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1989–90 Port Vale F.C. season

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Port Vale
1989–90 season
ChairmanBill Bell
ManagerJohn Rudge
StadiumVale Park
Football League Second Division11th (61 Points)
FA CupFourth Round
(knocked out by Aston Villa)
League CupSecond Round
(knocked out by Wimbledon)
Full Members CupSecond Round
(knocked out by Middlesbrough)
Player of the YearNeil Aspin
Top goalscorerLeague: Darren Beckford (17)
All: Darren Beckford (21)
Highest home attendance22,075 vs. Stoke City, 3 February 1990
Lowest home attendance4,441 vs. Walsall, 28 August 1989
Average home league attendance8,978
Biggest win5–0 vs. Ipswich Town, 1 January 1990
Biggest defeat0–6 vs. Aston Villa, 27 January 1990

The 1989–90 season was Port Vale's 78th season of football in the English Football League and first (33rd overall) season back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division.[1] They were playing in the second tier, and at the same level as rivals Stoke City, for the first time since 1956–57. John Rudge led his side to a comfortable mid-table finish, whilst Stoke suffered relegation in bottom place despite the two derby matches finishing in draws. After beating top-flight Derby County, Vale exited the FA Cup in the Fourth Round with their biggest-ever loss in the competition, losing 6–0 to Aston Villa at Villa Park. They left both the League Cup and the Full Members Cup at the Second Round.

Overview

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Second Division

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The pre-season saw John Rudge sign solid young defender Neil Aspin from Leeds United for £150,000; 28-year-old forward Nicky Cross from Leicester City for £125,000; and veteran winger Ian Miller on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers (as cover for an injured Gary Ford).[1] The Burslem club had never previously spent anything close to the £275,000 spent in summer 1989. Yet, other clubs in the division far outspent the Vale.[1] Vale Park was also upgraded at £250,000, though grants helped to halve the cost for the club itself.[1] Inspectors closed the Bycars End down despite this effort due to safety issues. They reduced the stadium's capacity to 12,000 after cutting the capacity of the Railway Paddock by two-thirds.[1] Season ticket sales more than doubled to 2,231.[1] Phil Sproson attempted to return to the game, and so the club accepted a £50,000 transfer payment from Birmingham City.[1] Meanwhile, the Vale were the bookmakers favourites for relegation, having started the season with six players out injured, including Ray Walker.[1]

The season opened with a 2–2 draw with Bradford City at Valley Parade, missing out on all three points due to a late equaliser from Brian Tinnion.[2] This was followed by a 2–1 home win over West Bromwich Albion the following week.[1] The club soon scrapped their all-ticket rule after poor attendances in the first games.[1] Vale went seven games without a win in the league, though on 23 September managed a 1–1 draw with Stoke at the Victoria Ground, some 27,004 fans in attendance.[1] Rudge commented after the match that "[the result] proves that we have closed the gap on Stoke and are now competing on equal terms"[3] On 7 October, Vale came from behind to beat Leicester City by two goals to one.[4] The police bills for Vale games reached as much as £1.50 a head for some games, though the police went some way to justify this cost by arresting 85 people on the day of the Potteries derby.[1] Rudge switched from a 4–4–2 formation to 4–3–3 so as to include Miller, and a mini-revival followed, ending with a 3–0 win over Barnsley at Oakwell.[1] Six games without a win followed, and Alan Webb broke his leg during a 2–2 draw with Newcastle United at St James' Park.[1] In November, Vale Park opened a new 48 seat disabled stand at a cost of £100,000.[1] Ron Futcher was then sold to Fourth Division Burnley for £60,000, though an injury crisis in defence exposed the club's lack of squad depth.[1] With Gary West out with damaged ligaments, big defender Tim Parkin was bought from Swindon Town for £60,000.[1] The next month the Hamil End was reopened after £175,000 worth of renewal work.[1] Rudge switched back to 4–4–2, utilizing Andy Porter in midfield.[1]

Vale went six games unbeaten over the new year, beating Ipswich Town 5–0 (their biggest win in the division since 1932) and fighting to a goalless home draw with Stoke in the process.[1] The Stoke game was a disappointment as City were adrift at the foot of the table, and the pitch was 'as lumpy as porridge'.[1] The Bycars End reopened after a £90,000 investment, 22,075 fans turned up for the game – the biggest gate for a league game since the visit of Grimsby Town in 1960.[1] This moved Vale to within three points of the play-offs .[1] A poor March dragged them down the table though, as the stadium's capacity was again reduced and the police bill spiralled.[1] In April, Rudge sold David Riley to Peterborough United for £40,000, whilst £20,000 was spent bringing in Gary McKinstry from Portadown.[1] On 11 April, Vale came from two goals down to win 3–2 at Middlesbrough with Beckford scoring a brace.[5] The club's play-off dreams were killed off by a 2–1 defeat from Newcastle United, after which only two points were won from the final four games.[1] Despite this the supporters held popular player Neil Aspin aloft following the team's final home game (a 2–1 defeat to Sunderland).[1] The final game was a goalless draw with Oxford United at the Manor Ground, which was enough to ensure a top-half finish.[1]

They finished in eleventh place with 61 points, their highest finish since 1933–34.[1] Darren Beckford was top-scorer with 21 goals in all competitions, with Nicky Cross and Robbie Earle bagged 15 and 12 goals respectively.[1] The average home attendance of 8,978 was the highest since 1963–64.[1] The players were taken on a holiday to Spain as a reward for their efforts.[1] Rudge retained the entire playing staff at the end of the season.[1]

Finances

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The club's shirt sponsors were ABC Minolta Copiers.

Cup competitions

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In the FA Cup, Vale were drawn against top-flight Derby County in the Third Round and progressed 3–2 in the replay at The Baseball Ground having 'gave as good as they received' as they drew the original tie 1–1.[1] The win was 'another famous cup victory' for the club, as three goals were put past Peter Shilton.[1] Another difficult fixture awaited in the Fourth Round. On 27 January, Aston Villa inflicted Vale's biggest ever cup defeat with a 6–0 win in front of 36,532 fans at Villa Park. Nevertheless, the cup run raised £150,000.[1]

In the League Cup, Vale overcame Third Division Walsall 3–1 on aggregate, having won 1–0 at home and 2–1 at Fellows Park. They then came unstuck against First Division Wimbledon, losing 2–1 at home before getting beat 3–0 at Plough Lane.

In the short-lived Full Members Cup, Vale made it past the First Round with a 2–1 win over Sunderland at Roker Park, with Walker and Cross getting the goals. They were then eliminated by Middlesbrough at the next stage, after losing 3–1 at Ayresome Park despite a Jeffers goal.

League table

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Main article: 1989–90 Football League

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
9 Ipswich Town 46 19 12 15 67 66 +1 69
10 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 18 13 15 67 60 +7 67
11 Port Vale 46 15 16 15 62 57 +5 61
12 Portsmouth 46 15 16 15 62 65 −3 61
13 Leicester City 46 15 14 17 67 79 −12 59
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored


Results

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Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Second Division

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Results by matchday

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHAHHAAAHHAAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHHHAHAAHAHHAHAAHAHHA
ResultDWLDDLDLDWWLDDDLLWWWLDLDWWWDWLWLDDLWWDLWLWLDLD
Position107131712191820202013151615151516151413131415161412910910991011111111111111111111111111
Source: Statto[6]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
19 August 1989 Bradford City A 2–2 10,242 Glover (pen), Beckford
26 August 1989 West Bromwich Albion H 2–1 7,695 Glover (pen), Futcher
2 September 1989 Brighton & Hove Albion A 0–2 7,218
9 September 1989 Blackburn Rovers H 0–0 7,601
12 September 1989 Hull City H 1–1 6,168 Earle
16 September 1989 Watford A 0–1 8,445
23 September 1989 Stoke City A 1–1 27,004 Earle
26 September 1989 Bournemouth A 0–1 6,511
30 September 1989 Leeds United H 0–0 11,156
7 October 1989 Leicester City H 2–1 7,268 Beckford, Cross
14 October 1989 Barnsley A 3–0 6,475 Cross (2), Earle
17 October 1989 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–2 18,123
21 October 1989 West Ham United H 2–2 8,899 o.g., Futcher
28 October 1989 Newcastle United A 2–2 17,824 Earle, Futcher
30 October 1989 Middlesbrough H 1–1 7,708 Glover (pen)
4 November 1989 Oxford United H 1–2 6,994 Jeffers
11 November 1989 Portsmouth A 0–2 7,708
18 November 1989 Swindon Town H 2–0 7,393 Beckford, Cross
25 November 1989 Plymouth Argyle A 2–1 7,034 Cross (2)
2 December 1989 Bradford City H 3–2 6,762 Earle (2), Beckford
9 December 1989 Hull City A 1–2 4,207 Earle
16 December 1989 Sheffield United H 1–1 9,813 Cross
26 December 1989 Oldham Athletic A 1–2 11,274 Parkin
30 December 1989 Sunderland A 2–2 21,377 o.g., Millar
1 January 1990 Ipswich Town H 5–0 8,617 Beckford (2), Earle, Cross, Miller
13 January 1990 West Bromwich Albion A 3–2 13,575 Cross, Beckford, Porter
20 January 1990 Brighton & Hove Albion H 2–1 8,666 Cross (2)
3 February 1990 Stoke City H 0–0 22,075
10 February 1990 Watford H 1–0 7,064 Earle
17 February 1990 Blackburn Rovers A 0–1 9,257
24 February 1990 Plymouth Argyle H 3–0 7,254 Hughes, Beckford, Mills
3 March 1990 Swindon Town A 0–3 8,314
7 March 1990 Leeds United A 0–0 29,550
10 March 1990 Bournemouth H 1–1 7,131 Millar
17 March 1990 Leicester City A 0–2 10,076
19 March 1990 Barnsley H 2–1 7,036 o.g., Beckford
24 March 1990 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 3–1 12,506 Millar, Beckford, Earle
31 March 1990 West Ham United A 2–2 20,507 Beckford, Cross
7 April 1990 Newcastle United H 1–2 10,290 Earle
11 April 1990 Middlesbrough A 3–2 14,973 Beckford (2), Glover (pen)
14 April 1990 Ipswich Town A 2–3 10,652 Earle, Cross (pen)
16 April 1990 Oldham Athletic H 2–0 11,451 Beckford (2)
21 April 1990 Sheffield United A 1–2 16,809 Beckford
28 April 1990 Portsmouth H 1–1 7,492 Beckford
1 May 1990 Sunderland H 1–2 9,447 Millar
5 May 1990 Oxford United A 0–0 4,708

FA Cup

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Main article: 1989–90 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 7 January 1990 Derby County H 1–1 17,478 Beckford
R3 Replay 10 January 1990 Derby County A 3–2 21,389 o.g., Walker, Cross
R4 27 January 1990 Aston Villa A 0–6 36,532

League Cup

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Main article: 1989–90 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 22 August 1989 Walsall A 2–1 4,774 Beckford (2)
R1 2nd Leg 28 August 1989 Walsall H 1–0 4,441 Beckford
R2 1st Leg 18 September 1989 Wimbledon H 1–2 5,827 Futcher
R2 2nd Leg 4 October 1989 Wimbledon A 0–3 2,851

Full Members Cup

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Main article: 1989–90 Full Members Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 14 November 1989 Sunderland A 2–1 7,031 Walker, Cross
R2 29 November 1989 Middlesbrough A 1–3 6,691 Jeffers

Player statistics

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Appearances and goals

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Pos. Name Football League FA Cup League Cup Full Members Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Mark Grew 43 0 3 0 4 0 1 0 51 0
GK Northern Ireland Trevor Wood 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 0
DF England Alan Webb 14 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 18 0
DF England Simon Mills 45 1 3 0 4 0 2 0 54 1
DF England Darren Hughes 38 1 3 0 4 0 1 0 46 1
DF England Gary West 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
DF England Dean Glover 44 4 3 0 4 0 1 0 52 4
DF England Tim Parkin 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 1
DF England Neil Aspin 42 0 3 0 4 0 2 0 51 0
MF Jamaica Robbie Earle 43 12 3 0 4 0 2 0 52 12
MF England Andy Porter 36 1 3 0 3 0 2 0 44 1
MF England Ray Walker 40 0 3 1 2 0 2 1 47 1
MF England Kevin Finney 8 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 0
MF England John Jeffers 40 1 2 0 2 0 2 1 46 2
MF Northern Ireland Paul Millar 23 4 0 2 0 0 1 0 26 4
MF Scotland Ian Miller 21 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 24 1
FW England Darren Beckford 42 17 3 1 4 3 2 0 51 21
FW England David Riley 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 5 0
FW England Ronnie Jepson 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
FW England Ron Futcher 11 3 0 0 4 1 0 0 15 4
FW England Nicky Cross 42 13 3 1 3 0 2 1 50 15

Top scorers

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Place Position Nation Name Second Division FA Cup League Cup Full Members Cup Total
1 FW  England Darren Beckford 17 1 3 0 21
2 FW  England Nicky Cross 13 1 0 1 15
3 MF  Jamaica Robbie Earle 12 0 0 0 12
4 MF  Northern Ireland Paul Millar 4 0 0 0 4
– DF  England Dean Glover 4 0 0 0 4
– FW  England Ron Futcher 3 0 1 0 4
7 MF  England John Jeffers 1 0 0 1 2
– MF  England Ray Walker 0 1 0 1 2
9 MF  England Ian Miller 1 0 0 0 1
– MF  England Andy Porter 1 0 0 0 1
– DF  England Simon Mills 1 0 0 0 1
– DF  England Tim Parkin 1 0 0 0 1
– FW  England Darren Hughes 1 0 0 0 1
– – Own goals 3 1 0 0 4
TOTALS 62 4 4 3 73

Transfers

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Transfers in

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Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.
June 1989 FW England Nicky Cross Leicester City £125,000 [7]
June 1989 MF Scotland Ian Miller Blackburn Rovers Free transfer [7]
28 July 1989 DF England Neil Aspin Leeds United £150,000 [7]
8 December 1989 DF England Tim Parkin Swindon Town £60,000 [7]
3 April 1990 FW Northern Ireland Gary McKinstrey Northern Ireland Portadown

Transfers out

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Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref.
13 November 1989 FW England Ron Futcher Burnley £60,000 [7]
3 April 1990 FW England David Riley Peterborough United £40,000 [7]
August 1990 MF Scotland Ian Miller Scunthorpe United Free transfer [7]

Loans out

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Date from Position Nationality Name To Date to Ref.
25 January 1990 FW England Ronnie Jepson Peterborough United March 1990 [7]
1 March 1990 FW England David Riley Peterborough United April 1990 [7]
16 March 1990 MF England Paul Atkinson Hartlepool United End of season [7]
22 March 1990 MF England Gary Ford Walsall End of season [7]

References

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Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
  2. ^ Baggaley, Mike (5 August 2024). "Strength in depth off the pitch". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  3. ^ Bullock, Liam (2023). El Ceramico: The Story of the Potteries Derby. Pitch. ISBN 978-1-80150-393-8.
  4. ^ Baggaley, Mike (7 October 2024). "Vale gathering momentum". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  5. ^ Baggaley, Mike (11 April 2024). "Vale back in drop zone as they are outclassed…". Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  6. ^ Port Vale 1989–1990 : Results & Fixtures Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
General
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