A Look Into Histories

A LOOK INTO HISTORY TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE

PORT VALE FC EXPELLED BUT SAVED IN 1968

In season 1967-68 the usual practice of re-election took place for the bottom four clubs in Division Four and they were Bradford Park Avenue, Chester, Workington and York City and all received enough votes to continue their League membership but, in 7th place from the bottom and 18th overall were Port Vale FC managed by the great Sir Stanley Matthews of Blackpool 2953 F A Cup fame and had made his final game for Stoke City in February 1965 at the age of 50. Port Vale were charged by the Football Association on 6 counts some of which were payments to amateurs and associated schoolboys, making gifts to players and extra bonuses, all illegal in the eyes of the chiefs at the time. Club officials met the Football League and admitted the charges. The club received a £2,000 fine and a recommendation that they be expelled from the league.

On the 6th March, there was a further bombshell announcement as another £2,000 fine was issued and the club were also informed that they would be expelled from the Football League at the end of the season. The Valiants finished the 1967-68 season in eighteenth place, three points clear of relegation – not that it mattered as the club had already been removed from the Football League.
According to the Port Vale History site, A chastened Matthews vacated the management post at Vale Park May 1968, and despite being owed £9,000 in salary and expenses, agreed to stay at Vale Park to continue his work with the youth team. The whole experience “left a sour taste” in his mouth, and was enough to convince him never to try his hand as management in English football again. Port Vale appointed Gordon Lee as his replacement.

On 8 June, the club’s future was decided, as a vote of 39 to 9 allowed the club readmission to the Football League, despite the earlier FA conclusion that the club should be expelled from the League. It turned out Port Vale would only spend 27 days out of the Football League, after all. The whole saga was rather ironic, as the club had re-entered the League in 1919 after Leeds City were expelled over illegal payments to their players.

Lee steadied the ship in 1968-69 on the field though behind he scenes they financially struggled, nevertheless, promotion did come to Division Three.

Our Match Programme is for the final Home game of season Saturday 4th May 1968 v Wrexham and in View from the Terrace besides welcoming schoolchildren from St Louis, Missouri recognise the “days of upheaval at Vale Park are not yet over and that the immediate task is to keep clear of the re-election zone by winning today and at Lincoln next week”. A Manager-Coach would have to be appointed (Gordon Lee) as Sir Stanley Matthews by this time was General Manager. Automatic re-election was avoided with this game ending 1-1, together with a 2-0 win at Lincoln City but they did not seem to know at this stage that they would also become part of the re-election process with, as mentioned earlier, a positive outcome. There was plenty of detail on Wrexham and their players, Fourth division league Results and League table plus same for the Reserves in the West Midlands (Regional) League. The middle pages were dedicated to the line-ups.