1951–52 Port Vale F.C. season

Third Division South

The pre-season saw 578 seats installed on the Railway Terrace, bringing the seated capacity of Vale Park to 1,010.^[1] No signings of note were made, however, transfer-listed Cliff Pinchbeck failed to turn up for pre-season training, citing illness.^[1]

Thirty seconds into their opening game with Reading and they were behind, the Vale went on to lose 2–0.^[1] A six-game unbeaten streak followed, with just three goals conceded, though only five goals were scored. On his return to Burslem, Pinchbeck scored a brace to salvage a point against Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.^[1] Vale then sold Alan Martin to rivals Stoke City for £10,000 and Albert Mullard, the money going towards fixing the drainage problem at Vale Park.^[1] The sale was criticized by supporters, though they soon warmed to Mullard, who went on to become the club's top-scorer.^[1] The club failed to sign transfer target Dennis Wilshaw from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Garth Butler was forced to retire with a knee injury.^[1] Results turned against the team, as they went on a run of thirteen games without a win, though all five of the home games on the 'wide open' Vale Park pitch were draws (all eight away matches were losses).^[1] Manager Ivor Powell attempted to sign players, but was deterred by the high transfer prices, and so instead continually reshuffled the first XI.^[1] Powell's contract was terminated on 22 November, his team bottom of the table.^[1] Trainer Ken Fish took temporary charge of first-team affairs. Roy Sproson and Ray King would later say the sacking came as no surprise, saying Powell 'ruled by fear', 'used to treat the players like kids' and it was a 'complete relief' to find him dismissed.^[1] Pinchbeck was also offloaded, sold to Northampton Town for 'an undisclosed sum'.^[1]

On 8 December, Vale recorded a surprise 4–1 win over Aldershot.^[1] Yet the side then went another eight games without a win.^[1] Freddie Steele was appointed player-manager on Christmas Eve, signing the former England international meant Vale had to pay Mansfield Town a four-figure fee.^[1] The former Stoke City forward was still very much a goalscorer, having described his record of 44 goals in 66 games for the "Stags" as "not bad for an old man!".^[1] In January, half-back Norman Hallam returned to the club.^[1] On 12 January, 17,860 turned up to witness a 1–1 draw in Steele's debut against second-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, the first of a five match unbeaten run that took Vale off the foot of the table.^[1] A fortnight later Vale travelled to Plainmoor, where Steele took the ball from his own half to score the winner past Torquay United.^[1] On 9 February, Vale beat Gillingham 1–0, in what was the first of a club record thirteen game winning run at home.^[1]

A 5–1 hammering at Elm Park from Reading failed to prevent the Vale from going on to another eight game unbeaten run.^[1] Steele accomplished this without any new signings, in fact he sold Walter Aveyard to Accrington Stanley for a four-figure fee in April.^[1] Their run ended with a 3–0 defeat at Fellows Park to bottom-placed Walsall.^[1] Vale finished their final five games with three wins.^[1]

They finished thirteenth with 43 points, with a strong defence but the lowest goals scored tally in the division.^[1] They had lost just the one game at Vale Park, back on the opening day.^[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a profit of £4,403 was announced by the club, due to a profit on transfers of £16,750.^[1] Gross receipts had fallen to £27,133, whilst wages had risen by £3,500 to £23,511.^[1] Steele seemed to be happy with the players he inherited, as he retained 31 professionals, the only departures being George Heppell to Witton Albion, Stan Palk to Worcester City, and Lol Hamlett to Congleton Town.^[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale fell at the first hurdle to Colchester United at Layer Road, losing 3–1.

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Third Division South

Results by matchday

Matches

FA Cup

Appearances

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	George Heppell	27	0	1	0	28	0
GK	Ray King	19	0	0	0	19	0
DF	Basil Hayward	27	0	1	0	28	0
DF	Tommy Cheadle	39	0	1	0	40	0
DF	Reg Potts	21	0	0	0	21	0
DF	Lol Hamlett	24	0	1	0	25	0
DF	Stan Turner	40	0	0	0	40	0
DF	Roy Sproson	28	1	0	0	28	1
MF	Jimmy Todd	24	0	1	0	25	0
MF	Alan Martin	5	2	0	0	5	2
MF	Mick Hulligan	37	4	1	0	38	4
MF	Alan Bennett	39	3	1	0	40	3
MF	Albert Leake	8	2	0	0	8	2
MF	John Cunliffe	11	2	0	0	11	2
MF	Albert Mullard	34	13	1	0	35	13
MF	Ivor Powell	6	0	0	0	6	0
MF	Norman Hallam	3	0	0	0	3	0
MF	Colin Askey	7	0	0	0	7	0
FW	Stan Palk	30	1	1	0	31	1
FW	Walter Aveyard	13	0	0	0	13	0
FW	Cliff Pinchbeck	12	4	1	1	13	5
FW	Ken Griffiths	20	8	1	0	21	8
FW	Len Barber	18	2	0	0	18	2
FW	Freddie Steele	14	7	0	0	14	7

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Third Division South	FA Cup	Total
1	MF	England	Albert Mullard	13	0	13
2	FW	England	Ken Griffiths	8	0	8
3	FW	England	Freddie Steele	7	0	7
4	MF	England	Mick Hulligan	4	0	5
–	FW	England	Cliff Pinchbeck	4	1	5
6	MF	England	Alan Bennett	3	0	3
7	MF	England	Albert Leake	2	0	2
–	MF	England	John Cunliffe	2	0	2
–	MF	England	Alan Martin	2	0	2
–	FW	England	Len Barber	2	0	2
11	FW	England	Stan Palk	1	0	1
–	DF	England	Roy Sproson	1	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	1	0	1
			TOTALS	50	1	51

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
July 1951	MF		Ivor Powell	Aston Villa	Free transfer	[3]
September 1951	MF		Albert Mullard	Stoke City	Exchange	[3]
December 1951	FW		Freddie Steele	Mansfield Town	'four-figure fee'	[3]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
September 1951	MF		Alan Martin	Stoke City	Exchange + £10,000	[3]
October 1951	DF		Garth Butler	Retired		[3]
November 1951	FW		Cliff Pinchbeck	Northampton Town	Undisclosed	[3]
November 1951	MF		Ivor Powell	Barry Town	Released	[3]
March 1952	FW		Walter Aveyard	Accrington Stanley	'four figure fee'	[3]
May 1952	DF		Lol Hamlett	Congleton Town	Released	[3]
May 1952	GK		George Heppell	Witton Albion	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1952	FW		Stan Palk		Released	[3]

Specific

General

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