BURSLEM-RUMBLES

DECEMBER 10th 1892 in Division 2, Sheffield United won 10-0 away to Burslem Port Vale, the only time an away club has hit double figures in Football League history. Port Vale, as the club is now known, must have been dreading their next match when the following week the clubs played the return league match at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United only won that one 4-0!

Port Vale Football Club is sited in The Potteries area, Stoke, and competes in EFL Division One. Vale is the only English Football League club not to be named after a place; their name being a reference to the valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal. They have never played top-flight football, and hold the record for the most seasons in the English Football League (111) and in the second tier (41) without reaching the first tier. Outside the ground is a statue to Roy Sproson, who played 842 competitive games for the club, a record. He lived from 23 September 1930 – 24 January 1997) was also a manager for Port Vale. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for the club. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957. He is also fourteenth on the Football League list. He served under eight managers before taking the reins himself between 1974 and 1977. 

The club's traditional rivals are Stoke City and games between the two are known as the Potteries derby.

Same date in 1955: Although Derby County had slipped to the Third Division for the first time in 1955/56 they were expected to beat Midland League team, Boston United, at home in the Second Round of the FA Cup. To be fair though, it was almost like a home game for the non-leaguers with six of their side being ex-Derby players - Reg Harrison (an FA Cup winner with Derby in 1946), Geoff Hazledene, Don Hazledene, Ray Wilkins (not the recent Ray), Dave Miller and Ray Middleton. A 23,757 Baseball Ground crowd watched in amazement as Boston won 6-1 to equal the record win by a non-league side away to a League club in the FA Cup. When the clubs next met in the FA Cup in 1973/74 the scoreline was reversed with Derby winning 6-1 at Boston United's ground. On the same date, 1960, a St James’ Park crowd of just 20,106 saw nine different players score goals in Newcastle United's 5-5 draw with West Ham United. Newcastle scored 86 League goals in 1960/61 but conceded a club record 109 and suffered relegation from ther First Division. Jackie Bell, John McGuigan, Len White x 2, Bobby Mitchell scored for Newcastle and Malcolm Musgrove, Dave Dunmore, own goal, John Bond, John Dick for West Ham.