1894–95 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

The 1894–95 season was Burslem Port Vale's third consecutive season of football in the English Football League.^[1] They finished 15th with 18 points from 30 matches (7 wins, 4 draws, 19 losses). In cup competitions, Vale were eliminated in the early rounds of the FA Cup, Birmingham Senior Cup, and Staffordshire Senior Cup, failing to make significant progress.

Burslem Port Vale

1894–95 season
Stadium	Athletic Ground
Football League Second Division	15th (18 Points)
FA Cup	First Qualifying Round (knocked out by Stourbridge)
Birmingham Senior Cup	Second Round (knocked out by Loughborough)
Staffordshire Senior Cup	Second Round (knocked out by Burton Wanderers)
Top goalscorer	League: Meshach Dean (7) All: Meshach Dean (8)
Highest home attendance	2,500 vs Leicester Fosse, 23 March 1895
Lowest home attendance	300 vs Woolwich Arsenal, 19 January 1895 Rotherham Town, 16 February 1895
Average home league attendance	1,367+
Biggest win	7–1 vs. Lincoln City, 23 March 1895
Biggest defeat	0–10 vs. Notts County, 26 February 1895
Home colours
← 1893–94 1895–96 →

The season was marred by poor performances, including heavy defeats such as a 10–0 loss to Notts County — caused in part by player absences — and a 7–0 defeat at Woolwich Arsenal. Financial difficulties and low attendances compounded on-field struggles, with the club forced to rely on reserve players and youth promotions. Despite a poor start and extended losing runs, the team managed late-season victories, notably a 7–1 demolition of Lincoln City and a 5–0 win over Grimsby Town, showing glimpses of resilience. Financial struggles and low attendances added to the club’s challenges, forcing them to promote youth players and sign from lower leagues.

Overview

Second Division

Ever-present Tom Baddeley.

With financial losses reported, Port Vale restricted themselves to promoting reserve team players alongside new defenders Dick Ray (Macclesfield), Walter Wilson (Mansfield Town) and Frank Haslam (Mansfield Town). Top scorer Billy Beats was retained, though. A 1–0 opening day victory over Walsall Town Swifts betrayed what would be a difficult season for the "Valeites". A Scotsman named Mr Wilson was signed after this game, but he decided to instead meet two friends in Stockport and went on holiday to the Isle of Man. Wilson never made it to Staffordshire. Five defeats followed the opening day victory as the forward line rarely troubled the opposition goalkeepers. Scottish forward James Smith was signed from Kilmarnock and he made a scoring debut in a 4–4 home draw with Newcastle United on 6 October. Beats scored the only goal against Burton Wanderers two weeks later, only for seven consecutive losses to follow. In the 4–0 defeat at eventual champions Bury on 10 November, Jimmy Scarratt exited on a stretcher and spent the next four months hospitalised with a knee injury. Walter Wilson and John Edwards were offloaded to Nelson and Stockport County respectively. By December, the club were bottom of the league with dwindling attendances, rising player wages, and a £60 deficit to overcome. Only 1,000 spectators turned up to the Athletic Ground to witness a 5–2 defeat to Newton Heath on Christmas Eve, whilst Vale fell to a 7–0 defeat at Woolwich Arsenal on Christmas Day.^[1]

After a 3–0 defeat at Newton Heath on New Year's Day, The Staffordshire Sentinel reported that "five worse shooters could not be found in any team in England". The losing run ended four days later with a 2–2 draw at Crewe Alexandra, the only team in the division with a worse record. Only 300 fans turned out to see Woolwich Arsenal win 1–0 in Cobridge on 19 January. The club continued to try desperately to sign new forwards, to no avail. They lost 10–0 at Notts County on 26 February, after three players (Dick Ray, George Eccles and Meshach Dean) failed to turn up, leaving reserve players to make up the numbers.^[1] This defeat was followed by a reorganisation effort, after which results improved. On 4 March, the first league win in five months was attained with a 2–0 home victory over Burton Swifts. A 4–0 defeat at Burton Wanderers followed. On 16 March, though, came a 7–1 demolition of Lincoln City. The team were then beaten 2–1 at high-flying Leicester Fosse. Vale recorded a 5–0 victory over Grimsby Town, the division's highest scorers, which ended Grimsby's promotion chances. They travelled to St James' Park and won their first away match of the season, with the Newcastle United home fans reportedly cheering the visitors "for their plucky display". The season ended with a 4–0 home win over Crewe Alexandra. Vale had amassed 18 points from 30 games, conceding 77 goals, including 54 in their 15 away fixtures, but were re-elected to the league with the joint-highest number of votes.^[1]

Goalkeeper Tom Baddeley was the only ever-present throughout the season, with left-back Dick Ray missing just one game due to missing the train. Billy Beats, George Samuel Eccles, Meshach Dean, and Alf Wood, favourites of previous campaigns, rarely missed a match. At the end of the season, Wood left for Southampton, and Ray for Manchester City. Billy Beats was sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers for an £80 fee and a £50 benefit match. With their places filled with reserves, the next season looked bleak.^[1]

Finances

Financially, the club struggled, with attendance down due to continuing defeats, and the pay raises the players had for the good work the previous season damaged the budget.^[1] An end-of-season meeting saw the club's directors considering disbanding the club or floating the club as a Limited liability company.

Cup competitions

For the fourth consecutive season, they exited the FA Cup in the first round of qualification, for the second consecutive season, they scored three goals in their defeat; this time Stourbridge scored five. Vale had appeared overconfident and began the match at a walking pace.^[1] They exited the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the second round and the Birmingham Senior Cup at the first round, losing 1–0 to eventual Midland League champions Loughborough in the latter competition amid another poor display from the forward line.^[1]

Key player Billy Beats.

Results

The Burslem Port Vale team in 1894.

Football League Second Division

Main article: 1894–95 Football League

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
12	Rotherham Town	30	11	2	17	55	62	0.887	24
13	Lincoln City	30	10	0	20	52	92	0.565	20	Re-elected
14	Walsall Town Swifts (R)	30	10	0	20	47	92	0.511	20	Resigned from league
15	Burslem Port Vale	30	7	4	19	39	77	0.506	18	Re-elected
16	Crewe Alexandra	30	3	4	23	26	103	0.252	10

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated

Results by matchday

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Ground	H	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	A	A	H	A	H	H	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A
Result	W	L	L	L	L	L	D	W	L	L	L	L	L	L	L	D	L	L	L	D	D	L	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	W
Position	1	11	14	14	15	16	14	13	14	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	14	15
Points	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	6	6	6	7	8	8	8	10	10	12	12	14	16	18

Source: Statto^[2]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

Burslem Port Vale v Walsall Town Swifts

1 September 1894 1	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Walsall Town Swifts	Cobridge
	Beats	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

Manchester City v Burslem Port Vale

8 September 1894 2	Manchester City	4–1	Burslem Port Vale	Gorton
		Report	Wood	Stadium: Hyde Road Attendance: 2,000

Burslem Port Vale v Bury

15 September 1894 3	Burslem Port Vale	1–2	Bury	Cobridge
	Marple	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

Burslem Port Vale v Notts County

17 September 1894 4	Burslem Port Vale	0–3	Notts County	Cobridge
		Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,000

Walsall Town Swifts v Burslem Port Vale

22 September 1894 5	Walsall Town Swifts	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Walsall
		Report		Stadium: West Bromwich Road Attendance: 3,000

Burton Swifts v Burslem Port Vale

29 September 1894 6	Burton Swifts	1–0	Burslem Port Vale	Burton upon Trent
		Report		Stadium: Peel Croft Attendance: 1,000

Burslem Port Vale v Newcastle United

6 October 1894 7	Burslem Port Vale	4–4	Newcastle United	Cobridge
	Scarratt Wood James Smith Eccles	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

Burslem Port Vale v Burton Wanderers

20 October 1894 8	Burslem Port Vale	1–0	Burton Wanderers	Cobridge
	Beats	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

Darwen v Burslem Port Vale

27 October 1894 9	Darwen	2–0	Burslem Port Vale	Darwen
		Report		Stadium: Barley Bank Attendance: 3,000

Bury v Burslem Port Vale

10 November 1894 10	Bury	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Bury, Greater Manchester
		Report		Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 3,000

Burslem Port Vale v Darwen

17 November 1894 11	Burslem Port Vale	0–3	Darwen	Cobridge
		Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000

Lincoln City v Burslem Port Vale

8 December 1894 12	Lincoln City	6–1	Burslem Port Vale	Lincoln
		Report	Dean	Stadium: John O'Gaunts Attendance: 1,000

Burslem Port Vale v Newton Heath

24 December 1894 13	Burslem Port Vale	2–5	Newton Heath	Cobridge
	Beats McDonald	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,000

Woolwich Arsenal v Burslem Port Vale

25 December 1894 14	Woolwich Arsenal	7–0	Burslem Port Vale	Plumstead, London
		Report		Stadium: Manor Ground Attendance: 8,000

Newton Heath v Burslem Port Vale

1 January 1895 15	Newton Heath	3–0	Burslem Port Vale	Clayton, Manchester
		Report		Stadium: Bank Street Attendance: 4,000

Crewe Alexandra v Burslem Port Vale

5 January 1895 16	Crewe Alexandra	2–2	Burslem Port Vale	Crewe
		Report	James Smith Evans	Stadium: Alexandra Recreation Ground

Burslem Port Vale v Woolwich Arsenal

19 January 1895 17	Burslem Port Vale	0–1	Woolwich Arsenal	Cobridge
		Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 300

Grimsby Town v Burslem Port Vale

26 January 1895 18	Grimsby Town	4–1	Burslem Port Vale	Grimsby
		Report	James Smith	Stadium: Abbey Park

Burslem Port Vale v Manchester City

2 February 1895 19	Burslem Port Vale	1–2	Manchester City	Cobridge
	Ray	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,500

Burslem Port Vale v Rotherham Town

16 February 1895 20	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	Rotherham Town	Cobridge
	James Smith	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 300

Burslem Port Vale v Leicester Fosse

23 February 1895 21	Burslem Port Vale	1–1	Leicester Fosse	Cobridge
	Evans	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground

Notts County v Burslem Port Vale

26 February 1895 22	Notts County	10–0	Burslem Port Vale	West Bridgford
		Report		Stadium: Trent Bridge Attendance: 1,500

Rotherham Town v Burslem Port Vale

2 March 1895 23	Rotherham Town	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Rotherham
		Report	James Smith	Stadium: Clifton Grove Attendance: 1,000

Burslem Port Vale v Burton Swifts

4 March 1895 24	Burslem Port Vale	2–0	Burton Swifts	Cobridge
	Evans Dean	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground

Burton Wanderers v Burslem Port Vale

9 March 1895 25	Burton Wanderers	4–0	Burslem Port Vale	Burton upon Trent
		Report		Stadium: Derby Turn Attendance: 4,100

Burslem Port Vale v Lincoln City

16 March 1895 26	Burslem Port Vale	7–1	Lincoln City	Cobridge
	Beats unknown Evans Dean J. Mason Wood	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,500

Leicester Fosse v Burslem Port Vale

26 March 1895 27	Leicester Fosse	2–1	Burslem Port Vale	Leicester
		Report	Evans	Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 3,000

Burslem Port Vale v Grimsby Town

6 April 1895 28	Burslem Port Vale	5–0	Grimsby Town	Cobridge
	Dean Beats Evans J. Mason	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 800

Newcastle United v Burslem Port Vale

12 April 1895 29	Newcastle United	1–2	Burslem Port Vale	Newcastle upon Tyne
		Report	Eardley	Stadium: St James' Park Attendance: 3,000

Burslem Port Vale v Crewe Alexandra

20 April 1895 30	Burslem Port Vale	4–0	Crewe Alexandra	Cobridge
	Dean Wood Eardley	Report		Stadium: Athletic Ground

FA Cup

Main article: 1894–95 FA Cup

Stourbridge v Burslem Port Vale

13 October 1894 1Q	Stourbridge	5–3	Burslem Port Vale	Stourbridge
			Beats Dean unknown	Stadium: War Memorial Athletic Ground

Birmingham Senior Cup

Burslem Port Vale v Loughborough

9 February 1895 R2	Burslem Port Vale	0–1	Loughborough	Cobridge
				Stadium: Athletic Ground Attendance: 1,000

Staffordshire Senior Cup

Leek v Burslem Port Vale

31 January 1895 R1	Leek	1–5	Burslem Port Vale	Leek, Staffordshire
			unknown	Stadium: Westwood Lane

Burton Wanderers v Burslem Port Vale

25 February 1895 R2	Burton Wanderers	5–3	Burslem Port Vale	Burton upon Trent
			Wood James Smith	Stadium: Derby Turn Attendance: 600

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward

Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Tom Baddeley	30	0	1	0	3	0	34	0
GK	Albert Boardman	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FB	G.S. Eccles	27	1	1	0	3	0	31	1
FB	Teddy Morse	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FB	Dick Ray	29	1	1	0	2	0	32	1
HB	John Edwards	6	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
HB	Frank Haslam	8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
HB	Jim Beech	14	0	1	0	1	0	16	0
HB	Jimmy Scarratt	12	1	1	0	0	0	13	1
HB	Jack Smith	8	0	0	0	1	0	9	0
HB	Alf Wood	28	4	1	0	2	2	31	6
HB	Joseph Boughey	6	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
HB	James Holdcroft	12	0	0	0	2	0	14	0
HB	Ted McDonald	19	1	0	0	2	0	21	1
HB	Jos Randles	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
HB	Eric Regan	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
HB	James Smith	20	5	1	0	2	1	23	6
HB	Walter Wilson	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
FW	Meshach Dean	28	7	1	1	1	0	30	8
FW	Frederick Marple	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	1
FW	Fred Belfield	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Billy Beats	28	6	1	1	1	0	31	7
FW	Charlie Mason	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
FW	Jim Mason	10	2	0	0	1	0	11	2
FW	Billy Eardley	8	3	0	0	1	0	9	3
FW	Dick Evans	16	6	0	0	3	0	19	6

Top scorers

Place	Position	Nation	Name	Second Division	FA Cup	Other	Total
1	FW	England	Meshach Dean	7	1	0	8
2	FW	England	Billy Beats	6	1	0	7
3	FW	England	Dick Evans	6	0	0	6
–	HB	Scotland	James Smith	5	0	1	6
–	HB	England	Alf Wood	4	0	2	6
6	FW	England	Billy Eardley	3	0	0	3
7	FW		Jim Mason	2	0	0	2
8	FB	England	George Eccles	1	0	0	1
–	FW	England	Frederick Marple	1	0	0	1
–	HB		Ted McDonald	1	0	0	1
–	FB	England	Dick Ray	1	0	0	1
–	HB	England	Jimmy Scarratt	1	0	0	1
–	–	–	Unknown	1	0	0	1
			TOTALS	39	2	3	44

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
Summer 1894	FB		Dick Ray	Macclesfield	Free transfer	[3]
May 1894	HB		Jim Beech	Smallthorne Albion	Free transfer	[3]
May 1894	HB		Frank Haslam	Mansfield Town	Free transfer	[3]
July 1894	HB		Ted McDonald	Stoke	Free transfer	[3]
July 1894	HB		Walter Wilson	Mansfield Town	Free transfer	[3]
August 1894	HB		Eric Regan	Ardwick	Free transfer	[3]
September 1894	HB		James Smith	Kilmarnock	Free transfer	[3]
November 1894	FW		Dick Evans	Newcastle White Star	Free transfer	[3]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
October 1894	GK		Joe Frail	Gorton Villa	Free transfer	[3]
November 1894	HB		John Edwards	Stockport County	Free transfer	[3]
December 1894	HB		Walter Wilson	Nelson	Free transfer	[3]
March 1895	HB		Frank Haslam	Notts County	Free transfer	[3]
March 1895	HB		James Smith	Preston North End	Released	[3]
June 1895	FW		Billy Beats	Wolverhampton Wanderers	£80	[3]
Summer 1895	FW		Billy Eardley	Newcastle Swifts	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1895	FW		Frederick Marple		Released	[3]
Summer 1895	FB		Dick Ray	Crewe Alexandra	Free transfer	[3]
Summer 1895	HB		Jimmy Scarratt		Released	[3]
Summer 1895	HB		Jack Smith		Released	[3]