The 1902–03 season was

Burslem Port Vale Port Vale Football Club are a professional football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, which compete in . Vale are the only English Football League club not to be named after a place; their name being a reference to the valley of ...

's fifth consecutive season (ninth overall) of football in the English Football League. Finishing in ninth place for the second time in three years, it would take just over two decades for the club again to reach the heights of a top ten second-tier finish. Their success was down mainly due to their home form, and in fact, a club record 29 away games without a win began on 17 January 1903. Adrian Capes would become the club's top scorer for the third successive season.

Overview

Second Division

The pre-season saw tough- tackling left-back

Arthur Hartshorne Albert "Arthur" Hartshorne (December 1880 – 10 February 1915) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke, and in the Southern League for Northampton Town and Southampton. Career Hartshorne ...

arrive from Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst left-half W. Perkins and forward William Loverseed both arrived from Newark. In September, experienced right-half Arthur Rowley arrived from Bristol Rovers. Vale had an awful start to the season, winning just one of their first ten games. However, this run ended with five wins in their following seven games to take them back to mid-table safety. Their 4–2 win over

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...

at Bloomfield Road on 3 January 1903 was their last away win until the

1904–05 Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Music ...

season. Their finish to 1902–03 was strong, winning their last seven home games. However, they finished with 34 points from 34 games, seventeen points from the promotion zones, and nine points clear of the re-election zones. Adrian Capes was top scorer with eighteen goals in 37 games, missing just one league game. Goalkeeper

Harry Cotton Henry Cotton (5 April 1882 – 1921) was an English footballer who played in goal for Nantwich, Burslem Port Vale, Crewe Alexandra, Wigan Town and Stoke in the 1900s. Career Cotton played for Nantwich, before joining Burslem Port Vale in Ma ...

played 36 games;

Billy Heames William Henry Heames (July 1869 – 1939) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke. A left-winger, he had an eleven-year career, scoring 28 goals in 249 games in all competitions. His sole ...

, W. Perkins,

Ernest Mullineux Ernest Mullineux (1879 – 23 August 1960) was an English footballer who played in the English Football League for Burslem Port Vale, Bury and Stoke. He also helped Stoke to win two minor league titles in 1909–10 and 1910–11. A right-back ...

Bert Eardley Bertram Cooper Eardley (1879–1929) was an English footballer. He made 220 appearances (148 in the Football League) and scored 40 goals (14 in the Football League) for Port Vale over about ten seasons with the club. He established himself as a ...

, Arthur Rowley,

George Price George Price may refer to: * George Price (footballer) (c. 1878–1938), footballer * George Price (cartoonist) (1901–1995), American cartoonist * George Cadle Price (1919–2011), prime minister of Belize * George E. Price (1848–1938), member ...

, and William Loverseed were all constant figures in the first XI. At the end of the campaign, all the major players were kept on, and no big signings were made.

Finances

In a financially difficult season, in March 1903, the directors decided to sell defenders

and

Ted Holdcroft Hugh Edward Holdcroft (c. 1882 – 4 February 1952) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke in the early 1900s. Career Holdcroft joined Burslem Port Vale in October 1901. His debut came at ce ...

to Stoke for over £500. This gave the club a profit of £112 on the campaign. Poor attendance figures saw gate income fall by £200 from the previous season. The club's debt was totalled at £171, and subsequently the club's reserve team was moved from The Football Combination to the North Staffordshire League to save on travel costs.

Cup competitions

In cup competitions, Vale performed poorly, falling at the first hurdle in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, Birmingham Senior Cup, and Bass Charity Vase. Losing to rivals Stoke in the county cups: 2–0 at home in the Birmingham Cup and 5–3 away in the Staffordshire Cup

replay Replay may refer to: * Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology * Game replay, a recording of a game session. * Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film * Replay Professional, ...

following a 1–1 draw at home. In the Charity Vase, they were conquered by Second Division rivals

Burton United Burton United Football Club was a football club based in Burton upon Trent in England. The club was established in 1901 by a merger of Burton Swifts and Burton Wanderers, and played their last competitive season in 1910. In 1924 they merged with ...

5–1 away in a replay, following a 1–1 draw at home. The club failed to qualify for the FA Cup, after losing 2–1 away at St. Helens Recreation's short, sloped, boggy pitch.

League table

Results

''Burslem Port Vale's score comes first''

Football League Second Division

Results by matchday

Matches

FA Cup

Birmingham Senior Cup

Staffordshire Senior Cup

Bass Charity Vase

Player statistics

Top scorers

Transfers

Transfers in

Transfers out

References

;Specific ;General * {{DEFAULTSORT:1902-03 Port Vale F.C. season Port Vale F.C. seasons