# 1904–05 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1904–05 season was Burslem Port Vale's seventh consecutive season (11th overall) of football in the English Football League. A poor season, the club had to apply (successfully) for re-election. The club had to continue selling their best players to survive.
An extremely poor defence saw some embarrassing scorelines away from home, and the lack of a consistent goalscorer was also a cause for concern.

## Overview
### Second Division

A rather quiet pre-season saw no signings of note, however, past player, outside-right Dick Evans re-signed from Southampton in September. This return was ended in his second game of the season – a Staffordshire Senior Cup defeat to Wolves – when he suffered a career-ending injury.
The first game of the season saw 5,000 turn up to witness a 2–2 draw with Manchester United. Despite going their first four games unbeaten, this positive start soon ended as the club had to wait until their ninth match for their first victory. On 5 November 1904, the club's record 29 away games without a win streak came to an end with a 3–0 victory at Grimsby Town. The next match saw Liverpool win 2–1 thanks to a goal that never actually crossed the line – the referee had to leave the pitch under escort. Following the sale of key players in December, the form of the "Valeites" took a hit as from 4 December to the end of February they recorded just two victories – both against West Bromwich Albion. This run included heavy defeats at Manchester United and Burnley. In February, the club's revival was helped by new signing Robert Carter, as six of the last seven home games were wins. Despite this, they still suffered on their travels, taking an 8–1 hammering at Anfield.
The club finished in sixteenth place, though their 27 points saw them just one point off Blackpool and six points off seventh place. Burton United and Doncaster Rovers both finished well below Vale, and at the end of the season, both Vale and Burton were re-elected.
Dick Allman was the top scorer with eight goals, though scoring proved to be a team effort to give Vale a reasonable total of 47 league goals. However, in defensive terms the season was awful, their 72 conceded would always guarantee a battle against dropping into the lottery of the re-election zones.
Allman left for Reading at the season's end. Harry Croxton was an ever-present, and other regulars included goalkeeper Harry Cotton, and outfielders Sam Whittingham, Joseph Holyhead, George Price, and Adrian Capes. Manager Sam Gleaves stepped down at the end of the season and was given the position of director. His replacement was former player Tommy Clare.

### Finances

The financial outlook was as grim as ever, as directors were forced to sell Ernest Mullineux and Tom Simpson to Bury for £600 and £200 respectively. This gave the club a season profit of £140, and reduced club debt to just £33, however, gate receipts had fallen by £150.

### Cup competitions

The club came up against tough competition in both county cup competitions, losing 1–0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the First Round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup. They found rather more success in the Birmingham Senior Cup, where Vale defeated rivals Stoke with a Tom Simpson hat-trick at home, following a goalless draw at the Victoria Ground. This achievement was less significant due to a slight from Stoke, who only sent out their reserve team. Following this success, the club lost in the semi-final to Second Division rivals West Bromwich Albion. The club yet again failed to qualify for the FA Cup, losing narrowly to Barnsley in the qualification stages.

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 14 | Leicester Fosse | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 40 | 55 | 0.727 | 29 | |
| 15 | Blackpool | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 36 | 48 | 0.750 | 28 | |
| 16 | Burslem Port Vale | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 47 | 72 | 0.653 | 27 | Re-elected |
| 17 | Burton United | 34 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 30 | 84 | 0.357 | 20 | Re-elected |
| 18 | Doncaster Rovers | 34 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 23 | 81 | 0.284 | 8 | Failed re-election |
* ↑ Failed to be re-elected to the Football League. Elected in expansion of Second Division to 20 teams.
* ↑ New club in the league.

## Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

### Football League Second 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 |
| Ground | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A |
| Result | D | D | D | D | L | L | L | L | W | W | L | D | W | L | L | W | L | L | D | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | W | W | L |
| Position | 11 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 3 September 1904 | Manchester United | H | 2–2 | 5,000 | Bowen, Allman |
| 5 September 1904 | Blackpool | H | 2–2 | | Capes, Eardley |
| 10 September 1904 | Glossop | A | 0–0 | 4,000 | |
| 17 September 1904 | Chesterfield Town | H | 0–0 | 3,500 | |
| 24 September 1904 | Bradford City | A | 1–2 | 10,000 | Holyhead |
| 1 October 1904 | Lincoln City | H | 0–1 | | |
| 8 October 1904 | Leicester Fosse | A | 0–3 | 3,000 | |
| 15 October 1904 | Barnsley | H | 0–2 | 3,000 | |
| 29 October 1904 | Burnley | H | 3–1 | 1,500 | Simpson (2), Mountford |
| 5 November 1904 | Grimsby Town | A | 3–0 | 2,500 | Mountford, Simpson, Price |
| 12 November 1904 | Liverpool | H | 1–2 | 3,000 | Price |
| 19 November 1904 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 2–2 | 1,800 | Eardley, o.g. |
| 3 December 1904 | Burton United | A | 3–2 | | Eardley (2), Simpson |
| 17 December 1904 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–2 | 3,000 | Whittingham |
| 24 December 1904 | Bristol City | A | 2–4 | 6,000 | Allman (2) |
| 26 December 1904 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–0 | 3,000 | Allman |
| 31 December 1904 | Manchester United | A | 1–6 | 15,000 | Price |
| 7 January 1905 | Glossop | H | 0–1 | 2,000 | |
| 21 January 1905 | Bradford City | H | 1–1 | 1,000 | Croxton |
| 28 January 1905 | Lincoln City | A | 3–3 | 3,000 | Croxton, Capes, Cope |
| 11 February 1905 | Barnsley | A | 0–3 | | |
| 18 February 1905 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–2 | 3,500 | Carter (2), Allman |
| 25 February 1905 | Burnley | A | 0–5 | 1,000 | |
| 4 March 1905 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–0 | 2,000 | Capes, Whittingham |
| 11 March 1905 | Blackpool | A | 0–3 | 1,400 | |
| 18 March 1905 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 2–0 | 1,000 | Price, Whittingham |
| 25 March 1905 | Gainsborough Trinity | A | 0–1 | | |
| 1 April 1905 | Burton United | H | 4–2 | | Allman, Price, Carter, Mountford |
| 3 April 1905 | Leicester Fosse | H | 1–3 | 2,000 | Allman |
| 8 April 1905 | Liverpool | A | 1–8 | 14,000 | Croxton |
| 15 April 1905 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–3 | 12,000 | Horrocks |
| 21 April 1905 | Gainsborough Trinity | H | 3–2 | 3,000 | Horrocks, Carter, Thomas |
| 22 April 1905 | Bristol City | H | 3–2 | 2,000 | Allman, Capes, Carter |
| 24 April 1905 | Chesterfield Town | A | 1–2 | 4,000 | Price |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 6Q | 10 December 1904 | Barnsley | A | 0–0 | 2,000 | |
| 6Q Replay | 15 December 1904 | Barnsley | H | 1–2 | | Loverseed |

### Birmingham Senior Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 26 September 1904 | Stoke | A | 0–0 | | |
| Replay | 3 October 1904 | Stoke | H | 3–1 | | Simpson (3) |
| SF | 22 October 1904 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–2 | 3,000 | Price |

### Staffordshire Senior Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 12 September 1903 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–1 | handful | |

## Player statistics
### Appearances and goals

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Harry Cotton | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| GK | Arthur Box | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| DF | Ernest Mullineux | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| DF | James Hamilton | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| DF | William Cope | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| DF | Thomas Reaney | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | Bert Eardley | 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| MF | Harry Croxton | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 3 |
| MF | Sam Whittingham | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 3 |
| MF | William Bradbury | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | Joseph Holyhead | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| MF | Vic Horrocks | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| MF | Ben Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Albert Cook | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | Robert Carter | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 |
| MF | George Bowen | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| FW | George Price | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 7 |
| FW | Adrian Capes | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 4 |
| FW | Tom Simpson | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 7 |
| FW | William Loverseed | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| FW | Dick Allman | 27 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 8 |
| FW | Harry Mountford | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 3 |
| FW | William Thomas | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| FW | Edward Williams | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| FW | Enoch Rowley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Dick Evans | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | W. Edwards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Second Division | FA Cup | Other | Total |
| 1 | FW | England | Dick Allman | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | FW | | Tom Simpson | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| – | FW | England | George Price | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 | MF | England | Robert Carter | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | FW | England | Adrian Capes | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| – | MF | England | Bert Eardley | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | FW | England | Harry Mountford | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| – | MF | England | Sam Whittingham | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| – | MF | England | Harry Croxton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | MF | England | Vic Horrocks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | MF | England | George Bowen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | William Cope | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Joseph Holyhead | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | FW | England | William Thomas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | FW | England | William Loverseed | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| – | – | – | Own goals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | | | TOTALS | 47 | 1 | 4 | 52 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| 1904 | MF | Robert Carter | Selbourne | Free transfer |
| August 1904 | MF | George Bowen | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| August 1904 | GK | Arthur Box | Stoke | Free transfer |
| August 1904 | DF | William Cope | Mount Pleasant | Free transfer |
| August 1904 | FW | W. Edwards | Crewe Alexandra | Free transfer |
| August 1904 | MF | Ben Jones | Alsagers Bank Church | Free transfer |
| August 1904 | DF | Thomas Reaney | Bridgetown Amateurs | Free transfer |
| September 1904 | FW | Dick Evans | Southampton | Free transfer |
| September 1904 | FW | Enoch Rowley | Biddulph | Free transfer |
| April 1905 | MF | Vic Horrocks | Goldenhill United | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| 1904 | FW | Dick Evans | Retired | Retired |
| December 1904 | DF | Ernest Mullineux | Bury | £600 |
| December 1904 | FW | Tom Simpson | Bury | £200 |
| May 1905 | FW | Dick Allman | Reading | Free transfer |
| Summer 1905 | MF | George Bowen | | Released |
| Summer 1905 | GK | Harry Cotton | Crewe Alexandra | Free transfer |
| Summer 1905 | FW | Sam Howshall | Salisbury City | Free transfer |
| Summer 1905 | FW | William Loverseed | | Released |
| Summer 1905 | DF | W. H. Machin | | Released |
| Summer 1905 | DF | Thomas Reaney | | Released |
| Summer 1905 | FW | Enoch Rowley | | Released |
| Summer 1905 | FW | Edward Williams | | Released |