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Port Vale
1964–65 season
Chairman	Tom Talbot
Manager	Freddie Steele; (until February); Jackie Mudie; (from February)
Stadium	Vale Park
Football League Third Division	22nd (32 Points)
FA Cup	Second Round; (knocked out by Millwall)
League Cup	First Round; (knocked out by Luton Town)
Top goalscorer	League: Albert Cheesebrough (7); All: Albert Cheesebrough (7)
Highest home attendance	8,190 vs. Colchester United, 29 August 1964
Lowest home attendance	3,071 vs. Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, 13 February 1965
Average home league attendance	5,508
Biggest win	2–0 (four games)
Biggest defeat	0–4 (five games)
	Home colours
	Home colours
	← 1963–64 1965–66 →

The 1964–65 season was Port Vale's 53rd season of football in the English Football League, and their sixth season in the Third Division.^[1] They went on a club record streak of 13 home games without a clean sheet from 26 September to 15 March. After an awful start to the season that saw the club bottom of the league, manager Freddie Steele left the club in February and was replaced by one of his players, Jackie Mudie. A mini-revival under Mudie was not enough to prevent relegation at the end of the season, as the club finished five points adrift of safety in 22nd place. Their 41 goals scored in 46 league games was the worst record in the Football League, as Albert Cheesebrough managed to become the club's top-scorer with only seven goals.

Overview

Third Division

The pre-season saw manager Freddie Steele attempt to sign legendary Spurs striker Bobby Smith, this audacious attempt failed partly due to the financially precarious situation the club found itself in after the previous season.^[1] Instead Steele signed Ron Andrew from Stoke City for £3,000, as well as goalkeeper Reg Davies from Leyton Orient.^[1]

The season began with a 4–1 beating at Borough Park from Workington after Tony Richards found himself sidelined following an insect bite.^[1] They picked up just three points in their next six league games. The fans were already showing their disappointment in the team twenty minutes before the end of the first home game – a 2–1 defeat to Colchester United.^[1] Ken Hancock and Jackie Mudie were both dropped following this game.^[1] Richards made his return only to suffer a knee injury which required surgery, thereby keeping him out of action for the rest of the campaign.^[1] On 5 September, Billy Bingham had played his last game, as he broke his leg in a 4–0 beating by Brentford at Griffin Park.^[1] Two successive mid-September 1–0 victories (both goals scored by Albert Cheesebrough) were rare bright rays of sunshine for the "Valiants".^[1] A 'punchless' and 'guileless' run of twelve games without a win followed, which saw the club drop to third from bottom, as attendances tailed off accordingly.^[1] Cheeseborough also picked up an injury, whilst Mudie found he was now unable to play on hard surfaces.^[1] Reserves filled the gaps in the first XI as at Vale Park 'the loud mouths on the terraces certainly did a good job [of] hindering Stan Trafford' on his home debut on 17 October.^[1] Goals in short-supply, numerous players were tried in the centre-forward role, to no avail.^[1]

On 21 November, Vale picked up their third league win of the campaign, beating lowly Barnsley 2–0 at Oakwell.^[1] Youth players continued to be drafted in as Vale finished the year with four straight league defeats, picking up injuries and sendings off along the way.^[1] In December, Hancock was sold to Ipswich Town for £10,000.^[1] A 2–1 victory over promotion-chasers Brentford on 2 January failed to spark a revival, partly due to the fact that the Bees were forced to play almost the entire match with ten players and an outside player in goal following an injury to Chic Brodie.^[1] Steele tried to play a settled team, but that proved to be as unsuccessful as when he switched the team round constantly.^[1] By the end of the month the club were bottom of the league and morale was low.^[1] In mid-February, the club four points short of safety, Steele left the club 'by mutual consent', as Jackie Mudie was appointed caretaker manager.^[1] Following a 4–0 hammering from Gillingham, Mudie signed veteran stopper Jimmy O'Neill from Darlington, and the former Ireland international seemed to improve the team, as just two defeats in eight games followed.^[1] Mudie instilled discipline into the team, and so was made manager on a permanent basis on 3 March.^[1] He then ensured Reg Davies was transferred to Leyton Orient.^[1] He tried and failed to re-sign Terry Harkin from Crewe Alexandra.^[1] One win in their final six games doomed the Vale to relegation, just as survival seemed possible.^[1] Only 3,521 witnessed a final day victory over Walsall.^[1]

They finished in twenty-second position, their 32 points five short of safety.^[1] Losing ten home games, they recorded just two wins on their travels.^[1] No team in the top four divisions scored fewer than Vale's 41 goals, as Cheeseborough took the honour of top-scorer with a mere seven goals – this was the lowest total for a Vale top-scorer in a Football League season since Meshach Dean scored six in 1892–93 (in a 22-game league season).^[1] The club embarked on a post-season tour of Germany, where they played SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin at the Poststadion on 15 June.^[2]

Finances

On the financial side, £15,497 was recorded despite a £16,320 donation from the Sportsmen's Association, the Development Fund, and the social club.^[1] The average home attendance was a mere 5,508, almost half that of the previous season.^[1] Gate receipts had plummeted to just £24,117, compared to a wage bill of £41,092; meanwhile a £6,250 profit was made on transfers.^[1] A clear-out of players could not be avoided, as twelve were handed free transfers, including: Billy Bingham (retired); Stan Steele (left the country); Ron Smith (Southport); Ron Andrew (retired); Tim Rawlings (Nuneaton Borough); Stan Trafford (retired); and Albert Cheesebrough (joined Mansfield Town for free, although Vale had wanted £5,000 for him).^[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale made 'an inglorious passage' past amateurs Hendon of the Isthmian League with a difficult 2–1 victory.^[1] Fourth Division Millwall proved to be too tough an opponent in the Second Round however, as the "Lions" picked a 'decisive' 4–0 win at The Den.^[1]

Once again, the club exited at the first hurdle in the League Cup, this time losing 1–0 to Luton Town at home.

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Promotion or relegation
20	Oldham Athletic	46	13	10	23	61	83	0.735	36
21	Luton Town	46	11	11	24	51	94	0.543	33	Relegated
22	Port Vale	46	9	14	23	41	76	0.539	32
23	Colchester United	46	10	10	26	50	89	0.562	30
24	Barnsley	46	9	11	26	54	90	0.600	29

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Results

Football League Third Division

Results by matchday

Port Vale's score comes first

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
Ground	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H
Result	L	D	L	L	L	D	D	W	W	L	D	L	D	L	D	L	L	L	D	D	D	W	L	L	L	L	W	D	L	D	L	L	L	L	D	W	W	L	W	W	D	L	D	L	L	W
Position	19	17	22	22	24	24	22	19	18	20	18	21	20	20	21	20	20	21	21	22	22	21	21	23	24	24	23	23	23	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	22

Source: Statto^[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
22 August 1964	Workington	A	1–4	5,228	Andrew
24 August 1964	Carlisle United	A	1–1	11,809	Cheesebrough
29 August 1964	Colchester United	H	1–2	8,190	Poole
31 August 1964	Carlisle United	H	1–3	8,003	Cheesebrough
5 September 1964	Brentford	A	0–4	8,397
9 September 1964	Luton Town	A	1–1	11,649	Poole
12 September 1964	Bristol Rovers	H	1–1	7,571	Steele
14 September 1964	Luton Town	H	1–0	6,381	Cheesebrough
19 September 1964	Oldham Athletic	A	1–0	9,575	Cheesebrough
26 September 1964	Exeter City	H	0–1	7,006
28 September 1964	Mansfield Town	A	2–2	10,709	Porter, Mitchell
3 October 1964	Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic	A	0–3	8,609
5 October 1964	Mansfield Town	H	2–2	4,247	Rowland, Cheesebrough
10 October 1964	Gillingham	A	0–2	8,839
12 October 1964	Peterborough United	A	2–2	9,878	Miles (2)
17 October 1964	Bristol City	H	1–2	5,564	Miles
19 October 1964	Peterborough United	H	0–1	6,110
23 October 1964	Queens Park Rangers	A	1–3	4,489	Machin
26 October 1964	Watford	H	2–2	5,271	Machin, Rawlings
31 October 1964	Shrewsbury Town	H	1–1	6,363	Mitchell
7 November 1964	Reading	A	1–1	7,360	Mudie
21 November 1964	Barnsley	A	2–0	5,288	Porter, Smith
28 November 1964	Scunthorpe United	H	0–1	4,620
19 December 1964	Colchester United	A	0–2	2,528
26 December 1964	Hull City	H	0–3	6,099
28 December 1964	Hull City	A	0–4	12,468
2 January 1965	Brentford	H	2–1	4,533	Miles, Mudie
8 January 1965	Southend United	H	2–2	4,852	Rowland (pen), Miles
16 January 1965	Bristol Rovers	A	0–4	10,011
30 January 1965	Walsall	A	0–0	7,324
6 February 1965	Exeter City	A	1–2	5,465	Poole
13 February 1965	Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic	H	1–2	3,071	Mitchell
20 February 1965	Gillingham	H	0–4	4,203
27 February 1965	Bristol City	A	0–3	8,552
13 March 1965	Shrewsbury Town	A	0–0	5,546
15 March 1965	Oldham Athletic	H	2–1	5,057	Cheesebrough, Trafford
20 March 1965	Reading	H	2–0	4,162	Machin, Steele
26 March 1965	Southend United	A	1–2	6,017	Cheesebrough
29 March 1965	Workington	H	2–0	7,175	Steele, Rowland
3 April 1965	Barnsley	H	2–0	6,311	o.g., Machin
9 April 1965	Scunthorpe United	A	0–0	3,894
16 April 1965	Grimsby Town	A	0–2	8,325
17 April 1965	Queens Park Rangers	H	0–0	4,816
20 April 1965	Grimsby Town	H	2–3	3,569	Rowland (2)
24 April 1965	Watford	A	0–1	7,627
26 April 1965	Walsall	H	2–1	3,521	Boulton, Bannister

FA Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1	14 November 1964	Hendon	H	2–1	8,039	Smith, Mitchell
R2	5 December 1964	Millwall	A	0–4	7,521

League Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
R1	7 September 1964	Luton Town	H	0–1	5,111

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Ken Hancock	20	0	1	0	1	0	22	0
GK	Reg Davies	13	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
GK	Jimmy O'Neill	13	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
GK	Ken Oxford	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
DF	Roy Sproson	45	0	2	0	1	0	48	0
DF	Selwyn Whalley	15	0	1	0	0	0	16	0
DF	Terry Lowe	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
DF	Terry Alcock	28	0	2	0	1	0	31	0
DF	Clint Boulton	5	1	0	0	0	0	5	1
DF	Ron Wilson	21	0	2	0	0	0	23	0
DF	John Nicholson	46	0	2	0	1	0	49	0
MF	Terry Miles	33	5	1	0	1	0	35	5
MF	Tim Rawlings	12	1	1	0	1	0	14	1
MF	Ron Smith	25	1	2	1	1	0	28	2
MF	Mel Machin	11	4	1	0	0	0	12	4
MF	Ron Andrew	8	1	0	0	0	0	8	1
FW	Harry Poole	37	3	1	0	1	0	39	3
FW	Stan Steele	34	3	1	0	0	0	35	3
FW	John Rowland	40	5	2	0	1	0	43	5
FW	Tony Richards	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Jackie Mudie	18	2	1	0	0	0	19	2
FW	Mick Porter	11	2	0	0	1	0	12	2
FW	Billy Bingham	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
FW	Albert Cheesebrough	32	7	0	0	0	0	32	7
FW	Stan Trafford	12	1	0	0	0	0	12	1
FW	David Mitchell	17	3	1	1	1	0	19	4
FW	Paul Bannister	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	1

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Third Division	FA Cup	Total
1	FW	England	Albert Cheesebrough	7	0	7
2	MF	England	Terry Miles	5	0	5
–	FW	England	John Rowland	5	0	5
4	MF	England	Mel Machin	4	0	4
–	FW	England	David Mitchell	3	1	4
6	FW	England	Harry Poole	3	0	3
–	FW	England	Stan Steele	3	0	3
8	FW	England	Mick Porter	2	0	2
–	FW	Scotland	Jackie Mudie	2	0	2
–	MF	England	Ron Smith	1	1	2
11	FW	Northern Ireland	Stan Trafford	1	0	1
–	MF	England	Tim Rawlings	1	0	1
–	FW	England	Paul Bannister	1	0	1
–	DF	England	Clint Boulton	1	0	1
–	MF	England	Ron Andrew	1	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	1	0	1
			TOTALS	41	2	43

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
June 1964	DF	Ron Andrew	Stoke City	£3,000	^[4]
July 1964	GK	Reg Davies	Leyton Orient	Free transfer	^[4]
February 1965	GK	Jimmy O'Neill	Darlington	Free transfer	^[4]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
August 1964	MF	Colin Grainger	Doncaster Rovers	Free transfer	^[4]
December 1964	GK	Ken Hancock	Ipswich Town	£10,000	^[4]
March 1965	GK	Reg Davies	Leyton Orient	'small'	^[4]
April 1965	DF	Ron Andrew		Free transfer	^[4]
April 1965	FW	Billy Bingham	Southport	Free transfer	^[4]
April 1965	FW	Mick Porter	Portmadoc	Free transfer	^[4]
April 1965	MF	Tim Rawlings	Nuneaton Borough	Free transfer	^[4]
April 1965	MF	Ron Smith	Southport	Free transfer	^[4]
April 1965	FW	Stan Steele	Port Elizabeth City	Free transfer	^[4]
April 1965	FW	Stan Trafford		Released	^[4]
July 1965	FW	Albert Cheesebrough	Mansfield Town	Free transfer	^[4]