Wikipedia

1903–04 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1903–04 season was Burslem Port Vale's sixth consecutive season (tenth overall) of football in the English Football League.[1] The club went the whole season without recording an away win, part of a club record 29 away games without victory. With the new rule of the direct free kick introduced, Arthur Rowley also wrote himself into the history books by becoming the first player to score from a free kick.[1]

Burslem Port Vale
1903–04 season
ChairmanRobert Audley
ManagerSam Gleaves
StadiumAthletic Ground
Football League Second Division13th (29 Points)
FA CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Southampton)
Birmingham Senior CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Stoke)
Staffordshire Senior CupFirst Round
(knocked out by Stoke)
Top goalscorerLeague: Adrian Capes (14)
All: Adrian Capes (17)
Highest home attendance5,000 vs Bristol City, 26 December 1903
Lowest home attendance500 vs Grimsby Town, 13 February 1904
Average home league attendance2,250+
Biggest win6–0 vs. Stockport County, 19 November 1903
Biggest defeat0–5 vs. Bolton Wanderers, 2 January 1904

The first team was firmly established, and the players had been together for years. The financial crisis that loomed over the club was held at bay by an FA Cup run and by selling a promising young winger.

Bert Eardley, in his fifth season with the club, was a key first-team member.
Ageing Winger Billy Heames was still a key threat.
George Price was at the heart of the Vale team, as he remained throughout his career.
Top scorer, and Valeite legend, Adrian Capes.
Right-back Ernest Mullineux played 40 games for the club in all competitions.
Half-back Harry Croxton become crucial to the spine of the team.

Overview

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Second Division

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A rather quiet pre-season saw no major signings or departures, and hopes were built of an improvement on last season's ninth-place finish.[1]

The first game of the season was on 7 September 1903 against Bolton Wanderers, where Arthur Rowley wrote himself into the history books by becoming the first player to score from a direct free kick.[1] Five days later, the Vale beat Manchester United 1–0, and their season got going – albeit very slowly.[1] Four games later, they found their second victory – against new boys Bradford City; however, by October, they had racked up just five points from their opening eight games.[1] A seven-game unbeaten run saw them surge up the table towards the end of 1903. This run ended at Gainsborough Trinity but could be justified because they had played three games in four days.[1] They went on to muster just one point from seven games to find themselves in the danger zone as players looked towards their promising cup run rather than the league itself.[1] An inconsistent end to the season followed, though picking up points from eight of their last twelve games was enough to ensure safety.[1] On the final game of the season 20,000 Woolwich Arsenal fans turned up to watch their team claim the championship, however, the "Valeites" hung on for a draw, with Harry Cotton in remarkable form. A goalless draw was enough to hand the league title to Preston North End.[1] Port Vale were one of only two teams to take a point home from London that season. This was even more surprising, considering that Vale went the whole season without recording an away win and had to rely entirely on their home form to stay in the league. They finished two points ahead of the re-election zones and were twenty points shy of promotion.

Adrian Capes was the top scorer for the fourth consecutive season, scoring seventeen goals, fourteen of which came in the league.[1] Tom Simpson contributed fifteen goals and would score only thirteen more Football League goals in his entire career. Goalkeeper Harry Cotton missed just two games, as did right-back Ernest Mullineux; Harry Croxton, Arthur Rowley, Billy Heames, George Price, Bert Eardley, W. Perkins, and Joseph Holyhead made up the first of the first team – who each made a minimum of 35 out of 42 possible appearances in all competitions.

Finances

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Again, attendances were disappointing, and to improve the financial outlook, players were sold as early as October, when a highly promising Tom Coxon signed to nearby Stoke for £200.[1] Their FA Cup clash at Southampton saw them rake in a £491 share of gate receipts.[1] A loss of £39 was recorded on the season, and rising wages and falling gate receipts were offset only by the income from transfers and cup runs.[1] Recognizing this, the directors insisted that a controversial policy of selling on players had to be adopted.[1]

Cup competitions

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In September, three-goal margins eliminated the club in both county cup competitions by Stoke.[1] The "Valeites" found rather more success in the FA Cup, though had to win four matches to reach the First Round, at which point they were eliminated by Southampton of the Southern Football League. On the way, they racked up a 6–0 home win over Stockport County in the fourth qualification round replay.

League table

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Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
11 Chesterfield Town 34 11 8 15 37 45 0.822 30
12 Lincoln City 34 11 8 15 41 58 0.707 30
13 Burslem Port Vale 34 10 9 15 54 52 1.038 29
14 Burton United 34 11 7 16 45 61 0.738 29
15 Blackpool 34 11 5 18 40 67 0.597 27
Source: [2]

Results

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Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

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Main article: 1903–04 Football League

Results by matchday

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundHHAHAHAHHHHAAHAAAAHAHHHAHAHAAAHHAA
ResultLWLDLWLLWDWDDWDLLLDLLLWLWLWLDDWWLD
Position1491111131012141111910999991111121415151616171616161514131313
Source: Statto[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
7 September 1903 Bolton Wanderers H 2–3 3,000 Rowley, Price
12 September 1903 Manchester United H 1–0 3,000 Simpson
19 September 1903 Burnley A 0–1 6,000
26 September 1903 Glossop H 1–1 3,000 Rowley
3 October 1903 Preston North End A 1–3 9,000 Coxon
10 October 1903 Bradford City H 5–2 3,000 Coxon (2), Simpson, Capes, o.g.
17 October 1903 Grimsby Town A 1–3 3,000 Coxon
24 October 1903 Woolwich Arsenal H 2–3 3,000 Heames, Simpson
7 November 1903 Barnsley H 3–0 1,000 Simpson (2), Capes
21 November 1903 Lincoln City H 2–2 1,500 Perkins, Simpson
5 December 1903 Stockport County H 2–0 Perkins, Capes
19 December 1903 Chesterfield A 1–1 2,000 Capes
25 December 1903 Leicester Fosse A 1–1 8,000 Capes
26 December 1903 Bristol City H 3–1 5,000 Capes (2), Simpson
28 December 1903 Bradford City A 1–1 13,000 Simpson
29 December 1903 Gainsborough Trinity A 0–3 2,000
2 January 1904 Bolton Wanderers A 0–5 5,000
9 January 1904 Manchester United A 0–2 10,000
16 January 1904 Burnley H 2–2 Allman, Capes
23 January 1904 Glossop A 1–4 5,000 Mountford
30 January 1904 Preston North End H 0–1 3,000
13 February 1904 Grimsby Town H 1–2 500 Price
27 February 1904 Leicester Fosse H 6–2 1,000 Capes (2), Croxton, Simpson, Price, Eardley
5 March 1904 Barnsley A 0–1
12 March 1904 Blackpool H 5–0 Price (2), Capes, Mullineux, o.g.
19 March 1904 Lincoln City A 2–3 Capes, Simpson
26 March 1904 Gainsborough Trinity H 3–0 1,000 Allman, Capes, Simpson
1 April 1904 Blackpool A 0–1 1,500
2 April 1904 Stockport County A 1–1 2,000 Allman
4 April 1904 Burton United A 0–0
9 April 1904 Burton United H 3–1 2,000 Mountford, Holyhead, Eardley
16 April 1904 Chesterfield H 3–0 1,500 Heames, Price, Capes
23 April 1904 Bristol City A 1–2 4,000 Loverseed
25 April 1904 Woolwich Arsenal A 0–0 20,000

FA Cup

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Main article: 1903–04 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
3Q 31 October 1903 Crewe Alexandra A 0–0 4,000
3Q Replay 5 November 1903 Crewe Alexandra H 2–1 2,000 Simpson, Heames
4Q 14 November 1903 Stockport County A 0–0 3,000
4Q Replay 19 November 1903 Stockport County H 6–0 2,000 Simpson (2), Capes, Eardley, Holyhead, Price
5Q 28 November 1903 Nantwich A 1–0 3,000 Capes
IR 12 December 1903 Burton United H 3–0 Capes, Heames, Simpson
R1 6 February 1904 Southampton A 0–3 8,000

Birmingham Senior Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
1 28 September 1903 Stoke H 2–5 2,000 unknown

Staffordshire Senior Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
1 13 September 1903 Stoke A 0–3

Player statistics

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Appearances and goals

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Pos. Name League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   William Chadwick 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
GK   Harry Cotton 32 0 7 0 1 0 40 0
DF   Ernest Mullineux 33 1 7 0 0 0 40 1
DF   James Hamilton 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
MF   Billy Heames 30 2 7 2 1 0 38 4
MF   Bert Eardley 29 2 7 1 1 0 37 3
MF W. H. Machin 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
MF   Harry Croxton 32 1 7 0 0 0 39 1
MF   Arthur Rowley 30 2 7 0 1 0 38 2
MF W. Perkins 27 2 7 0 1 0 35 2
MF   Tom Coxon 3 4 0 0 0 0 3 4
MF   Sam Whittingham 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
MF   William Bradbury 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
MF   Albert Cook 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   Joseph Holyhead 27 1 7 1 1 0 35 2
MF   Sam Howshall 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FW   George Price 32 6 4 1 1 0 37 7
FW   Adrian Capes 31 14 7 3 1 0 39 17
FW Tom Simpson 24 11 6 4 1 0 31 15
FW William Tunstall 1 0 3 0 0 0 4 0
FW   William Loverseed 6 1 0 0 1 0 7 1
FW   Dick Allman 8 3 1 0 0 0 9 3
FW   Harry Mountford 7 2 0 0 0 0 7 2

Top scorers

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Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup Senior Cup Total
1 FW   England Adrian Capes 14 3 0 17
2 FW Tom Simpson 11 4 0 15
3 FW   England George Price 6 1 0 7
4 MF   England Tom Coxon 4 0 0 4
– MF   England Billy Heames 2 2 0 4
6 FW   England Dick Allman 3 0 0 3
– MF   England Bert Eardley 2 1 0 3
8 MF   England Arthur Rowley 2 0 0 2
– MF W. Perkins 2 0 0 2
– FW   England Harry Mountford 2 0 0 2
– MF   England Joseph Holyhead 1 1 0 2
12 MF   England Harry Croxton 1 0 0 1
– DF   England Ernest Mullineux 1 0 0 1
– FW   England William Loverseed 1 0 0 1
TOTALS 52 12 0 64

Transfers

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Transfers in

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Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
May 1903 MF   William Bradbury Newcastle Swifts Free transfer [4]
May 1903 FW   Sam Howshall Newcastle Swifts Free transfer [4]
June 1903 FW   Harry Mountford Hanley Swifts Free transfer [4]
June 1903 FW   William Thomas Newcastle Swifts Free transfer [4]
August 1903 MF   Sam Whittingham Stoke Free transfer [4]
September 1903 MF   Joseph Holyhead Wolverhampton Wanderers Free transfer [4]

Transfers out

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Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
Summer 1904 GK William Chadwick Released [4]
Summer 1904 MF   Billy Heames Left contract [4]
Summer 1904 MF W. Perkins Newark Free transfer [4]
Summer 1904 MF   Arthur Rowley Released [4]
Summer 1904 FW William Tunstall Released [4]

References

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Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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. ^ "1903–04 Football League". fchd.info. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  3. ^ Port Vale 1903–1904 : Results & Fixtures Archived 20 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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