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List of Port Vale F.C. seasons

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Summary

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Port Vale Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, who play in , as of the season. After becoming one of the more prominent football clubs in Staffordshire, Burslem Port Vale were invited to become founder members of the Football League Second Division in 1892. They spent 13 non-consecutive seasons in the division, punctuated by two seasons in the Midland League before they resigned due to financial difficulties and entered liquidation in 1907. The name of Port Vale continued in the North Staffordshire Federation League, and this new club were successful enough to be reinstated into the Football League in October 1919. They spent 16 non-consecutive seasons in the Second Division, punctuated by them winning the Third Division North title in 1929–30, before dropping back into the third tier for a much longer stay at the end of the 1935–36 campaign. The 1953–54 season saw manager Freddie Steele's "Iron Curtain" defence win both a Third Division North title and a semi-final place in the FA Cup. They failed to build on this success, however, though they went on to finish as champions of the first ever Fourth Division season under Norman Low's stewardship in 1958–59.

The club had little success throughout the 1960s and 1970s, despite being briefly managed by Stanley Matthews, and in fact, were forced to apply for re-election after breaking FA rules on illegal payments in 1968. Gordon Lee guided the club to promotion back to the Third Division the following season, where they would remain until relegation at the end of the 1977–78 campaign. John McGrath steered the club to promotion in 1982–83, though he departed after relegation became inevitable the following season. His assistant, John Rudge, became the club's longest-serving and most successful manager, leading the club from 1983 to 1999. Under his leadership Port Vale won promotions in 1985–86, 1988–89 and 1993–94, lifted the Football League Trophy in 1993 and reached a post-war record finish of eighth in the second tier in the 1996–97 season. After Rudge's reign ended, the club entered a decline, slipping into the fourth tier whilst twice entering administration in 2003 and 2012. The decline was arrested when Norman Smurthwaite brought the club out of administration in 2012 and manager Micky Adams achieved automatic promotion from League Two in the 2012–13 season, though they were relegated back into League Two at the end of the 2016–17 season after a failed experiment with a continental staff and playing style. Carol Shanahan bought the club in 2019 and manager Darrell Clarke secured promotion out of the League Two play-offs at the end of the 2021–22 season, and though they were relegated back into League Two at the end of the 2023–24 season, they made an immediate return to League One with Darren Moore in 2024–25.

First-team matches were recorded for the first time in 1882, meaning records go back over 140 years. friendlies are not included in this data (including goal tallies). As of the 2025–26 season, Port Vale have never played top-flight football; they have spent 41 seasons in the second tier, 49 seasons in the third tier, 24 seasons in the fourth tier of the Football League, as well as 16 seasons in non-League football. No team has played more Football League seasons (114) without reaching the top-flight.

Key

Key to colours and symbols:

Top league scorer in Vale's division

Key to league record:

  • P – Games played
  • W – Games won
  • D – Games drawn
  • L – Games lost
  • F – Goals for
  • A – Goals against
  • Pts – Points gained
  • Pos – final position
  • Ave – Average home league attendance Key to rounds:
  • DNE – Did not enter
  • P – Preliminaries
  • 1Q – First qualifying round
  • 2Q – Second qualifying round, etc.
  • R1 – First round, etc.
  • QF – Quarter-final
  • SF – Semi-final
  • GS – Group stage
  • AQF – Area quarter-finals, etc.

Seasons

SeasonDivisionPWDLFAPtsPosFA Cup
EFL Cup
CompetitionResultNameGoalsAverage
attendanceLeagueOtherTop scorer1882–831883–84Port Vale F.C. renamed to Burslem Port Vale F.C.1884–851885–861886–871887–881888–891889–901890–911891–921892–931893–941894–951895–96Burslem Port Vale failed re-election to the Football League and instead entered the Midland League.1896–971897–98Burslem Port Vale won re-election back into the Football League.1898–991899–19001900–011901–021902–031903–041904–051905–061906–07Burslem Port Vale F.C. liquidated and reformed as Port Vale F.C.1907–081908–091909–101910–111911–121912–131913–141914–15No competitive football was played in the 1914–1915 season due to the First World War.1916–171917–181918–19Port Vale were elected to the Football League in October 1919, taking on Leeds City's league record and remaining fixtures mid-season.1919–201920–211921–221922–231923–241924–251925–261926–271927–281928–291929–301930–311931–321932–331933–341934–351935–361936–371937–381938–391939–40No competitive football was played between 1940 and 1944 due to the Second World War.1944–451945–461946–471947–481948–491949–501950–511951–521952–531953–541954–551955–561956–571957–58The Third Division North and Third Division South were reorganised into the Third Division and Fourth Division.1958–591959–601960–611961–621962–631963–641964–651965–661966–671967–681968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741974–751975–761976–771977–781978–791979–801980–811981–821982–831983–841984–851985–861986–871987–881988–891989–901990–911991–92The creation of the Premier League resulted in the First Division, Second Division and Third Division becoming the second, third and fourth tier respectively1992–931993–941994–951995–961996–971997–981998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–032003–04The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed as the Championship, League One and League Two respectively.2004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–202020–212021–222022–232023–242024–25
Port Vale did not play league footballDNEStaffordshire Cup
NS Charity CupEnoch Hood2
Port Vale did not play league footballDNEStaffordshire CupSFCharles Simpson1
Burslem Port Vale did not play league footballDNEStaffordshire Cup
NS Charity Cup
Burslem CupErnie Payne5
Burslem Port Vale did not play league footballR5Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire Cup
NS Charity CupBilly Reynolds7
Burslem Port Vale did not play league footballR3Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire Cup{{ublistSFSFlist_style=text-align:center}}Billy Reynolds11
Burslem Port Vale did not play league football1QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire Cup{{ublistR2R3list_style=text-align:center}}n/a
The Combination2674154057222QStaffordshire Cup
NS Charity Cup{{ublistR4SFlist_style=text-align:center}}Jimmy Ditchfield82,200
Burslem Port Vale did not play league football2QStaffordshire CupSFFrank McGinnes2
Midland League24113105949258th2QStaffordshire Cup
NS Charity CupFrank McGinnes191,429
Midland League2112185233253rd1QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire Cup
S Charity CupFrank McGinnes191,394
Second Division22631330571511th1QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupMeshach Dean61,344
Second Division28134116664307th1QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupBilly Beats202,185
Second Division30741939771815th1QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupMeshach Dean81,367
Second Division30741943781814th2QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupErnest Beckett81,771
Midland League28143116456317th5QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire Cup
Wellingboro' Cup
S Charity CupDick Evans
Danny Simpson14967
Midland League2210374632235thR2Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupDick Evans
Danny Simpson111,400
Second Division34175125634399th5QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupJames Peake174,500
Second Division341461439493411th5QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupHoward Harvey171,518
Second Division341111124547339thR1Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupAdrian Capes112,087
Second Division341091543592912th5QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupAdrian Capes202,931
Second Division34138135762349th4QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire Cup
Bass Charity VaseAdrian Capes182,250
Second Division341091554522913thR1Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupAdrian Capes172,250
Second Division341071747722716th6QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupDick Allman82,536
Second Division381242249822817thR1Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupHarry Mountford153,200
Second Division381271960833116thR2Staffordshire CupSFBilly Beats154,147
North Staffordshire Federation League168353428195thDNEMay Bank
NS League CupBert Beech11600
North Staffordshire & District League26113125751258thDNEStaffs Junior Cup
Hanley Cup
May Bank
Burslem CupBert Beech17
North Staffordshire & District League2621148925431stDNEStaffs Junior Cup
Hanley Cup
May Bank
Burslem CupJoe Brough435,250
North Staffordshire & District League2614395041314thDNEStaffs Junior Cup
Hanley Cup
May Bank
Burslem Cup
NS Nursing CupJ. Tunnicliffe117,000
The Central League32151254623422ndDNEBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupFrank Cannon185,346
The Central League38197125538454th3QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupEli Adams205,500
The Central League381711107862454thR1Birmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupChris Young379,348
The Central League38253108442533rd5QBirmingham Cup
Staffordshire CupNS Infirmary CupChris Young407,250
Lancashire Section30771650402115thSubsidiary12thJack Needham125,386
Lancashire Section30981347552611thSubsidiary14thDavid Bowcock73,507
Lancashire Section301041639782412thSubsidiary4thHarry Howell95,772
Second Division421681859624013thR1Staffordshire Cup
NS Infirmary CupBobby Blood2611,247
Second Division4211141743493617th6QNS Infirmary CupBobby Blood2014,143
Second Division421482043573618thR1NS Infirmary CupTom Page1011,619
Second Division421491939513717th5QNS Infirmary CupTom Butler910,204
Second Division4213121750663816th5QNS Infirmary CupBilly Briscoe
Tom Page108,489
Second Division42178174856428thR1Wilf Kirkham3310,769
Second Division42196177969448thR3Wilf Kirkham3510,739
Second Division421613138878458thR4NS Infirmary CupWilf Kirkham4110,736
Second Division42188166857449thR5Wilf Kirkham1411,127
Second Division421542371863421stR3Wilf Kirkham1510,207
Third Division North4230751033767**1st**R2NS Infirmary CupSam Jennings219,176
Second Division42215166761475thR4Sam Jennings1710,445
Second Division421372258893320thR4NS Infirmary CupTom Nolan119,564
Second Division4214101866793817thR3Wilf Kirkham158,876
Second Division42197166055458thR3Welsh CupSFTom Nolan2210,051
Second Division4211121955743418thR3Tom Nolan168,463
Second Division4212822561063221stR4Jack Roberts127,787
Third Division North4217101558644411thR3Northern CupSFTommy Ward187,298
Third Division North4212141665733815thR1Northern CupR1Jack Roberts28 ♦6,716
Third Division South421491952583718thR2Southern CupSFTom Nolan177,587
Third Division South
Western Region2
220
101
21
100
521
561
2222nd
8thFL War Cup
Staffordshire CupP
R1Jack Roberts132,568
FL North 1
FL North 218
215
52
211
1422
2736
6012
1246th
54thFL North Cup
Midland Cup48th
PAlf Bellis105,969
Third Division (South) North209653425243rdR3FL North Cup8thBill Pointon197,212
Third Division South421791668634310thR4Morris Jones2610,582
Third Division South421611156354438thR1Ronnie Allen1313,569
Third Division South4214111751543913thR1Walter Aveyard1312,069
Third Division South4215111647424113thR4Cliff Pinchbeck1612,983
Third Division South4616131760654512thR3Cliff Pinchbeck1910,832
Third Division South4614151750664313thR1Albert Mullard1311,225
Third Division North46201886735582ndR2Coronation CupBasil Hayward2214,504
Third Division North4626173742169**1st**SFBasil Hayward2516,653
Second Division4212111948713517thR4Cyril Done1320,869
Second Division4216131360584512thR4Len Stephenson1418,985
Second Division428628571012222ndR3Cyril Done914,046
Third Division South4616102067584215thR2Stan Steele2210,457
Fourth Division42261281105864**1st**R1Stan Steele2212,757
Third Division461981980794614thR5Supporters' ClubGraham Barnett1710,733
Third Division461715149679497thR3R2Supporters' ClubCliff Portwood269,702
Third Division4617111865584512thR5R1Bert Llewellyn
Arthur Longbottom208,993
Third Division46238177258543rdR4R2Tony Richards138,130
Third Division4616141653494613thR4R2Tony Richards1310,056
Third Division469142341763222ndR2R1Albert Cheesebrough75,508
Fourth Division461592248593919thR3R1John Rowland236,015
Fourth Division4614151755584313thR2R1Mick Cullerton125,114
Fourth Division4612151961723918thR1R2Roy Chapman254,886
Fourth Division4616141646464613thR3R1Roy Chapman124,361
Fourth Division46201976133594thR2R1John James176,894
Third Division4615121952594217thR1R1John James155,437
Third Division4613151843594115thR3R1Bobby Gough104,366
Third Division462111145669536thR3R2Sammy Morgan
Ray Williams115,429
Third Division4614141852584220thR3R1John Woodward183,959
Third Division461815136154516thR1R1Terry Bailey
Ray Williams144,346
Third Division4615161555544612thR2R1Mick Cullerton214,133
Third Division4611161947713819thR5R1Debenhams CupKen Beamish184,356
Third Division468201846673621stR2R1Ken Beamish163,947
Fourth Division4614141857704216thR1R1Bernie Wright153,287
Fourth Division4612122256703620thR1R1Neville Chamberlain113,462
Fourth Division4612151957703919thR3R1Neville Chamberlain132,738
Fourth Division461816125649707thR3R2Ernie Moss173,639
Fourth Division462610106734883rdR1R1Robert Newton204,806
Third Division4611102551834323rdR1R2Members' CupR2Eamonn O'Keefe114,023
Fourth Division4614181461596012thR3R2Members' CupR2Alistair Brown213,267
Fourth Division46211696737794thR2R2Members' CupASFAndy Jones183,581
Third Division4615121976705712thR2R2Members' CupAQFAndy Jones37 ♦3,312
Third Division4618111758566511thR5R1Members' CupR1Darren Beckford
David Riley103,847
Third Division462412107848843rdR3R2Members' Cup
Play-offsP
Darren Beckford236,731
Second Division4615161562576111thR4R2Members' CupR2Darren Beckford218,978
Second Division4615121956645715thR4R2Members' CupR1Darren Beckford238,092
Second Division4610152742594524thR3R3Members' CupR2Martin Foyle167,382
Second Division46261197944893rdR3R1FL Trophy
Play-offsIan Taylor198,092
Second Division462610107946882ndR4R1FL TrophyAQFMartin Foyle188,377
First Division4615131858645817thR2R2Martin Foyle209,218
First Division4615151659666012thR5R1Anglo-Italian CupTony Naylor128,217
First Division461716135855678thR3R3Tony Naylor207,840
First Division4613102356554919thR3R1Lee Mills168,263
First Division461382545754721stR3R1Martin Foyle96,991
First Division467152448693623rdR3R1Tony Rougier95,906
Second Division4616141655496211thR1R1FL TrophyTony Naylor214,458
Second Division4616102051625814thR2R2FL TrophyAQFStephen McPhee145,210
Second Division4614112154705317thR1R1FL TrophyAQFMarc Bridge-Wilkinson94,436
Second Division462110157362737thR2R1FL TrophyAR1Stephen McPhee27 ♦5,810
League One461752449595618thR2R1FL TrophyAR2Billy Paynter134,973
League One4616121849546013thR4R1FL TrophyAR2Leon Constantine124,666
League One461862264656012thR2R4FL TrophyAR2Leon Constantine264,726
League One469112647813823rdR2R1FL TrophyPLuke Rodgers124,417
League Two461392444664818thR2R1FL TrophyR1Marc Richards115,522
League Two4617171261506810thR2R3FL TrophyR3Marc Richards234,939
League Two4617141554496511thR3R2FL TrophyR2Marc Richards205,533
League Two462091768605912thR1R1FL TrophyR1Marc Richards174,820
League Two462115118752783rdR2R1FL TrophyR3Tom Pope33 ♦5,727
League One46187215973619thR4R1FL TrophyR2Tom Pope166,249
League One461592255655418thR1R2FL TrophyR2Tom Pope125,290
League One4618111756586512thR2R2FL TrophyR2A-Jay Leitch-Smith124,993
League One4612132145704921stR3R1EFL TrophyGSAlex Jones104,813
League Two4611142149674720thR1R1EFL TrophyR2Tom Pope194,583
League Two4613132040545220thR1R1EFL TrophyQFTom Pope144,431
League Two37141585044578thR3R1EFL TrophyR3Tom Pope104,862
League Two461792057576013thR1R2EFL TrophyR3Devante Rodney120
League Two462212126746785thR3R1EFL Trophy
Play-offsR2
James Wilson156,103
League One4613102348714918thR1R1EFL TrophyR3Ellis Harrison117,681
League One4610112541744123rdR2QFEFL TrophyR3Ben Garrity126,600
League Two462214106546802ndR1R1EFL TrophyR2Lorent Tolaj157,621

Notes

References

;General

;Specific

References

  1. Turianski, Bill. "All-time Second Division – Clubs with most seasons in the 2nd Level of English Football".
  2. "The FA Cup Past Results". The Football Association.
  3. "1892–93 FA Cup". Richard Rundle.
  4. "Port Vale football club complete match record". AFS Enterprises.
  5. (22 September 2010). "History of the Football League". The Football League.
  6. "Port Vale". Richard Rundle.
  7. "Port Vale: Player Appearances". Centurycomm.
  8. (2005). "The Definitive Newton Heath F.C.". SoccerData.
  9. Kent, Jeff. (1990). "The Valiants' Years: The Story of Port Vale". Witan Books.
  10. (15 May 2020). "Port Vale give up promotion hopes to try to avert League Two financial crisis". Stoke Sentinel.
  11. (26 October 2020). "EFL hits out at Government position on fans in stadiums". GrimsbyLive.
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