1974–75 Port Vale F.C. season

The pre-season saw Roy Sproson attempt to construct a new attacking style by signing attacking midfielder Terry Bailey from Stafford Rangers for £2,500, winger Frank Sharp from Grimsby Town, and goalkeeper John Connaughton from Sheffield United.[1] There was also a dispute with John Woodward who asked for a transfer after a disagreement over his contract; Sproson said "he is trying to hold us to ransom and we are not having that".[1]

The season opened with two Bailey goals, though Vale would have to wait until their fourth match for a victory, at which point their coffers were boosted by £10,000 following Sammy Morgan's success at Aston Villa.[1] In September, Sproson made a £10,000 bid for Keith Leonard that was rejected.[1] Instead he brought in young left-back Garry Dulson on loan from Nottingham Forest, and later bought him permanently for £5,000, using another £5,400 Villa were forced to pay Vale after Morgan hit another target.[1] The "Valiants" proved difficult to beat, and heading into Christmas they won six of their last nine league games.[1] Their 4–0 win over Huddersfield Town lifted them into third place, though attendances were still below 4,000.[1] A 3–1 win over Southend United at Roots Hall then put the club into second spot, at which point Bob Mountford was sold to Rochdale for £2,000.[1] A four-day holiday in Benidorm in the new year did not seem to help the Vale, as three straight defeats followed to drag them down the table.[1] To halt the slide Sproson bought striker Derek Brownbill from Liverpool for £5,000.[1] Two sendings off in a 3–1 defeat at Leeds Road – John Brodie also managed to break his leg in the challenge that earned him a red card – forced Sproson to defend his team after that took the Vale's red card tally to seven for the season.[1] A 2–1 win over Preston North End at Vale Park on 29 March was opposition player-manager Bobby Charlton's last appearance in the Football League.[2] A solid spell put Vale back into the promotion race by March, though their form dropped off again, and their hopes were crushed completely on 26 April with a 3–1 defeat at home to Gordon Lee's champions-elect Blackburn Rovers.[1]

They finished in sixth place with 51 points, leaving them four points shy of promoted Charlton Athletic.[1] Just two home losses were matched by only three victories on the road.[1] The three main scorers were Ray Williams (14), Terry Bailey (14), and Brian Horton (13).[1] At the end of the season the players took a break in Malta, where they drew 1–1 with Floriana.[1] Tommy McLaren spent the summer in Oregon, playing for the Portland Timbers.[1]

On the financial side, a loss was made of £16,964 despite donations of £13,803 from the development funds.[1] The supporters group also paid £1,200 for video equipment, allowing the club to record games and show players their mistakes.[3] The average home attendance of 4,346 was the third-lowest in the division.[1] Wages stood at £72,874, gate receipts took in £43,199, and there was a loss in the transfer market of £6,000.[1] The financial situation meant that seven players were released and thirteen were retained.[1] Amongst those departing were: John Woodward (Scunthorpe United); Frank Sharp (Northwich Victoria); Roy Cross (Nuneaton Borough); Bill Summerscales (Rochdale); and Reg Edwards (Brereton Social).[1]

In the FA Cup, Vale lost their First Round replay 2–0 at Lincoln City's Sincil Bank, following a 2–2 draw in Burslem.[1] Dulson scored an own goal in the original match and was sent off in the replay for punching Dick Krzywicki.[1]

In the League Cup, Vale left the competition at the first stage with a 1–0 defeat at Fourth Division Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium.[1]