1890–91 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

Burslem Port Vale
1890–91 season
Stadium	Athletic Ground
Midland League	8th (16 points)
FA Cup	Second Qualifying Round; (knocked out by Walsall Town Swifts)
Staffordshire Senior Cup	Second Round; (knocked out by Aston Villa)
North Staffordshire Challenge Cup	Winners; (shared with Stoke)
Top goalscorer	League: Frank McGinnes (15); All: Frank McGinnes (41)
Highest home attendance	3,000 vs. Preston North End, 6 October 1890
Average home league attendance	1,429
Biggest win	8–0 vs. Warwick County, 14 March 1891
Biggest defeat	0–12 vs. Aston Villa, 26 January 1890
	1891–92 →

The 1890–91 season was Burslem Port Vale's first season in the newly formed Midland League.^[1] They finished in eighth-place, having only picked up two points away from home. They failed to go on any cup runs and were beaten by a club record 12–0 margin by Aston Villa in the Second Round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup. They did, though, share the North Staffordshire Challenge Cup after holding Stoke to a draw in the final.

Overview

Midland League

Burslem Port Vale became founder members of the Midland League along with 11 other clubs, including future Football League sides Gainsborough Trinity, Lincoln City, Rotherham Town and Sheffield United.^[1] The club's directors first had to deal with some legal issues, successfully defending themselves from a claim for lost wages by former player Jack Shields.^[1] To prepare for the new league the club signed three new players: 23-year-old Welsh winger Charlie Davies, 22-year-old inside-forward James Bryden from Hamilton Academicals and 21-year-old Scottish forward David Mackie; however, they lost both George Bateman and Lewis Ballham to Stoke.^[1]

They opened the league campaign with three games at the Athletic Ground, beating Staveley and Long Eaton Rangers 2–1 and 7–2 respectively, then coming to a disappointing 2–2 draw with Kidderminster.^[1] Two away defeats followed, though they managed a highly respectable 1–1 draw with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane despite goalkeeper John Davies missing the train; however, the team would fail to avoid defeat on the road again until 28 February.^[1] At home, they recorded successive 3–0 league wins, but late December proved a disaster as they fell to 5–0 and 11–0 defeats at Lincoln City and Gainsborough Trinity; it was suggested the scoreline of the boxing day defeat to Gainsborough was such due to excessive drinking on Christmas Day.^[1] New members were assigned to the club's committee. They resolved to sign better players, telling the current squad to "train or take the consequences".^[1] They lost the return fixture at Derby Junction on 17 January, but appealed the result as Junction's home secretary officiated as the official referee failed to appear; the appeal was denied.^[1]

Vale recorded home and away victories over Warwick County – winning 8–0 at home. Frank McGinnes scored his second hat-trick of the season – but gained no points as County withdrew from the league. Their games were struck from the record.^[1] Home defeats to Gainsborough and Burton Wanderers followed. Still, they ended the league campaign in good form, beating Sheffield United and Staveley whilst taking a point from their visit to Lincoln.^[1] They finished the table in eighth place, though they finished just five points off second-place Long Eaton Rangers. McGinnes finished as the club's top-scorer with 15 league goals.^[1] The club's directors embarked on a locally based strategy, signing promising local players to five-year contracts.^[1]

Cup competitions

Starting the FA Cup at the first qualification round, they progressed past Warwick County with a 3–1 away win but lost out 3–2 to Football Alliance side Walsall Town Swifts at the next stage.^[1] They faced disaster in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, being "completely outclassed" in a 12–0 defeat to Aston Villa at Wellington Road; the result remains the club's biggest ever margin of defeat.^[1] They fared much better in the North Staffordshire Challenge Cup, thrashing Burton Wanderers 7–0 in the semi-final to book their place in the final against Stoke; they drew the final 1–1, and the two teams shared the trophy after failing to arrange a replay.^[1]

Results

Burslem Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win	Draw	Loss

Midland League

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers
6 September 1890	Staveley	H	2–1	thousands	McGinnes, McCrindle
13 September 1890	Long Eaton Rangers	H	7–2	1,500	McGinnes (3), Ditchfield (2), Mackie, C.Davies
20 September 1890	Kidderminster	H	2–2		Mackie, McGinnes
27 September 1890	Derby Midland	A	1–2	1,500	Ditchfield
11 October 1890	Long Eaton Rangers	A	2–5	small	McGinnes, other
18 October 1890	Derby Midland	H	4–0	poor	Ditchfield (2), McGinnes, Bryden
27 October 1890	Sheffield United	A	1–1	2,000	C.Davies
1 November 1890	Derby Junction	H	3–1	1,500	C.Davies, Bryden, Ditchfield
8 November 1890	Kidderminster	A	0–1	large
29 November 1890	Burton Wanderers	A	0–4	1,000
6 December 1890	Derby Junction	H	3–0	2,000	Ditchfield, Curwen, McGinnes
13 December 1890	Rotherham Town	H	3–0		McCrindle, Ditchfield, W.Jones
25 December 1890	Lincoln City	A	0–5	1,000
26 December 1890	Gainsborough Trinity	A	0–11
27 December 1890	Rotherham Town	H	1–2	very good	o.g.
10 January 1891	Lincoln City	H	3–1	1,500	McGinnes (2), C.Davies
17 January 1891	Derby Junction	A	2–3	1,000	scrimmage, other
28 February 1891	Warwick County	A	3–1	average	Ditchfield (2), Draycott
14 March 1891	Warwick County	H	8–0	2,000	McGinnes (3), Keeling (2), o.g., Ditchfield, Dean
28 March 1891	Gainsborough Trinity	H	1–3	good	McCrindle
11 April 1891	Burton Wanderers	H	1–2	1,500	Keeling
13 April 1891	Sheffield United	H	3–1	2,000	C.Davies, Elson, other
20 April 1891	Lincoln City	H	1–1		W.Jones
25 April 1891	Staveley	A	3–0		McGinnes (2), Elson

FA Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
1Q	4 October 1890	Warwick County	A	3–1		McCrindle, Elson, scrimmage
2Q	25 October 1890	Walsall Town Swifts	H	2–3	1,500	McGinnes, Coyle

Staffordshire Senior Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
2R	26 January 1890	Aston Villa	A	0–12	3,000

North Staffordshire Challenge Cup


Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
SF	2 May 1890	Burton Wanderers	A	7–0	capital	McGinnes (3), Ditchfield (2), Draycott, Dean
F	9 May 1890	Stoke	A	1–1

Friendlies


Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Goalscorers
1 September 1890	Newton Heath	A	1–5	3,500	McGinnes
8 September 1890	Newton Heath	H	4–4	1,500	McGinnes (3), other
15 September 1890	Blackburn Rovers	H	1–3	2,000	McGinnes
22 September 1890	Bolton Wanderers	H	1–6		McGinnes
29 September 1890	West Bromwich Albion	H	1–2	large	McGinnes
6 October 1890	Preston North End	H	2–6	3,000	McGinnes (2)
10 November 1890	Everton	H	0–3	1,500
15 November 1890	Small Heath	A	1–5	3,000
22 November 1890	Middlesbrough Ironopolis	A	1–6	2,000	Nash
24 November 1890	London Casuals	H	4–0		Matthews, Curwen, rush, Ditchfield
20 December 1890	Stoke	H	0–3
3 January 1891	Leek	H	7–0		McGinnes (3), J.Davies (2), McAlpine, McCrindle
24 January 1891	Ardwick	A	2–3	1,000	McGinnes (2)
31 January 1891	Crewe Alexandra	A	3–2	1,500	McGinnes, Dean, W.Jones
7 February 1891	Leek	A	2–1	400	scrimmage, Ditchfield
14 February 1891	Chirk	H	5–0		Ditchfield (2), o.g., Keeling, W.Jones
16 February 1891	Derby County	H	0–2	1,500
7 March 1891	Crewe Alexandra	H	5–1	1,500	Ditchfield (4), other
9 March 1891	Newton Heath	H	2–1	1,500	Dean, McGinnes
17 March 1891	Bootle	A	1–2		Dean
30 March 1891	Stoke	A	1–1	3,000	McGinnes
4 April 1891	Northwich Victoria	H	5–0		McGinnes (4), McCrindle
6 April 1891	Bootle	H	1–2		McGinnes
18 April 1891	Macclesfield	A	1–0	3,000	rush
27 April 1891	Stoke	A	0–1	1,500

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		Staffordshire Cup		Challenge Cup		Friendlies		Total
Pos.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Baker	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
GK	John Davies	13	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	11	0	25	0
GK	Levi Higginson	6	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	13	0	22	0
GK	Nixon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
DF	G Martin	5	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	11	0
DF	Matthews	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
DF	Fred Jones	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	7	0
DF	Albert Skinner	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
DF	Joe Barr	22	0	2	0	1	0	2	0	21	0	48	0
DF	James Clutton	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	6	0	11	0
DF	B Coyle	12	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	12	0	26	1
DF	C McAlpine	7	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	14	1	23	1
DF	Bob McCrindle	22	3	2	1	1	0	2	0	21	2	48	8
MF	Billy Elson	20	2	2	1	1	0	2	0	21	0	46	3
MF	Billy Poulson	15	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	8	0	24	0
MF	W. Jones	14	2	1	0	1	0	0	0	11	2	27	4
MF	James Bryden	9	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	17	2
MF	Charlie Davies	20	5	1	0	0	0	2	0	18	0	41	5
MF	Meshach Dean	8	1	0	0	1	0	2	1	14	3	25	5
MF	Billy Draycott	2	1	1	0	1	0	2	1	3	0	9	2
MF	Sharp	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
MF	Harry Slater	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0
FW	Dick Danks	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Jimmy Ditchfield	18	11	2	0	1	0	2	2	21	9	44	21
FW	Frank McGinnes	19	15	2	1	1	0	2	3	23	22	47	41
FW	Billy Reynolds	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Fred Stokes	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	John Nash	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	5	1
FW	H Curwen	6	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	5	1	13	2
FW	J Davies	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1	2
FW	J Keeling	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	1	12	4
FW	David Mackie	7	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	11	2
FW	Wally Owen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Midland League	FA Cup	Other	Total
1	FW	Scotland	Frank McGinnes	15	0	26	41
2	FW	England	Jimmy Ditchfield	11	0	10	21
3	DF	Scotland	Bob McCrindle	3	2	3	8
4	MF	Wales	Charlie Davies	5	0	0	5
–	MF	England	Meshach Dean	1	0	4	5
6	FW		J Keeling	3	0	1	4
–	MF		W. Jones	2	0	2	4
8	MF	England	Billy Elson	2	1	0	3
9	FW	Scotland	David Mackie	2	0	0	2
–	MF		James Bryden	2	0	0	2
–	FW		H Curwen	1	0	1	2
–	MF	England	Billy Draycott	1	0	1	2
–	FW		J Davies	0	0	2	2
14	FW	England	John Nash	0	0	1	1
–	DF	England	B Coyle	0	1	0	1
–	DF	England	C McAlpine	0	0	1	1
–	DF	England	Matthews	0	0	1	1
–	–	–	Unknown	3	0	2	5
–	–	–	Own goals	2	0	1	3
–	–	–	Scrimmage	1	1	1	3
			TOTALS	54	5	57	116

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1890	FW	H Curwen		Free transfer	^[2]
1890	MF	Meshach Dean		Free transfer	^[2]
1890	GK	Levi Higginson		Free transfer	^[2]
1890	FW	J Keeling		Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1890	MF	James Bryden	Hamilton Academical	Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1890	MF	Billy Draycott		Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1890	DF	Fred Jones	West Manchester	Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1890	MF	W. Jones		Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1890	MF	David Mackie		Free transfer	^[2]
Autumn 1890	FW	John Nash		Free transfer	^[2]
December 1890	DF	C McAlpine		Free transfer	^[2]
1891	GK	Nixon		Free transfer	^[2]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
September 1890	DF	Fred Jones	Newton Heath	Free transfer	^[2]
November 1890	MF	James Bryden		Released	^[2]
March 1891	DF	B Coyle		Released	^[2]
June 1891	MF	Billy Draycott	Stoke	Free transfer	^[2]
Summer 1891	MF	Billy Poulson		Released	^[2]
1891	DF	Joe Barr	Accrington	Free transfer	^[2]
1891	FW	H Curwen		Released	^[2]
1891	MF	David Mackie		Released	^[2]
1891	FW	Fred Stokes		Released	^[2]
1891	DF	G Martin		Released	^[2]
1891	DF	Matthews		Released	^[2]

References

Specific

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Kent, Jeff (1990). "Trying to make the Grade (1888-1898)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 26–50. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

General

Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879-1993. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.

[Kent-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Kent, Jeff (1990). "Trying to make the Grade (1888-1898)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 26–50. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

[transfers-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

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