List of Port Vale F.C. players

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Port Vale F.C. is an English professional association football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The club was formed in the late 1870s. They took the name Burslem Port Vale in 1884 and dropped the 'Burslem' prefix in 1907. The club joined the English Football League in 1892 as founder members of the Football League Second Division. Though they resigned in 1907, they continued to play in North Staffordshire district leagues and would return to the Football League in 1919. The club's first team has competed in numerous nationally and internationally organised competitions, and all players who have played at least 25 such matches are listed below.

Introduction

More than 500 Port Vale players have appeared in at least 25 senior competitive matches. Numerous players throughout the club's history have enjoyed long careers. Roy Sproson made 842 appearances for Vale between 1950 and 1972, later becoming manager for three years beginning in 1974. His nephew, Phil Sproson, played 500 games for the club between 1977 and 1989. Wilf Kirkham is the club's record goalscorer, with 164 goals in all competitions and 38 goals in a season. Gareth Ainsworth is the player Vale have both received and spent the highest sum on in the transfer market, £500,000 spent in 1997 with £2,000,000 received as he exited the following year. Chris Birchall is the club's record international cap holder with 27, playing for Trinidad and Tobago between 2001 and 2006, including three appearances in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Others made little impact at the club but were significant figures at other clubs, such as Willie Aitken, who went on to serve as head coach at Juventus.

Key

Name: Players with name in italics were on loan from another club for the duration of their Port Vale career.; Players marked in bold are still playing for the club.; Players known only by their surname (i.e. the initial of their first name is not recorded) are not included.; Players highlighted in green are in the Port Vale Hall of Fame.; All statistics are correct up to and including the match played on 15 August 2026.
Legacy number: Compiled in 2025 by Club Historian, Phil Sherwin, each player who played a competitive first-team game was attributed a legacy number in date order.; If two players debuted in the same game, legacy numbers were assigned in alphabetical order based on the players' surname, with starters listed ahead of substitutes.; Source:^[1]
Nationality: Nationalities are listed for players, where known. Nationality is defined as the country of their international selection, where applicable. Nationalities for those who were not ever called up for international level are defined as their country of birth.; Players highlighted in pink represented their country at senior level whilst at the club.
Position: Playing positions are listed according to the tactical formations that were employed at the time. Thus the change in the names of defensive and midfield positions reflects the tactical evolution that occurred from the 1960s onwards.
Port Vale career: Port Vale career is defined as the first and last calendar years in which the player was registered as a professional at the club.
Appearances and goals: Appearances and goals comprise those in the English Football League (including play-off games), The Combination, Midland League, North Staffordshire Federation League, North Staffordshire & District League, The Central League, FA Cup, League Cup / EFL Cup, Football League Trophy / EFL Trophy, Anglo-Italian Cup, Debenhams Cup, Supporters' Clubs' Trophy, and Coronation Cup. Minor cup competitions (such as the Staffordshire Senior Cup) may also be included before World War II only. Friendly matches in the 19th century only are included.; Appearances in the 1939–40 Football League season, abandoned after three matches because of the Second World War, are excluded. Wartime league appearances are excluded.

Positions key
Pre-1960s	1960s–
GK	Goalkeeper
FB	Full back	DF	Defender
HB	Half back	MF	Midfielder
FW	Forward
U	Utility player

Players are listed in descending order of appearances, then goals scored, and finally by ascending legacy number.

List of Port Vale F.C. players

Introduction

Key

Players with 25 or more appearances

Players with fewer than 25 appearances

References

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Fact Checks

Table of players, including playing position and club statistics
Name	Legacy number	Nationality	Position	Port Vale career	Appearances	Goals
Roy Sproson	665	England	DF	1949–1972	842	35
Phil Sproson	857	England	DF	1977–1989	500	43
Harry Poole	682	England	U	1953–1968	499	79
Ray Walker	923	England	MF	1984–1985 1986–1997	438	42
Andy Porter	950	England	U	1986–1998 2004–2006	438	26
Dean Glover	972	England	DF	1989–1998	431	20
Nathan Smith	1301	England	DF	2016–2025	428	22
Neil Aspin	975	England	DF	1989–1999	411	3
Terry Miles	689	England	HB	1955–1968	407	17
Russell Bromage	854	England	DF	1977–1987	399	15
Basil Hayward	631	England	U	1946–1958	372	58
Tommy McLaren	780	Scotland	MF	1967–1977	369	29
Paul Musselwhite	1002	England	GK	1992–2000	367	0
Stan Steele	685	England	FW	1955–1961 1961–1965	366	95
Robbie Earle	897	Jamaica	MF	1982–1991	358	90
Tommy Cheadle	623	England	U	1946–1957	358	14
Martin Foyle	986	England	FW	1991–2000	353	108
Louis Dodds	1190	England	U	2008–2016 2018–2019	349	55
Roger Jones	440	England	U	1923–1937	346	19
Tom Pope	1230	England	FW	2011–2015 2017–2021	343	115
Bob Connelly	408	Scotland	U	1921–1932	337	18
Colin Tartt	812	England	U	1972–1977 1981–1985	329	20
Allen Tankard	1007	England	DF	1993–2001	324	13
John Ridley	817	England	U	1973–1978 1982–1985	310	9
Jimmy Oakes	449	England	FB	1923–1933	307	3
Billy Briscoe	374	England	FW	1918–1923 1924–1931	305	57
John Cunliffe	668	England	FW	1950–1959	302	55
Tom Page	392	England	FW	1920–1929	297	65
Reg Potts	646	England	FB	1945–1957	296	3
Tony Naylor	1013	England	FW	1994–2001	295	90
Ron Wilson	741	Scotland	DF	1963–1970	293	5
Albert Leake	667	England	U	1950–1961	291	43
Micky Cummins	1074	Republic of Ireland	MF	2000–2006	287	34
Wilf Kirkham	443	England	FW	1923–1929 1932–1933	276	164
Ray King	657	England	GK	1949–1957	275	0
Ken Hancock	706	England	GK	1958–1964	269	0
Clint Boulton	748	England	DF	1965–1971	267	12
Geoff Hunter	892	England	MF	1981–1987	266	17
George Price	129	England	FW	1896–1907	265	54
Brian Horton	802	England	MF	1970–1976	258	37