1999–2000 Port Vale F.C. season

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Port Vale
1999–2000 season
Chairman Bill Bell
Manager Brian Horton
Stadium Vale Park
Football League First Division 23rd
FA Cup Third Round
League Cup First Round
Player of the Year Tommy Widdrington
Top goalscorer League: Tony Rougier (8)
All: Tony Rougier (9)
Highest home attendance 10,250 vs. Manchester City (30 October 1999)
Lowest home attendance 2,625 vs. Chester City (24 August 1999)
Average home league attendance 5,906
Home colours
← 1998–99 2000–01 →

The 1999–2000 season was Port Vale's 88th season of football in the Football League, and sixth successive season in the First Division. Vale suffered relegation in 23rd place, some thirteen points adrift of safety. They also exited the FA Cup at the Third Round, and were knocked out of the League Cup at the First Round by fourth tier Chester City for the second consecutive season. The club spent nothing on transfers, but sold young players for some £1.5 million – despite this the club was heading towards bankruptcy. The club continued to gain one generation of players at the expense of the successful '90s generation; Martin Foyle, Paul Musselwhite and Ian Bogie departing, with fresh talent such as Micky Cummins and Mark Goodlad arriving in their place.

Overview

First Division

The pre-season saw Brian Horton sign Jeff Minton (Brighton & Hove Albion), Tommy Widdrington (Grimsby Town), and Steve Rimmer (Manchester City) on free transfers. He also took Andy Oakes in on loan from Derby County and Matt Glennon from Bolton Wanderers as back-up goalkeepers, and striker Martin Aldridge on loan from Blackpool.

The season started with a goalless draw at Ewood Park with Blackburn Rovers, but soon went downhill with two defeats. Vale then entered inconsistent form, winning three and losing three in a run of six games. However just two points from seven October games indicated Vale's future. Also in the month, striker Marcus Bent, signed by John Rudge nine months earlier for £375,000, was sold to Sheffield United for a bargain £300,000, and was later sold on by the "Blades" for a £1.7 million profit. The club set a record on 5 September, when just 3,737 turned up to see a 3–0 win over Grimsby Town – a division record low for a television match.[1] The Vale ended the year in solid form, unbeaten in seven games, despite just two victories (over rivals Crewe Alexandra and against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane).[1] In December, Carl Griffiths was sold back to former club Leyton Orient for £100,000.

In January, Horton signed defender Sagi Burton (Sheffield United) on a free transfer, and signed Martin Bullock and Gareth Taylor on one month loans from Barnsley and Manchester City respectively. Controversially, he also sold promising young defender Anthony Gardner to Tottenham Hotspur for £1 million.[1] The next month David Healy would arrive on loan from Manchester United for the remainder of the season. Also, former international Ville Viljanen became the first Fin to play for the club, when he joined from Västra Frölunda IF. In March, Horton made two key signings, bringing two young players that would be with the club for several years to come: Irish midfielder Micky Cummins (Middlesbrough) and goalkeeper Mark Goodlad (Nottingham Forest). He also sold Tony Butler to West Bromwich Albion for £140,000. During this transfer activity Vale won just once in a sequence of seventeen games. A 2–0 win over Portsmouth on 1 April raised hopes of Vale escaping the drop, but Horton's side gained just three points in their final eight games, thus dooming Vale to third tier football.

They finished in 23rd place with 36 points, a massive thirteen points away from the safety of West Bromwich Albion, and only ahead of Swindon Town on goals scored. With just seven victories, they had the fewest wins in the division. Tony Rougier only needed nine goals in all competitions to become the club's top-scorer. The relegation meant that Brian Horton lost his 'proud record' of never being relegated as a player or as a manager.[1]

At the end of the season numerous players were allowed to leave on free transfers: eight-year club veteran goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite (Hull City); five-year club favourite Ian Bogie (Kidderminster Harriers); Wayne Corden (Mansfield Town); Stewart Talbot (Rotherham United);[2] Mark Snijders (AFC '34); Kevin Pilkington (Aberystwyth Town); and Steve Rimmer (Marine). Legendary striker Martin Foyle also retired, after nine years as Vale's star striker. Simon Barker also retired, at the age of 35. Meanwhile the club's board increased to five members: Bill Bell (chairman), Andrew Bellfield, Paul Wright, Neil Hughes, and Charles Machin.[3]

Finances

The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

Cup competitions

In the FA Cup, Vale lost 2–0 to Premier League outfit Leeds United at Elland Road, to exit the competition at the Third Round. Just 11,912 turned up for the game, after the Vale board refused to allow a price reduction.[1]

In the League Cup, for the second successive season Third Division Chester City knocked the Vale out at the First Round. In the 2–1 defeat at the Deva Stadium both sides finished the game with ten men, and as the return leg was a 4–4 draw, Chester achieved a 6–5 aggregate win.

Final league table

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Main article: 1999–2000 Football League
!Pos Team P W D L F A Pts
1. Charlton Athletic 46 27 10 9 79 45 91
2. Manchester City 46 26 11 9 78 40 89
3. Ipswich Town 46 25 12 9 71 42 87
4. Barnsley 46 24 10 12 88 67 82
5. Birmingham City 46 22 11 13 65 44 77
6. Bolton Wanderers 46 21 13 12 69 50 76
7. Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 21 11 14 64 48 74
8. Huddersfield Town 46 21 11 14 62 49 74
9. Fulham 46 17 16 13 49 41 67
10. Queens Park Rangers 46 16 18 12 62 53 66
11. Blackburn Rovers 46 15 17 14 55 51 62
12. Norwich City 46 14 15 17 45 50 57
13. Tranmere Rovers 46 15 12 19 57 68 57
14. Nottingham Forest 46 14 14 18 53 55 56
15. Crystal Palace 46 13 15 18 57 67 54
16. Sheffield United 46 13 15 18 59 66 54
17. Stockport County 46 13 15 18 55 67 54
18. Portsmouth 46 13 12 21 55 66 51
19. Crewe Alexandra 46 14 9 23 46 67 51
20. Grimsby Town 46 13 12 21 41 67 51
21. West Bromwich Albion 46 10 19 17 43 60 49
22. Walsall 46 11 13 22 52 77 46
23. Port Vale 46 7 15 24 48 69 36
24. Swindon Town 46 8 12 26 38 77 36

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; Pts = Points

Results

Port Vale's score comes first

Legend

Win Draw Loss
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
Ground A H A H A H H A H A A H H A A H H A H A A H A A H A H H H A H A A H A H A H H A H A A H A H
Result D L L W L W L L W L D L L D L L W D D W D D D L L D W D L L D L L L D L L W D L D L D L L L
Position 12 18 23 19 20 13 16 17 15 17 17 21 23 21 24 24 20 19 20 18 19 18 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23

Sourced from Statto.[4]

Football League First Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
7 August 1999 Blackburn Rovers A 0–0 20,530
14 August 1999 West Bromwich Albion H 1–2 7,891 Minton (pen)
21 August 1999 Birmingham City A 2–4 18,089 Rougier, Naylor
28 August 1999 Tranmere Rovers H 1–0 4,657 Naylor
31 August 1999 Queens Park Rangers A 2–3 9,502 Minton (pen), Gardner
5 September 1999 Grimsby Town H 3–1 3,737 Bent, Naylor, Foyle
11 September 1999 Fulham H 0–2 6,130
18 September 1999 Stockport County A 0–1 7,632
25 September 1999 Swindon Town H 2–0 4,629 Carragher, own goal
2 October 1999 Manchester City A 1–2 31,608 Foyle
9 October 1999 Huddersfield Town A 2–2 11,885 Gardner, Foyle
16 October 1999 Norwich City H 0–1 5,790
19 October 1999 Nottingham Forest H 0–2 5,714
23 October 1999 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–2 20,488 Walsh, Rougier
26 October 1999 Swindon Town A 1–2 5,703 Rougier
30 October 1999 Manchester City H 1–2 10,250 Foyle
5 November 1999 Crewe Alexandra H 1–0 3,500 Rougier
12 November 1999 Walsall A 0–0 6,190
20 November 1999 Crystal Palace H 2–2 5,170 Rougier, Foyle
23 November 1999 Sheffield United A 3–2 8,965 Eyre, Tankard, Gardner
27 November 1999 Charlton Athletic A 2–2 19,266 Rougier, Foyle
4 December 1999 Blackburn Rovers H 0–0 6,084
18 December 1999 Portsmouth A 0–0 11,869
28 December 1999 Barnsley A 1–3 16,855 Minton
3 January 2000 Ipswich Town H 1–2 6,908 Naylor
15 January 2000 West Bromwich Albion A 0–0 10,831
22 January 2000 Birmingham City H 3–1 7,702 Naylor, Widdrington (pen), Rougier
5 February 2000 Queens Park Rangers H 1–1 5,493 Bullock
8 February 2000 Bolton Wanderers H 0–1 5,092
12 February 2000 Grimsby Town A 0–2 6,265
26 February 2000 Stockport County H 1–1 5,663 Widdrington
4 March 2000 Fulham A 1–3 10,418 Healy
7 March 2000 Crewe Alexandra A 1–2 8,044 Viljanen
11 March 2000 Sheffield United H 2–3 5,484 Healy, Rougier
18 March 2000 Crystal Palace A 1–1 18,954 Widdrington (pen)
21 March 2000 Walsall H 1–2 5,737 Cummins
25 March 2000 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 12,292 Viljanen
1 April 2000 Portsmouth H 2–0 5,426 Viljanen, Widdrington (pen)
4 April 2000 Charlton Athletic H 2–2 4,513 Viljanen, Burton
8 April 2000 Ipswich Town A 0–3 19,663
15 April 2000 Barnsley H 2–2 5,918 Burton, Widdrington (pen)
18 April 2000 Tranmere Rovers A 1–2 5,602 Healy
22 April 2000 Norwich City A 0–0 15,526
24 April 2000 Huddersfield Town H 1–2 5,828 Naylor
29 April 2000 Nottingham Forest A 0–2 15,534
7 May 2000 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–1 8,525

FA Cup

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Main article: 1999–2000 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 12 December 1999 Leeds United A 0–2 11,912

League Cup

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Main article: 1999–2000 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 10 August 1999 Chester City A 1–2 2,102 Rougier
R1 2nd Leg 24 August 1999 Chester City H 4–4 2,625 Naylor (2), Minton, Griffiths

Player statistics

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Port Vale 1999–2000 : Results & Fixtures. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
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