1981–82 Port Vale F.C. season explained

The 1981–82 season was Port Vale's 70th season of football in the English Football League, and their fourth-successive season (tenth overall) in the Fourth Division.^[1] John McGrath led his team to a seventh-place finish, a big improvement on the previous two seasons. Top-scorer Ernie Moss and midfielder Mark Chamberlain proved to be the stars of the season. The season was notable for Vale Park's lowest-ever Football League attendance.

Overview

Fourth Division

The pre-season saw John McGrath make four new signings: defender Ray Deakin (Everton); midfielder Geoff Hunter (from Crewe Alexandra for £12,000); and forwards Ernie Moss (from Chesterfield for £12,000) and Jimmy Greenhoff (Toronto Blizzard). Attempts to re-sign Brian Horton failed. On 1 August, a heavy metal concert was held at Vale Park, headlined by local lad Lemmy's Motörhead. Some twenty thousand metal fans paid £7.50 admission each to boost club coffers. However, Vale failed to win any of their pre-season friendlies, and were embarrassed to lose 6–1 at home to local rivals Stoke City.

The season opened with four draws, which was ironic considering that McGrath stated that 'forwards are much more important now' after the Football League changed a win from earning two points to three points. On 12 September, their club-record run of six consecutive draws came to an end. Four victories in five games put Vale into seventh place, and Colin Tartt was signed from Chesterfield for £15,000. A 2–0 home defeat to Sheffield United in front of the television cameras was the first of a run of four defeats in five games and sent an injury-hit Vale down into mid-table. In November, Lee Harwood was forced to retire with a knee injury. On 28 November, Vale won 5–2 at home to Hartlepool United to go six games unbeaten and The Sentinel's Vale correspondent Chris Harper reported that Chamberlain had impressed the top-flight scouts in attendance and was "one of the most exciting 20 year olds in the league".^[2] Vale then went on a fifteen-match unbeaten run in the league, and between 20 January and 6 March, the team went on a club-record six consecutive home draws. Stoke City offered £100,000 plus incentives for Mark Chamberlain, but Chairman Don Ratcliffe called the offer 'an insult' and rejected it out of hand. Instead Tony Sealy arrived on loan, this time from Queens Park Rangers. On 6 February Mark Chamberlain scored a memorable goal at Field Mill when he stood off the pitch to avoid being caught offside, then returned to tackle a startled Rod Arnold and tap the ball into an empty net. Mansfield Town manager Stuart Boam was so enraged that the goal stood that he raced onto the pitch to abuse the linesman verbally. In March, Johnny Miller had to retire with a knee injury. On 20 March, Mark Harrison conceded 'a crazy goal' from Hull City left-back Dennis Booth at Boothferry Park, whose free kick hit the back of the net after several bounces. Injuries hit the Vale squad and the promotion campaign faded away. On 1 May, Vale Park witnessed its lowest-ever Football League attendance when a mere 1,924 turned up against York City.

They finished in seventh place with seventy points, eighteen short of fourth-placed Bournemouth. With nine away victories and twelve home draws, McGrath stated that "we blew it at Burslem". Ernie Moss was the Player of the Year and top-scorer with seventeen goals; however, it was Mark Chamberlain who was selected in the PFA Fourth Division team and received a cheque for £250 when he was chosen as The Star's best player of the division.

Finances

On the financial side, a loss of £65,000 was announced despite donations of £136,070. The overdraft stood at £235,452. Good news was that the club lottery had raised £750,000 in less than five years. McGrath released eight players and retained eleven. The club's first-ever shirt sponsors were NGR Copiers. Those departing included: Peter Farrell and Gerry Keenan (Rochdale); Paul Bowles (Stockport County); Trevor Brissett (Darlington); Andy Higgins (Hartlepool United); and Ray Deakin (Burnley).

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale drew with Third Division Lincoln City at Sincil Bank and again in Burslem, and so had to play a second replay, which they won 2–0. Their clash with Stockport County was postponed seven times due to snow and fog, before the "Valiants" finally recorded a 4–1 victory on 2 January. Facing Second Division Shrewsbury Town in the Third Round, they lost by the odd goal at Gay Meadow, the "Shrews" scoring with the last kick of the match.

In the League Cup, a 1–1 draw at Edgar Street was followed by a 2–0 home win to knock Hereford United out 3–1 on aggregate. In the Second Round for the first time since 1972, they lost to Tranmere Rovers both at Prenton Park and Vale Park to exit the competition 4–1 on aggregate.

League table

See main article: article and 1981–82 Football League.

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Football League Fourth Division

Matches

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
29 August 1981	Halifax Town		H	0–0	3,382
5 September 1981	Darlington		A	1–1	1,872	Deakin (pen)
12 September 1981	Mansfield Town		H	0–0	3,043
19 September 1981	Rochdale		A	2–1	1,824	Keenan, Deakin (pen)
23 September 1981	Wigan Athletic		A	0–2	4,525
26 September 1981	Stockport County		H	1–0	2,755	Moss
28 September 1981	Colchester United		H	2–1	3,351	Sproson, Moss
2 October 1981	Crewe Alexandra		A	2–0	4,604	N.Chamberlain, M.Chamberlain
10 October 1981	Sheffield United		H	0–2	7,289
17 October 1981	Bury		A	2–3	3,565	Bowles, Greenhoff
19 October 1981	Peterborough United		H	1–3	2,844	Deakin (pen)
31 October 1981	Hull City		H	2–1	2,591	Shankland, M.Chamberlain
4 November 1981	Bradford City		A	0–1	4,043
7 November 1981	Bournemouth		A	1–1	5,798	Moss
11 November 1981	Blackpool		A	3–2	4,785	Tartt (2), N.Chamberlain
14 November 1981	Aldershot		H	1–0	2,811	Greenhoff
28 November 1981	Hartlepool United		H	5–2	2,477	Moss (2), M.Chamberlain, N.Chamberlain, Armstrong
5 December 1981	Scunthorpe United		A	0–0	2,021
19 December 1981	Torquay United		A	1–0	1,780	M.Chamberlain
20 January 1982	Darlington		H	2–2	3,529	Hunter, Moss
22 January 1982	Halifax Town		A	1–1	2,965	M.Chamberlain
25 January 1982	Tranmere Rovers		H	0–0	4,355
30 January 1982	Rochdale		H	1–1	3,835	Tartt
2 February 1982	Northampton Town		A	5–3	1,644	Hunter (2), Sproson, M.Chamberlain, Greenhoff
6 February 1982	Mansfield Town		A	3–1	2,690	M.Chamberlain, Moss, Sealy
8 February 1982	Wigan Athletic		H	1–1	8,773	Sealy (pen)
13 February 1982	Crewe Alexandra		H	0–0	6,542
19 February 1982	Stockport County		A	2–1	3,001	Sealy (pen), Moss
22 February 1982	York City		A	0–2	1,938
27 February 1982	Sheffield United		A	1–2	13,813	Sealy (pen)
6 March 1982	Bury		H	0–0	3,733
10 March 1982	Peterborough United		A	0–1	4,151
13 March 1982	Blackpool		H	2–0	3,440	N.Chamberlain, Moss
15 March 1982	Bradford City		H	1–1	4,325	Tartt
20 March 1982	Hull City		A	1–3	5,506	Deakin
27 March 1982	Bournemouth		H	1–1	3,004	Deakin (pen)
3 April 1982	Aldershot		A	2–1	1,594	o.g., Deakin
10 April 1982	Hereford United		A	0–1	2,973
12 April 1982	Northampton Town		H	1–0	3,014	Sproson
17 April 1982	Scunthorpe United		H	2–1	2,507	Moss (2)
24 April 1982	Hartlepool United		A	1–3	1,439	M.Chamberlain
26 April 1982	Hereford United		H	1–1	2,160	Sproson
1 May 1982	York City		H	0–0	1,924
3 May 1982	Colchester United		A	0–1	1,570
8 May 1982	Tranmere Rovers		A	2–1	1,524	Moss (2)
15 May 1982	Torquay United		H	2–0	2,007	Bowles, Sproson

FA Cup

See main article: article and 1981–82 FA Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers

R1	21 November 1981	Lincoln City	A	2–2	3,950	N.Chamberlain, M.Chamberlain
R1 Replay	30 November 1981	Lincoln City	H	0–0	4,769
R1 Replay	2 December 1981	Lincoln City	H	2–0	5,373	Armstrong, N.Chamberlain
R2	2 January 1982	Stockport County	H	4–1	4,478	Moss (2), N.Chamberlain (2)
R3	5 January 1982	Shrewsbury Town	A	0–1	7,230

League Cup

See main article: article and 1981–82 Football League Cup.

!Round!!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Attendance!!Goalscorers

R1 1st Leg	2 September 1981	Hereford United	A	1–1	2,817	Moss
R1 2nd Leg	14 September 1981	Hereford United	H	2–0	3,006	Deakin (pen), Moss
R2 1st Leg	5 October 1981	Tranmere Rovers	A	0–2	2,791
R2 2nd Leg	28 October 1981	Tranmere Rovers	H	1–2	2,372	N.Chamberlain

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Mark Harrison	46	0	5	0	4	0	55	0
DF	Phil Sproson	42	5	5	0	4	0	51	5
DF	Gerry Keenan	21	1	0	0	3	0	24	1
DF	Paul Bowles	44	2	5	0	4	0	53	2
DF	Trevor Brissett	14	0	0	0	1	0	15	0
DF	Andy Higgins	4	0	2	0	2	0	8	0
DF	Ray Deakin	23	6	0	0	4	1	27	7
DF	Russell Bromage	45	0	5	0	4	0	54	0
MF	Mark Chamberlain	46	8	5	1	4	0	55	8
MF	Peter Farrell	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
MF	Terry Armstrong	34	1	5	1	3	0	42	2
MF	Paul Bennett	4	0	0	0	1	0	5	0
MF	Colin Tartt	38	4	5	0	0	0	43	4
MF	Geoff Hunter	41	3	5	0	3	0	49	3
FW	Neville Chamberlain	30	4	5	4	2	1	37	9
FW	Tony Sealy	6	4	0	0	0	0	6	4
FW	Andy Shankland	12	1	0	0	1	0	13	1
FW	Ernie Moss	44	13	4	2	3	2	51	17
FW	Jimmy Greenhoff	33	3	4	0	2	0	38	3
FW	Mark Bright	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0

Top scorers

width=60	Place	width=60	Position	width=180	Nation	width=150	Name	width=80	Fourth Division	width=80	FA Cup	width=80	League Cup	width=80	Total
1	FW		Ernie Moss	13	2	2	17
2	FW		Neville Chamberlain	4	4	1	9
–	MF		Mark Chamberlain	8	1	0	9
4	DF		Ray Deakin	6	0	1	7
5	DF		Phil Sproson	5	0	0	5
6	FW		Tony Sealy	4	0	0	4
–	MF		Colin Tartt	4	0	0	4
8	FW		Jimmy Greenhoff	3	0	0	3
–	MF		Geoff Hunter	3	0	0	3
10	DF		Paul Bowles	2	0	0	2
–	MF		Terry Armstrong	1	1	0	2
12	FW		Andy Shankland	1	0	0	1
–	DF		Gerry Keenan	1	0	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	1	0	0	1
			TOTALS	56	8	4	68

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1981	DF				Free transfer	[3]
June 1981	FW				£12,000
August 1981	FW				Free transfer
August 1981	MF				£15,000
October 1981	FW				Free transfer
November 1981	MF			Chesterfield	£15,000

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
November 1981	DF				Retired
March 1982	MF				Retired
May 1982	MF				Free transfer
May 1982	DF				Free transfer
May 1982	DF				Free transfer
May 1982	DF				Free transfer
May 1982	MF				Free transfer
May 1982	DF				Free transfer
May 1982	DF				Free transfer
August 1982	MF				£180,000 (combined)
August 1982	GK			Stoke City	£180,000 (combined)

Loans in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Date to	Ref.
October 1981	MF				November 1981
February 1982	FW				March 1982

Loans out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Date to	Ref.
Summer 1981	GK				Summer 1981
August 1981	MF				August 1981
October 1981	MF				October 1981

References

Specific

General

• Book: Kent, Jeff. The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. 1993. 0-9508981-9-8.

Notes and References

1. Book: Kent, Jeff. The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. 1990. 258–290. From Rags to Riches (1979–1990). 0-9508981-4-7.
2. News: Baggaley . Mike . Taking stock at the top of the table . 28 November 2024 . Valiant's Substack . 28 November 2024.
3. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.