Today I'm going back 43 years to 1980 and York City's visit to Vale Park in Burslem (it's in the Potteries near Stoke-on-Trent) to play Port Vale in a Fourth Division fixture. The attendance was 2,640.
Season 1979/80 remains the one in which I saw the most games involving York City in a single season. I managed to attend 40 City games home and away out of the 51 that they played in the League, League Cup and FA Cup and I haven't come close to that total since (the next highest total is 31 in the Wembley twice campaign of 2011/12 but there were a lot more games to attend). My excuse is that I haven't lived within 100 miles of York since 1984 and, frankly, there have been too many times when I couldn't be bothered to rack up the expense and time involved in making a 280 mile round trip when performances were dreadful. I can lay claim to having seen Spurs 44 times in 1991/92 and 43 times in 1990/91 but my 40 watching York finish 17th in the old Fourth Division remains a source of pride for me.
York had beaten Vale 5-1 at Bootham Crescent earlier in the season and so the return presented City with the opportunity to record a rare League double over Vale. In the end York secured a 2-1 away victory at Vale Park. Notably Vale's single goal was scored by Les Owen, father of England international striker Michael who was making one of his last Football League appearances before dropping down into Non-League football. With 71 goals in 332 Football League appearances for Everton, Bradford City, Chester, Cambridge United, Rochdale and Port Vale, Les Owen was nowhere near the superstar that his son would become. The match also featured a future Port Vale player in City's Gary Ford who remained with York until 1987 before briefly joining Leicester City and then swiftly moving on to Vale.
Vale experienced much turmoil behind the scenes as they underwent three changes of manager in the first five months of the season. First up was Dennis Butler (who signed Les Owen on a free transfer in pre-season) but he was replaced by Potteries legend Alan Bloor after an opening four straight defeats in the League. Bloor lasted until the beginning of December when he resigned stating that he "didn't have what it takes" to be a manager. Then, after a short spell with Bill Bentley in caretaker charge, Vale appointed John McGrath and he actually saw out the season. Interestingly, McGrath brought in John Rudge as his assistant and he would go on to become Vale manager for sixteen years between 1983-1999.
Promoted from the Fourth Division that season were champions Huddersfield Town along with Walsall, Newport County and Portsmouth, the latter on goal difference from 5th placed Bradford City. York ended the season three points better off than Port Vale back in the days when there were only two points for a win and York's away victory was certainly one reason why City bettered Vale's League position. Recording their lowest finish in the club's history, Port Vale finished 20th (of 24) and only just avoided the ignominy of having to apply for re-election on goals scored (they finished level on points and goal difference with 21st placed Hereford United. Darlington, Crewe Alexandra and Rochdale made up the rest of the re-election foursome. At the League meeting where the re-election process took place, the four found themselves up against Altrincham who were the sole new applicants for Football League membership as champions of the Alliance Premier League. In the end Altrincham, polling 25 votes, lost out by the slender margin of one vote to Rochdale and the Football League's closed shop had closed ranks yet again. Interestingly, since joining in 1921, to date Rochdale have never lost their membership of the Football League but that proud record seems certain to go this Saturday with Rochdale sitting rock bottom of League Two, 8 points from safety and with only 9 points available to be played for. Dale require snookers as they say and look doomed. I wonder if there are any disgruntled Altrincham supporters having the last laugh all these years later?
CRB Match No. 90
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