Port Vale 1982-83 AWAY

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In the 1982-83 season manager John McGrath led the Vale to a record 88 points and were promoted to the old 3rd division (English Football League 1) in third place. This was some achievement considering McGrath had sold both the Chamberlain brothers and goalkeeper Mark Harrison to rivals Stoke City at the start of the season. Receiving £240,000 for these three players, he spent only £15,000 to bring top-scorer Bob Newton to Vale Park, and signed Player of the Year Wayne Cegielski for free.

It was also trainer Lol Hamlett’s last season with the Valiants having played for the club since the late 40’s and early 50’s before spending 25 years on the coaching staff. Lol served under 10 managers and he was given a testimonial match against a Don Revie XI in 1976.

When a few internationally known singers and Hollywood film stars began collecting the ‘quirky’ shapes and colourful patterns of Clarice Cliff pottery in the 1960s and early 1970s, small pockets of collectors with an eye for the eclectic began buying this unique British pottery.

In 1977 Leonard Griffin discovered Clarice Cliff pottery at a local Nottinghamshire antiques fair, and felt so inspired he had to find out more. His extensive research in the Staffordshire Potteries led him to trace over twenty-five of Clarice’s painters, fondly known as the “Bizarre Girls”.

It was their recollections and information on the shapes and designs Clarice produced which prompted him to establish the Clarice Cliff Collectors Club in 1982 with just 34 members, producing regular informative review publications.