1953–54 Port Vale F.C. season
| 1953–54 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Fred Burgess | ||
| Manager | Freddie Steele | ||
| Stadium | Vale Park | ||
| Football League Third Division North | 1st (69 Points) | ||
| FA Cup | Semi-finals (knocked out by West Bromwich Albion) | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Basil Hayward (22) All: Basil Hayward (25) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 42,000 vs. Blackpool, 20 February 1954 | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 9,367 vs. Accrington Stanley, 30 March 1954 | ||
| Average home league attendance | 16,653 | ||
| Biggest win | 7–0 vs. Stockport County, 10 April 1954 | ||
| Biggest defeat | 0–2 vs. Workington, 6 February 1954 | ||
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The 1953–54 season was Port Vale's 42nd season of football in the English Football League, and their fifth season overall in the Third Division North. Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a possible 92, eleven points ahead of their nearest rivals. They also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. They would be denied an appearance in the final due to a controversial goal from a dubious penalty. These achievements were based upon a record-breaking 'Iron Curtain' defence and a solid squad of 19 players, most of whom had taken the club to second the previous season.
Seven still-standing club records were set this season, including three Football League records. One Football League record was for the fewest Football League goals conceded in a 46-match season – 26, just over one every two games. Just five of these were conceded at home, another Football League record. This was based upon 30 clean sheets, again a Football League record. They also recorded a club-record low of three league defeats and a club-record home clean sheet streak of eleven matches, lasting from 7 September 1953 to 13 February 1954. Another club record was a streak of six away draws, lasting from 20 March to 26 April. They were undefeated at home all season, continuing a 42-match unbeaten run started on 8 November 1952 that would last until 18 September 1954.
The key players that formed the first XI of 1953–54 were: Ray King (goalkeeper); Reg Potts and Stan Turner (full-backs); Tommy Cheadle, Albert Leake, Roy Sproson (half-backs); Colin Askey, John Cunliffe, Ken Griffiths, Basil Hayward, and Albert Mullard (forwards); Derek Tomkinson (reserve forward). Their achievements came as a team, without any outstanding stars, which caused The Sentinel to remark that the whole team were stars.