1985–86 Port Vale F.C. season


The 1985–86 season was Port Vale's 74th season of football in the English Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth-place finish. The club also reached the Second Round in both the FA Cup and League Cup, as well as the Northern Section Semi-Finals of the League Trophy. Rudge signing Andy Jones excelled to become the club's top-scorer, whilst Robbie Earle had another impressive season. However the promotion campaign was built on the strength of the Vale defence, and goalkeeper Jim Arnold was made Player of the Year.

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw John Rudge sign big defender John Williams from Tranmere Rovers for £12,000, and powerful Welsh striker Andy Jones from Northern Premier League side Rhyl for £3,000. He also signed goalkeeper Jim Arnold ; Paul Maguire ; Jeff Johnson ; and Wayne Ebanks. Meanwhile, new safety regulations reduced Vale Park's capacity down to 16,800, and later again to 16,300. The club set a £10 bonus for clean sheets and also set bonuses for promotion. Another late addition was Jon Bowden from Oldham Athletic for £5,000.
The season opened with a 1–0 defeat to Exeter City at St James Park. Vale continued on indifferent form, and on 17 September played out a goalless draw with Aldershot at the Recreation Ground's lowest recorded Football League attendance of 1,027. At the end of the month Vale went nine league games without a loss to fire the club into the promotion race, their run including three 4–0 wins in Burslem as they went clear at the top of the table. With John Williams sidelined with an ankle injury, Vale's form suffered with just two wins in the following eleven games, and Vale fell to fifth place. From 11 January to 26 April the "Valiants" hit a run of eighteen league games unbeaten, thus ensuring promotion. This run was built on the striking partnership of Robbie Earle and Andy Jones, as well as a solid defence and consistent displays from keeper Arnold. During this spell Rudge failed to re-sign Bob Newton from Chesterfield, though was cheered by completing the double over Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road. One low point was an attack by a Stockport gang on Russell Bromage following a 2–1 win over Stockport County at Edgeley Park. Promotion was ensured with a comfortable 1–0 win over bottom club Torquay United at Plainmoor, in which the majority of the crowd were Vale fans. However, with two defeats and a draw in their final three games, Rudge accused his players of lacking professionalism as they lost the chance to head into the Third Division as runners-up.
They finished in fourth place with 79 points, seven points clear of Orient. Preston North End were the only team to beat Vale on their own ground in the league all season. Their 37 goals conceded was the lowest total in the division and a record excelled only by Manchester United in the First Division. Their 67 goals scored tally was not particularly impressive, though Earle and Jones' partnership provided almost half of these goals. Phil Sproson was selected for the PFA Fourth Division Team of the Year.

Finances

On the financial side, the season lost a disastrous sum of £79,474. The promotion bonuses meant the wage bill totalled at £413,471. Vale's average home attendance of 3,581 was the third-highest in the division. The club's shirt sponsors were ECI. Three players transferred at the end of the season were Peter Griffiths, Chris Pearce, and Jeff Johnson. Player of the Year Jim Arnold and Ally Brown retired, whilst Oshor Williams was sold to Preston North End for 'a small fee'.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale beat Mansfield Town 1–0 in a replay following a 1–1 draw at Field Mill. Vale Park saw a crowd of 11,736 for the Second Round goalless tie with Walsall, and were then eliminated following a 2–1 defeat at the Bescot Stadium.
In the League Cup, Vale advanced past Third Division Wigan Athletic 3–2 on aggregate following at 2–0 win at Springfield Park. They were then knocked out by First Division West Bromwich Albion, losing 1–0 at The Hawthorns, before giving an excellent account of themselves by battling back from 2–0 down at Vale Park to draw 2–2.
In the League Trophy, Vale advanced through the group stage with a 1–1 draw with Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground and a 2–0 home win over Blackpool. The next stage saw Vale triumph over Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park with a 4–3 win on penalties following a 1–1 draw. In the Area Semi-Finals they were then defeated by holders Wigan Athletic, though still earned £1,250 in prize money.

League table

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Fourth Division

Results by matchday

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
17 August 1985Exeter CityA0–12,868
24 August 1985Mansfield TownH0–02,930
26 August 1985BurnleyA2–13,995Sproson, Griffiths
31 August 1985RochdaleH1–13,043Jones
7 September 1985OrientA0–12,455
14 September 1985Cambridge UnitedH4–12,674Maguire, Earle, Brown
17 September 1985AldershotA0–01,027
21 September 1985Halifax TownH3–22,754Hunter, Maguire
27 September 1985Colchester UnitedA0–13,110
30 September 1985Hartlepool UnitedH4–03,015O.Williams, J.Williams, Jones, Maguire
5 October 1985WrexhamH4–03,351Maguire, Johnson, o.g.
12 October 1985Tranmere RoversA2–12,338Earle, Maguire
19 October 1985Southend UnitedH4–04,736Jones, Webb, Earle
22 October 1985Scunthorpe UnitedA0–01,888
26 October 1985Swindon TownH3–05,073O.Williams, Earle, Brown
2 November 1985Preston North EndA1–04,536Maguire
6 November 1985Hereford UnitedA1–13,308Sproson
9 November 1985Stockport CountyH1–15,248Bowden
23 November 1985Peterborough UnitedA0–12,852
14 December 1985Northampton TownA2–23,259Sproson, Earle
17 December 1985Torquay UnitedH1–03,421Hunter
22 December 1985Mansfield TownA1–23,730O.Williams
26 December 1985Crewe AlexandraH3–05,976Maguire, Brown, Earle
1 January 1986Chester CityA1–45,323Earle
4 January 1986Preston North EndH0–13,592
11 January 1986RochdaleA3–32,445Jones, Brown
17 January 1986Exeter CityH0–03,385
25 January 1986Cambridge UnitedA3–12,437J.Williams, Hunter, Earle
1 February 1986OrientH2–03,074Earle
3 February 1986Scunthorpe UnitedH3–12,977J.Williams, Jones, Bromage
24 February 1986BurnleyH1–13,030Banks
1 March 1986Colchester UnitedH1–12,726Jones
5 March 1986Hartlepool UnitedA1–12,550Bowden
8 March 1986WrexhamA3–12,614Shankland, Earle, Jones
15 March 1986Tranmere RoversH0–03,527
18 March 1986AldershotH3–12,461Bowden, Hunter, Earle
23 March 1986Swindon TownA0–010,147
29 March 1986Chester CityH1–14,490Sproson
31 March 1986Crewe AlexandraA1–04,986Earle
5 April 1986Hereford UnitedH1–03,344Jones
11 April 1986Stockport CountyA2–14,691Maguire, Brown
19 April 1986Peterborough UnitedH2–03,765Jones
26 April 1986Torquay UnitedA1–01,898Earle
29 April 1986Halifax TownA0–21,389
3 May 1986Northampton TownH0–03,873
5 May 1986Southend UnitedA1–21,687Earle

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R116 November 1985Mansfield TownA1–15,207Earle
R1 Replay18 November 1985Mansfield TownH1–06,749Maguire
R28 December 1985WalsallH0–011,736
R2 Replay10 December 1985WalsallA1–25,671Brown

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R1 1st Leg20 August 1985Wigan AthleticH1–22,620Sproson
R1 2nd Leg2 September 1985Wigan AthleticA2–02,772Jones, Earle
R2 1st Leg24 September 1985West Bromwich AlbionA0–16,218
R2 2nd Leg7 October 1985West Bromwich AlbionH2–27,985Jones, Maguire

League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R121 January 1986WrexhamA1–1992Jones
R110 February 1986BlackpoolH3–11,584Maguire, Hunter, Jones
NSQF10 March 1986Scunthorpe UnitedA1–1 1,415Jones
NSSF26 March 1986Wigan AthleticH1–24,832Jones

Player statistics

Appearances

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out

Loans in