1899–1900 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season
The 1899–1900 season was Burslem Port Vale's second consecutive season of football in the English Football League. Another season of charging to the summit of the Second Division table, only to fall into mid-table obscurity, this time the club suffered from low support and subsequently poor finances. Once again the team maintained a decent defensive record, only to fail miserably in front of goal – the second lowest total in the league.
established himself as an essential first teamer.
.
rarely missed a game.
played one, scored one.
Overview
Second Division
During the pre-season, the Athletic Ground had its capacity increased to 25,000. Last season's top scorers Dick Evans and James Peake departed for Reading and Millwall Athletic respectively; also star player Tommy Clare retired. Four new forwards were signed, namely Scots Billy Grassam and James Reid, and local lads Charles Walters and Billy Leech.The season started with four defeats in the first six games in a dismal September. They turned their form around with a six game win streak that gave them a 100% win record in October and November. However one win in the next thirteen games followed, as the club slipped back down the league. Their decline was helped by the regular selling of key players in order to balance the books.
Finances
Attendance figures made grim reading, and left-half Ted McDonald had to be sold to Notts County in November in order to raise cash. Goalkeeper Herbert Birchenough was sold to Glossop in January, with top scorer Howard Harvey also sold to Manchester City that same month. Their second to last match saw a mere 300 supporters turn up to watch. At the end of the season there were drastic budget cuts, even so much as to stop paying players wages over the summer period – the only club in the league to do so. Cheaper, local talent was recruited to fill the void left by departing stars. The club lost £73 over the course of the campaign, despite having trimmed ten times that figure from the playing budget.Cup competitions
In the FA Cup, the club vanquished nearby Nantwich and Crewe Alexandra, but failed to make it to the First Round Proper. They reached the final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the Birmingham Senior Cup, losing to West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. West Brom defeated Vale 5–0 in the final at Villa Park, taking revenge for the "Valeites" dumping West Brom out of the Birmingham Cup by the same scoreline.League table
Results
Burslem Port Vale's score comes firstFootball League Second Division
Results by matchday
Matches
FA Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 3Q | 28 October 1899 | Nantwich | H | 2–0 | 600 | Reid, Heames |
| 4Q | 18 November 1899 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–2 | 4,000 | Harvey |
| 4Q Replay | 22 November 1899 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–1 | 1,500 | Harvey, Walters, Grassam |
| 5Q | 9 December 1899 | Stalybridge Rovers | H | 0–1 | 3,000 |
Birmingham Senior Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 11 December 1899 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 5–0 | 1,500 | Harvey, Whitehouse |
| 2 | 15 January 1900 | Burton Swifts | H | 3–0 | 500 | Price, unknown, unknown |
| SF | 5 March 1900 | Ironbridge | H | 6–3 | 1,000 | Heames, Whitehouse, Grassam, unknown |
| Final | 2 April 1900 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | N | 1–2 | 500 | Grassam |
Staffordshire Senior Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 2 | 2 October 1899 | Burton Swifts | H | 3–1 | 800 | Reid, Grassam, unknown |
| SF | 30 October 1899 | Walsall | A | 3–1 | 1,000 | McDonald, Grassam, Harvey |
| Final | 4 December 1899 | West Bromwich Albion | N | 1–1 | 4,000 | Reid |
| Replay | 26 April 1900 | West Bromwich Albion | N | 0–5 | 5,000 |