 1972 in a 2–1 defeat to 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...
at Vale Park. It was his only League match of the season, and he continued at the club in a coaching capacity.
Sproson finished with a grand total 837 starts and five substitute appearances, being yellow carded just twice in his professional career. Many supporters believed if he had not remained so intensely loyal to Vale then he would certainly have played 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....
, and possibly even received international honours.
Management career
After manager Gordon LeeGordon Lee (footballer)
Gordon Francis Lee is a former English footballer and football manager.A right-back during his playing days, he moved from Hednesford Town to Aston Villa in 1955...
left to join Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in January 1974 he advised Vale's chairman Mark Singer to appoint Sproson as his successor. Singer took this advice and appointed him caretaker-manager, before handing him the job on a permanent basis in April of the same year. At the end of 1973–74
1973–74 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1973–74 season was Port Vale's sixty-second season of football in the Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Third Division. They finished in twentieth spot, though were seven points clear of relegation...
Vale finished twentieth, one place but seven points above the drop. His insisted that the players not call him 'boss' and in the spirit of Norman Low
Norman Low
Norman Harvey Low was a Scottish football player and manager. He was the son of Scottish international footballer, Wilf Low....
his footballing philosophy was to go out and 'entertain the public'.
For the 1974–75
1974–75 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1974–75 season was Port Vale's sixty-third season of football in the Football League, and their fifth successive season in the Third Division. It was Roy Sproson's first full season in charge...
season he signed midfielders Terry Bailey
Terry Bailey
Terence "Terry" Bailey is a former English footballer who played as a midfielder. His son Mark Bailey also played professional football.After a brief association with Winsford United, he joined Stafford Rangers in 1968...
and Frank Sharp
Frank Sharp (footballer)
Frank Sharp is a former Scottish footballer.-Playing career:Sharp began his career at junior side Tynecastle Athletic before turning professional with Heart of Midlothian. In 1967, Sharp joined Carlisle United for a fee of £500 but struggled to hold down a regular first team place before moving to...
, defender Garry Dulson
Garry Dulson
Garry Dulson is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Dulson played for Nottingham Forest before joining Port Vale on loan in October 1974 and signing permanently for £5,000 the next month. He enjoyed fairly regular football over the next four seasons but was loaned to Crewe Alexandra in...
, and goalkeeper John Connaughton
John Connaughton
Patrick John Connaughton is an English former professional football goalkeeper. He played 387 games in a sixteen year career. He also represented England at youth level on three occasions....
. The club finished in sixth place, just four points short of promotion. However due to the club's precarious financial situation a total of thirteen players were released. He made ambition plans for the 1975–76
1975–76 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1975–76 season was Port Vale's sixty-fourth season of football in the Football League, and their sixth successive season in the Third Division. Manager Roy Sproson brought Mick Cullerton back to Vale Park, and Cullerton was to become the top-scorer for the season with 21 goals...
season, though he failed to land Wales internationals
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
Mike England
Mike England
Harold Michael "Mike" England, MBE was a popular Welsh footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born Holywell, Wales, Mike England was a tall commanding centre-half, who could also play effectively as a centre-forward. He played for Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Cardiff, and for the Wales...
and Wyn Davies
Wyn Davies
Ronald Wyn Davies is a Welsh former professional footballer who made over 550 Football League appearances in the 1960s and 1970s, and who was also capped by Wales.-Domestic career:...
. Instead he signed striker Mick Cullerton
Mick Cullerton
Michael Joseph Cullerton is a former Scottish footballer. He is noted for his two spells with Port Vale, as well as for being Stafford Rangers' star forward as they were one of the elite non-league clubs in the 1970s....
from Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
for £4,000, and midfielders Terry Lees
Terry Lees
Terence "Terry" Lees is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke City, Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Birmingham City, Newport County and Scunthorpe United, in the North American Soccer League for San Jose Earthquakes, and in the Eredivisie for Sparta Rotterdam, Roda...
(a £3,000 signing from Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
) and Geoff Morris
Geoff Morris (footballer)
Geoffrey Morris is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Morris played for Walsall, Shrewsbury Town and Bangor City before joining Port Vale for a £200 fee in August 1975. He was unable to impact on the 1975–76 season, making 17 appearances, 5 of which were as a substitute...
(a £200 signing from Bangor City
Bangor City F.C.
Bangor City Football Club are a semi-professional Welsh football club from the City of Bangor. The club compete in the Welsh Premier League, being ever present since the league was founded in 1992....
). Cullerton hit 21 goals, but Vale could not repeat their efforts of the previous season and had to make do with a twelfth place finish.
For the 1976–77
1976–77 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1976–77 season was Port Vale's sixty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their seventh successive season in the Third Division. In the FA Cup, Vale reached the Fifth Round for the first time since 1961–62, after progressing past two Second Division clubs...
season he was forced to sell Terry Lees to Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
for £25,000 (representing a £22,000 profit in the space of twelve months). He added to his squad with youngsters Ian Osborne
Ian Osborne
Ian Leonard Osborne is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham City and Port Vale....
and Kevin Kennerley
Kevin Kennerley
Kevin Robert Kennerley is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. An FA Youth Cup winner with Arsenal, he played professional football for Burnley, Port Vale and Swansea City, before he played non-league football with Stafford Rangers, Nantwich Town and Droylsden.-Playing...
, and experienced midfielder Geoff Davies
Geoff Davies
Geoffrey Peter "Geoff" Davies is an English retired professional footballer who played in England and the United States as a midfielder.-Playing career:...
. After Cullerton suffered a cartilage injury he signed Ken Beamish
Ken Beamish
Kenneth George "Ken" Beamish is an English former football player, coach and manager. In his playing days he was a forward, and he scored a total of 159 goals in 554 league games....
for a £12,000 fee from Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, as well as former 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...
forward John Rogers
John Rogers (English footballer)
John Charles Rogers is an English former footballer who played as a centre-forward.He moved from Burscough to Wigan Athletic, then competing in the Northern Premier League, in 1972...
for 'a small fee'. His team struggled with poor discipline – Rotherham manager claimed Vale were 'the worst exhibition of football thuggery I have ever seen'. Mid-way through the season Sproson sold two more key players: striker Ray Williams
Ray Williams (footballer)
Raymond "Ray" Williams is an English former footballer who played as a striker. He now works as a commentator at BBC Radio Stoke....
went into non-league football for 'a small fee' and midfielder Colin Tartt
Colin Tartt
Colin Tartt is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Tartt joined Port Vale from Alsager College , initially on trial, in June 1972. His first appearance was as a substitute in a 7–0 drubbing at Rotherham United on 26 August 1972, his first full debut was on 26 September that year in a 4–0...
joined 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...
for £15,000. Sproson brought in Alan Lamb from 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...
and Peter Sutcliffe
Peter Sutcliffe (footballer)
Peter David Sutcliffe is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Sutcliffe played for Manchester United and Stockport County before he joined Port Vale for £3,000 in March 1977...
from Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
for a combined outlay of £8,000. Ultimately though, the loss of star midfielder Brian Horton
Brian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
to Brighton
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 £30,000 in March 1976, was something Sproson proved unable to remedy. Nevertheless relegation was narrowly avoided at the end of 1976–77, as his side finished nineteenth, three points above the drop.
There was unrest at Port Vale at the start of 1977–78
1977–78 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1977–78 season was Port Vale's sixty-sixth season of football in the Football League, and their eighth successive season in the Third Division. Finishing in 21st place, they were relegated to the Fourth Division...
, as Sammy Morgan
Sammy Morgan
Samuel John "Sammy" Morgan is a Northern Irish former footballer, who now works as Academy Manager at Ipswich Town....
and David Harris
David Harris (footballer)
David Harris is a former English football defender who had a six year professional career in the Football League with Port Vale from 1973 to 1979. He was voted the club's Player of the Year in 1974 and 1977...
were so upset by the low wages they were offered that they refused to play for the club. Sproson brought in three players on free transfers: Jeff Hemmerman
Jeff Hemmerman
Jeffrey Lawrence Hemmerman is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Hemmerman came through the youth ranks at Hull City but struggled to ever make a big impact on the first team and was loaned out to Scunthorpe United in 1975 to try and gain experience...
, Grahame McGifford
Grahame McGifford
Grahame Leslie McGifford is an English former footballer, who played for Huddersfield Town, Hull City, Port Vale and Northwich Victoria.-Playing career:...
, and Bill Bentley
Bill Bentley
William John "Bill" Bentley is an English former professional football player. He played as a left-back....
. However at a meeting on 28 June, Sproson was severely criticized for his supposed poor judgement of players and for seeming to place greater priority on his newsagent business than the club. The Sentinel reported that "there is disenchantment in the air", and there were rumours that former Stoke manager Tony Waddington
Tony Waddington
Anthony Waddington was an English football player and manager. He managed Stoke City F.C. from 1960 until 1977 and guided them to their only major trophy - the League Cup in 1972. He later managed his only playing club, Crewe Alexandra, from June 1979 to July 1981...
would be brought in to replace Sproson. Sproson was sacked in October 1977 after a poor run of results. His replacement Bobby Smith failed to rescue Vale from relegation despite making numerous signings. 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...
manager Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
had predicted such a fate when he said at a dinner that "English football suffers from the same complaint all the time. You've got two local lads here as your management team [referring to Sproson and his assistant Reg Berks]. I'll tell you now, you won't give them enough money to get out of this division, but eventually you'll give them both the sack and then you'll give the next manager the lot."
Sproson refused the club's offer of "an executive position dealing with the club's youth policy". Taking his name plate off his office door "to spare anyone else the bother", it was clear his sacking had upset him greatly. Leaving under a cloud, he refused to return to the club whilst those that had sacked him remained in the boardroom. The next month he promised to help the club "in any capacity", though never returned to Vale Park again.
Legacy
The Sproson name figures prominently in Port Vale's history. Roy's older brother, Jess, played as a forward for Vale between 1940 and 1947, and his nephew, PhilPhil 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...
(Jess's son), was a central defender between 1978 and 1989. Another brother, Clifford, had played at amateur level for Vale in the Cheshire County League
Cheshire County League
The Cheshire County League was a football league founded in the north west of England in 1919, drawing its teams largely from Cheshire, surrounding English counties and North Wales....
. His father played professionally for Stoke during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
To this day, a group of Vale fans continue to raise money to erect a statue of Roy Sproson at Vale Park. Port Vale's away kit for the 2005–06
2005–06 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2005–06 season was Port Vale's ninety-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in League One. They finished in mid-table, and exited the League Cup at the First Round and the League Trophy at the Second Round. In the FA Cup, Vale made it to the Fourth...
season (in the club's old amber and black colours) bore the motto '837 – One Man One Team', embroidered on the left sleeve to honour his memory.
A street by 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....
has been re-named 'Roy Sproson Way' in his memory. In March 2011, he was inducted into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Hall of Fame, along with Gordon Banks
Gordon Banks
Gordon Banks, OBE is a retired English football goalkeeper. The IFFHS named Banks the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century – after Lev Yashin and ahead of Dino Zoff ....
.
as a Player
with Port Vale- Coronation Cup runner-up: 1953
- Football League Third Division NorthFootball League Third Division NorthThe Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
winner: 1953–541953–54 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1953–54 season was Port Vale's forty-second season of football in the Football League, and their second season back in the Third Division North. Quite possibly the greatest season in the club's history, Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a... - Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe 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...
winner: 1958–19591958–59 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the newly created Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division South. They scored a club-record 110 goals in 46 league matches to storm to the Fourth Division... - Supporters' Clubs' Trophy runner-up: 1958
- Supporters' Clubs' Trophy winner: 1959
- Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe 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...
fourth place promotion winner: 1969–701969–70 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1969–70 season was Port Vale's fifty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their fifth successive season in the Fourth Division. They achieved promotion with a fourth place finish, taking them back into the Third Division...
Individual
- Port Vale F.C. Player of the YearPort Vale F.C. Player of the YearThe Port Vale Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Port Vale's supporters in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. Towards the end of each season, fans are invited to cast their votes for this award.The inaugural award was...
: 19671966–67 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1966–67 season was Port Vale's fifty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season in the Fourth Division. Again hopeful of escape from the basement division, Vale could only manage a mid-table finish. Player-manager Jackie Mudie resigned at the end of the... - Gillette Sportsman of the Year: 1970
as a Manager
with Port Vale- Debenhams CupDebenhams CupThe Debenhams Cup was one of several short-lived football competitions introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, along with the Watney Cup, Texaco Cup, Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Screen Sport Super Cup and Simod Cup...
runner-up: 1976–77
Statistics
|-|1950–51
1950–51 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1950–51 season was Port Vale's thirty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their sixth full season in the Third Division South. It was the first season to be played at Vale Park, and Roy Sproson also made his debut for the club. In the FA Cup there was excitement as the Vale...
||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...
||Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
||10||0||0||0||0||0||10||0
|-
|1951–52
1951–52 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1951–52 season was Port Vale's fortieth season of football in the Football League, and their seventh full season in the Third Division South. Manager Ivor Powell did not last long, and was replaced by Freddie Steele in December. Steele would later prove to be one of the club's greatest and...
||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...
||Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
||28||1||0||0||0||0||28||1
|-
|1952–53
1952–53 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1952–53 season was Port Vale's forty-first season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Third Division North, following their switch from the Third Division South...
||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...
||Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
||45||2||2||0||0||0||48||2
|-
|1953–54
1953–54 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1953–54 season was Port Vale's forty-second season of football in the Football League, and their second season back in the Third Division North. Quite possibly the greatest season in the club's history, Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a...
||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...
||Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
||45||2||8||0||0||0||53||2
|-
|1954–55
1954–55 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1954–55 season was Port Vale's forty-third season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division North...
||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...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||42||1||3||0||0||0||45||1
|-
|1955–56
1955–56 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1955–56 season was Port Vale's forty-fourth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season in the Second Division. Gaining ten points on their previous season's total, the club progressed well, achieving their best finish since 1933–34...
||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...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||42||1||2||1||0||0||44||3
|-
|1956–57
1956–57 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1956–57 season was Port Vale's forty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season in the Second Division. An unmitigated disaster from start to finish, they were relegated in bottom place with just 22 points from 42 games...
||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...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||39||1||2||0||0||0||41||1
|-
|1957–58
1957–58 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1957–58 season was Port Vale's forty-sixth season of football in the Football League, and their first full season back in the Third Division South following their relegation from the Second Division...
||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...
||Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
||37||1||3||1||0||0||40||2
|-
|1958–59
1958–59 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the newly created Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division South. They scored a club-record 110 goals in 46 league matches to storm to the Fourth Division...
||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...
||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...
||21||1||3||0||0||0||24||1
|-
|1959–60
1959–60 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division. Progressing to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, there they set a Vale Park and club-record attendance of 49,768,...
||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...
||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...
||41||1||6||0||0||0||49||1
|-
|1960–61
1960–61 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1960–61 season was Port Vale's forty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their second season in the Third Division. Aiming for promotion, the club were disappointed with their eventual seventh place finish. The first season of the League Cup ended for Vale at the Second Round,...
||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...
||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...
||43||0||3||0||3||0||51||0
|-
|1961–62
1961–62 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1961–62 season was Port Vale's fiftieth season of football in the Football League, and their third season in the Third Division. The season was most notable for the win over Sunderland in the FA Cup, which followed a goalless draw at Roker Park in which the Vale defence prevented Brian Clough...
||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...
||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...
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|1962–63
1962–63 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1962–63 season was Port Vale's fifty-first season of football in the Football League, and their fourth season in the Third Division. An impressive season saw them finish in third position, one away from promotion. However promotions for both their rivals Stoke City and Crewe Alexandra meant...
||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...
||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...
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|-
|1963–64
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...
||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...
||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...
||46||0||5||1||1||0||52||1
|-
|1964–65
1964–65 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1964–65 season was Port Vale's fifty-third season of football in the Football League, and their sixth season in the Third Division. They went on a club record streak of 13 home games without a clean sheet from 26 September to 15 March...
||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...
||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...
||45||0||2||0||1||0||48||0
|-
|1965–66
1965–66 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1965–66 season was Port Vale's fifty-fourth season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division. For the first time in their Football League history they played three divisions below rivals Stoke City...
||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...
||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...
||30||1||4||1||0||0||34||2
|-
|1966–67
1966–67 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1966–67 season was Port Vale's fifty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season in the Fourth Division. Again hopeful of escape from the basement division, Vale could only manage a mid-table finish. Player-manager Jackie Mudie resigned at the end of the...
||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...
||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...
||31||2||2||0||1||0||34||2
|-
|1967–68
1967–68 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1967–68 season was Port Vale's fifty-sixth season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season in the Fourth Division. A poor season saw them battle to mid-table in order to avoid the re-election zone. Yet it would be off-the-field developments that would worry Vale...
||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...
||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...
||32||2||1||0||1||0||34||2
|-
|1968–69
1968–69 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1968–69 season was Port Vale's fifty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Fourth Division. New manager Gordon Lee used the season to consolidate the club after it was readmitted to the Football League immediately after being expelled for...
||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...
||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...
||42||7||5||0||0||0||47||7
|-
|1969–70
1969–70 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1969–70 season was Port Vale's fifty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their fifth successive season in the Fourth Division. They achieved promotion with a fourth place finish, taking them back into the Third Division...
||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...
||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...
||46||5||5||1||1||0||52||6
|-
|1970–71
1970–71 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1970–71 season was Port Vale's fifty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division...
||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...
||Third 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...
||6||0||0||0||1||0||7||0
|-
|1971–72
1971–72 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1971–72 season was Port Vale's sixtieth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season back in the Third Division...
||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...
||Third 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...
||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
760||30||65||5||11||0||842||35
760||30||65||5||11||0||842||35
- Also included are five Supporters' Clubs' Trophy appearances and one Coronation Cup.