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 PORT VALE

("The Valiants")

Year formed1876
Turned professional1885
Limited company1911
Previous names

1876 - 1884: Port Vale

1884 - 1909: Burslem Port Vale

1909 to date: Port Vale

Ground

Vale Park, Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 1AW

(for pictures of the ground click here)

Pitch measurements114 x 75  yards (104 x 69 metres) 
Ground capacity19,052
Record attendance at present ground

49,768 v Aston Villa, FA Cup 5th round, 20th February 1960 (lost 1-2)

League career

Midland League: 1890 - 1892

Division Two: 1892 - 1896 (not re-elected)

Midland League: 1896 - 1898

Division Two: 1898 - 1907 (resigned from Football League)

Central League: 1911 - 1915

Division Two: 1919 - 1929

Division Three (North): 1929 - 1930

Division Two: 1930 - 1936

Division Three (North): 1936 - 1938

Division Three (South): 1938 - 1952

Division Three (North): 1952 - 1954

Division Two: 1954 - 1957

Division Three (South): 1957 - 1958

Division Four: 1958 - 1959

Division Three: 1959 - 1965

Division Four: 1965 - 1970

Division Three: 1970 - 1978

Division Four: 1978 - 1983

Division Three: 1983 - 1984

Division Four: 1984 - 1986

Division Three: 1986 - 1989

Division Two: 1989 - 1992

Division Two: 1992 - 1994

Division One: 1994 - 2000

Division Two/League One: 2000 -  2008

League Two: 2008 - 2013

League One: 2013 - 2017

League Two: 2017 - 2022

League One: 2022 - .

First Football League game3rd September 1892 v Small Heath, Division Two, lost 1-5
  
Honours 
EuropeanAnglo-Italian Cup runners-up: 1995-96
Domestic - League

Division Two runners-up: 1993-94

Division Three (North) champions: 1929-30, 1953-54

Division Three (North) runners-up: 1952-53

Division Four champions: 1958-59

Central League runners-up: 1911-12

Domestic - Cup

Autoglass Trophy/LDV Vans Trophy winnners: 1992-93, 2000-01

Debenham Cup runners-up: 1976-77

Best League position7th, Division Two, 1893-94
Lowest League position20th, Division Four / League Two, 1979-80, 2017-18, 2018-19
Furthest in FA CupSemi-final, 1953-54
Furthest in League CupQuarter-final, 2023-24
  
Most League points 
2 for a win69, Division Three (North), 1953-54
3 for a win89, Division Two, 1992-93
Fewest League points 
2 for a win15, Division Two, 1892-93
3 for a win36, Division One, 1999-2000
Most League goals scored110, Division Four, 1958-59
Most League goals conceded106, Division Two, 1935-36
Fewest League goals scored30, Division Two, 1892-93
Fewest League goals conceded21, Division Three (North), 1953-54
Most wins in a League season

30, Division Three (North), 1929-30

Fewest wins in a League season

6, Division Two, 1892-93

Most draws in a League season

20, Division Four, 1977-78

Fewest draws in a League season3, Division Two, 1892-93
Most losses in a League season

28, Division Two, 1957-58

Fewest losses in a League season

3, Division Three (North), 1953-54

Record League win

9-1 v Chesterfield, Division Two, 24 September 1932

Record Cup win7-1 v Irthlingborough, FA Cup 1st round, 12 January 1907
Record League Cup win6-2 v Hartlepool United, Capital One Cup 1st round, 12 August 2014
Record defeat

0-10 v Sheffield United, Division Two, 10 December 1892

Record League Cup defeat

0-6 v Fulham, Carling Cup 2nd round, 25 August 2010

  
Highest number of League goals scored 
in a season38, Wilf Kirkham, Division Two, 1926-27
in total154, Wilf Kirkham, 1923-29 and 1931-33
  
Most League goals scored in one match

6, Stewart Littlewood v Chesterfield, Divisioin Two, 24th September 1922

Most League appearances761, Roy Sproson, 1950-72
Most capped player22, Chris Birchall for Trinidad & Tobago
Youngest League playerMalcolm MacKenzie, 15 years 347 days v Newport County, 12th April 1966
Highest transfer fee received£2,000,000 for Gareth Ainsworth to Wimbledon, October 1998
Highest transfer fee paid

£500,000 for Jon McCarthy from York City, August 1995

£500,000 for Gareth Ainsworth from Lincoln City, September 1997