First Division The pre-season saw
John Rudge splash out
£300,000 on
Bristol Rovers forward
Peter Beadle and £100,000 on
Scunthorpe United defender
Michael Walsh. He also signed
Dave Barnett (
Dunfermline Athletic);
Brian McGlinchey and Paul Beesley (
Manchester City); and
John McQuade (
Hamilton Academical) on
free transfers.
Stéphane Pounewatchy also became the first French player to play for the club when he was signed on a monthly
contract from
Dundee.
Scott Mean was
loaned to the club by
West Ham United, though he went on to sustain a knee injury during his spell that would damage his career. Also,
Andy Clarke was signed on loan from
Wimbledon. The season started poorly with three defeats,
Lee Hughes scoring a
hat-trick for
West Bromwich Albion to finish this run-off. Two wins opened the month of September, including a 2–1 home victory over
Wolverhampton Wanderers to which match reporter Martin Spinks said: "a result like this requires a wooden mallet to the forehead such was its unlikelihood". The month ended with former Valiant
Lee Mills scoring a brace for
Bradford City in a 4–0 win over Vale at
Valley Parade. In October,
Derek McGill signed from
Queens Park Rangers, though he would move on to Hamilton Academical later in the year. On 29 October,
Gareth Ainsworth became
Vale's biggest ever transfer as he was sold to
Wimbledon for £2 million. In November,
Robin Berntsen became the first Norwegian to play for the Vale when he arrived on loan from
Tromsø IL. In addition to this, French forward
Christophe Horlaville joined on loan from
Le Havre, and
Des Lyttle also arrived on loan from
Nottingham Forest. After winning the first four games in October, Vale then went on a streak of twelve defeats in 15 games, though the sole victory of this run, a 1–0 win over
Bury on 19 December, would prove to be crucial at the end of the season. The win was not enough for Rudge, who would get the sack in January after he made his final two signings: Trinidadian midfielder
Tony Rougier from
Hibernian for £175,000, and young striker
Marcus Bent from
Crystal Palace for a £375,000 fee. After Rudge was sacked by Chairman
Bill Bell, highly distressed fans formed a "
flat cap protest" (Rudge's headwear of choice) against the decision. Offered the role of Director of Football at the club, he instead took up the same position at
rivals Stoke City. To replace him, Bell appointed experienced
manager and former Vale player
Brian Horton, paying
Brighton & Hove Albion £80,000 in compensation. In February, Peter Beadle was sold to
Notts County for £250,000, representing a £50,000 loss. On 6 February, Vale recorded a 2–0 home win over
Huddersfield Town as Foyle claimed a brace. On 9 March, Vale won 4–3 at
Norwich City to end a run of ten consecutive away defeats with what was voted as the performance of the week by the
League Managers Association. The month of March saw Horton make his first signings as manager, bringing in five new faces:
Dave Brammer (£300,000 from
Wrexham);
Tony Butler (£115,000 from
Blackpool);
Carl Griffiths (£100,000 from
Leyton Orient);
Alex Smith (£75,000 from
Chester City); and
Chris Allen (free from
Nottingham Forest). This cost the club a total of £590,000. He also took in striker
Alan Lee on loan from
Aston Villa, and
Craig Russell on loan from Manchester City. His changes finally paid off in April, as Vale went on a five-game unbeaten run. Their penultimate game was a 2–0 victory over QPR, which included a first career goal for 18-year old defender
Anthony Gardner. A final day 1–0 defeat at fellow
relegation candidates Bury was inconsequential. They finished in 21st position with 47 points, ahead of Bury on goals scored, but behind both
Portsmouth and
Queens Park Rangers on goals scored. Had the goals difference rule been in effect, Vale would have been relegated instead of Bury.
Crewe Alexandra finished three places and one position higher than the Vale. Vale suffered 25 defeats, more than any other club in the league, and only Grimsby and Bury had scored fewer goals. Player of the Year
Martin Foyle was the club's top-scorer with nine goals, representing the lowest total tally for the club's top-scorer since
1964–65. Only
Paul Musselwhite and
Allen Tankard managed to hit forty appearances, as a
club record 43 players managed to turn out for the club throughout the season. At the end of the season, there was a complete clear-out, with ten players leaving: ten-year club veteran
Neil Aspin (
Darlington); Dave Barnett (
Lincoln City); Brian McGlinchey (
Gillingham); John McQuade (
Raith Rovers);
Chris Allen (
Stockport County);
Rogier Koordes (
TOP Oss);
Jan Jansson (
IFK Norrköping);
Paul Mahorn (
Stevenage Borough); Stéphane Pounewatchy (
Colchester United); and Paul Beesley (
Blackpool).
Finances The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance. Season ticket prices ranged between £228 and £257 fr adults, and matchday tickets were £12 and £13.50.
Cup competitions In the
FA Cup, Vale hosted
Premier League side
Liverpool. The "Reds" left
Burslem with a 3–0 victory, the goals scored by
Michael Owen,
Paul Ince, and
Robbie Fowler. In the
League Cup,
Third Division Chester City dispatched the Vale 2–1 at
Vale Park, and held on to a 2–2 draw at the
Deva Stadium to embarrass Vale fans with a minor giant-killing act. ==Results==