The 2009–10 season was Port Vale's 98th season of football in the English Football League, and second-successive season in League Two. Having narrowly avoided relegation the previous season, the club entered the new campaign under the management of Micky Adams, who was appointed partway through the previous year. Adams made sweeping changes in the summer, releasing several players and bringing in key additions that helped establish a more resilient and competitive squad.
Port Vale began the season with steady, if unspectacular, form, drawing many of their early fixtures but proving difficult to beat. A strong run of results around the turn of the year pushed the club into the top half of the table, and they remained in contention for a play-off spot until the closing weeks. Ultimately, they finished 10th, their best league position since relegation from League One in 2007–08, and a significant improvement over their 18th-place finish the year before. The defence was notably improved, conceding fewer goals than any other side outside the top seven.
In cup competitions, Vale performed admirably in the League Cup, eliminating Championship clubs Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday before a narrow defeat to Premier League side Scunthorpe United in the Third Round. The club also reached the Second Round of the FA Cup, losing to Huddersfield Town, and exited the Football League Trophy in the Third Round after a defeat to Bradford City. Marc Richards led the scoring charts with 23 goals in all competitions, while tough-tackling midfielder Anthony Griffith was named Player of the Year for his consistency and work rate across the campaign.
Overview
League Two The pre-season saw a new manager appointed – experienced 47-year-old Micky Adams arrived at Vale Park on 5 June 2009. Chairman Bill Bratt stated that Adams' goal would be to stabilize the club, a point reiterated by observers such as Robbie Earle, as well as Adams himself. He made his first signing on 15 June, bringing 21-year-old Tommy Fraser to the club on a free transfer, who had played for Adams at Brighton. He appointed Fraser as club captain. After confirming the signing of Adam Yates, who was linked to the club before Adams' arrival, Adams signed Doug Loft, who had also played under him at Brighton. After a pre-season friendly, Adams considered switching to a 3–5–2 formation for the season. On 21 July, it was announced that Adams had appointed veteran striker Geoff Horsfield as player-assistant manager. He was still strengthening his squad early in the season, signing midfielders Jason Jarrett, Kris Taylor and Claus Bech Jørgensen on short-term deals. He also signed Jamie Guy on loan from Colchester United, Damien McCrory on loan from Plymouth Argyle, and winger Lewis Haldane from Bristol Rovers – Haldane would later make the move permanent in January. To raise cash he placed six youngsters on the transfer list.
The season started with just one defeat in the first seven league games, demonstrating how Adams had made his side difficult to beat. Joe Anyon returned to fitness to play a reserve team game on 23 September, but failed to displace teenager Chris Martin. After a period of three defeats in seven days, including being knocked out of the League Cup at the third round, Adams decided to place his whole squad on the transfer list, saying of his team's performance: "We looked like a woman who had a big fur coat on but underneath she’s got no knickers on." It was a controversial move, one that divided opinion among analysts and fans, also bringing the fourth-tier club to national attention. The move appeared to many to be a motivational tactic. He later admitted he merely played "a psychological game with them... [and] I don't think they fell for it – I don't think anybody fell for it". Luke Prosser and Danny Glover both were shipped off to Conference National side Salisbury City on one-month loan deals. Steve Thompson was released from his contract to join Telford United. Three wins – including a cup win over League One Stockport County and a league win at local rivals Crewe Alexandra – and three draws within four weeks saw Adams nominated for the League Two Manager of the Month award for October 2009. He signed a contract extension in November 2009, keeping him at the club until summer 2012.
In November, Sam Stockley decided to retire on medical advice, having suffered an eye injury. However, he later joined Hungarian club Ferencvárosi TC as a player-coach. This allowed Adam Yates to make the right-back spot his own. Glover also left the club for a loan spell at Rochdale. Arriving at the club was Bristol Rovers loanee Sean Rigg, who would sign permanently at the season's end.
In the January 2010 transfer window, Adams signed Lewis Haldane permanently, with Sean Rigg and Craig Davies signing on loan. In February, Anyon returned to the starting line after young rival Martin was rested. He performed well over seven games but made two costly errors that resulted in two goals and dropped points in the play-off hunt. Thus he was consigned to the bench until the season's end. On 13 March, Vale won 5–0 away at Chesterfield in a game where Marc Richards was clapped off by the opposition supporters after scoring a hat-trick.
Luke Prosser, Danny Glover and Ross Davidson were also informed they would not be offered new contracts, and Prosser immediately joined James Lawrie on loan at Kidderminster Harriers. Both Glover and Davidson joined Stafford Rangers on loan. Adams' men stormed into the play-off places for the first time in the season with just two games left to play, following a 2–1 win over champions-elect Notts County. Yet with just one point from their final two games, the Vale finished just outside the play-off zone.
They finished in tenth place with 68 points, boasting the best goals conceded tally outside the top three. They were four points short of Dagenham & Redbridge in the play-off zone – who would go on to win the play-off final. Only runaway champions Notts County lost fewer games than Vale, though only Macclesfield Town and Cheltenham Town picked up more draws. Marc Richards was the club's top-scorer with 23 goals, more than double that of his nearest rival.
At the end of the season Joe Anyon was offered a new contract at Vale Park on reduced pay, but instead signed with Lincoln City. Chris Martin signed a new two-year contract, which came with an increase in wages. Released players moved on to other clubs: Luke Prosser (Southend United); Simon Richman and Danny Glover (Worcester City); David Howland (Glentoran); and James Lawrie (AFC Telford United). Ross Davidson also joined Stafford Rangers, after having spent much of the season loan at the club, as well as a brief time at Nantwich Town. Geoff Horsfield retired as a player to concentrate on his role as assistant manager.
Finances On the financial side, rumours abounded. In July 2009, Bill Bratt spoke out to publicly deny rumours spread on Vale fan sites, specifically rumours of sponsorship deals with Basement Jaxx and Maplin Electronics. Bratt said the rumours were "inaccurate, spurious and damaging", claiming the speculation could damage genuine and confidential negotiations. In November, Bratt announced that he was planning to retire as chairman at the end of the season, though he later decided to stay on. Reports that Andy Townsend would be appointed as a football advisor also surfaced, but never transpired. There also came statements that shirt sponsors Harlequin Property would invest £500,000 into the club, though again, this never materialized. Stoke-on-Trent city council gave the club a two-year repayment holiday for a £2.25 million loan in 2005.
Cup competitions In the FA Cup, Vale advanced past Stevenage after a replay, with a 1–0 win at Broadhall Way. This ended Stevenage's year-long unbeaten home record. They were then defeated 1–0 by League One Huddersfield Town in the second round.
In the League Cup, the club beat Championship side Sheffield United 2–1 at Bramall Lane in the first round. The Vale then defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2–0 in the second round, with goals from Adams' signing Kris Taylor and Rob Taylor – a player not appreciated under Dean Glover. It was only after this game that Adams signed his managerial contract – two months after taking charge. The delay was blamed on 'legal complications'. Vale then took another Championship side, Scunthorpe United, to extra time at Glanford Park, before succumbing to a 2–0 defeat.
In the Football League Trophy, Vale knocked out Stockport County with a 3–1 win before exiting in the third round after losing out to Bradford City at Valley Parade in a penalty shoot-out.
Results Football League Two League table
Results by matchday
Matches
FA Cup
League Cup
Football League Trophy
Squad statistics Appearances and goals Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
|colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:
Top scorers PlacePositionNationNumberNameEFL League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotal1FW9Marc Richards19021222MF3Rob Taylor8011103MF14Louis Dodds610184FW25Craig Davies700075MF26Kris Taylor30104–MF32Lewis Haldane30014–DF5John McCombe300148MF17Sean Rigg30003–MF7Doug Loft3000310MF10Tommy Fraser2000211DF15Lee Collins10001–DF16Gareth Owen10001–DF6Luke Prosser10001–DF11Adam Yates01001––––Own goals10001TOTALS6124572
Disciplinary record NumberNationPositionNameLeague OneFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotal4MFAnthony Griffith10010200013010MFTommy Fraser8100200010116DFGareth Owen50001000603MFRob Taylor510000005114MFLouis Dodds50000000509FWMarc Richards50000000502DFSam Stockley300020005015DFLee Collins301000004026MFKris Taylor301000004032MFLewis Haldane31001000415DFJohn McCombe310000003133FWJason Jarrett300000003025FWCraig Davies20000000207MFDoug Loft20000000208MFDavid Howland100000001012GKChris Martin100000001027MFDamien McCrory100000001017MFSean Rigg100000001011DFAdam Yates1000000010TOTALS654308000764 Sourced from Soccerway.
Awards End of Season AwardsWinner Player of the Year Anthony Griffith Away Travel Player of the Year Anthony Griffith Players' Player of the Year Lee Collins Chairman Player of the Year Lee Collins Young Player of the Year Chris Martin Youth Player of the Year Sam Morsy Mr Shirt Off Your Back Louis Dodds Clubman of the Year Brian Lewis Assist of the Season Lee Collins (vs Hereford United, 30 January 2010) Goal of the Season Rob Taylor (vs Hereford United, 29 August 2009)
Transfers
Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. May 2009 MF Doug Loft Brighton & Hove Albion Free transfer June 2009 MF Tommy Fraser Brighton & Hove Albion Free transfer June 2009 DF Adam Yates Morecambe Free transfer July 2009 FW Geoff Horsfield Lincoln City Free transfer July 2009 DF Kris Taylor Hereford United Free transfer August 2009 MF Claus Bech Jørgensen Blackpool Non-contract September 2009 MF Jason Jarrett Brighton & Hove Albion Free transfer January 2010 FW Lewis Haldane Bristol Rovers Free transfer January 2010 MF Sean Rigg Bristol Rovers Free transfer
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. September 2009 MF Claus Bech Jørgensen Fleetwood Town Rejected contract October 2009 MF Luke Chapman Hednesford Town Mutual consent October 2009 FW Steve Thompson AFC Telford United Mutual consent November 2009 DF Sam Stockley Ferencvárosi TC Retired December 2009 MF Jason Jarrett Oldham Athletic Released March 2010 DF Luke Prosser Southend United Released April 2010 MF David Howland Glentoran Released April 2010 FW James Lawrie AFC Telford United Released April 2010 MF Simon Richman Worcester City Released May 2010 GK Joe Anyon Lincoln City Released May 2010 MF Ross Davidson Stafford Rangers Released May 2010 FW Danny Glover Worcester City Released
Loans in