1981–82 Port Vale F.C. season


The 1981–82 season was Port Vale's 70th season of football in the English Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Fourth Division. John McGrath led his team to a seventh-place finish, a big improvement on the previous two seasons. Top-scorer Ernie Moss and midfielder Mark Chamberlain proved to be the stars of the season. The season was notable for Vale Park's lowest ever Football League attendance.

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw John McGrath make four new signings: defender Ray Deakin ; midfielder Geoff Hunter ; and forwards Ernie Moss and Jimmy Greenhoff. Attempts to re-sign Brian Horton failed. On 1 August, a heavy metal concert was held at Vale Park, headlined by local lad Lemmy's Motörhead. Some twenty thousand metal fans paid £7.50 admission each to boost club coffers. However Vale failed to win any of their pre-season friendlies, and in fact were embarrassed to lose 6–1 at home to local rivals Stoke City.
The season opened with four draws, somewhat ironic considering that McGrath had stated that 'forwards are much more important now' after the Football League changed a win from earning two points to three points. On 12 September, their club-record run of six consecutive draws came to an end. Four victories in five games then put Vale into seventh place, and Colin Tartt was signed from Chesterfield for £15,000. A 2–0 home defeat to Sheffield United in front of the television cameras was the first of a run of four defeats in five games, and sent an injury-hit Vale down into mid-table. In November, Lee Harwood was forced to retire with a knee injury. Vale then went on a fifteen match unbeaten run in the league, and between 20 January and 6 March the team went on a club-record six consecutive home draws. Stoke City offered £100,000 plus incentives for Mark Chamberlain, but Chairman Don Ratcliffe called the offer 'an insult' and rejected it out of hand. Instead Tony Sealy arrived on loan, this time from Queens Park Rangers. On 6 February Mark Chamberlain scored a memorable goal at Field Mill when he stood off the pitch to avoid being caught offside, then returned to tackle a startled Rod Arnold and tap the ball into an empty net. Mansfield Town manager Stuart Boam was so enraged that the goal stood that he raced onto the pitch to verbally abuse the linesman. In March, Johnny Miller had to retire with a knee injury. On 20 March, Mark Harrison conceded 'a crazy goal' from Hull City left-back Dennis Booth at Boothferry Park, whose fifty yard free kick hit the back of the net after several bounces. Injuries hit the Vale squad and the promotion campaign faded away. On 1 May, Vale Park witnessed its lowest ever Football League attendance when a mere 1,924 turned up against York City.
They finished in seventh place with seventy points, eighteen short of fourth-placed Bournemouth. With nine away victories and twelve home draws, McGrath stated that "we blew it at Burslem". Ernie Moss was the Player of the Year and top-scorer with seventeen goals, however it was Mark Chamberlain who was selected in the PFA Fourth Division team and received a cheque for £250 when he was chosen as The Star's best player of the division.

Finances

On the financial side, a loss of £65,000 was announced, despite donations of £136,070. The overdraft stood at £235,452. Good news was that the club lottery had raised £750,000 in less than five years. McGrath released eight players and retained eleven. The club's first ever shirt sponsors were NGR Copiers. Those departing included: Peter Farrell and Gerry Keenan ; Paul Bowles ; Trevor Brissett ; Andy Higgins ; and Ray Deakin.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale drew with Third Division Lincoln City at Sincil Bank and again in Burslem, and so had to play a second replay, which they won 2–0. Their clash with Stockport County was postponed seven times due to snow and fog, before the "Valiants" finally recorded a 4–1 victory on 2 January. Facing Second Division Shrewsbury Town in the Third Round, they lost by the odd goal at Gay Meadow, the "Shrews" scoring with the last kick of the match.
In the League Cup, a 1–1 draw at Edgar Street was followed by a 2–0 home win to knock Hereford United out 3–1 on aggregate. In the Second Round for the first time since 1972, they lost to Tranmere Rovers both at Prenton Park and Vale Park to exit the competition 4–1 on aggregate.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Fourth Division

Results by matchday

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
29 August 1981Halifax TownH0–03,382
5 September 1981DarlingtonA1–11,872Deakin
12 September 1981Mansfield TownH0–03,043
19 September 1981RochdaleA2–11,824Keenan, Deakin
23 September 1981Wigan AthleticA0–24,525
26 September 1981Stockport CountyH1–02,755Moss
28 September 1981Colchester UnitedH2–13,351Sproson, Moss
2 October 1981Crewe AlexandraA2–04,604N.Chamberlain, M.Chamberlain
10 October 1981Sheffield UnitedH0–27,289
17 October 1981BuryA2–33,565Bowles, Greenhoff
19 October 1981Peterborough UnitedH1–32,844Deakin
31 October 1981Hull CityH2–12,591Shankland, M.Chamberlain
4 November 1981Bradford CityA0–14,043
7 November 1981BournemouthA1–15,798Moss
11 November 1981BlackpoolA3–24,785Tartt, N.Chamberlain
14 November 1981AldershotH1–02,811Greenhoff
28 November 1981Hartlepool UnitedH5–22,477Moss, M.Chamberlain, N.Chamberlain, Armstrong
5 December 1981Scunthorpe UnitedA0–02,021
19 December 1981Torquay UnitedA1–01,780M.Chamberlain
20 January 1982DarlingtonH2–23,529Hunter, Moss
22 January 1982Halifax TownA1–12,965M.Chamberlain
25 January 1982Tranmere RoversH0–04,355
30 January 1982RochdaleH1–13,835Tartt
2 February 1982Northampton TownA5–31,644Hunter, Sproson, M.Chamberlain, Greenhoff
6 February 1982Mansfield TownA3–12,690M.Chamberlain, Moss, Sealy
8 February 1982Wigan AthleticH1–18,773Sealy
13 February 1982Crewe AlexandraH0–06,542
19 February 1982Stockport CountyA2–13,001Sealy, Moss
22 February 1982York CityA0–21,938
27 February 1982Sheffield UnitedA1–213,813Sealy
6 March 1982BuryH0–03,733
10 March 1982Peterborough UnitedA0–14,151
13 March 1982BlackpoolH2–03,440N.Chamberlain, Moss
15 March 1982Bradford CityH1–14,325Tartt
20 March 1982Hull CityA1–35,506Deakin
27 March 1982BournemouthH1–13,004Deakin
3 April 1982AldershotA2–11,594o.g., Deakin
10 April 1982Hereford UnitedA0–12,973
12 April 1982Northampton TownH1–03,014Sproson
17 April 1982Scunthorpe UnitedH2–12,507Moss
24 April 1982Hartlepool UnitedA1–31,439M.Chamberlain
26 April 1982Hereford UnitedH1–12,160Sproson
1 May 1982York CityH0–01,924
3 May 1982Colchester UnitedA0–11,570
8 May 1982Tranmere RoversA2–11,524Moss
15 May 1982Torquay UnitedH2–02,007Bowles, Sproson

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R121 November 1981Lincoln CityA2–23,950N.Chamberlain, M.Chamberlain
R1 Replay30 November 1981Lincoln CityH0–04,769
R1 Replay2 December 1981Lincoln CityH2–05,373Armstrong, N.Chamberlain
R22 January 1982Stockport CountyH4–14,478Moss, N.Chamberlain
R35 January 1982Shrewsbury TownA0–17,230

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg2 September 1981Hereford UnitedA1–12,817Moss
R1 2nd Leg14 September 1981Hereford UnitedH2–03,006Deakin, Moss
R2 1st Leg5 October 1981Tranmere RoversA0–22,791
R2 2nd Leg28 October 1981Tranmere RoversH1–22,372N.Chamberlain

Player statistics

Appearances

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out

Loans in

Loans out