1997–98 Port Vale F.C. season

Overview

First Division

The pre-season saw the arrival of Swedish midfielder Jan Jansson from IFK Norrköping for a £200,000 fee. Dutch defender Mark Snijders also signed from AZ.

The Vale started the season in modest form, picking up 14 points in the opening nine games. On 23 August, they defeated Sunderland by three goals to one after Tony Naylor secured the three points in the 72nd minute by nutmegging Andy Melville on a run that began just inside the Sunderland half and ended with a swerving right-foot shot into the corner of the net. On 11 September, John Rudge made the club's record signing by paying Lincoln City £500,000 for the services of midfielder Gareth Ainsworth. To pay for this, Jon McCarthy was sold to Birmingham City for £1.5m. Also heading away from Stoke-on-Trent was Arjan van Heusden, who joined Oxford United on loan. The next month, Gareth Griffiths left for a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town. Disappointment came on 12 October, with a 2–1 defeat to rivals Stoke City at the newly opened Britannia Stadium. Vale's indifferent form continued, one highlight being a 3–2 win over Manchester City at Maine Road on 4 November in which Andy Porter man-marked Georgi Kinkladze out of the game. Later in the year Paul Beesley joined on loan from Man City, and played a handful of games. The club's indifferent form then turned to a terrible run of ten defeats in twelve games, which included a run of one goal scored in seven games. Their form picked up in February, though they were still inconsistent.

On 1 March, Stoke, who were also in relegation danger, escaped from Vale Park with a goalless draw. On 7 March, Vale beat Reading 3–0 at Elm Park after going into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes. Later in month Rudge signed young Tottenham Hotspur forward Paul Mahorn on non-contract terms. On 14 March, a 2–1 win over Manchester City was to prove crucial – the club's first home win over Manchester City, though Vale were still in danger of the drop. Going into their final game with Huddersfield Town at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium Vale had lost three straight games, and needed a win to ensure their safety in the league. A brace from Jansson, and one each from Martin Foyle and Lee Mills earned Vale a 4–0 win. Rudge said: "It all ended happily in the end but we must take that as a warning and not ignore it".

They finished in 19th place, one point above Manchester City in the relegation zone. Stoke City were also relegated, and had Stoke beat Vale in Burslem then Vale would have taken Stoke's place in the relegation zone. Lee Mills was the club's top-scorer with 16 goals, whilst Tony Naylor also hit double-figures.

At the end of the season, Lee Mills was signed by Premier League Bradford City, becoming Bradford's first million-pound player. Twelve-year club veteran Andy Porter signed for Wigan Athletic, as did Griffiths. Another major departure was nine-year club veteran defender Dean Glover, who joined non-League Kidderminster Harriers. Another older player, Andy Hill, retired outright. Other departures were Dave Barnett to Lincoln City, Dean Stokes to Third Division Rochdale, and Dutch keeper Arjan van Heusden also headed into the basement division with Cambridge United. Fellow Dutchman Jermaine Holwyn returned to the Netherlands to play for HFC Haarlem.

Finances

The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale faced a trip to Highbury to face Arsenal. Rudge's "Valiants" battled to a goalless draw with the "Gunners" to take the Londoners back to Burslem; manager Arsène Wenger remarked that it was "amazing how teams who do not do especially well in their own league suddenly become monsters". Again goalless, Dennis Bergkamp scored in the tenth minute of extra time, but Wayne Corden equalized eight minutes before the full-time whistle. Lee Dixon missed the first penalty of the shoot-out, but Arsenal recovered to win the game 4–3 on penalties, and later went on to lift the cup. Rudge later told the story of the kit lady informing him the washing machine had broken down before the match and could Rudge contact the suppliers, leaving him to contemplate "I wonder if Arsene Wenger is doing this?" Bell said the club made a total of £300,000 from the two ties.

In the League Cup, Second Division York City eliminated the Vale with a 3–2 aggregate victory.

Results

Football League First Division

Main article: 1997–98 Football League First Division

League table

Results by matchday

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Matches

FA Cup

Main article: 1997–98 FA Cup

League Cup

Main article: 1997–98 Football League Cup

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

:Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

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Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out

Loans in

Loans out

References

;Specific

;General

• Soccerbase

References

1. (16 October 2025). "State of play as Wigan await". Valiant's Substack.
2. (12 November 2023). "Old failings return as Port Vale are held at Lincoln City". Valiant's Substack.
3. (9 November 2023). "Port Vale, huge game and responding to ticket concerns". Valiant's Substack.
4. (11 January 2024). "Port Vale transfer and injury update ahead of Reading". Valiant's Substack.
5. (14 March 2024). "Port Vale injury news and talking points ahead of Oxford". Valiant's Substack.
6. (3 May 2020). "Last day drama when Port Vale stayed up but Man City and Stoke City went down". Stoke Sentinel.
7. (20 February 2016}}{{Dead link). "Were these Vale's five greatest games ever?". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
8. (3 May 2024). "Questions answered about recruitment, budget and plans". Valiant's Substack.
9. (5 January 2017). "Huddersfield v Port Vale archives: When Vale stayed up in style". Stoke Sentinel.
10. (14 January 2024). "Sympathy and frustration as Port Vale are caught up in Reading chaos". Valiant's Substack.
11. Shaw, Phil. (15 January 1998). "Football: Arsenal let off the hook by Tankard". The Independent.
12. (8 July 2013). "Sports photographs from our archives". [[The Sentinel (Staffordshire).
13. (14 January 2018). "When Port Vale gave Arsenal an almighty FA Cup scare". Stoke Sentinel.
14. (22 September 2025). "Ready for Arsenal". Valiant's Substack.
15. [http://www.statto.com/football/teams/port-vale/1997-1998/results Port Vale 1997–1998 : Results & Fixtures]. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.{{Dead link. (June 2025)
16. "Port Vale FC Club Details {{!}} Transfers {{!}} Soccer Base".
17. (1998). "Rothmans football yearbook 1998-99". Headline Book.