Port Vale

1938–39 season
Chairman	Frank Huntbach
Manager	Tom Morgan (until March)
Stadium	The Old Recreation Ground
Football League Third Division South	18th (37 Points)
FA Cup	Second Round (knocked out by Southend United)
Football League Third Division South Cup	Semi-finals (knocked out by Queens Park Rangers)
Top goalscorer	League: Tom Nolan (17) All: Tom Nolan (17)
Highest home attendance	12,521 vs. Cardiff City, 5 November 1938
Lowest home attendance	3,482 vs. Clapton Orient, 6 May 1939
Average home league attendance	7,587
Biggest win	4–0 (twice) and 5–1
Biggest defeat	0–4 (twice) and 1–5
Home colours
← 1937–38 1939–40 →

The 1938–39 season was Port Vale's 33rd season of football in the English Football League, and their first ever season in the Third Division South, having switched from the Third Division North in summer 1938.^[1] It was the club's last full season of football before the breakout of war in Europe. It was thus the last season of competitive football for many of the players, including Tom Nolan, who became the club's top scorer for the fourth and final time with seventeen goals. Progressing to the semi-final stage of the Football League Third Division South Cup, they could progress no further as the tournament was cancelled before its conclusion. Manager Tom Morgan shocked the club by leaving for another position in March.

The pre-season saw another reconstruction of the first XI, as eleven new signings arrived at The Old Recreation Ground, most notably: highly rated goalkeeper Arthur Jepson (Grantham Town); veteran left-back George Collin (Sunderland); right-half George Hannah (Derby County); left-half Sid Wileman (signed from Derby for 'a substantial fee'); and goalscoring winger John Callender (Lincoln City).^[1] Work at the stadium took place, as ground outside the stadium was prepared for car parking.^[1] The eclectic training schedule of the previous season was expanded, with bowls and cricket supplemented by games of tennis and baseball.^[1] Also on 20 August, a Football League Jubilee Fund match was played against nearby Crewe Alexandra, with the Vale picking up a 3–2 win, raising £243 in the process.^[1]

The season began with George Heppell in goal, as Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club at first refused to allow Jepson to play.^[1] With three defeats in the first four games, most new men were dropped as Morgan struggled to find consistency in his picks.^[1] It took until the end of October for the team to get into their stride, as their 5–1 win over Walsall was their fifth consecutive home win.^[1] They also travelled to St James Park to record a 3–1 win over Exeter City – their first away win since September 1937.^[1] Nottinghamshire CCC seemed justified in initially refusing Jepson permission to play, as he played seventy minutes of the game with his right hand strapped up, having dislocated his fingers.^[1] Ken Fish was then sold to BSC Young Boys of Switzerland, having fallen out of favour. Yet, the directors refused to hear offers for the rest of the team, determined as they were to strengthen the team.^[1] Despite stylish play, especially from Alf Bellis, the club then went from Guy Fawkes Night to New Year's Eve without a victory, their five defeats taking them to just two points clear of the re-election zone.^[1] Ending their run with a 4–0 win over Bristol City, they lost Jack Roberts to a dislocated shoulder.^[1]

Trying out new, young players in 1939, the club re-signed veteran forward Tommy Ward from Stoke City.^[1] A 4–0 hammering at Fellows Park from bottom-placed Walsall left Vale third-from-bottom by March.^[1] Disgruntled supporters turned against the team, as regular barracking was directed at the players.^[1] Roberts and Jepson struggled with injuries, but by March, the newcomers had finally gelled as a group, and results soon picked up.^[1] Yet manager Tom Morgan shocked the club by leaving for the vacant position at Wrexham,^[1] leaving the club somewhat rudderless. Despite receiving a 4–0 beating from Notts County at Meadow Lane, the players rallied to produce four points from their last three games.^[1] Two of these points came from a 2–0 win over champions Newport County at Somerton Park, making Vale the only team to have recorded the double over "Ironsides" that season.^[1]

They finished in eighteenth place with 37 points, then a club record low position.^[1] They were four points clear of having to petition for re-election, and eighteen points short of promotion. Their 52 goals scored was a poor record, though a total of 58 goals conceded was much improved on the previous campaign.^[1] Nolan's seventeen goals were the only major contribution in front of goal.^[1]

On the financial side, gate receipts had increased by £659. However, an overall loss was made of £1,723.^[1] The move to the southern division had cost a considerable amount in transfer fees, though home game income had improved by £676 to £6,403.^[1] Further financial worries were lessened by a transfer credit of £1,455.^[1] Despite the poor season, seventeen players were kept on, though promising teenage midfielder John Smith was sold to Chelsea.^[1] Other departures included Harry Davies (retired); Leonard Smart; Tommy Ward (Mansfield Town); Arthur Caldwell; Arthur Masters; George Collin (Burton Town); Sid Wileman (Hinckley United); and John Callender (Gateshead).^[1]

In the FA Cup, Vale overcame Wrexham of the Third Division North 2–1 at the Racecourse Ground.^[1] However, they crashed out at the Second Round, losing 1–0 at home to league rivals Southend United.^[1] For both matches the players had relaxed beforehand with activities such as golf, country walks, and games of snooker.^[1]

In the short-lived Football League Third Division South Cup, the "Valiants" progressed to the semi-finals at the expense of Walsall (4–0), Mansfield Town (3–1), and Ipswich Town (2–0).^[1] In the semis, they came to a goalless stalemate with Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road – the tournament was cancelled at this stage, and so no club would win it.^[1] The club had lost money in the much-maligned tournament, as atrocious attendances were not enough even to pay player bonuses.^[1] Port Vale and Queens Park Rangers protested in favour of cancelling the tournament due to the financial failure of the cup, and the Football League agreed with them to 'wash out' the competition.^[1]

Port Vale's score comes first

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	George Heppell	3	0	0	0	3	0
GK	Arthur Jepson	39	0	2	0	45	0
DF	Harry Griffiths	33	2	2	0	37	3
DF	Johnny Rowe	35	0	2	0	40	0
DF	Roger Whittle	4	0	0	0	4	0
DF	Roy Felton	10	0	0	0	12	0
DF	George Collin	1	0	0	0	1	0
DF	Tom Clark	0	0	0	0	0	0
MF	Arthur Caldwell	4	0	0	0	6	0
MF	Tommy Ward	12	4	0	0	15	7
MF	Wilf Smith	37	0	2	0	40	0
MF	Arthur Cumberlidge	35	0	2	0	41	0
MF	Alf Bellis	26	3	2	0	31	3
MF	Sid Wileman	4	0	1	0	6	0
MF	Don Triner	3	0	0	0	4	0
MF	Leonard Smart	13	5	0	0	13	5
MF	John Smith	13	0	1	0	18	2
MF	George Hannah	42	0	2	0	48	0
MF	Bill Booth	9	0	0	0	10	0
MF	John Callender	3	1	0	0	4	1
FW	Jack Roberts	20	8	1	2	21	10
FW	Tom Nolan	39	17	2	0	41	17
FW	Arthur Masters	33	5	2	0	37	7
FW	Harry Davies	29	2	1	0	34	3
FW	Joe Wheatley	2	0	0	0	3	0
FW	John Sanderson	1	0	0	0	1	0
FW	Geoffrey Moreland	7	3	0	0	9	3
FW	William O'Brien	4	1	0	0	4	1
FW	Richard Fuller	1	0	0	0	1	0

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Third Division North	FA Cup	Southern Cup	Total
1	FW	England	Tom Nolan	17	0	0	17
2	FW	England	Jack Roberts	8	2	0	10
3	FW	England	Arthur Masters	5	0	2	7
–	MF	England	Tommy Ward	4	0	3	7
5	MF	England	Leonard Smart	5	0	0	5
6	FW	England	Geoffrey Moreland	3	0	0	3
–	MF	England	Alf Bellis	3	0	0	3
–	FW	England	Harry Davies	2	0	1	3
–	DF	England	Harry Griffiths	2	0	1	3
10	MF	England	John Smith	0	0	2	2
11	MF	England	John Callender	1	0	0	1
–	FW	Scotland	William O'Brien	1	0	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	1	0	0	1
			TOTALS	52	2	9	61

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
May 1938	MF		John Callender	Lincoln City	Free transfer	[3]
May 1938	FW		Richard Fuller	Stockport County	Free transfer	[3]
May 1938	DF		William O'Brien	Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic	Free transfer	[3]
June 1938	DF		George Collin	Sunderland	Free transfer	[3]
June 1938	DF		Roy Felton	Everton	Free transfer	[3]
June 1938	MF		George Hannah	Derby County	Free transfer	[3]
June 1938	GK		Arthur Jepson	Grantham Town	Free transfer	[3]
June 1938	FW		John Sanderson	Newcastle United	Free transfer	[3]
June 1938	MF		Sid Wileman	Derby County	'Substantial'	[3]
November 1938	FW		Geoffrey Moreland	Birmingham	Free transfer	[3]
December 1938	MF		Don Triner	Downing's Tileries	Free transfer	[3]
February 1939	DF		Bill Booth	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Free transfer	[3]
February 1939	MF		Tommy Ward	Stoke City	Free transfer	[3]
March 1939	MF		Leonard Smart	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Free transfer	[3]

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
October 1938	FW		Ken Fish	Young Boys	Free transfer	[3]
April 1939	MF		John Callender	Gateshead	Free transfer	[3]
April 1939	DF		George Collin	Burton Town	Free transfer	[3]
April 1939	FW		Harry Davies	Retired		[3]
April 1939	FW		Richard Fuller	Darlington	Free transfer	[3]
April 1939	DF		William O'Brien	Watford	Free transfer	[3]
May 1939	MF		John Smith	Chelsea	Free transfer	[3]
June 1939	MF		Tommy Ward	Mansfield Town	Free transfer	[3]
August 1938	MF		Sid Wileman	Hinckley United	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1939	DF		Bill Booth	Cardiff City	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1939	FW		Arthur Masters		Released	[3]

Specific

General

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