# 1979–80 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1979–80 season was Port Vale's 68th season of football in the Football League, and their second-successive season (eighth overall) in the Fourth Division. One of the club's worst ever seasons, Vale finished twentieth in the league and exited both cup competitions at the first stage. They also lost a tremendous amount of money. There was also a managerial merry-go-round, with Dennis Butler replaced by Alan Bloor, who was in turn replaced by John McGrath, with Bill Bentley also spending a short period as caretaker manager.

## Overview
### Fourth Division

The pre-season saw manager Dennis Butler sign three players on free transfers: Terry Owen (Rochdale), Alan Woolfall (Bury), and Steve Jones (Manchester United). Meanwhile, the club was fined £500 by The Football Association for the team's ongoing poor disciplinary record.
The season began with four straight league defeats, which resulted in the dismissal of Butler as manager. Alan Bloor took over as caretaker manager, who threatened the players with a place on the bench if they failed to deliver in the first XI, to prove his point he replaced Bernie Wright with Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain rewarded him with both goals in a 2–0 victory over Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road. A 5–0 thrashing of Northampton Town followed eight days later, with both Chamberlain and Wright claiming a brace. However, the following week they were 'massacred' 7–1 at high-flying Huddersfield Town's Leeds Road. Chris Harper of The Sentinel reported that it was "probably the most unprofessional performance I have witnessed by a Vale side in more than ten years". He further added that "the constant changes [in management] are totally opposed to the stability required to achieve success". Despite conceding server goals, Trevor Dance retained his place in goal, with John Connaughton 'in a huff' with the club. By the end of September, Bloor was made manager on a permanent basis. Vale celebrated with a 5–1 beating of Rochdale, whilst Ken Todd was sold to Portsmouth for £20,000. Ged Stenson had his contract cancelled, and signed with Morecambe. Losing five of their seven games in October, Vale drifted to third-from-bottom. Bloor spent £30,000 on Crewe Alexandra defender Paul Bowles. Undefeated in November in the league, Vale then lost 5–1 to a York City side at Bootham Crescent that was marashlled by Peter Lorimer. Later in the month, Vale became the first Fourth Division club to strike a shirt advertising deal, signing a deal with TI Creda for £5,000. A surprise came though when Bloor resigned his position, stating that "I do not have what it takes". Gordon Banks was also dismissed, and he blamed the players for his downfall, claiming they did not like hard work. Bill Bentley was appointed as caretaker manager, as the club approached numerous managers – including former player Ronnie Allen. The job went to John McGrath, who had been working as a coach at Southampton. He appointed Torquay United coach John Rudge as his second in command.
Finding his new team to be undisciplined, McGrath said 'the holiday is over', and began fining players for various reasons. He offloaded Connaughton to Altrincham, loaned Paul Bowles to Southampton, and discovered that Wright was no longer willing to play for the club. In February, McGrath signed goalkeeper Mark Harrison and defender Lee Harwood from Southampton, as well as forward Tony Sealy on loan from Crystal Palace. He also placed fifteen players on the transfer list, after which the Vale went on a six-game unbeaten run. Harwood and Phil Sproson made a solid defensive pair, whilst young Mark Chamberlain (brother of Neville) was used in midfield. The end of their run was a 2–2 draw with league leaders Walsall. In March John Fleming arrived on loan from Lincoln City, and the club went on a run of one win in twelve games, ending with a 2–1 defeat at Vale Park to fellow strugglers York City. In April, Felix Healy left the club to return to his native Northern Ireland. A Sealy goal earned Vale two points in their penultimate game with Stockport County at Edgeley Park, and their final game was a 3–0 win over Doncaster Rovers in front of just 2,338 supporters. These wins took Vale out of the re-election zone on goal difference.
They finished in twentieth place with 36 points, finishing ahead of Hereford United in the re-election zone on goals scored.

### Finances

On the financial side, a loss of £82,069 was recorded. The financial picture led Chairman Arthur McPherson to describe 1979–80 as 'probably the worst season in the club's history'. Leaving the club at the end of the season were: Bernie Wright (Kidderminster Harriers); Bill Bentley (Stafford Rangers); Terry Owen (Northwich Victoria); Bob Delgado (Miami Americans); and Kevin Tully (Chorley). Several players remained in Burslem on virtue of having extended contracts.

### Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale were knocked out in the First Round after losing 3–1 at home to Doncaster Rovers.
In the League Cup, Vale were defeated by Tranmere Rovers 3–1 on aggregate.

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 18 | Halifax Town | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 46 | 72 | −26 | 39 | |
| 19 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 59 | 64 | −5 | 38 | |
| 20 | Port Vale | 46 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 56 | 70 | −14 | 36 | |
| 21 | Hereford United | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 38 | 52 | −14 | 36 | Re-elected |
| 22 | Darlington | 46 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 50 | 74 | −24 | 35 | Re-elected |

## Results

Port Vale's score comes first

### Football League Fourth 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 | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | L | L | L | W | W | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | W | L | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | D | W | L | D | W | L | L | D | W | W | D | D | D | L | W | L | D | L | L | D | L | L | W | W |
| Position | 14 | 18 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 20 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 18 August 1979 | Newport County | A | 1–2 | 4,008 | Tully |
| 20 August 1979 | Hereford United | H | 0–1 | 2,744 | |
| 25 August 1979 | Aldershot | A | 1–3 | 2,538 | Todd |
| 1 September 1979 | Peterborough United | H | 0–1 | 2,794 | |
| 7 September 1979 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–0 | 4,539 | Chamberlain (2) |
| 15 September 1979 | Northampton Town | H | 5–0 | 2,847 | Chamberlain (2), Wright (2), Sproson |
| 17 September 1979 | Bradford City | H | 1–2 | 4,724 | Sproson |
| 22 September 1979 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–7 | 4,299 | Chamberlain |
| 29 September 1979 | Rochdale | H | 5–1 | 2,835 | Wright (2), Farrell, Owen |
| 3 October 1979 | Bradford City | A | 0–2 | 4,393 | |
| 6 October 1979 | Lincoln City | H | 1–2 | 3,127 | Wright |
| 10 October 1979 | Hereford United | A | 0–0 | 2,741 | |
| 13 October 1979 | Hartlepool United | A | 1–2 | 2,441 | Wright |
| 20 October 1979 | Darlington | H | 2–0 | 2,618 | Beech, Farrell |
| 22 October 1979 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–1 | 2,990 | |
| 27 October 1979 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 4,976 | Woolfall |
| 3 November 1979 | Newport County | H | 2–0 | 2,980 | Farrell, o.g. |
| 10 November 1979 | Halifax Town | A | 0–0 | 1,798 | |
| 12 November 1979 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–1 | 2,140 | Wright |
| 17 November 1979 | Torquay United | H | 1–1 | 2,643 | Wright |
| 1 December 1979 | York City | A | 1–5 | 2,402 | Chamberlain |
| 7 December 1979 | Stockport County | H | 1–2 | 2,799 | Chamberlain |
| 21 December 1979 | Portsmouth | A | 2–2 | 12,022 | Griffiths (2) |
| 26 December 1979 | Scunthorpe United | H | 1–0 | 3,433 | Wright |
| 29 December 1979 | Aldershot | H | 0–2 | 2,559 | |
| 5 January 1980 | Bournemouth | H | 1–1 | 2,875 | o.g. |
| 12 January 1980 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 3–2 | 3,859 | Chamberlain (2), Sproson |
| 26 January 1980 | Peterborough United | A | 0–3 | 3,287 | |
| 2 February 1980 | Northampton Town | A | 1–3 | 1,946 | Woolfall |
| 9 February 1980 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–1 | 5,143 | Elsby |
| 15 February 1980 | Rochdale | A | 2–0 | 1,784 | Sealy, Beech |
| 20 February 1980 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–0 | 6,655 | Sealy, Farrell |
| 23 February 1980 | Hartlepool United | H | 1–1 | 3,702 | Chamberlain |
| 1 March 1980 | Darlington | A | 1–1 | 2,102 | Sealy |
| 8 March 1980 | Walsall | H | 2–2 | 6,756 | Griffiths (pen), Chamberlain |
| 15 March 1980 | Lincoln City | A | 0–3 | 2,969 | |
| 22 March 1980 | Halifax Town | H | 1–0 | 2,993 | o.g. |
| 26 March 1980 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–3 | 4,854 | Beech |
| 29 March 1980 | Torquay United | A | 1–1 | 2,109 | Keenan |
| 1 April 1980 | Portsmouth | H | 2–3 | 3,614 | Harwood, Sealy |
| 5 April 1980 | Scunthorpe United | A | 0–1 | 1,981 | |
| 7 April 1980 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–1 | 3,814 | Sealy |
| 12 April 1980 | Bournemouth | A | 1–3 | 2,863 | Owen |
| 19 April 1980 | York City | H | 1–2 | 2,640 | Owen |
| 25 April 1980 | Stockport County | A | 1–0 | 2,404 | Sealy |
| 3 May 1980 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 3–0 | 2,338 | Jones, Griffiths (pen), Bromage |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 23 November 1979 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–3 | 4,973 | Beech |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 1st Leg | 11 August 1979 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–2 | 3,213 | |
| R1 2nd Leg | 15 August 1979 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–1 | 3,026 | Woolfall |

## 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 | John Connaughton | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| GK | Trevor Dance | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| DF | Neil Griffiths | 40 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 4 |
| DF | Phil Sproson | 39 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 3 |
| DF | Graham Hawkins | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | Bill Bentley | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| DF | Gerry Keenan | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| DF | Bob Delgado | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| DF | Lee Harwood | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| DF | Billy Leese | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | Paul Bowles | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| DF | Russell Bromage | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
| MF | Kenny Beech | 46 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 4 |
| MF | Ged Stenson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Ken Todd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| MF | Kevin Tully | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| MF | Mark Chamberlain | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| MF | Peter Farrell | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 5 |
| MF | Ian Elsby | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| MF | Felix Healy | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| MF | John Fleming | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | Neville Chamberlain | 35 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 11 |
| FW | Bernie Wright | 30 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 9 |
| FW | Alan Woolfall | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| FW | Tony Sealy | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 6 |
| FW | Terry Owen | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3 |
| FW | Steve Jones | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Fourth Division | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | England | Neville Chamberlain | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 2 | FW | England | Bernie Wright | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | FW | England | Tony Sealy | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | MF | England | Peter Farrell | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | DF | England | Neil Griffiths | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| – | MF | England | Kenny Beech | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | DF | England | Phil Sproson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| – | FW | England | Terry Owen | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | FW | England | Alan Woolfall | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | DF | England | Gerry Keenan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Lee Harwood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Ken Todd | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Kevin Tully | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Ian Elsby | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | FW | England | Steve Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Russell Bromage | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | – | – | Own goals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| | | | TOTALS | 56 | 1 | 1 | 58 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| May 1979 | FW | Steve Jones | Manchester United | Free transfer |
| Summer 1979 | FW | Terry Owen | Rochdale | Free transfer |
| August 1979 | FW | Alan Woolfall | Bury | Free transfer |
| 25 October 1979 | DF | Paul Bowles | Crewe Alexandra | £30,000 |
| 11 February 1980 | GK | Mark Harrison | Southampton | Free transfer |
| 7 February 1980 | DF | Lee Harwood | Leatherhead | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| August 1979 | FW | Brian Sinclair | Winsford United | Sacked |
| October 1979 | DF | Graham Hawkins | Retired | Retired |
| October 1979 | MF | Ged Stenson | Morecambe | Released |
| 5 October 1979 | MF | Ken Todd | Portsmouth | £20,000 |
| 1980 | GK | John Connaughton | Altrincham | Free transfer |
| 1980 | FW | Terry Owen | Northwich Victoria | Free transfer |
| February 1980 | MF | Kevin Tully | Chorley | Released |
| May 1980 | DF | Bill Bentley | Stafford Rangers | Free transfer |
| May 1980 | DF | Bob Delgado | Miami Americans | Released |
| July 1980 | FW | Felix Healy | Coleraine | Free transfer |
| Summer 1980 | DF | Billy Leese | Retired | Retired |
| Summer 1980 | FW | Bernie Wright | Kidderminster Harriers | Free transfer |

### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
| 7 February 1980 | FW | | Tony Sealy | Crystal Palace | May 1980 | |
| March 1980 | MF | | John Fleming | Lincoln City | March 1980 | |

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
| 3 January 1980 | DF | | Paul Bowles | Southampton | January 1980 | |