Third Division North

The pre-season saw the arrival of goalkeepers James Nicholls and George Heppell (Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers); veteran right-back Johnny Rowe (Queen's Park Rangers); left-back Harry Johnson (Newcastle United); winger Charlie Rattray (Mansfield Town); experienced inside-right Arthur Masters (Nottingham Forest); and 'clever' inside-left William Price (Fulham).^[1] Pre-season training included bowls, cricket, and practice with rubbers balls and rubber boots to improve ball control.^[1] The fans were not optimistic about the campaign, and so ticket sales were low despite lowered prices.^[1]

The season began with a 3–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park.^[1] Tom Nolan found himself dropped in favour of Jack Roberts, who immediately went on a run of three goals in three games.^[1] The team went on to go six games unbeaten, including a 4–0 win over Barrow in which Roberts scored all four.^[1] Their 5–1 win over Hartlepools United – in which Arthur Caldwell scored a hat-trick – took them into seventh in the table.^[1] This run ended with a 5–0 drubbing at Valley Parade.^[1] After this defeat to Bradford City the Vale signed forward Ken Fish from Aston Villa for 'a sizeable fee'.^[1] In November, William Price was released from his contract.^[1] The next month the side were on the end of a 7–2 beating by Chester at Sealand Road.^[1] Soon after this Tom Morgan was re-appointed as manager, having been demoted to assistant-secretary in June 1932.^[1] Immediately following this the club went on a run of one defeat in nine games.^[1] During this run Roberts scored a hat-trick past Accrington Stanley in a 4–1 win.^[1]

In February, Tommy Ward was traded to Stoke City in exchange for Harry Davies and a small fee.^[1] On 5 March, Vale inflicted a 4–3 win over Bradford City, soon after which Sam Baum was signed from Bolton Wanderers just two minutes before the transfer deadline closed.^[1] On 15 April, the club saw its first five-figure crowd of the season, as promotion-chasing Hull City took away both the points despite a brace from Roberts.^[1] Revenge came at Anlaby Road three days later, when the "Valiants" held a clean sheet to damage the "Tigers" promotion prospects.^[1] On the final home game of the season a seventeen-year-old Alf Bellis scored on his debut as Vale beat Rochdale 4–1.^[1]

They finished fifteenth with 38 points, just six points clear of the re-election zone.^[1] Away from The Old Recreation Ground the side struggled, managing just a single win.^[1] Jack Roberts was the club's top goalscorer with 28 league strikes in 37 games – also making him the division's top scorer.^[1]

Finances

On the financial side, a bare profit of some £300 was recorded, due to a transfer credit of £2,900.^[1] The annual summer clear-out saw the departure of fourteen of the twenty-six players, including Sam Baum; Spencer Evans (Northwich Victoria); Roderick Welsh; Charlie Rattray (Accrington Stanley); Harry Johnson (Hartlepools United); Trevor Rhodes; and Fred Obrey (who was sold to Tranmere Rovers).^[1] At the season's end the club were delighted to hear they had been transferred to the Third Division South, where gate receipts were higher.^[1] On 27 June another meeting at the Grand Hotel (Hanley) saw the issue of a name change debated, where Stoke United and Stoke North End were again considered.^[1] A change of name was advocated by every letter written in by supporters, however, once again there was insufficient time to implement a name change before the upcoming season.^[1]

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, a first-round exit came at the hands of Midland League Gainsborough Trinity, after Trinity won the replay 2–1.^[1] In the short-lived Football League Third Division North Cup, Vale went out in the first round to Tranmere Rovers – a 1–1 stalemate at home was followed by a 2–0 defeat in the replay at Prenton Park.^[1]

Football League Third Division North

FA Cup

Third Division North Cup

Appearances

More information Pos., Name ...

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	George Heppell	25	0	1	0	27	0
GK	James Nicholls	17	0	1	0	19	0
DF	Trevor Rhodes	13	0	0	0	14	0
DF	Roderick Welsh	27	0	2	0	31	0
DF	Harry Griffiths	27	1	1	0	28	1
DF	Johnny Rowe	37	0	2	0	40	0
DF	Harry Johnson	19	0	0	0	21	0
MF	Arthur Caldwell	35	10	1	0	37	10
MF	Tommy Ward	11	4	1	0	14	4
MF	Billy Tunnicliffe	1	0	1	0	2	0
MF	Wilf Smith	21	0	0	0	22	0
MF	Fred Obrey	16	0	2	0	18	0
MF	Spencer Evans	34	0	2	0	37	0
MF	Arthur Cumberlidge	23	0	1	0	26	0
MF	Arthur Whittaker	0	0	0	0	1	0
MF	Charlie Rattray	22	1	1	0	24	2
MF	William Price	13	2	0	0	14	2
MF	Stanley Dimbleby	1	0	0	0	2	0
MF	Sam Baum	3	0	0	0	3	0
MF	Alf Bellis	1	1	0	0	1	1
MF	Frank Briggs	8	0	0	0	8	0
MF	Harry Sellars	0	0	0	0	0	0
FW	Jack Roberts	37	28	2	2	40	30
FW	Tom Nolan	18	7	1	0	20	7
FW	Arthur Masters	33	8	2	0	35	8
FW	Ken Fish	5	1	1	0	6	1
FW	Harry Davies	15	2	0	0	15	2

Close

Top scorers

More information Place, Position ...

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Third Division North	FA Cup	Northern Cup	Total
1	FW	England	Jack Roberts	28	2	0	30
2	MF	England	Arthur Caldwell	10	0	0	10
3	FW	England	Arthur Masters	8	0	0	8
4	FW	England	Tom Nolan	7	0	0	7
5	MF	England	Tommy Ward	4	0	0	4
6	MF	England	Charlie Rattray	1	0	1	2
–	MF	England	William Price	2	0	0	2
–	FW	England	Harry Davies	2	0	0	2
9	FW	South Africa	Ken Fish	1	0	0	1
–	DF	England	Harry Griffiths	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Alf Bellis	1	0	0	1
–	–	–	Own goals	0	0	0	0
			TOTALS	65	2	1	68

Close

Transfers in

More information Date from, Position ...

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
May 1937	GK		George Heppell	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Free transfer	[3]
May 1937	MF		William Price	Fulham	Free transfer	[3]
May 1937	MF		Charlie Rattray	Mansfield Town	Free transfer	[3]
May 1937	DF		Johnny Rowe	Queen's Park Rangers	Free transfer	[3]
June 1937	MF		Stanley Dimbleby	Hull City	Free transfer	[3]
June 1937	DF		Harry Johnson	Newcastle United	Free transfer	[3]
June 1937	FW		Arthur Masters	Nottingham Forest	Exchange	[3]
June 1937	GK		James Nicholls	Brentford	Free transfer	[3]
November 1937	FW		Ken Fish	Aston Villa	'Sizeable'	[3]
February 1938	FW		Harry Davies	Stoke City	Exchange	[3]
March 1938	MF		Sam Baum	Bolton Wanderers	Free transfer	[3]
March 1938	MF		Alf Bellis	Burnell's Ironworks	Free transfer	[3]
March 1938	FW		Joe Wheatley	Ellesmere Port Town	Free transfer	[3]

Close

Transfers out

More information Date from, Position ...

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
September 1937	FW		Arthur Ford	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Free transfer	[3]
November 1937	MF		William Price		Mutual consent	[3]
February 1938	MF		Tommy Ward	Stoke City	'Small'	[3]
May 1938	MF		Sam Baum		Released	[3]
May 1938	MF		Frank Briggs	Aston Villa	Released	[3]
May 1938	MF		Stanley Dimbleby		Released	[3]
May 1938	DF		Spencer Evans	Northwich Victoria	Free transfer	[3]
May 1938	MF		Charlie Rattray	Accrington Stanley	Free transfer	[3]
May 1938	FW		Billy Tunnicliffe	Bournemouth	Free transfer	[3]
May 1938	DF		Roderick Welsh		Released	[3]
June 1938	MF		Fred Obrey	Tranmere Rovers	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1938	DF		Harry Johnson	Hartlepools United	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1938	GK		James Nicholls		Released	[3]
Summer 1938	MF		Trevor Rhodes		Released	[3]

Close