Fourth Division The pre-season saw
John McGrath sign two news players –
Leicester City's
John Allen and
Stoke City's
Trevor Brissett.
Gerry Keenan had to undergo a cartilage operation and was replaced at left-back by midfielder
Russell Bromage. On 5 November,
Plainmoor had a record low attendance of 1,227, though Torquay fans who weathered the "arctic conditions" did see their team hammer the Vale by four goals to nil. Vale responded well, beating league leaders
Southend United five days later. In December,
John Rudge was upgraded from
coach to assistant
manager. Vale went on a streak of seven games unbeaten, recording a 4–0 win over fellow strugglers
Hereford United on 16 March. A 2–1 victory at
Tranmere Rovers eight days later also proved crucial. On 26 April, the club started a
club-record run of six consecutive draws, which would end on 12 September the next season. Their goalless draw with
Crewe Alexandra at
Gresty Road assured them of safety from re-election. They still put in a "dour" performance with a 5–3–2 formation to secure a 1–1 draw at
Darlington on the final day. They finished in 19th place with 39 points, three points clear of the re-election places. For the third consecutive season, they had conceded seventy goals, and only
Tranmere Rovers and
Halifax Town conceded more. The Chamberlain brothers were the top scorers in the league with nine goals, whilst
Neville scored 13 in all competitions. McGrath said "it has taken time, but the attitude [of the team] is slowly changing."
Finances On the financial side, a £12,496 loss was announced. Income was supplemented by an intake of £174,890 from the commercial department. An average home attendance of 2,738 was the lowest since the club regained their Football League status in 1921. Nevertheless, spending had been slashed to bring finances under control. Six players left at the end of the season on
free transfers, most significantly:
Neil Griffiths (Crewe Alexandra), Steve Jones,
Alan Woolfall (
Marine), and John Allen (
Hinckley Athletic). Loanee Lloyd also returned to his club, despite the fans demands to sign him up.
Kenny Beech was sold to
Walsall for £10,000.
Cup competitions In the
FA Cup, Vale advanced past
Bradford City with a 4–2 win, the Chamberlain brothers in deadly form. "Bantams" manager
George Mulhall said "it could have been ten!". With Harrison injured, Vale then used
Derby County loanee keeper
Steve Cherry in a 'magnificent' 1–1 draw with
Burnley at
Turf Moor. Vale then finished off the
Third Division club at home with a 2–0 win in front of a season-high crowd of 7,722. Drawn against
Isthmian League side
Enfield in the third round, they drew 1–1 at Vale Park before they 'died in shame' with a 3–0 defeat in the
replay. This was the first time the Vale had been knocked out of the competition by a
non-League club since
Gainsborough Trinity beat them 2–1 in
1937. Port Vale were Enfield's third scalp of the season after
Barnsley and
Hereford United. The loss came in front of the television cameras. It was particularly humiliating as Enfield's keeper had a quiet afternoon, and Cherry gifted Enfield their second goal with a horrible miskick. In the
League Cup, Neville Chamberlain scored after only fifty seconds in a 3–2 home defeat by
Tranmere Rovers. Vale then beat 1–0 at
Prenton Park to exit the competition on away goals. ==Results==