Port Vale F.C. is an English professional association football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, playing in Football League One, the third level of the English football league system, as of the 2013–14 season. The club was formed in 1876, in 1884 they took the name Burslem Port Vale F.C., dropping the 'Burslem' in 1907. They played their home matches at The Old Recreation Ground between 1912 and 1950 and at Vale Park from 1950 to the present day. The club joined the Football League in 1892 as founder members of the Football League Second Division, resigning in 1907, only to return in 1919. Vale's highest league finish was fifth in the Second Division in 1930–31, whilst they were FA Cup semi-finalists in 1953–54.
Roy Sproson made 842 appearances (760 in the league) for Vale between 1950 and 1972, later becoming manager in 1974. Wilf Kirkham is the club's record goalscorer with 164 goals in all competitions, as well as 38 goals in a season. Gareth Ainsworth is the player Vale have both received and spent the highest sum on in the transfer market, £500,000 spent in 1997 with £2,000,000 received as he exited the following year. Chris Birchall is the club record international cap holder with 24, playing for Trinidad and Tobago between 2001 and 2006, including three appearances in the 2006 World Cup.
Football League Third Division / Second Division / League One (3rd tier)
Runners–up: 1993–94
Play–off winners: 1988–89 (3rd place)
Football League Third Division North: 2 (3rd tier)
Champions: 1929–1930, 1953–54
Runners–up: 1952–53
Football League Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two: 1 (4th tier)
Champions: 1958–59
3rd place promotion: 1982–83, 2012–13
4th place promotion: 1969–70, 1985–86
Football League Trophy: 2
Winners: 1993, 2001
Notes
Youngest first team player: Malcolm MacKenzie, 15 years 347 days (against Newport County, 12 April 1966).
Oldest first team player: Tom Holford, 46 years 68 days, (against Derby County, 5 April 1924).
Youngest first team goalscorer: Clint Boulton, 17 years 110 days (against Walsall, 26 April 1965).
Tallest first team player: Sam Johnson, 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m).
Most goals in a season: Joe Brough, 43 goals in the 1909–10 season.
Most Football League goals in a season: Wilf Kirkham, 38 goals in Second Division in the 1926–27 season.
Most goals in a Football League match: 6, Stewart Littlewood (against Chesterfield, 24 September 1932).
Most goals in any match: 7, Chris Young (against Burton Rangers, Birmingham Senior Cup First Round, 21 September 1914).
Longest consecutive scoring run: 8, John Rowland (1 September to 4 October 1965) & Basil Hayward (28 November 1953 to 26 January 1954).
Most competitive hat-tricks: Wilf Kirkham, 13.
Quickest competitive goal: 12 seconds, Ian Bogie (against Stoke City), 12 March 1996.
Most successful penalty-taker: Andy Jones, 20 from 23.
Most penalties in a season: Andy Jones, 12 from 15 in the 1986–87 season.
Most red cards: Jason Talbot, 5.
Most clean sheets in a season: 29, Ray King, 1953–54.
Most international caps while a Port Vale player: Chris Birchall, 24 for Trinidad and Tobago
First Port Vale player to appear in the World Cup finals: Chris Birchall, for Trinidad and Tobago against Sweden on 10 June 2006
Most appearances by a Port Vale player in the World Cup finals: Chris Birchall, three appearances for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 World Cup
Most consecutive appearances: John Nicholson, 208 (2 September 1961 – 8 September 1965).
Competitive, professional matches only.
Competitive, professional matches only.
Paid
Record progression
Received
Record progression
Most Football League goals scored in a season: 110 in 46 matches, Fourth Division, 1958–59.
Fewest Football League goals scored in a season: 30 in 22 matches, Second Division, 1892–93.
Fewest Football League goals conceded in a season: 21 in 46 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54.
Most Football League goals conceded in a season: 106 in 42 matches, Second Division, 1935–36.
Fewest Football League goals conceded at home in a season: 5 in 23 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54.
Most points in a Football League season: 89 in 46 matches, Second Division 1992–93.
Fewest points in a Football League season: 15 in 22 matches, Second Division, 1892–93.
Most wins in a Football League season: 30 in 42 matches, Third Division North, 1929–30.
Fewest wins in a Football League season: 6 in 22 matches, Second Division, 1892–93.
Fewest defeats in a Football League season: 3 in 46 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54.
Most defeats in a Football League season: 28 in 42 matches, Second Division, 1956–57.
Most red cards in a season: 7 in 46 games, 1974–75 & 2001–02
Most clean sheets in a season: 30 in 46 matches, Third Division North, 1953–54
Most players used in a season: 43 in 1998–99
League wins: 8, 8 April 1893 to 30 September 1893
Draws: 6, 26 April 1981 to 12 September 1981
Losses: 9, 9 March 1957 to 20 April 1957
Clean sheets: 7, 11 February 1922 to 18 March 1922
Without a win: 17, 7 December 1991 to 21 March 1992
Without a draw: 20, 10 September 1906 to 19 January 1907 & 30 October 2004 to 5 March 2005
Without a loss: 19, 5 May 1969 to 8 November 1969
Without a clean sheet: 22, 22 September 1956 to 23 February 1957
Without failing to score: 22, 12 September 1992 to 13 February 1993
Home
Wins: 12, 9 February 1952 to 8 September 1952
Draws: 6, 10 October 1977 to 27 December 1977 & 20 January 1982 to 6 March 1982
Losses: 6, 1 January 1992 to 14 March 1992
Clean sheets: 11, 7 September 1953 to 13 February 1954
Failing to score: 5, 13 April 1998 to 31 August 1998
Without a win: 12, 28 March 1978 to 21 October 1978
Without a draw: 19, 25 August 1928 to 6 April 1929
Without a loss: 42, 8 November 1952 to 18 September 1954
Without a clean sheet: 13, 26 September 1964 to 15 March 1965
Without failing to score: 33, 19 October 1946 to 13 March 1948
Away
Wins: 5, 20 March 1993 to 24 April 1993
Draws: 6, 20 March 1954 to 26 April 1954 & 19 January 1985 to 29 March 1985
Losses: 14, 21 September 1895 to 18 April 1896
Clean sheets: 5, 20 March 1993 to 24 April 1993
Failing to score: 6, 8 January 1966 to 9 March 1966
Without a win: 29, 17 January 1903 to 8 October 1904
Without a draw: 27, 26 January 1895 to 3 December 1898
Without a loss: 10, 5 May 1969 to 8 November 1969
Without a clean sheet: 42, 18 December 1976 to 30 September 1978
Without failing to score: 15, 10 January 1998 to 26 September 1998
Record win: 16–0 against Middlewich in a friendly, 2 February 1884.
Record away win: 9–0 at Smallthorne in North Staffs & District League, 26 February 1910.
Record Football League win: 9–1 against Chesterfield in Second Division, 24 September 1932.
Record defeat: 0–12 at Aston Villa in Staffordshire Senior Cup, 26 January 1891.
Record Football League defeat: 0–10 against Sheffield United in Second Division, 10 December 1892.
Record aggregate score: 12 (3–9) at Tottenham Hotspur, 21 November 1931.
Record aggregate cup score: 9 (2–7) at Aston Villa, 10 January 1925.
Highest home attendance: 49,768 against Aston Villa, FA Cup fifth round, 20 February 1960.
Highest Football League attendance: 40,066 against Stoke City, Second Division, 25 April 1955.
Highest home gate receipts: £170,349: against Everton, FA Cup fourth round, 14 February 1996.
Highest average home attendance: 20,708 in 1954–55
Lowest (competitive first team) attendance at Vale Park: 994 against Hereford United, Freight Rover Trophy Preliminary Round, 22 December 1986.
Lowest Football League attendance at Vale Park: 1,924 against York City, 1 May 1982.
Notes
