# 1892–93 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1892–93 season was Burslem Port Vale's first season of football in the English Football League. The club were founding members of the Football League Second Division, the First Division having been in operation for four seasons before 1892–93. A learning curve for the club, it marked the first of four seasons of struggle in what was rapidly becoming the second tier of the strongest league in the world. This learning curve was punctuated by the biggest league defeat in the club's history, a 10–0 humiliation in a snowstorm at home to Sheffield United on 10 December 1892, still a Football League record for a home defeat.
Other than the record defeat (which saw right-half Billy Delves play in goal) and two away performances where five goals were conceded, the Vale were competitive in most matches, winning three of their games by at least a three-goal margin. If not for the capitulation against Sheffield United, then the club would have had one of the better defensive records in the league. However, a run of one goal scored in five consecutive games highlighted their lack of offensive firepower. This run saw them lose eight of ten games.

## Winning Football League status

Having spent their early history playing only friendly matches, cup games, and in minor leagues such as the Midland Football League; 1892–93 marked the club's first season in the English Football League. The Football League's merger with the Football Alliance saw the club granted Second Division status, due to their third place standing in the Midland League in 1891–92, along with Northwich Victoria and Sheffield United.

## Overview
### Second Division

The pre-season started terribly, with star striker Frank McGinnes dying of kidney disease before a ball was kicked. His replacement was Wallace Bliss, and local headmaster Fred Farrington was appointed captain. The first match continued in desperately poor fashion; Billy Beats missed the train, and so Vale played with ten men against Small Heath, losing 5–1, with Bliss scoring the club's first Football League goal – his only goal in the league ever. Away matches were difficult for the "Valeites" as players had trouble gaining permission from their employers to miss work. Vale suffered a 10–0 defeat in a snowstorm at home to Sheffield United on 10 December, a Football League record for a home defeat.
Finishing in 11th place, they finished one place above the bottom club Walsall Town Swifts and level on points with Crewe Alexandra. Their fifteen points were less than half the tally of champions Small Heath (who were not promoted after losing their 'Test Match'). A time of expansion for the competition, they retained their league status despite their poor showing (disbanded Bootle were the only team to lose their status), and the next season, three more teams were added to the league. Vale's defence performed admirably (most of the time). However, Vale only scored 30 goals in their 22 league games. Their first-ever point came at Bootle, and their first-ever win was a 4–1 home victory over Crewe Alexandra.

### Cup competitions

Despite reaching the Fifth Round of the FA Cup in 1885–86, they failed to make it through the qualifying stages this time round. In the Staffordshire Senior Cup they exited in the First Round to Burton Wanderers, and in the Birmingham Senior Cup they left in the Second Round after a 4–1 defeat by Aston Villa.

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 8 | Bootle | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 49 | 63 | 0.778 | 19 | Resigned from league |
| 9 | Lincoln City | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 45 | 51 | 0.882 | 17 | Re-elected |
| 10 | Crewe Alexandra | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 42 | 69 | 0.609 | 15 | Re-elected |
| 11 | Burslem Port Vale | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 30 | 57 | 0.526 | 15 | Re-elected |
| 12 | Walsall Town Swifts | 22 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 37 | 75 | 0.493 | 13 | Re-elected |
* ↑ Bootle was liquidated at the end of the season.

## 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 |
| Ground | A | A | A | H | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | L | L | L | W | L | L | L | W | D | L | W |
| Position | 10 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 3 September 1892 | Small Heath | A | 1–5 | 2,500 | Bliss |
| 10 September 1892 | Ardwick | A | 0–2 | 2,000 | |
| 12 September 1892 | Bootle | A | 1–1 | 3,000 | Dean |
| 24 September 1892 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 4–1 | 1,500 | Farrington (2), Walker, Dean |
| 1 October 1892 | Darwen | H | 2–4 | 2,000 | Walker, Bliss |
| 8 October 1892 | Burton Swifts | H | 1–0 | | Farrington |
| 10 October 1892 | Ardwick | H | 1–2 | 1,000 | Walker |
| 22 October 1892 | Lincoln City | A | 4–3 | 1,000 | J.Mountford, Bliss, unknown, unknown |
| 5 November 1892 | Darwen | A | 1–4 | 3,000 | Farrington |
| 12 November 1892 | Bootle | H | 0–0 | 1,300 | |
| 26 November 1892 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–5 | | |
| 3 December 1892 | Lincoln City | H | 1–2 | | Beats |
| 10 December 1892 | Sheffield United | H | 0–10 | 1,000 | |
| 17 December 1892 | Sheffield United | A | 0–4 | 2,000 | |
| 31 December 1892 | Walsall Town Swifts | H | 3–0 | 1,000 | Lander (2), unknown |
| 14 January 1893 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–2 | 500 | |
| 11 February 1893 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–1 | 500 | |
| 18 February 1893 | Walsall Town Swifts | A | 0–3 | 1,000 | |
| 4 March 1893 | Northwich Victoria | H | 4–0 | 800 | Wood (2), Beats, Dean |
| 18 March 1893 | Burton Swifts | A | 3–3 | | Dean (2), Scarratt |
| 25 March 1893 | Small Heath | H | 0–3 | 3,000 | |
| 8 April 1893 | Northwich Victoria | A | 4–2 | 1,000 | Beats (2), G.Mountford (2) |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Goalscorers |
| 1Q | 15 October 1892 | Burton Swifts | H | 0–2 | |

### Birmingham Senior Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 2 | 2 February 1893 | Aston Villa | H | 1–4 | 2,000 | Elson |

### Staffordshire Senior Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 7 January 1893 | Burton Wanderers | H | 2–4 | 100 | Scarratt, Dean |

## 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 | Joe Frail | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| GK | Levi Higginson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | James Clutton | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| DF | W. Downwood | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| DF | C. McAlpine | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| DF | W. E. Powell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | Albert Skinner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | George Youds | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Meshach Dean | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 6 |
| MF | Billy Delves | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Billy Elson | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 1 |
| MF | Fred Farrington (c) | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 4 |
| MF | W. Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Bob McCrindle | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| MF | Jos Randles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Jimmy Scarratt | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 2 |
| MF | James Smith | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | Tommy Walker | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 3 |
| MF | Alf Wood | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
| FW | James Mountford | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| FW | Billy Beats | 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 4 |
| FW | Wallace Bliss | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| FW | Jimmy Ditchfield | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| FW | Charles Garner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | Johnny Lander | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| FW | William McFarlane | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| FW | George Mountford | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| FW | John Nash | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | Arthur Pimlott | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Midland League | FA Cup | Other | Total |
| 1 | MF | England | Meshach Dean | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | FW | England | Billy Beats | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| – | MF | | Fred Farrington | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | MF | | Tommy Walker | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| – | FW | England | Wallace Bliss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | FW | | George Mountford | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | MF | England | Alf Wood | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | FW | | Johnny Lander | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | MF | England | Jimmy Scarratt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | MF | England | Billy Elson | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| – | FW | | James Mountford | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | – | – | Unknown | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| | | | TOTALS | 30 | 0 | 6 | 36 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| October 1892 | DF | C. McAlpine | Darlington | Free transfer |
| November 1892 | DF | George Youds | Kettering Town | Free transfer |
| December 1892 | MF | Alf Wood | Smallthorne Albion | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| February 1893 | DF | C. McAlpine | | Released |
| March 1893 | MF | Tommy Walker | Burton Swifts | Free transfer |
| Summer 1893 | FW | Wallace Bliss | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | MF | Billy Delves | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | DF | W. Downwood | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | FW | Charles Garner | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | MF | W. Jones) | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | MF | Johnny Lander | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | FW | William McFarlane | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | FW | George Mountford | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | MF | James Mountford | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | FW | John Nash | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | FW | Arthur Pimlott | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | DF | W. E. Powell | | Released |
| Summer 1893 | DF | Albert Skinner | | Released |