The 1901–02 season was Burslem Port Vale's fourth consecutive season (eighth overall) of football in the English Football League. Playing home fixtures at the Athletic Ground under manager‑secretary Sam Gleaves and chairman Robert Audley, the club finished a largely muted 12th with 29 points from 10 wins, 9 draws and 15 losses, scoring around 43 goals and conceding 59. In cup competition, Vale bowed out in the Fifth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, losing to Walsall, and exited both the Birmingham Senior Cup and Staffordshire Senior Cup at the semi-final stage, succumbing to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke respectively. Adrian Capes led the scoring charts with 14 league goals and 18 across all competitions. Attendances varied from a low of 100 spectators versus Blackpool in April 1902 to a season-high of 8,000 for the home match against Leicester Fosse on 12 October 1901, with an average league attendance of around 2,931. Financially, the campaign marked a rare bright spot as Vale achieved a profit without selling any major players, aided by events such as an Easter bazaar fundraiser that helped offset club expenditure.

Overview

Second Division Vale had an indifferent start to the campaign, gaining seven points from seven games. The players came under criticism for a perceived lack of fitness, whilst the forward play seemed disjointed. The team fell to a 4–0 defeat at struggling Barnsley, only to vanquish Leicester Fosse by three goals to nil the following week. The Leicester result was followed by seven games without a win, however, with the players drained from playing 12 cup games and six league matches between 3 October and 7 December. The next win in the league came on 28 December, when Glossop were defeated 1–0. This was followed by another four games without a win, leaving the club in the re-election places. They had, though, put up "a good show" at the Athletic Ground in a 3–2 defeat to league leaders West Bromwich Albion, with goalkeeper Harry Cotton being singled out for praise.

Two successive wins eased fears of a re-election finish, though they were followed by heavy defeats away at Burnley and Burton United. Vale then defeated bottom club Chesterfield by four goals to two, and followed this up with two further victories, including coming from two goals down to win 3–2 away at Gainsborough Trinity. A point at home to second-placed Middlesbrough on 22 March and at home to Gainsborough Trinity six days later made it five games unbeaten. The players sensed thereafter that there was little to play for and were criticised for their "holiday friendly" manner in a four-goal defeat at Bristol City the day after the Trinity draw. Two further losses to Blackpool and Stockport County raised concern as the Vale were left three points clear of danger with two games left to play. They battled to a 1–1 home draw with Newton Heath and ensured their League status with a final-day victory away at Glossop.

Port Vale finished in 12th place in a tight lower half of the table, where just two points separated 9th from 16th. A settled side saw Lucien Boullemier, Ernest Mullineux, George Price, and Adrian Capes ever-presents in the league. Capes was the leading scorer with 18 goals, with Danny Simpson's twelve-goal haul a major contribution to the campaign. At the end of the season, centre-half Jim Beech retired, having spent eight years with the club.

Finances On the financial front, things were looking up for the club. A £368 profit was made, with most of this figure coming from the club's annual Easter bazaar at Burslem Town Hall. This upturn in finances caused the directors to loosen their unwritten rule on only recruiting local players.

Cup competitions In the FA Cup the club decimated Combination League club Wellington Town 6–0, before beating Wrexham after two replays. The first encounter with Wrexham was called off due to fog; the rearranged tie resulted in a 2–1 defeat; however, a replay was scheduled when it was discovered that their opponents had fielded an ineligible player. Eventually vanquishing the Welsh side, the next round saw Midland League side Walsall knock the Vale out before the first round Proper. In the Birmingham Senior Cup the "Valeites" defeated local rivals 4–0 Stoke in a first round replay, after a 2–2 draw at Stoke. Vale lost in the semi-final in a replay with Wolverhampton Wanderers. In the Staffordshire Senior Cup Vale brushed aside Walsall 5–2, before Stoke took their revenge in the semi-final, with a 2–1 victory over Vale in Cobridge.

Results

Football League Second Division

League table

Results by matchday

Matches

FA Cup

Birmingham Senior Cup

Staffordshire Senior Cup

Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward

Top scorers PlacePositionNationNameSecond DivisionFA CupOtherTotal1FWAdrian Capes1431182FWDanny Simpson921123FWBilly Heames4116–FWGeorge Rushton5106–FWGeorge Price32166FWBert Eardley1102–HBHarry Croxton0022–HBLucien Boullemier11029FWLeonard Jones1001–FWWilliam Tunstall1001–––Unknown3036–––Own goals1001TOTALS4311964

Transfers

Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. May 1901 GK William Chadwick Hanley Swifts Free transfer May 1901 GK Harry Cotton Nantwich Free transfer June 1901 FW George Rushton Leek Broughs Free transfer June 1901 FW Tom Simpson Stoke Free transfer November 1901 FB Duncan Cooper Witton Albion Free transfer

Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. Summer 1902 HB Jim Beech Retired Summer 1902 FW Tommy Lander Released Summer 1902 FW George Rushton Barrow Free transfer Summer 1902 HB Thomas Wainwright Crewe Alexandra Released

References Specific

General