A club record was started on 19 October 1946, that would be completed on 13 March 1948, with a 33-long run of home games in which Vale's opposition failed to keep a clean sheet.
Two games into a standard 1939–40 season, Vale were bottom of the Third Division South, and when war was initiated on 1 September all sports gatherings were prohibited and the season was cancelled.[1] A week later and Stoke-on-Trent was one of many places to be permitted to host football matches.[1] However, almost all of the club's players volunteered or were conscripted to fight Nazi Germany.[1] Vale played numerous friendlies, as well as taking part in the regional war leagues.[1] They finished eighth in the West League in 1939–40.[1] Unable to raise sufficient finances from 1940 onwards, they only put forward an amateur side filled with young players in the North Staffordshire League, also entering cup competitions such as The Sentinel Cup.[1] They recorded some very one-sided victories over local amateur teams such as Shelton Labour, Hanley Deep Pit, and Northwood Mission.[1] Some of Vale's top professionals signed to sides such as Stoke City, Crewe Alexandra, and Manchester United.[1] Players that guested for the club included names such as Peter Doherty, Micky Fenton, Frank Soo and Dennis Wilshaw.[1] Guest players often made up half of the first XI, filling the gaps left by Vale's players on active service.[1]
The club came close to folding in the summer of 1943 when club president Mayor W.M.Huntbach died, leaving the club liable for £3,000 worth of debt, in addition to the £1,000 a year debit they recorded during the war.[1] Appeals to The Football Association fell on deaf ears.[1] The directors, therefore, agreed to a £13,500 sale of The Old Recreation Ground to Stoke-on-Trent Corporation (the local council).[1] Their application to the council to rent the stadium back was rejected.[1] The sale was agreed without the support of shareholders. However, the directors justified the sale by arguing that the stadium was a financial burden, especially as local vandals, hooligans and yobs regularly stole and trashed areas of the stadium.[1] Nevertheless, Port Vale were then a club without any professional players or a stadium.[1] In October 1943, the council relented and allowed rent to be paid until April 1944.[1] The council agreed to rent the stadium for a longer term for £400 a year.[1]
The search for a new ground took them to Hamil Road, Burslem, opposite a site the club occupied between 1884 and 1886.[1] The rough land used for fly-tipping was valued at £30,000. The Brownhills Estates Company and the Supporters' Club launched a New Ground Appeal.[1] In September 1944, the land was acquired. Work began on a 70,000 capacity 'Wembley of the North'.[1] These were ambitious plans for a club that had in the past recorded attendances as low as 3,000 from fair-weather fans.[1] In the meantime the club took part in the 1944–45Football League North league.[1] Club director and former Northern Ireland internationalJack Diffin took the position of manager.[1] He was replaced by David Pratt in December 1944.[1] For the 1945–46 season, they were placed in the Third Division South (North Region), with new manager Billy Frith.[1] The Council agreed to allow the Vale to rent The Old Recreation Ground until 24 June 1950.[1] Plans for the new stadium now were expanded to a massive 80,000 capacity.[1]
Three former Port Vale players known to have been killed in the war were Tom Cooper, Haydn Dackins, and Sam Jennings. Meanwhile, Jack Roberts became a hero without losing his life, rising to the rank of Sergeant, he was captured in Tunisia, however, managed to escape from a prisoner-of-war camp to return home.[2]
The season started with a goalless draw at the Withdean Stadium before a 2–1 defeat by Exeter City in front of 14,490 home fans.[1] This attendance was excellent, though it would not be bettered all season. With Heppell in fine form in goal, Jepson was sold to Stoke City for £3,750.[1] With Vale in poor form at the bottom of the league, manager Billy Frith resigned on 11 October, detailing a list of complaints against the directors, generally accusing them of undermining him and failing to support him sufficiently.[1] Soon Cardiff City won at "the Rec" by four goals to nil, after which Lyman put in a transfer request.[1] On 17 October, the club bought Jimmy Todd from Blackpool for then-club record fee, on the recommendation of Stanley Matthews.[1] Lyman was then sold to Nottingham Forest for a higher fee than was paid for him earlier in the year.[1]Gordon Hodgson was then appointed manager ahead of forty other applicants.[1] Finding his team's unconvincing away from home, he soon began to search for new players.[1]
Results soon turned around, and Hodgson's coaching and planning were credited with the success.[1] However, many games were put on hold until May due to the exceptionally disruptive winter weather.[1] Hodgson also helped set up a youth program, arranging visits to schools, trials, and running two junior sides.[1] In March 1947, he signed centre-half Eric Eastwood from Manchester City for a four-figure fee.[1] Experimenting with the first eleven, from 10 March to 19 April the team went on a run of one victory in eight games. Promotion hopeless and re-election unlikely, the experiments proceeded into the postponed games in May, when high-scoring victories at home followed three consecutive away 1–0 defeats to Crystal Palace and Southend United.[1] Also the experienced Jack Smith was brought in from Manchester United.[1]
They finished in tenth place with 43 points from 42 games.[1] Top scorer Morris Jones hit a very respectable tally of 26 goals, with double-figure hauls from Bill Pointon and Alf Bellis.[1]
Finances
On the financial side, a profit of £4,133 was recorded, a club record.[1] League football had brought £20,872 in gross gate receipts, with the wage bill at £8,927.[1] Twenty-one players were retained, and Harry Griffiths retirement was the only departure of note.[1]
