Fenton-born Billy Briscoe added 24 league appearances to his ever-growing tally.Chairman Frank Huntbach declared that "no efforts will be spared by the club to regain its lost status".[1]Right-back Jack Maddock played in 25 games.Club record goalscorer Wilf Kirkham.Scottish midfielder Bob Connelly.Inside-forward Albert Pynegar.
Overview
Second Division
The pre-season saw only the addition of one major player – goalkeeper Jack Prince from Oldham Athletic.[1] Otherwise, the club felt confident that they had a nice blend of youth and experience.[1]
The season started with a 4–1 home defeat to Wolves, yet two days later, the Vale travelled to The Dell, where they beat Southampton with two Stewart Littlewood goals – this would prove to be their only away victory of the season.[1] Picking up just two wins in September (a 5–2 win over Millwall thanks to a Littlewood hat-trick, and a 2–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur), the club soon found themselves struggling.[1] They also lost 2–1 at Stoke's Victoria Ground in front of 35,288 supporters.[1] Heading into December they won six successive home games to take them into mid-table, including a four-goal haul from Jack Simms to see off Nottingham Forest.[1] December would prove to be the month that killed the Vale. Oakes had a cartilage operation, Gillespie tore an elbowjoint, and the team lost six of their seven festive games.[1] In January the popular high-scoring Littlewood was traded to Oldham Athletic for veteran striker Albert Pynegar and £1,300.[1] Falling down the table fast, in late February they were slaughtered 7–1 at Preston North End's Deepdale.[1] Back at The Old Recreation Ground they managed to regularly pick up victories, most notably demolishing West Bromwich Albion 8–1 on 9 March – the biggest victory in the division that season, Pynegar scoring a hat-trick.[1] Further good work picking up three points from Oldham Athletic and beating Chelsea was undone by a horrifying 6–0 defeat at fellow strugglers Barnsley.[1] The "Valiants" beat Bristol City 5–0 in front of a miserable home turnout thanks to a four-goal effort from Pynegar, yet it was too little too late as the club were relegated.[1]
They finished in 21st place with 34 points from 42 games, two points from safety, and suffered relegation for the first time in their history (they had previously failed re-elections).[1] Scoring 71 goals was respectable. However, 86 goals conceded was the joint-worst in the league.[1] Their awful away form was not unique; Vale was one of four teams with only one away win, though they conceded more on their travels than any other side.
Finances
On the financial side, plans of a new stadium were shelved as the directors channelled money into rebuilding their team.[1]Vic Rouse, Alf Bennett, and David Rollo were let go, Rouse joining Crewe Alexandra.[1] Club legend Tom Page also left the club after racking up 286 Football League appearances.[1] With a £1,223 drop in gate receipts there were fears that the club might close, these fears were heightened when fellow legend Wilf Kirkham was sold to Stoke City for £2,800 (the second-highest transfer the club had ever received).[1]
Cup competitions
In the FA Cup, it was a repeat of the 1925–26 season as the club were drawn against Manchester United at home.[1] The First Division club returned to Old Trafford with a 3–0 victory.[1] The end-of-season North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary Cup was cancelled, with Vale seemingly too despondent to field a team.[1]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwKent, Jeff (1990). "Keeping in Good Company (1919-1929)". The Valiants' Years The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 98–123. ISBN0-9508981-4-7.
