1921–22 Port Vale F.C. season

Second Division

New additions to the squad in pre-season included: Welshman Jack Hampson signed from Aston Villa for £1,000; a returning Albert Pearson from Liverpool; half-back Ernest Collinge; centre-half from Nottingham Forest Robert Firth (a future Real Madrid manager); young Scottish midfielder Bob Connelly; and forward Billy Agnew from Falkirk.^[1] The stadium was also improved, with a gym constructed, and the new stand extended.^[1]

The season started poorly, with Vale losing five of their opening six games – this included a 1–0 home defeat to Stoke in what was the biggest crowd of the season.^[1] The side made particularly hard work of finding the net, drawing a blank in five of these games.^[1] A 5–2 loss at Bury was reversed into a 5–2 win at home, and the team went on a useful run of eight points from six games.^[1] However, from the end of November up until February the club lost nine of their ten league games, as the club stood rooted to the bottom slot.^[1] The club turned things around in some style by going two months unbeaten, winning six of their nine games.^[1] During this run they went seven games without conceding a goal, with goalkeeper Peers so confident he often felt able to lean casually on his goalpost to watch the Pursell brothers clear up any danger in front of him.^[1] The run was broken after injuries set in – including a broken leg for Bob Pursell that necessitated his retirement from the game.^[1] Nevertheless, the club continued to pick up enough points to ensure their Second Division survival.^[1]

At the end of season, the club were three points clear of the relegation zone, but sixteen points short of rivals Stoke, who were promoted. The team were hopeless in front of goal, managing just a goal a game, yet Rotherham County scored just 32 goals in 42 games and still finished ahead of the "Valiants".

The first-team was rather unsettled throughout the campaign thanks to a bureaucratic method of selection.^[1] However, the Pursell brothers, Billy Briscoe, Tom Page; as well as new signings Ernest Collinge, Bob Connelly, Robert Firth, Jack Hampson, and Billy Agnew were all regular features. The club rotated between three goalkeepers, with a fourth also getting a game. Page was the club's top scorer with a meagre ten goals from all competitions, with Bob Connelly also netting seven. Following an injury to Walter Smith, Teddy Peers was signed from Wolves on an emergency loan.^[1] Peers went on to become the first player to be capped whilst at the club when he turned out for Wales.^[1]

Finances

Finances were as ever of great concern to the club, and by February the poor crowd figures meant that £2,000 was needed to keep the club afloat.^[1] A 'Shilling Fund' was established to raise donations, which resulted in donations from First Division sides Preston North End and Huddersfield Town.^[1] A loss of £4,641 was made on the season, with an economic downturn getting the blame for a shocking drop in gate receipt figures.^[1] The club even accused local paper The Sentinel of overestimating the crowd sizes.^[1] Finances were also hit by a raise in player's wages following the raising of the maximum payments limit.^[1] Aiming to make a £500 the following season, the director's announced a cut in the wage bill to the tune of £3,000.^[1] This meant letting go of Bob Pursell, who had broken his leg; aged half-back Joe Brough who was said to have felt 'worn out'; 38-year-old stopper Walter Smith; forward Albert Pearson; 35-year-old Robert Firth; and 33-year-old Jack Peart.^[1] The former two experienced campaigners simply retired, with Smith joining Plymouth Argyle; Pearson joining Llanelli; Firth joining Southend United; and Peart joining Norwich City.

Cup competitions

Vale left the FA Cup at the First Round thanks to Arthur Watkin scoring a hat-trick, which helped secure a 4–2 win for Stoke at The Old Recreation Ground. The end of season North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup game finished goalless between the two clubs, and as was the case in 1920 the trophy was shared between the two clubs – the cup game was held on-and-off until 1932, and Vale would lose on all five occasions.

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

Results by matchday

Matches

FA Cup

North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup

Appearances

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Walter Smith	13	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
GK	Alfred Bourne	13	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
GK	Ernest Blackham	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
GK	Teddy Peers	15	0	1	0	1	0	17	0
DF	Peter Pursell	30	0	1	0	1	0	32	0
DF	Bob Pursell	28	0	1	0	0	0	29	0
DF	Len Birks	6	0	0	0	1	0	7	0
DF	William Lavery	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
DF	Billy Twemlow	18	0	1	0	0	0	19	0
MF	Tom Holford	5	0	1	0	1	0	7	0
MF	Joe Brough	8	0	1	1	0	0	9	1
MF	Billy Fitchford	6	3	0	0	1	0	7	3
MF	Frank Simon	7	1	0	0	0	0	7	1
MF	Ernest Collinge	41	5	1	0	1	0	43	5
MF	Bob Connelly	38	7	1	0	0	0	39	7
MF	Robert Firth	39	5	1	0	1	0	41	5
MF	Jack Hampson	30	3	0	0	1	0	31	3
FW	Billy Briscoe	33	1	0	0	1	0	34	1
FW	Tom Page	37	9	1	1	1	0	39	10
FW	John Johnstone	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
FW	Albert Hayes	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Frank Cartledge	4	0	0	0	1	0	5	0
FW	Billy Agnew	31	5	0	0	0	0	31	5
FW	Tom Collinge	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Andrew Finlay	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Alex Lauder	21	3	0	0	0	0	21	3
FW	Albert Pearson	19	1	0	0	1	0	20	1
FW	Jack Peart	7	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
FW	Harry Littlehales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Second Division	FA Cup	Infirmary Cup	Total
1	FW	England	Tom Page	9	1	0	10
2	MF	Scotland	Bob Connelly	7	0	0	7
3	FW	Scotland	Billy Agnew	5	0	0	5
–	MF	England	Robert Firth	5	0	0	5
–	MF	England	Ernest Collinge	5	0	0	5
6	MF	England	Billy Fitchford	3	0	0	3
–	MF	Wales	Jack Hampson	3	0	0	3
–	FW	Scotland	Alex Lauder	3	0	0	3
9	FW	England	Albert Pearson	1	0	0	1
–	FW	England	Billy Briscoe	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Frank Simon	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Joe Brough	0	1	0	1
			TOTALS	43	2	0	45

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
May 1921	FW		Albert Pearson	Liverpool	Free transfer	[3]
June 1921	MF		Robert Firth	Nottingham Forest	Free transfer	[3]
June 1921	MF		Jack Hampson	Aston Villa	£1,000	[3]
August 1921	MF		Bob Connelly	Shettleston Juniors	Free transfer	[3]
August 1921	DF		Billy Twemlow	Stoke	Free transfer	[3]
September 1921	FW		Billy Agnew	Falkirk	Free transfer	[3]
September 1921	FW		Andrew Finlay	Glasgow Shawfield	Free transfer	[3]
November 1921	FW		Alex Lauder	Partick Thistle	£300	[3]
December 1921	DF		William Lavery	Johnstone	Free transfer	[3]
January 1922	GK		Teddy Peers	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Free transfer	[3]
January 1922	FW		Jack Peart	Ebbw Vale Steel & Iron Company	Free transfer	[3]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
January 1922	MF		James Wootton	Nelson	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1922	GK		Alfred Bourne		Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Joe Brough	Retired		[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Frank Cartledge	Congleton Town	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Tom Collinge		Released	[3]
Summer 1922	MF		John Davis	Macclesfield	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Andrew Finlay	Airdrieonians	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	MF		Robert Firth	Southend United	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Albert Hayes	Tranmere Rovers	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		John Johnstone		Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Alex Lauder		Released	[3]
Summer 1922	DF		Tom Lyons	Walsall	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	MF		Jack Mellor	New Mills	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Albert Pearson	Llanelly	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	FW		Jack Peart	Norwich City	Released	[3]
Summer 1922	DF		Frank Simon		Released	[3]
Summer 1922	GK		Walter Smith	Plymouth Argyle	Released	[3]

Specific

General

• Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.