1899–1900 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1899–1900 season was Burslem Port Vale's second consecutive season (sixth overall) of football in the English Football League.[1] 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.

Not long after his debut, left-half Billy Leech established himself as an essential first teamer.
Key player Lucien Boullemier.
Billy Heames rarely missed a game.
Bert Eardley played one, scored one.
Striker Danny Simpson was nearing the end of his playing career.
Striker George Price would be a key player the next season.

Burslem Port Vale
1899–1900 season
ChairmanRobert Audley
ManagerSam Gleaves
StadiumAthletic Ground
Football League Second Division11th (34 Points)
FA CupFifth Qualifying Round
(knocked out by Stalybridge Rovers)
Birmingham Senior CupRunners-up
(knocked out by Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Staffordshire Senior CupRunners-up
(knocked out by West Bromwich Albion)
Top goalscorerLeague: Howard Harvey (10)
All: Howard Harvey (17)
Highest home attendance3,000 vs Newton Heath, 7 April 1900
vs. Grimsby Town, 9 September 1899
Lowest home attendance300 vs Lincoln City, 21 April 1900
Average home league attendance1,518+
Biggest win5–0 vs. West Bromwich Albion, 11 December 1899
Biggest defeat0–5 (twice)

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.[1] Four new forwards were signed, namely Scots Billy Grassam (Maryhill) and James Reid (Hibernian), and local lads Charles Walters (Gainsborough Trinity) and Billy Leech (Tottenham Hotspur).

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.[1] Goalkeeper Herbert Birchenough was sold to Glossop in January, with top scorer Howard Harvey also sold to Manchester City that same month.[1] 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.[1] 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.[2]

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.[1] 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.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
9 Lincoln City 34 14 8 12 46 43 1.070 36
10 New Brighton Tower 34 13 9 12 66 58 1.138 35
11 Burslem Port Vale 34 14 6 14 39 49 0.796 34
12 Walsall 34 12 8 14 50 55 0.909 32
13 Gainsborough Trinity 34 9 7 18 47 75 0.627 25
Source:

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

Results by matchday

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundAHHAHAHHAAHHAAHHAAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHH
ResultLWLLWLWWWWWWLDWDLDDLLLDLDWLWLWWLWL
Position1681012912865444565667678899999891099911
Source: Statto[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
2 September 1899New Brighton TowerA0–23,000
4 September 1899MiddlesbroughH3–12,000Harvey, Bayley, Grassam
9 September 1899Grimsby TownH2–33,000Heames, Grassam
16 September 1899Woolwich ArsenalA0–15,000
23 September 1899BarnsleyH3–12,000Heames, Grassam, Harvey
30 September 1899Leicester FosseA0–24,000
7 October 1899Luton TownH1–02,500Boullemier
14 October 1899Burton SwiftsH2–11,500Boullemier, Heames
21 October 1899WalsallA1–03,000Reid
4 November 1899ChesterfieldA4–02,000Harvey (3), Leech
11 November 1899Gainsborough TrinityH1–01,000Harvey
25 November 1899LoughboroughH3–1800Harvey, Walters, Reid
2 December 1899Newton HeathA0–35,000
16 December 1899Lincoln CityA1–1200Harvey
23 December 1899Small HeathH3–0500Heames, Harvey, Price
30 December 1899New Brighton TowerH1–12,000Harvey
2 January 1900Bolton WanderersA0–52,570
6 January 1900Grimsby TownA1–13,000Simpson
13 January 1900Woolwich ArsenalH1–12,000Grassam
20 January 1900BarnsleyA0–32,000
27 January 1900Small HeathA1–25,000Whitehouse
3 February 1900Leicester FosseH0–2600
10 February 1900Luton TownA1–1500Eardley
12 February 1900The WednesdayH0–32,000
17 February 1900Burton SwiftsA2–2Walters, Beech
24 February 1900WalsallH1–0700Heames
3 March 1900MiddlesbroughA0–16,000
10 March 1900ChesterfieldH2–01,500Simpson, Grassam
17 March 1900Gainsborough TrinityA0–41,000
31 March 1900LoughboroughA2–1500Price, Simpson
7 April 1900Newton HeathH1–03,000Boullemier
14 April 1900The WednesdayA0–45,000
21 April 1900Lincoln CityH2–1300Price, Heames
23 April 1900Bolton WanderersH0–2400

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
3Q28 October 1899NantwichH2–0600Reid, Heames
4Q18 November 1899Crewe AlexandraA2–24,000Harvey (2 [1 pen])
4Q Replay22 November 1899Crewe AlexandraH3–11,500Harvey (pen), Walters, Grassam
5Q9 December 1899Stalybridge RoversH0–13,000

Birmingham Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
111 December 1899West Bromwich AlbionH5–01,500Harvey (3 [1 pen]), Whitehouse (2)
215 January 1900Burton SwiftsH3–0500Price, unknown, unknown
SF5 March 1900IronbridgeH6–31,000Heames, Whitehouse , Grassam, unknown
Final2 April 1900Wolverhampton WanderersN1–2500Grassam

Staffordshire Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
22 October 1899Burton SwiftsH3–1800Reid, Grassam, unknown
SF30 October 1899WalsallA3–11,000McDonald, Grassam, Harvey
Final4 December 1899West Bromwich AlbionN1–14,000Reid
Replay26 April 1900West Bromwich AlbionN0–55,000

Player statistics

Appearances

Pos. Name League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Herbert Birchenough 1803030240
GKWilliam Saunders 10000010
GKTom Poole 1501030190
DFS.E. Bayley 21000021
DFJim Beech 3114060411
DF Lucien Boullemier 3234050413
DF Tom McFarlane 3104060410
DF Thomas Spilsbury 10000010
DF Frank Stokes 3204060420
DF Tom Davies 30000030
DFJoseph Bennett 10000010
MF Billy Heames 3163151398
MF Ted McDonald 900011101
MFBilly Leech 2614060361
MF Bert Eardley 11000011
FW Danny Simpson 1730020193
FW George Price 2130051264
FW Tommy Lander 802020120
FW Howard Harvey 171043342417
FW Frank Whitehouse 1910043234
FWCharles Walters 1023130163
FW James Reid 1724142255
FW Billy Grassam 31541644110

Top scorers

Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Other Total
1FW EnglandHoward Harvey103417
2FW ScotlandBilly Grassam51410
3FW EnglandBilly Heames6118
4FW ScotlandJames Reid2125
5FW EnglandFrank Whitehouse1034
FW EnglandGeorge Price3014
7FW EnglandDanny Simpson3003
FWCharles Walters2103
FW EnglandLucien Boullemier3003
10FWS.E. Bayley1001
FWJim Beech1001
FWBilly Leech1001
FW EnglandBert Eardley1001
FW EnglandTed McDonald0011
Unknown0044
TOTALS 39 7 20 66

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
Summer 1899MFFrank WhitehouseBucknallFree transfer[4]
June 1899MFBilly LeechTottenham HotspurFree transfer[4]
June 1899FWCharles WaltersGainsborough TrinityFree transfer[4]
June 1899FWJames Reid HibernianFree transfer[4]
July 1899FWBilly Grassam MaryhillFree transfer[4]
September 1899DFJoseph BennettPorthillFree transfer[4]

Transfers out

Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
November 1899MFTed McDonaldNotts County'considerable'[4]
January 1900GKHerbert BirchenoughGlossop£250[4]
January 1900FWHoward HarveyManchester Cityunknown[4]
May 1900MFFrank WhitehouseStokeFree transfer[4]
Summer 1900DFJoseph BennettReleased[4]
Summer 1900FWBilly GrassamWest Ham UnitedFree transfer[4]
Summer 1900MFBilly LeechStokeFree transfer[4]
Summer 1900DFTom McFarlaneMiddlesbroughFree transfer[4]
Summer 1900FWJames ReidWest Ham UnitedFree transfer[4]
Summer 1900FWCharles WaltersReleased[4]

References

Specific
  1. 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. What If There Had Been No Port In The Vale?: Startling Port Vale Stories! (Witan Books, 2011, ISBN 978-0-9529152-8-7)
  3. Port Vale 1899–1900 : Results & Fixtures Archived 17 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
  • Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.
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