# 1994–95 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1994–95 season was Port Vale's 83rd season of football in the English Football League, and first ever season in the First Division following their promotion from the Second Division. John Rudge led his team to safety in the league whilst reaching the Second Round of the FA Cup and League Cup. In the FA Cup they recorded a 6–0 victory over Hartlepool United, before suffering a shock defeat at Scarborough. Back in the same league as rivals Stoke City, they earned the season's bragging rights with a 1–1 draw at Vale Park and a 1–0 win at the Victoria Ground. Martin Foyle was the Player of the Year, bagging twenty goals in all competitions. Club legend Ian Taylor had been sold before a ball was kicked, but new legends were born with the signatures of Tony Naylor, Steve Guppy, and Ian Bogie.

## Overview
### First Division

The pre-season saw John Rudge spend a small amount of the money received on the sales of Ian Taylor and Peter Swan to bring Tony Naylor to the club from Crewe Alexandra for a £150,000 fee. A further £200,000 was splashed out on Nottingham Forest forward Lee Glover. Another £4,500 was spent on Dutch goalkeeper Arjan van Heusden from VV Noordwijk. Arriving on free transfers were Craig Lawton (Manchester United) and Stewart Talbot (Moor Green).
The season started modestly, with two wins in the four August games. In September, only Lee Glover, Tony Naylor and Martin Foyle could find the net, but the Vale won six points from their five games. To help with his recovery from a serious injury, Ray Walker spent some time on loan at Cambridge United, and won back his first-team place in the Vale starting eleven upon his return. Meanwhile, Tony Kelly arrived at the club from Bolton Wanderers, but after a brief spell, moved on to Millwall. On 17 September, Vale inflicted a 2–1 defeat on league leaders Middlesbrough player-manager Bryan Robson – his first loss in management. Vale's attack was highlighted in October. However, the defence ensured three draws from five games. In November, Darren Hughes was allowed to leave the club for Northampton Town. On 5 November, Vale lost all their inhibitions in front of goal, beating Southend United 5–0 with five different scorers. Rudge decided to make another big signing and bought winger Steve Guppy from Newcastle United for £225,000. Two days later, on 26 November, Guppy made his debut in a 2–1 win over Millwall, where he collected assists for both goals. However, their draw with Swindon Town would prove to be the only point gained in December, as Vale were stuck in a relegation dogfight. John Jeffers spent January on loan at Shrewsbury Town. During this spell defender Kevin Scott arrived on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. The team gelled, forming a five-game unbeaten run based on just two goals conceded to shoot up the table. In March, midfielder Ian Bogie was signed from Leyton Orient for a £50,000 fee. Potteries derby day finally came on 14 March, and 19,510 turned up at Vale Park to witness a 1–1 draw with Stoke City, Naylor scoring Vale's goal. Five defeats in seven games followed, raising concerns about the drop. However, the Vale were unbeaten in their final five games to ensure safety. This included a 3–3 draw at Elm Park that saw the "Valiants" come from three goals down to claim a point. It also included a 1–0 win over Stoke at the Victoria Ground on 22 April, Foyle scoring the goal in what was Vale's first away win over Stoke in a league fixture since 1927.
They finished in seventeenth place with 58 points, leaving them ten points clear of relegated Swindon Town. They were five points short of Stoke, who finished six places above the Vale. Player of the Year Martin Foyle bagged twenty goals, double that of his nearest rival Tony Naylor.
At the end of the season Ollie Heald, Peter Billing, Mark Burke and John Burndred were released, who signed with Scarborough, Hartlepool United, Fortuna Sittard and Stafford Rangers respectively. Joe Allon was also sold to Brentford for £42,500.

### Finances

The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

### Cup competitions

As members of the second tier, Vale should have qualified for the Third Round of the FA Cup, but were forced to take part in the First Round to make up the numbers after Aldershot went bust and Maidstone United resigned from the league. Vale went on to easily beat Third Division side Hartlepool United 6–0 in Burslem, with Martin Foyle bagging a hat-trick. Remarkably, this would be the last hat-trick scored by a Vale player at Vale Park until April 2011. However, a shock awaited in the Second Round, where Scarborough, also of the fourth tier, beat the Vale 1–0 at the McCain Stadium.
In the League Cup, Vale advanced past Second Division Bristol Rovers 4–2 on aggregate, having won 3–1 at the Memorial Stadium. They faced Premier League Manchester United in the Second Round. Alex Ferguson's "Red Devils" beat John Rudge's "Valiants" 2–1 at Vale Park in front of 18,605 supporters; Lee Glover scored for Vale, and Paul Scholes scored a brace on his United debut. Vale fans were disappointed to witness the then-unknown United reserves at the time. However, Scholes would go on to become a household name, as would teenage teammates Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, and David Beckham; the United first XI would go on to win a combined total of more than 500 international caps throughout their careers. For the second leg there were 31,615 fans at Old Trafford to witness a 2–0 United victory, David May and Brian McClair getting the goals.

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 15 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 58 | 66 | −8 | 59 |
| 16 | Luton Town | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 61 | 64 | −3 | 58 |
| 17 | Port Vale | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 58 | 64 | −6 | 58 |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 46 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 53 | 63 | −10 | 58 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 58 |

## Results

Port Vale's score comes first

### Football League First Division
#### Results by matchday

| 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 | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H |
| Result | L | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | D | L | D | D | D | W | L | W | D | L | L | D | L | L | W | W | D | W | W | L | D | L | W | D | L | W | L | L | L | W | L | D | W | W | D | D |
| Position | 22 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 14 August 1994 | Swindon Town | A | 0–2 | 10,431 | |
| 20 August 1994 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–1 | 10,051 | Foyle, Kenny (og), Naylor |
| 27 August 1994 | Bristol City | A | 0–0 | 8,588 | |
| 30 August 1994 | Barnsley | H | 2–1 | 7,228 | Burke, L.Glover |
| 3 September 1994 | Luton Town | H | 0–1 | 8,541 | |
| 10 September 1994 | Portsmouth | A | 2–0 | 8,989 | L.Glover, Naylor |
| 13 September 1994 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–4 | 3,216 | Foyle |
| 17 September 1994 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 10,313 | L.Glover, Naylor |
| 24 September 1994 | Sheffield United | H | 0–2 | 9,324 | |
| 1 October 1994 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | 27,649 | Allon |
| 8 October 1994 | Notts County | A | 2–2 | 6,903 | Foyle, Kelly |
| 15 October 1994 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–2 | 7,707 | |
| 22 October 1994 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 10,003 | Allon |
| 29 October 1994 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–1 | 6,972 | Jeffers |
| 2 November 1994 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–0 | 14,513 | |
| 5 November 1994 | Southend United | H | 5–0 | 7,141 | Allon, Foyle, Porter, Walker, van der Laan |
| 19 November 1994 | Derby County | A | 0–2 | 13,357 | |
| 26 November 1994 | Millwall | H | 2–1 | 8,016 | Allon, Burke |
| 29 November 1994 | Sunderland | H | 0–0 | 8,121 | |
| 6 December 1994 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 10,324 | |
| 10 December 1994 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–3 | 7,712 | Guppy, van der Laan |
| 17 December 1994 | Swindon Town | H | 2–2 | 7,747 | Foyle (2) |
| 28 December 1994 | Reading | H | 0–2 | 7,891 | |
| 31 December 1994 | Watford | A | 2–3 | 7,794 | Foyle (2) |
| 15 January 1995 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–0 | 7,944 | Foyle, Tankard |
| 28 January 1995 | Southend United | A | 2–1 | 3,619 | Foyle, van der Laan |
| 4 February 1995 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 13,377 | Naylor |
| 11 February 1995 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–0 | 10,751 | Guppy |
| 21 February 1995 | Derby County | H | 1–0 | 9,387 | Kent |
| 25 February 1995 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–4 | 13,676 | Kent, Naylor |
| 4 March 1995 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | 13,647 | L.Glover |
| 7 March 1995 | Luton Town | A | 1–2 | 5,947 | Porter |
| 11 March 1995 | Bristol City | H | 2–1 | 7,646 | Naylor, Scott |
| 14 March 1995 | Stoke City | H | 1–1 | 19,510 | Naylor |
| 18 March 1995 | Barnsley | A | 1–3 | 6,878 | Allon |
| 21 March 1995 | Portsmouth | H | 1–0 | 7,388 | Allon |
| 26 March 1995 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–3 | 17,401 | |
| 28 March 1995 | Burnley | A | 3–4 | 10,058 | Foyle (2), Allon |
| 1 April 1995 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–2 | 7,150 | Naylor |
| 5 April 1995 | Millwall | A | 3–1 | 5,260 | Bogie, Foyle, van der Laan |
| 8 April 1995 | Watford | H | 0–1 | 7,276 | |
| 15 April 1995 | Reading | A | 3–3 | 8,635 | Bogie, Naylor, Porter |
| 17 April 1995 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 9,663 | van der Laan |
| 22 April 1995 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 | 20,429 | Foyle |
| 29 April 1995 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–1 | 12,596 | Foyle |
| 7 May 1995 | Notts County | H | 1–1 | 9,542 | Foyle |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 12 November 1994 | Hartlepool United | H | 6–0 | 6,199 | Foyle (3), Allon, D.Glover, Griffiths |
| R2 | 3 December 1994 | Scarborough | A | 0–1 | 2,382 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 17 August 1994 | Bristol Rovers | A | 3–1 | 3,307 | Foyle, L.Glover, Naylor |
| R1 2nd Leg | 23 August 1994 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–1 | 4,728 | L.Glover |
| R2 1st Leg | 21 September 1994 | Manchester United | H | 1–2 | 18,605 | L.Glover |
| R2 2nd Leg | 5 October 1994 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 31,615 | |

## Player statistics
### Appearances and goals

| Pos. | Name | Football League | Football League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Paul Musselwhite | 44 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| GK | Arjan van Heusden | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | Dean Glover | 29 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| DF | Neil Aspin | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| DF | Bradley Sandeman | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| DF | Peter Billing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | Gareth Griffiths | 20 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| DF | Dean Stokes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | Allen Tankard | 39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 1 |
| DF | Kevin Scott | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| DF | John Morris | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | Andy Porter | 44 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 3 |
| MF | Ray Walker | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| MF | John Jeffers | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| MF | Robin van der Laan | 44 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 5 |
| MF | Kevin Kent | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| MF | Ian Bogie | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
| MF | Mark Burke | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| MF | Wayne Corden | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Steve Guppy | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| MF | Tony Kelly | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| MF | Craig Lawton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Stewart Talbot | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Ollie Heald | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | Martin Foyle | 42 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 48 | 20 |
| FW | Joe Allon | 19 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 8 |
| FW | John Burndred | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Lee Glover | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 34 | 7 |
| FW | Tony Naylor | 33 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 10 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | First Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | England | Martin Foyle | 16 | 3 | 1 | 20 |
| 2 | FW | England | Tony Naylor | 9 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | FW | England | Joe Allon | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | FW | Scotland | Lee Glover | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | MF | Netherlands | Robin van der Laan | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | MF | England | Andy Porter | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | FW | England | Mark Burke | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | MF | England | Ian Bogie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | MF | England | Kevin Kent | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | MF | England | Steve Guppy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | MF | England | Tony Kelly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | John Jeffers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Allen Tankard | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Ray Walker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Kevin Scott | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Gareth Griffiths | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Dean Glover | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| – | | – | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | | | TOTALS | 58 | 6 | 5 | 69 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| May 1994 | GK | Arjan van Heusden | VV Noordwijk | £4,500 |
| July 1994 | MF | Craig Lawton | Manchester United | Free transfer |
| 18 July 1994 | FW | Tony Naylor | Crewe Alexandra | £150,000 |
| August 1994 | MF | Mark Burke | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| August 1994 | MF | Stewart Talbot | Moor Green | Free transfer |
| 2 August 1994 | FW | Lee Glover | Nottingham Forest | £200,000 |
| September 1994 | MF | Tony Kelly | Bolton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| 25 November 1994 | MF | Steve Guppy | Newcastle United | £225,000 |
| February 1995 | MF | John Burndred | Knypersley Victoria | Free transfer |
| 23 March 1995 | MF | Ian Bogie | Leyton Orient | £50,000 |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| 1994 | MF | Tony Kelly | Millwall | Free transfer |
| November 1994 | DF | Darren Hughes | Northampton Town | Quit |
| May 1995 | DF | Peter Billing | Hartlepool United | Free transfer |
| May 1995 | MF | John Burndred | Stafford Rangers | Free transfer |
| May 1995 | MF | Ollie Heald | Scarborough | Free transfer |
| July 1995 | FW | Joe Allon | Lincoln City | £42,500 |
| Summer 1995 | MF | Mark Burke | Fortuna Sittard | Free transfer |
| Summer 1995 | MF | Robin van der Laan | Derby County | £475,000 |

### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
| 13 January 1995 | DF | | Kevin Scott | Tottenham Hotspur | End of season | |

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
| 6 January 1995 | MF | | John Jeffers | Shrewsbury Town | January 1995 | |