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1898–99 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

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Burslem Port Vale
1898–99 season
ChairmanRobert Audley
ManagerSam Gleaves
StadiumAthletic Ground
Football League Second Division9th (39 Points)
FA CupFifth Qualifying Round
(knocked out by Small Heath)
Birmingham Senior CupRunners-up
(knocked out by Aston Villa)
Staffordshire Senior CupSemi-final
(knocked out by Walsall)
Top goalscorerLeague: James Peake (11)
All: James Peake (17)
Highest home attendance12,000 vs Manchester City, 1 April 1899
Lowest home attendance1,000 vs Gainsborough Trinity, 26 November 1898
Average home league attendance4,500+
Biggest win5–0 (twice) and 6–1
Biggest defeat0–7 vs. Small Heath, 10 December 1898

The 1898–99 season was Burslem Port Vale's fifth season of football in the English Football League; it followed a two-season absence, which the club spent in the Midland Football League.[1] A solid return to the Football League, they finished in mid-table. They had the strongest defence in the division as they conceded fewer goals than any other team. Instead, a lack of firepower in front of the goal prevented a push for promotion.

Winning their opening six league games, just two points gained from their final five games ensured a top-two position was out of their reach. Safety from the re-election lottery was never in doubt, though, as they finished nineteen points above the re-election places. Over the next eight seasons, they never bettered their league finish of 1898–99, though they twice equalled it.

Squad photograph.
Ever-present Lucien Boullemier.
Winger Billy Heames would stay with the Vale for the next five seasons.

Overview

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Second Division

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Their FA Cup win over First Division champions Sheffield United in 1897–98 won Vale the respect (and votes) they needed to win re-election to the Football League for 1898–99.[1][2] To ensure a competitive campaign they signed striker Howard Harvey from Aston Villa for £50.[1] Winning their opening six league games, the semi-professional side conceded just one goal in this run. However, Tommy Clare broke a leg at their final win of the streak of six, and their run ended at Newton Heath the following week – the team badly missed Clare.[1] Their fading hopes of promotion were bolstered by four wins in January, including a 6–1 win over Blackpool aided by a four-goal haul from James Peake.[1] Yet they finished the season with two points from five games, dropping into ninth place – their lowest position all season.[1]

Of the two clubs that failed to gain re-election, Darwen, who picked up a League record eighteen consecutive defeats, played regional football for the rest of their existence; whereas Blackpool gained re-election at the end of the following season, and never lost their League status again.

Right-half Lucien Boullemier was an ever-present throughout the campaign, with goalkeeper Herbert Birchenough missing just one game.[1] Winger Billy Heames and forward Howard Harvey rarely missed a game between them.[1]

Finances

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Financially, the club lost £300 over the season.[1]

Cup competitions

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Defending champions of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, Vale reached the semi-final, where they lost 4–0 to Walsall in a replay.[1] In the Birmingham Senior Cup, they defeated Walsall in the semi-final, in a replay, going on to lose 4–0 to Aston Villa in the final.[1] In the FA Cup they were turned over 7–0 at Small Heath in the qualification rounds.[1]

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
7 Woolwich Arsenal 34 18 5 11 72 41 1.756 41
8 Small Heath 34 17 7 10 85 50 1.700 41
9 Burslem Port Vale 34 17 5 12 56 34 1.647 39
10 Grimsby Town 34 15 5 14 71 60 1.183 35
11 Barnsley 34 12 7 15 52 56 0.929 31
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

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Burslem born Danny Simpson never played for any professional club other than Port Vale.
George Price played one, scored one in 1898–99.

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

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Results by matchday

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundHHAHAHAHAAHHAAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAH
ResultWWWWWWLDLWLWLDWLWWWWLWLWLLWDWLDLDL
Position1111111111125546664332433445446679
Source: Statto[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
3 September 1898 Barnsley H 2–0 4,000 Peake, Evans
5 September 1898 Woolwich Arsenal H 3–0 5,000 Evans (2), unknown
10 September 1898 Small Heath A 2–1 5,500 Evans, Peake
17 September 1898 Loughborough H 3–0 5,000 Peake (2), Simpson
24 September 1898 Blackpool A 4–0 1,000 Peake (2), Harvey, Beech
1 October 1898 Grimsby Town H 2–0 6,000 Simpson, Evans
8 October 1898 Newton Heath A 1–2 10,000 Simpson
15 October 1898 New Brighton Tower H 0–0 5,000
22 October 1898 Lincoln City A 0–1 4,000
5 November 1898 Luton Town A 1–0 2,000 Evans
12 November 1898 Leicester Fosse H 0–2 4,000
26 November 1898 Gainsborough Trinity H 2–1 1,000 Evans, Harvey
3 December 1898 Manchester City A 1–3 6,000 Peake
17 December 1898 Walsall A 1–1 3,000 Evans
24 December 1898 Burton Swifts H 4–1 2,000 Beckett (2), Harvey, Beech
31 December 1898 Barnsley A 1–2 1,000 Evans
2 January 1899 Darwen A 3–1 400 Harvey (2), Mitchell
7 January 1899 Small Heath H 1–0 5,000 Beckett
14 January 1899 Loughborough A 3–0 2,000 Evans, Harvey, Beckett
21 January 1899 Blackpool H 6–1 Peake (4), Beech, Beckett
28 January 1899 Burton Swifts A 0–2 500
4 February 1899 Newton Heath H 1–0 6,000 Belfield
11 February 1899 New Brighton Tower A 0–1 2,000
18 February 1899 Lincoln City H 2–1 3,000 Harvey, Beech
21 February 1899 Grimsby Town A 1–3 2,500 Beckett
25 February 1899 Woolwich Arsenal A 0–1 6,000
4 March 1899 Luton Town H 4–1 4,000 McDonald (3), Simpson
11 March 1899 Leicester Fosse A 1–1 9,000 Harvey
18 March 1899 Darwen H 3–1 Harvey, Beckett, McDonald
25 March 1899 Gainsborough Trinity A 2–3 Simpson, Beckett
1 April 1899 Manchester City H 1–1 12,000 Heames
3 April 1899 Glossop North End H 1–2 4,000 Beckett
8 April 1899 Glossop North End A 0–0 3,500
15 April 1899 Walsall H 0–1 1,500

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
3Q 29 October 1898 Wellington Town H 5–0 1,000 Peake (2), Evans (2), Price
4Q 19 November 1898 Burton Wanderers H 3–0 1,500 Peake, Simpson, Harvey
5Q 10 December 1898 Small Heath A 0–7 7,000

Birmingham Senior Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
1 19 December 1898 Leicester Fosse H 5–0 800 Harvey (2), McDonald (2), rush
BYE
BYE
SF 13 March 1899 Walsall N 1–1 4,000 McDonald
Replay 20 March 1899 Walsall N 2–0 1,000 Harvey, Mitchell
Final 27 March 1899 Aston Villa A 0–4 3,634

Staffordshire Senior Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
1 19 September 1898 Burton Wanderers H 1–1 3,000+ Peake
Replay 26 September 1898 Burton Wanderers A 4–0 4,000 Peake, Evans, Spilsbury, Simpson
SF 21 November 1898 Walsall H 1–1 2,000 Peake
Replay 26 December 1898 Walsall A 0–4 7,000

Player statistics

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Appearances and goals

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Herbert Birchenough 33 0 3 0 8 0 44 0
DF S. E. Bayley 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
DF Jim Beech 31 4 3 0 6 0 40 4
DF England Lucien Boullemier 34 0 3 0 8 0 45 0
DF England John Bowman 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
DF England Tommy Clare 13 0 0 0 3 0 16 0
DF George Hulme 8 0 2 0 3 0 13 0
DF Scotland Tom McFarlane 22 0 1 0 4 0 27 0
DF Henry Platt 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
DF England Thomas Spilsbury 15 0 2 0 4 1 21 1
DF England Frank Stokes 3 0 0 0 2 0 5 0
MF England Billy Heames 33 1 3 0 7 0 43 1
MF England Charles Hodgkinson 6 0 0 0 4 0 10 0
MF England Ted McDonald 30 4 2 0 7 3 39 7
FW England Danny Simpson 17 5 2 1 3 1 22 7
FW England George Price 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
FW James Peake 22 11 3 3 3 3 28 17
FW Frank Mitchell 4 1 1 0 3 1 8 2
FW England Tommy Lander 16 0 1 0 5 0 22 0
FW England Howard Harvey 32 9 2 1 7 3 41 13
FW England Dick Evans 23 10 3 2 4 1 30 13
FW R. H. Capener 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
FW England Fred Belfield 5 1 0 0 1 0 6 1
FW Ernest Beckett 21 9 0 0 5 0 26 9

Top scorers

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Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Other Total
1 FW James Peake 11 3 3 17
2 FW  England Howard Harvey 9 1 3 13
FW  England Dick Evans 10 2 1 13
4 FW Ernest Beckett 9 0 0 9
5 MF  England Ted McDonald 4 0 3 7
FW  England Danny Simpson 5 1 1 7
7 DF Jim Beech 4 0 0 4
8 FW Frank Mitchell 1 0 1 2
9 MF  England Billy Heames 1 0 0 1
FW  England Fred Belfield 1 0 0 1
FW  England George Price 0 1 0 1
DF  England Thomas Spilsbury 0 0 1 1
Rush 0 0 1 1
Unknown 1 0 0 1
TOTALS 56 8 14 78

Transfers

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Transfers in

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Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1898 FW England Howard Harvey Aston Villa £50 [4]
Summer 1898 DF England Tommy Clare Manchester City Free transfer [4]
August 1898 FW England Ernest Beckett Newcastle Swifts Free transfer [4]
August 1898 DF Scotland Tom McFarlane Scotland Hibernian Free transfer [4]
October 1898 DF England Frank Stokes) Burslem Park Free transfer [4]
February 1899 DF England John Bowman Burslem Park Free transfer [4]

Transfers out

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Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
Summer 1899 FW James Peake Millwall Athletic Free transfer [4]
Summer 1899 FW England Ernest Beckett Released [4]
Summer 1899 MF England Fred Belfield Released [4]
Summer 1899 DF England John Bowman Stoke Free transfer [4]
Summer 1899 FW R. H. Capener Released [4]
Summer 1899 FW England Dick Evans Reading Free transfer [4]
Summer 1899 MF England Charles Hodgkinson Released [4]
Summer 1899 DF George Hulme Released [4]
Summer 1899 FW Frank Mitchell Released [4]
Summer 1899 DF Henry Platt Released [4]
Summer 1899 MF England Jos Randles Retired [4]

References

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Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kent, Jeff (1990). "The Hopeless Struggle (1898-1907)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 50–70. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ^ "Vale revel in FA Cup glory". The Sentinel. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  3. ^ Port Vale 1898–1899 : Results & Fixtures Archived 19 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General