# 1947–48 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1947–48 season was Port Vale's 36th season of football in the English Football League, and their third full season in the Third Division South. Gaining just three of their sixteen victories away from home, they were very much a club of two teams. Manager Gordon Hodgson continued his policy of developing young players whilst work on the new stadium continued. Their club record run without failing to score reached 33 games, ending on 13 March 1948, having begun on 19 October 1946.

## Overview
### Third Division South

The pre-season saw the arrival of outside-right John Currie from Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. The total number of players at the club was 81, though the vast majority of these amateurs who never played for the first-team. Standing season tickets were reduced to £3 13s, in an attempt to boost support.
The season began with a 1–1 draw with Bristol Rovers in front of 15,714 supporters, followed four days later by a 2–1 win at Carrow Road. Following this the Vale were exceptional at home but poor away, as their unbeaten run at home reached fifteen games. Their home form was exemplified by 6–4 and 7–0 wins over Aldershot and Watford respectively, in which Ronnie Allen scored a hat-trick in both games, and Morris Jones score a hat-trick past Aldershot. The defence seeming too weak for a promotion push, Harry Hubbick was signed from Bolton Wanderers in October. The Sentinel's "Placer" complained of the weakened passing of the post-war generation, in both the Vale side and in footballers in general. In November Morris Jones was sold to Swindon Town for £2,500, having handed in a transfer request. Gordon Hodgson searched for new attacking talents, leaving his players to relax with games of table tennis, darts, and reading material. On Christmas day a 5–0 win was recorded over Brighton & Hove Albion, with defender Tommy Cheadle put into the centre-forward role. This marked the start of an eight match unbeaten run which took the "Valiants" into fourth place by the end of January.
Hodgson's policy of youth over experience led many older players to hand in transfer requests. In January Alf Bellis was traded to Bury in exchange for Walter Keeley and 'a substantial fee'. A 5–0 thrashing at muddy Plainmoor from Torquay United in February was followed by a win over Swindon Town which was disturbed by a dog on the pitch, whilst the week after came a draw in 3 inches (7.6 cm) of snow at Southend United. The club's promotion hopes faded with a defeat by Notts County at the Rec, England star Tommy Lawton scoring the winner. In preparation for next season Joe Dale was signed from Manchester United for £1,000. The last game of the season attracted 5,602 spectators – the lowest total of the season – ironically, this was against Exeter City, their opponents in the highest attended home game of the previous campaign. This low attendance was partly blamed on the FA Cup final, which was broadcast simultaneously.
They finished in eighth place with 43 points, barely improving on the previous season. Ronnie Allen was the top-scorer with just thirteen goals. Scoring was very much a team effort.

### Finances

On the financial side, a loss of £1,292 was reported – mainly due to a transfer debit. Gate receipts had increased to £26,666 and the wage bill had risen drastically to £13,647. Cash was needed for the ongoing construction of 'The Wembley of the North', and so schemes such as the '100 Club' were introduced, offering supporters a seat for life at the stadium for £100. Meanwhile, Norman Hallam departed in the summer and left the area to become a Methodist Minister in Carlisle.

### Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale fell at the first hurdle, losing 2–1 to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a below-par performance.

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 6 | Notts County | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 68 | 59 | 1.153 | 46 |
| 7 | Bristol City | 42 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 77 | 65 | 1.185 | 43 |
| 8 | Port Vale | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 63 | 54 | 1.167 | 43 |
| 9 | Southend United | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 51 | 58 | 0.879 | 43 |
| 10 | Reading | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 56 | 58 | 0.966 | 41 |

## Results

Port Vale's score comes first

### Football League Third Division South
#### 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 | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | W | L | W | W | D | L | W | D | L | W | L | D | L | W | L | W | W | L | W | D | W | W | D | W | W | L | W | D | L | L | W | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | D | D | D |
| Position | 12 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 23 August 1947 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–1 | 15,714 | Pointon |
| 27 August 1947 | Norwich City | A | 2–1 | 22,024 | Cheadle, Smith |
| 30 August 1947 | Northampton Town | A | 1–4 | 9,404 | Smith |
| 1 September 1947 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 11,688 | Pointon, Smith |
| 6 September 1947 | Aldershot | H | 6–4 | 13,840 | Allen (3), Jones (3) |
| 10 September 1947 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 8,802 | Hallam |
| 13 September 1947 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–2 | 15,063 | |
| 15 September 1947 | Watford | H | 7–0 | 12,232 | Allen (3), Hallam (2), Smith (2) |
| 20 September 1947 | Torquay United | H | 1–1 | 17,092 | Bellis |
| 27 September 1947 | Swindon Town | A | 0–1 | 16,828 | |
| 4 October 1947 | Southend United | H | 2–1 | 15,106 | Allen, Smith |
| 11 October 1947 | Notts County | A | 1–2 | 20,172 | Bellis |
| 18 October 1947 | Swansea Town | H | 1–1 | 14,355 | Smith |
| 25 October 1947 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–3 | 17,025 | |
| 1 November 1947 | Ipswich Town | H | 4–1 | 14,878 | Martin (2), Allen, Pointon |
| 8 November 1947 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | 27,740 | Allen |
| 15 November 1947 | Reading | H | 1–0 | 13,305 | Smith |
| 22 November 1947 | Walsall | A | 2–1 | 15,309 | Bellis, Allen |
| 20 December 1947 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–2 | 11,651 | Martin |
| 25 December 1947 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 5–0 | 11,431 | Cheadle (2), McGarry, Martin, Triner |
| 27 December 1947 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–2 | 7,329 | Cheadle, Martin |
| 3 January 1948 | Northampton Town | H | 1–0 | 12,905 | Bellis |
| 10 January 1948 | Leyton Orient | H | 3–0 | 12,225 | Keeley (2), Cheadle |
| 17 January 1948 | Aldershot | A | 1–1 | 4,459 | Cheadle |
| 24 January 1948 | Newport County | H | 4–1 | 10,816 | Pointon (2), Keeley, Martin (pen) |
| 31 January 1948 | Crystal Palace | H | 4–1 | 13,419 | Cheadle (2), Allen, Pointon |
| 7 February 1948 | Torquay United | A | 0–5 | 6,067 | |
| 14 February 1948 | Swindon Town | H | 1–0 | 14,263 | Pointon |
| 21 February 1948 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | 3,961 | Martin |
| 28 February 1948 | Notts County | H | 1–2 | 18,147 | Allen |
| 6 March 1948 | Swansea Town | A | 0–2 | 18,180 | |
| 13 March 1948 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 2–1 | 15,221 | Allen, Martin |
| 20 March 1948 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–2 | 11,100 | Pointon |
| 26 March 1948 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–2 | 17,889 | |
| 27 March 1948 | Bristol City | H | 1–0 | 12,541 | Pointon |
| 29 March 1948 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–2 | 24,053 | Pointon |
| 3 April 1948 | Reading | A | 0–2 | 12,293 | |
| 7 April 1948 | Exeter City | A | 0–0 | 7,653 | |
| 10 April 1948 | Walsall | H | 0–1 | 12,282 | |
| 17 April 1948 | Leyton Orient | A | 0–0 | 12,430 | |
| 24 April 1948 | Exeter City | H | 1–1 | 5,602 | Smith |
| 1 May 1948 | Newport County | A | 0–0 | 8,309 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 29 November 1947 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–2 | 13,000 | Smith |

## 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 | George Heppell | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| DF | Basil Hayward | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| DF | Tommy Cheadle | 23 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 8 |
| DF | Garth Butler | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| DF | Bob Pursell | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| DF | Harry Hubbick | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| MF | Alf Bellis | 17 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 4 |
| MF | Wilf Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Don Triner | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| MF | Jimmy Todd | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| MF | Alan Martin | 42 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 8 |
| MF | Bill McGarry | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| MF | Eric Eastwood | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| MF | Norman Hallam | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| MF | Walter Keeley | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
| MF | Joe Dale | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | John Currie | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| MF | Ted Shore | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| FW | Jack Smith | 26 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 10 |
| FW | Bill Pointon | 29 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 10 |
| FW | Morris Jones | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| FW | Ronnie Allen | 38 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 13 |
| FW | Eric Prince | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Third Division South | FA Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | England | Ronnie Allen | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | FW | England | Bill Pointon | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| – | FW | England | Jack Smith | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| 4 | MF | England | Alan Martin | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| – | DF | England | Tommy Cheadle | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 6 | MF | England | Alf Bellis | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | FW | England | Morris Jones | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| – | MF | England | Norman Hallam | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| – | MF | England | Walter Keeley | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | MF | England | Bill McGarry | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Don Triner | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| | | | TOTALS | 63 | 1 | 64 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| June 1947 | FW | Len Barber | Bury | Free transfer |
| June 1947 | MF | John Currie | Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic | Free transfer |
| October 1947 | DF | Harry Hubbick | Bolton Wanderers | £1,000 |
| January 1948 | MF | Walter Keeley | Bury | Exchange |
| April 1948 | MF | Joe Dale | Manchester United | £1,000 |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| November 1947 | FW | Morris Jones | Swindon Town | £2,500 |
| January 1948 | MF | Alf Bellis | Bury | 'Substantial' |
| February 1948 | FW | Eric Prince | Macclesfield Town | Released |
| Summer 1948 | MF | John Currie | | Released |
| Summer 1948 | MF | Ted Shore | Coventry City | Released |
| Summer 1948 | FW | Jack Smith | Congleton Town | 'Free transfer |
| Summer 1948 | MF | Don Triner | Witton Albion | Released |