1988–89 Port Vale F.C. season

John Rudge's main stars were top-scorer Darren Beckford, strike partner Ron Futcher, defender Simon Mills, midfielders Ray Walker and Robbie Earle, and Player of the Year Mark Grew.[4] Attempts to capture Imre Varadi, Wayne Biggins, Keith Bertschin, Andy Jones, and John Pearson all failed.[18] Two days later they claimed a 2–0 victory over Huddersfield Town, with Trevor Wood keeping a clean sheet on his debut after Grew was sidelined with a thigh strain.[2] Yet an injury-time goal from Ray Walker was enough to continue the team's fine run, as a solid Bolton Wanderers club were beaten 2–1; despite still suffering from injury, Grew made a series of impressive saves.[2] The month ended poorly, as a 3–2 loss to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road was followed by a 3–3 draw with Sheffield United in front of 13,246 fans (the biggest gate for a league game since 1973).[23] On 29 October, Rudge kept the team in the dressing room for 45 minutes at Griffin Park after a poor performance left the distinctly average home side, Brentford, to secure all three points.Rudge attempted to sign one of West Ham United's defensive pair Gary Strodder and Paul Hilton, but found that neither were willing to join the club.[26] Unaffected by this rejection, the "Valiants" beat third-place Swansea City 2–1, though were disappointed to lose Futcher as the striker was sent off for arguing with the linesman.[33] Before the year was out, Paul Millar was signed from Irish club Portadown for £20,000, but severely damaged his knee ligaments in one of his early training sessions.[41] The good results continued, though, as Vale rounded out the month with a win over Wigan Athletic and a draw with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.[2] Vale played a five-man defence against relegation candidates Aldershot, and came away from the Recreation Ground with a 2–2 draw as Rudge bemoaned "two points thrown away".Facing Preston North End in the play-off semi-finals at Deepdale, there was a pitch invasion by fans after a fire erupted under the wooden slats of the stands.[61] They then overcame Bolton Wanderers 2–1 at Burnden Park, after "Trotters" goalkeeper David Felgate proved unable to deal with crosses into the box.[62][63] Drawn against second-place First Division side Norwich City at Burslem in the third round, they were beaten 3–1 by the "Canaries" in front of 15,697 fans, despite holding the lead for most of the match.[64] In the League Cup, a 3–2 home win over Chesterfield and a 1–1 draw at Saltergate were enough to send Vale into the second round against Second Division Ipswich Town.[18] However, they were knocked out of the competition with a 3–0 defeat at Portman Road, Ipswich's speedy-attacking play proving too much for the Vale to handle in rainy conditions.[22] In the Associate Members' Cup, a 1–1 home draw with Fourth Division Hereford United and a 5–1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux meant the Vale did not progress past the group stage.Vale had dominated Hereford but failed to make the game safe before the "Bulls" found an equaliser with 13 minutes left to play.
Port ValeBill BellJohn RudgeVale ParkFootball League Third Divisionplay-off winnersFA CupNorwich CityLeague CupIpswich TownAssociate Members' CupWolverhampton WanderersPlayer of the YearMark GrewDarren BeckfordBristol RoversHereford UnitedHome coloursAway colours1987–881989–901988–89 seasonEnglish Football LeagueThird DivisionpromotionSecond Divisionaggregateplay-off finalSheffield UnitedRon FutcherSimon MillsRay WalkerRobbie EarleAndy JonesAndy PorterDean GloverPhil SprosonscoreboardNewcastle UnitedManagerBristol CityAlan WalshNigel GleghornMarc NorthtransferSunderlandPaul AtkinsonHull CityAndy SavilleImre VaradiWayne BigginsKeith BertschinJohn PearsonIan MoorescontractMansfield TownBradford CityBrighton & Hove AlbionTrevor Woodfree transferfriendliesrivalsStoke CityNewcastle TownBrandonSpennymoorKidderminster HarriersWalsallCrewe AlexandraPhil TurnerPreston North EndDeepdaleDavid RileyChester CitySteve HarperLiverpoolSteve StauntonBournemouthMark O'ConnorCardiff CityChesterfieldhat-trickMolineuxpassinglong ballHuddersfield Townclean sheetstrainWigan AthleticSpringfield ParkCharlton AthleticBolton WanderersMike StowellEvertonBlackpoolBloomfield RoadGriffin ParkBrentfordAldershotNorthampton TownWest Ham UnitedGary StrodderPaul HiltonSwansea Citysent offFulhamSouthend UnitedJohn JeffersReadingrelegationGillinghamPaul MillarPortadownGary FordAchillesNotts CountyBob HazellSteve SimsPeter SwanSimon MorganChris HemmingPeter SkipperMiddlesbroughGary WestMark ChamberlainBramall Lanepenaltyreserve teamRecreation GroundRonnie JepsonNantwich TownJim MelroseShrewsbury TownbrokenMichael ColeKevin Finneyplay-offsEverestgoal differenceFourth DivisionTeam of the YearPort Vale F.C. Player of the Yearpitch invasionStoke-on-Trent NorthJoan Walleythe finalTwerton Park1956–571969–70overdraftNorthern Premier LeagueSouthportHaig Avenuenon-LeagueBurnden ParkDavid FelgateFirst DivisionBurslemsubstituteRobert FleckAndy TownsendSaltergatePortman RoadequaliserSteve Bull1988–89 Football LeagueAtkinsonBeckfordFutcherWalkerSprosonPorterFinney1989 Football League Third Division play-off final1988–89 FA Cup1988–89 Football League Cup1988–89 Associate Members' CupAlan WebbChris BanksDarren HughesJoe McIntyreSteve DaviesBirmingham CityAltrinchamStafford RangersNorthwich VictoriaWayback MachinePort Vale F.C.seasons1888–891890–911891–921892–931893–941894–951895–961896–971897–981898–991899–001900–011901–021902–031903–041904–051905–061906–071916–171917–181918–191919–201920–211921–221922–231923–241924–251925–261926–271927–281928–291929–301930–311931–321932–331933–341934–351935–361936–371937–381938–391939–401944–451945–461946–471947–481948–491949–501950–511951–521952–531953–541954–551955–561957–581958–591959–601960–611961–621962–631963–641964–651965–661966–671967–681968–691970–711971–721972–731973–741974–751975–761976–771977–781978–791979–801980–811981–821982–831983–841984–851985–861986–871990–911991–921992–931993–941994–951995–961996–971997–981998–991999–002000–012001–022002–032003–042004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–202020–212021–222022–232023–242024–251988–89 in English footballBobby RobsonRous Cup1990 FIFA World CupqualificationGroup 2Football LeagueFootball ConferenceIsthmian LeagueSouthern LeagueCombined Counties LeagueEastern Counties LeagueEssex Senior LeagueHellenic LeagueKent LeagueMidland Football CombinationNorth West Counties LeagueNorthern Counties East LeagueNorthern LeagueSouth Midlands LeagueSussex County LeagueUnited Counties LeagueWessex LeagueWest Midlands (Regional) LeagueWestern LeagueQualifying roundsCharity ShieldFA TrophyFull Members' CupFootball League Centenary TrophyArsenalAston VillaLuton TownManchester UnitedMillwallNottingham ForestQueens Park RangersSheffield WednesdaySouthamptonTottenham HotspurChelseaLeeds UnitedLeicester CityManchester CityBurnleyCarlisle UnitedColchester UnitedRochdaleTranmere RoversNewport County