# 1934–35 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1934–35 season was Port Vale's 29th season of football in the English Football League and their fifth-successive season (28th overall) in the Second Division. A positive start to the season raised hope of promotion; however, from October onwards the club performed so poorly as to finish fifth-from-bottom. One event of note was a six-week discussion over a possible change of name; the names Stoke Central, Stoke United, Stoke North End, and Hanley Port Vale were considered – however, none of these names attracted enough support to institute a change.

## Overview
### Second Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of eight new signings, the most significant of these were: 'safe as houses' goalkeeper John Potts (Leeds United), 'outstanding' outside-right John Friar (Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic), inside-left David Galloway (Preston North End), and centre-half Joe Craven (Swansea Town).
The season started with just one defeat in the opening eight games, leaving the club in fourth place by the end of September – mostly down to the goalscoring partnership of Friar and Nolan. Home victories over Sheffield United, Southampton, Manchester United, and Burnley nevertheless saw attendances of only 7,311 to 11,975. Following this they went on a run of twelve games without a win, with an over-reliance on Friar and Nolan in attack, whilst the defence lacked understanding. The team was changed around but to no avail, as they slipped down the league towards a relegation battle. In the middle of December Friar was sold on to Preston North End, having scored ten goals in eighteen games, with the 'more steady' Ted Critchley heading in the other direction. Their poor form was halted with a Christmas day victory over Bradford City. The team were then inconsistent until the end of the season.
The 2 February matchday programme (for a 2–1 victory over Swansea) recorded a discussion on whether or not the club should change its name. Concluding that many people didn't know where Port Vale was, Stoke Central and Stoke United were put forward as possible new names. A discussion with the fans resulted, in which Stoke United was decided as the best alternative, despite calls from some for the name Hanley to be included. On 2 March (a 1–1 draw with Norwich City), each supporter was given a ballot slip upon entering The Old Recreation Ground, with the result of the poll being that 3,737 were in favour of a change of name, and 3,633 opposed a change. A shareholders' meeting on 18 March at the Grand Hotel (Hanley) saw the directors suggest the name of Stoke North End to the 100 members present. Finding little support, a resolution was instead passed for the new name of Hanley Port Vale. The Football League forced them to wait until the end of the season to implement a name change, having already printed countless papers with the original name. However, the new name proved unpopular with the public, who criticized the club for being too parochial and lacking civic pride. The name change never occurred.
Back on the pitch, the team were bobbing along, picking up enough points to avoid relegation concerns – whereas Oldham Athletic and Notts County were rapidly drifting away from safety. On 9 March at St James' Park the Vale picked up a shock result by beating promotion hopefuls Newcastle United 2–1 – their first away win in 24 attempts, ending a run going back to January 1934. Nolan's stand-in James Baker bagged both of the goals. On 19 April, a 5–3 beating of Notts County proved enough to guarantee safety, yet Vale still earned just two points from their final four games. On 20 April, they lost a massive 8–0 to champions Brentford – the biggest defeat in the division that season.
They finished eighteenth with 34 points, eight points clear of relegation and 22 points short of promotion. Away from home, they recorded just one win, whilst in front of goal, their 55 goals scored was their lowest total since 1925 (after which the offside rule had been changed to make scoring easier). Tom Nolan's sixteen goals and the departed John Friar's ten goals were the only significant contributions.

### Finances

On the financial side, a mere £11,120 was made on the gates, though a £3,775 credit on transfers ensured a profit of £2,415. Only fourteen players were retained, with those leaving including: James Baker (Barrow), Bob Morton (Throckley Welfare), Jack Blackwell (Boston United), Joe Craven (Newport County), David Galloway (Carlisle United), Ted Critchley (South Liverpool), and 128 game veteran Jack Round (also Carlisle).

### Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale were defeated 2–1 by eventual runners-up West Bromwich Albion of the First Division at The Hawthorns. The 18,989 crowd saw £1,000 raised in gate receipts, and a comeback from the "Throstles" just six minutes from time. This meant they exited in the Third Round for the third consecutive season.

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Brentford (C, P) | 42 | 26 | 9 | 7 | 93 | 48 | 1.938 | 61 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 2 | Bolton Wanderers (P) | 42 | 26 | 4 | 12 | 96 | 48 | 2.000 | 56 | Promotion to the First Division |
| 3 | West Ham United | 42 | 26 | 4 | 12 | 80 | 63 | 1.270 | 56 | |
| 4 | Blackpool | 42 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 79 | 57 | 1.386 | 53 | |
| 5 | Manchester United | 42 | 23 | 4 | 15 | 76 | 55 | 1.382 | 50 | |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 42 | 22 | 4 | 16 | 89 | 68 | 1.309 | 48 | |
| 7 | Fulham | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 76 | 56 | 1.357 | 46 | |
| 8 | Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 75 | 64 | 1.172 | 46 | |
| 9 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 76 | 70 | 1.086 | 42 | |
| 10 | Bury | 42 | 19 | 4 | 19 | 62 | 73 | 0.849 | 42 | |
| 11 | Sheffield United | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 79 | 70 | 1.129 | 41 | |
| 12 | Burnley | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 63 | 73 | 0.863 | 41 | |
| 13 | Hull City | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 63 | 74 | 0.851 | 40 | |
| 14 | Norwich City | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 71 | 61 | 1.164 | 39 | |
| 15 | Bradford Park Avenue | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 55 | 63 | 0.873 | 38 | |
| 16 | Barnsley | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 60 | 83 | 0.723 | 38 | |
| 17 | Swansea Town | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 56 | 67 | 0.836 | 36 | |
| 18 | Port Vale | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 55 | 74 | 0.743 | 34 | |
| 19 | Southampton | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 75 | 0.613 | 34 | |
| 20 | Bradford City | 42 | 12 | 8 | 22 | 50 | 68 | 0.735 | 32 | |
| 21 | Oldham Athletic (R) | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 56 | 95 | 0.589 | 26 | Relegation to the Third Division North |
| 22 | Notts County (R) | 42 | 9 | 7 | 26 | 46 | 97 | 0.474 | 25 | Relegation to the Third Division South |

## Results

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 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | W | D | L | W | D | W | D | W | L | L | D | L | L | D | L | L | L | D | L | D | W | L | L | W | L | W | L | D | W | L | D | W | D | L | L | L | W | W | L | L | D | D |
| Position | 1 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 25 August 1934 | Sheffield United | H | 2–0 | 11,975 | Nolan, Friar |
| 27 August 1934 | Southampton | A | 0–0 | 6,977 | |
| 1 September 1934 | Barnsley | A | 0–2 | 9,370 | |
| 3 September 1934 | Southampton | H | 4–1 | 7,746 | Friar (2), Nolan, Morton |
| 8 September 1934 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–2 | 10,133 | Nolan (2) |
| 15 September 1934 | Manchester United | H | 3–2 | 9,037 | Friar (2 [1 pen]), Nolan |
| 22 September 1934 | Swansea Town | A | 1–1 | 5,698 | Nolan |
| 29 September 1934 | Burnley | H | 3–1 | 7,311 | Friar (2), Nolan |
| 6 October 1934 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–2 | 6,069 | |
| 13 October 1934 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–3 | 16,839 | Nolan |
| 20 October 1934 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 | 14,195 | |
| 27 October 1934 | Newcastle United | H | 1–3 | 11,036 | Rhodes |
| 3 November 1934 | West Ham United | A | 1–3 | 19,391 | Rhodes |
| 10 November 1934 | Blackpool | H | 2–2 | 7,656 | Gunn, Rhodes |
| 17 November 1934 | Bury | A | 1–3 | 8,278 | Friar |
| 24 November 1934 | Hull City | H | 1–2 | 6,086 | Friar |
| 1 December 1934 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–2 | 13,576 | |
| 8 December 1934 | Brentford | H | 2–2 | 8,054 | Friar, Nolan |
| 15 December 1934 | Fulham | A | 0–2 | 8,138 | |
| 22 December 1934 | Bradford Park Avenue | H | 1–1 | 6,251 | Morton |
| 25 December 1934 | Bradford City | H | 1–0 | 8,436 | Nolan |
| 26 December 1934 | Bradford City | A | 0–3 | 13,727 | |
| 29 December 1934 | Sheffield United | A | 0–3 | 16,520 | |
| 5 January 1935 | Barnsley | H | 4–0 | 6,074 | Rhodes, Morton, Mitcheson, Blackwell |
| 19 January 1935 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–2 | 14,051 | Rhodes |
| 2 February 1935 | Swansea Town | H | 2–1 | 7,081 | Nolan (2) |
| 6 February 1935 | Manchester United | A | 1–2 | 7,372 | Rhodes |
| 9 February 1935 | Burnley | A | 2–2 | 9,830 | Dean (2) |
| 16 February 1935 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–0 | 5,473 | Dean, Critchley |
| 23 February 1935 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 18,897 | |
| 2 March 1935 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 8,284 | Morton |
| 9 March 1935 | Newcastle United | A | 2–1 | 23,934 | Baker (2) |
| 16 March 1935 | West Ham United | H | 2–2 | 12,853 | Baker, Mitcheson |
| 23 March 1935 | Blackpool | A | 1–3 | 7,268 | Baker |
| 30 March 1935 | Bury | H | 0–1 | 7,869 | |
| 6 April 1935 | Hull City | A | 0–1 | 3,569 | |
| 13 April 1935 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–0 | 6,389 | Nolan (2) |
| 19 April 1935 | Notts County | H | 5–3 | 9,010 | Birks (2), Mitcheson (2), Nolan |
| 20 April 1935 | Brentford | A | 0–8 | 18,194 | |
| 22 April 1935 | Notts County | A | 2–3 | 6,765 | Blackwell, Nolan |
| 27 April 1935 | Fulham | H | 1–1 | 3,860 | Birks |
| 4 May 1935 | Bradford Park Avenue | A | 1–1 | 3,634 | Birks |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 12 January 1935 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–2 | 18,989 | Morton |

## Player statistics
### Appearances and goals

| Pos. | Name | Football League | Football League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | John Potts | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| DF | George Shenton | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| DF | Jack Vickers | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| DF | Trevor Rhodes | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 6 |
| DF | Ernest Breeze | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| DF | Percy Thorpe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | Jim Kelso | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| DF | Eric Hayward | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | Roger Jones | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| MF | Jack Round | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| MF | Bob Morton | 35 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 5 |
| MF | Cliff Birks | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| MF | Albert Purcell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Ken Gunn | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| MF | Albert Titley | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | John Friar | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 10 |
| MF | Arthur Caldwell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Joe Craven | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| MF | Sam Briddon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | Tom Nolan | 39 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 16 |
| FW | Fred Mitcheson | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 4 |
| FW | Jack Blackwell | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| FW | David Galloway | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| FW | Ted Critchley | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| FW | Luke Dean | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
| FW | James Baker | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Second Division | FA Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | England | Tom Nolan | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 2 | MF | Scotland | John Friar | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | DF | England | Trevor Rhodes | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | MF | England | Bob Morton | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | MF | England | Cliff Birks | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| – | FW | England | Fred Mitcheson | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| – | FW | England | James Baker | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | FW | England | Luke Dean | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | FW | England | Jack Blackwell | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | MF | Scotland | Ken Gunn | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| – | FW | England | Ted Critchley | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| – | – | – | Own goals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | TOTALS | 55 | 1 | 56 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| May 1934 | GK | John Potts | Leeds United | Free transfer |
| May 1934 | MF | Albert Titley | West Bromwich Albion | Free transfer |
| June 1934 | FW | James Baker | Charlton Athletic | Free transfer |
| June 1934 | DF | Joe Craven | Swansea Town | Free transfer |
| June 1934 | FW | David Galloway | Preston North End | Free transfer |
| June 1934 | DF | Jim Kelso | Bradford Park Avenue | Free transfer |
| July 1934 | MF | John Friar | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | Free transfer |
| July 1934 | DF | Eric Hayward | Hanley and Wardle's | Free transfer |
| August 1934 | FW | Luke Dean | Downing's Tileries | Free transfer |
| November 1934 | DF | Percy Thorpe | Accrington Stanley | Free transfer |
| December 1934 | FW | Ted Critchley | Preston North End | Exchange |
| May 1935 | MF | Arthur Caldwell | Winsford United | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| December 1934 | MF | John Friar | Preston North End | Exchange |
| May 1935 | FW | Jack Blackwell | Boston United | Released |
| May 1935 | DF | Jim Kelso | Newport County | Free transfer |
| May 1935 | MF | Albert Titley | Macclesfield Town | Free transfer |
| July 1935 | FW | Tom Nolan | Bradford Park Avenue | Free transfer |
| Summer 1935 | DF | Joe Craven | Newport County | Free transfer |
| Summer 1935 | FW | Ted Critchley | South Liverpool | Released |
| Summer 1935 | FW | David Galloway | Carlisle United | Free transfer |
| Summer 1935 | MF | Bob Morton | Throckley Welfare | Free transfer |
| Summer 1935 | MF | Albert Purcell | | Released |
| Summer 1935 | DF | Percy Thorpe | | Released |