Port Vale 1909-10

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At the end of the 1906-07 season, the club folded after Chairman Robert Audley wrote to fans saying:

“To the few hundreds of loyal supporters, I tender my best thanks for their support and I join in their regrets that sufficient financial support could not be found to continue the club.”

— Robert Audley’s final words in his letter to The Sentinel

However Cobridge Church took over the club’s management, bought their old Athletic Ground and were renamed Port Vale Football Club. With the help of ex-directors led by Sam Bennion, they began to work their way back to the Football League.

It was their first seasons competing in the North Staffordshire Federation League and by the 1909-10 season won the Staffordshire Junior Cup and the league title. Joe Brough scoring a club record of 43 goals during that campaign.

The famous Midwinter factory was founded in 1910 by William Robinson Midwinter who located a small works on Bourne’s Bank in Burslem (originally called Church Street, connecting the centre of the town with St John’s Church). Previously, Midwinter spent 14 years working at the Doulton factory in Nile Street, Burslem. Today, there is still a date stone reading 1880 by the entrance.

The business grew rapidly and become one of England’s largest potteries by the late 1930’s. The company’s designs, fueled by the successful Festival of Britain Exhibition, led a revolution during the 1950s, 60s and 70s due to the noted ceramicists and designers who worked for the pottery, including Jessie Tait, Terence Conran, Hugh Casson, David Douglas, John Russell and Peter Scott.