# 1937–38 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1937–38 season was Port Vale's 32nd season of football in the English Football League, and their second-successive season (third overall) in the Third Division North. With thirty goals, Jack Roberts was the division's top scorer. However, the club managed only a mid-table finish, exiting both cup competitions at the first stage.

## Overview
### Third Division North

The pre-season saw the arrival of goalkeepers James Nicholls and George Heppell (Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers); veteran right-back Johnny Rowe (Queen's Park Rangers); left-back Harry Johnson (Newcastle United); winger Charlie Rattray (Mansfield Town); experienced inside-right Arthur Masters (Nottingham Forest); and 'clever' inside-left William Price (Fulham). Pre-season training included bowls, cricket, and practice with rubbers balls and rubber boots to improve ball control. The fans were not optimistic about the campaign, so ticket sales were low despite lowered prices.
The season began with a 3–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park. Tom Nolan found himself dropped in favour of Jack Roberts, who immediately went on a run of three goals in three games. The team went on to go six games unbeaten, including a 4–0 win over Barrow in which Roberts scored all four. Their 5–1 win over Hartlepools United – in which Arthur Caldwell scored a hat-trick – took them into seventh in the table. This run ended with a 5–0 drubbing at Valley Parade. After this defeat to Bradford City the Vale signed forward Ken Fish from Aston Villa for 'a sizeable fee'. In November, William Price was released from his contract. The next month the side were on the end of a 7–2 beating by Chester at Sealand Road. Soon after this Tom Morgan was re-appointed as manager, having been demoted to assistant-secretary in June 1932. Immediately following this, the club went on a run of one defeat in nine games. During this run, Roberts scored a hat-trick past Accrington Stanley in a 4–1 win.
In February, Tommy Ward was traded to Stoke City in exchange for Harry Davies and a small fee. On 5 March, Vale inflicted a 4–3 win over Bradford City, soon after which Sam Baum was signed from Bolton Wanderers just two minutes before the transfer deadline closed. On 15 April, the club saw its first five-figure crowd of the season, as promotion-chasing Hull City took away both the points despite a brace from Roberts. Revenge came at Anlaby Road three days later, when the "Valiants" held a clean sheet to damage the "Tigers" promotion prospects. On the final home game of the season a seventeen-year-old Alf Bellis scored on his debut as Vale beat Rochdale 4–1.
They finished fifteenth with 38 points, just six points clear of the re-election zone. Away from The Old Recreation Ground, the side struggled, managing just a single win. Jack Roberts was the club's top goalscorer with 28 league strikes in 37 games – also making him the division's top scorer.

### Finances

On the financial side, a bare profit of some £300 was recorded due to a transfer credit of £2,900. The annual summer clear-out saw the departure of fourteen of the twenty-six players, including Sam Baum; Spencer Evans (Northwich Victoria); Roderick Welsh; Charlie Rattray (Accrington Stanley); Harry Johnson (Hartlepools United); Trevor Rhodes; and Fred Obrey (who was sold to Tranmere Rovers). At the season's end the club were delighted to hear they had been transferred to the Third Division South, where gate receipts were higher. On 27 June, another meeting at the Grand Hotel (Hanley) saw the issue of a name change debated, where Stoke United and Stoke North End were again considered. A name change was advocated by every letter written in by supporters; however, once again, there was insufficient time to implement a name change before the upcoming season.

### Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, a first-round exit came at the hands of Midland League Gainsborough Trinity, after Trinity won the replay 2–1. In the short-lived Football League Third Division North Cup, Vale went out in the first round to Tranmere Rovers – a 1–1 stalemate at home was followed by a 2–0 defeat in the replay at Prenton Park.

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion |
| 13 | New Brighton | 42 | 15 | 8 | 19 | 60 | 61 | 0.984 | 38 | |
| 14 | Bradford City | 42 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 66 | 69 | 0.957 | 38 | |
| 15 | Port Vale | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 65 | 73 | 0.890 | 38 | Transferred to the Third Division South |
| 16 | Southport | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 53 | 82 | 0.646 | 38 | |
| 17 | Rochdale | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 67 | 78 | 0.859 | 37 | |

## Results

Port Vale's score comes first

### Football League Third Division North
#### 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 | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | A | H | H | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | L | D | W | L | L | W | W | W | D | W | D | L | W | L | L | L | L | D | L | W | D | D | W | D | D | D | L | W | L | L | W | D | W | L | D | L | L | D | D | L | W | D |
| Position | 20 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 15 |

#### Matches

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 28 August 1937 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–3 | 5,781 | |
| 30 August 1937 | Gateshead | H | 2–2 | 6,699 | Caldwell, Roberts |
| 4 September 1937 | Darlington | H | 1–0 | 7,233 | Roberts |
| 8 September 1937 | Gateshead | A | 1–2 | 9,641 | Roberts |
| 11 September 1937 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 2–3 | 11,538 | Price, Caldwell |
| 13 September 1937 | New Brighton | H | 3–2 | 4,257 | Caldwell, Roberts, Masters |
| 18 September 1937 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–1 | 5,888 | Price, Roberts |
| 25 September 1937 | Barrow | H | 4–0 | 7,416 | Roberts (4) |
| 2 October 1937 | Wrexham | A | 0–0 | 5,364 | |
| 9 October 1937 | Hartlepools United | H | 5–1 | 7,951 | Caldwell (3), Ward (2) |
| 16 October 1937 | Southport | H | 1–1 | 8,151 | Masters |
| 23 October 1937 | Bradford City | A | 0–5 | 3,176 | |
| 30 October 1937 | York City | H | 3–2 | 5,139 | Masters (2), Caldwell |
| 6 November 1937 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–2 | 7,597 | Masters |
| 13 November 1937 | Halifax Town | H | 0–2 | 6,579 | |
| 20 November 1937 | Carlisle United | A | 1–3 | 4,959 | Fish |
| 4 December 1937 | Chester | A | 2–7 | 3,849 | Roberts (2 [1 pen]) |
| 18 December 1937 | Rochdale | A | 1–1 | 3,560 | Roberts (pen) |
| 27 December 1937 | Lincoln City | A | 0–1 | 13,354 | |
| 28 December 1937 | Lincoln City | H | 1–0 | 5,740 | Roberts (pen) |
| 1 January 1938 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–2 | 6,878 | Roberts, Ward |
| 3 January 1938 | Rotherham United | H | 0–0 | 3,604 | |
| 8 January 1938 | Accrington Stanley | H | 4–1 | 5,443 | Roberts (3), Masters |
| 15 January 1938 | Darlington | A | 2–2 | 2,330 | Roberts, Ward |
| 22 January 1938 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–1 | 7,153 | Caldwell |
| 29 January 1938 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–1 | 5,851 | Caldwell |
| 5 February 1938 | Barrow | A | 0–3 | 5,759 | |
| 12 February 1938 | Wrexham | H | 2–0 | 7,861 | Davies, Caldwell |
| 19 February 1938 | Hartlepools United | A | 1–2 | 4,483 | Roberts |
| 26 February 1938 | Southport | A | 0–1 | 3,797 | |
| 5 March 1938 | Bradford City | H | 4–3 | 8,022 | Nolan (2), Davies, Roberts |
| 12 March 1938 | York City | A | 2–2 | 7,319 | Roberts (2) |
| 19 March 1938 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–0 | 9,916 | Nolan |
| 26 March 1938 | Halifax Town | A | 1–2 | 4,363 | Roberts |
| 2 April 1938 | Carlisle United | H | 2–2 | 6,463 | Rattray, Roberts |
| 9 April 1938 | Accrington Stanley | A | 1–2 | 2,990 | Nolan |
| 15 April 1938 | Hull City | H | 2–4 | 10,984 | Roberts (2) |
| 16 April 1938 | Chester | H | 2–2 | 6,695 | Nolan (2) |
| 18 April 1938 | Hull City | A | 0–0 | 13,564 | |
| 23 April 1938 | Rotherham United | A | 2–3 | 5,346 | Roberts, Nolan |
| 30 April 1938 | Rochdale | H | 4–1 | 2,992 | Masters (2), Roberts, Bellis |
| 7 May 1938 | New Brighton | A | 1–1 | 3,259 | Griffiths |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 27 November 1937 | Gainsborough Trinity | H | 1–1 | 6,772 | Roberts |
| R1 Replay | 1 December 1937 | Gainsborough Trinity | A | 1–2 | 4,220 | Roberts |

### Third Division North Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 11 October 1937 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–1 | 900 | Rattray |
| Replay | 10 November 1937 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–2 | 500 | |

## 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 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| GK | James Nicholls | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| DF | Trevor Rhodes | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| DF | Roderick Welsh | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| DF | Harry Griffiths | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| DF | Johnny Rowe | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| DF | Harry Johnson | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| MF | Arthur Caldwell | 35 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 10 |
| MF | Tommy Ward | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 4 |
| MF | Billy Tunnicliffe | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Wilf Smith | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| MF | Fred Obrey | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| MF | Spencer Evans | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| MF | Arthur Cumberlidge | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| MF | Arthur Whittaker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Charlie Rattray | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 |
| MF | William Price | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| MF | Stanley Dimbleby | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | Sam Baum | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | Alf Bellis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| MF | Frank Briggs | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| MF | Harry Sellars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | Jack Roberts | 37 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 30 |
| FW | Tom Nolan | 18 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 7 |
| FW | Arthur Masters | 33 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 8 |
| FW | Ken Fish | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| FW | Harry Davies | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 |

### Top scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Third Division North | FA Cup | Northern Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | England | Jack Roberts | 28 | 2 | 0 | 30 |
| 2 | MF | England | Arthur Caldwell | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | FW | England | Arthur Masters | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | FW | England | Tom Nolan | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 5 | MF | England | Tommy Ward | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | MF | England | Charlie Rattray | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| – | MF | England | William Price | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| – | FW | England | Harry Davies | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | FW | South Africa | Ken Fish | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | Harry Griffiths | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | Alf Bellis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | – | – | Own goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | TOTALS | 65 | 2 | 1 | 68 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| May 1937 | GK | George Heppell | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| May 1937 | MF | William Price | Fulham | Free transfer |
| May 1937 | MF | Charlie Rattray | Mansfield Town | Free transfer |
| May 1937 | DF | Johnny Rowe | Queen's Park Rangers | Free transfer |
| June 1937 | MF | Stanley Dimbleby | Hull City | Free transfer |
| June 1937 | DF | Harry Johnson | Newcastle United | Free transfer |
| June 1937 | FW | Arthur Masters | Nottingham Forest | Exchange |
| June 1937 | GK | James Nicholls | Brentford | Free transfer |
| November 1937 | FW | Ken Fish | Aston Villa | 'Sizeable' |
| February 1938 | FW | Harry Davies | Stoke City | Exchange |
| March 1938 | MF | Sam Baum | Bolton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| March 1938 | MF | Alf Bellis | Burnell's Ironworks | Free transfer |
| March 1938 | FW | Joe Wheatley | Ellesmere Port Town | Free transfer |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| September 1937 | FW | Arthur Ford | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Free transfer |
| November 1937 | MF | William Price | | Mutual consent |
| February 1938 | MF | Tommy Ward | Stoke City | 'Small' |
| May 1938 | MF | Sam Baum | | Released |
| May 1938 | MF | Frank Briggs | Aston Villa | Released |
| May 1938 | MF | Stanley Dimbleby | | Released |
| May 1938 | DF | Spencer Evans | Northwich Victoria | Free transfer |
| May 1938 | MF | Charlie Rattray | Accrington Stanley | Free transfer |
| May 1938 | FW | Billy Tunnicliffe | Bournemouth | Free transfer |
| May 1938 | DF | Roderick Welsh | | Released |
| June 1938 | MF | Fred Obrey | Tranmere Rovers | Free transfer |
| Summer 1938 | DF | Harry Johnson | Hartlepools United | Free transfer |
| Summer 1938 | GK | James Nicholls | | Released |
| Summer 1938 | MF | Trevor Rhodes | | Released |