1895–96 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season

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The 1895–96 season for Burslem Port Vale was a tough one. They finished 14th in the Second Division, with 18 points from 30 games (8 wins, 2 draws, 20 losses). They failed to be re-elected to the Football League and spent the next two seasons in the Midlands League before returning in 1898.

Season highlights and struggles
- Defence was weak: Vale kept only five clean sheets in 30 league and cup matches.
- A notable win: a 5–4 victory over eventual champions Liverpool during a run in which the team scored 65 goals in 11 games.
- Bad away form: only one away win (2–0 at Rotherham Town); 14 consecutive away losses set a club record; no away draws for a long stretch.
- Cup outcomes: FA Cup Second Qualifying Round exit to Burton Swifts; Birmingham Senior Cup First Round exit to Stourbridge; Staffordshire Senior Cup First Round exit to Stoke.
- Top scorer: Ernest Beckett with 8 goals in all competitions.
- Key player: Tom Baddeley was the ever-present goalkeeper.
- Debuts: George Price and Danny Simpson debuted; Price would stay with Vale for many years, and Simpson would become a top scorer in the next two seasons. No major signings due to lack of funds.

Season timeline
- Opening day: 2–0 win at Rotherham Town gave early hope.
- Notts County game: a heavy 0–4 defeat at Notts County.
- Liverpool visit: 5–1 defeat at Anfield, followed by a dramatic 5–4 home win against Liverpool later in the season.
- Darwen double: 3–3 draw with Darwen (crowd around 1,000; £25 receipts) and then an 8–2 away win for Darwen in the return fixture.
- Late autumn to winter: a three-game unbeaten spell with a 4–0 win over Rotherham Town, then a poor run with many defeats.
- March developments: 5–4 win over Liverpool’s players on debut days for Downie and Black; 3–0 win over Newton Heath on 23 March; 2–0 win over Newcastle United to finish the season on a higher note.
- End-of-season changes: Baddeley, George Eccles left for Wolverhampton Wanderers; Eardley and McDonald left for Stoke. An attempt to form a limited liability company to handle debts was made, but it did not take off. Total debts around £154; wages exceeded gate receipts (£481 vs £455).

Attendance and finances
- Highest home attendance: about 5,000 vs Burton Wanderers (18 January 1896).
- Lowest home attendance: about 500 vs Rotherham Town (25 January 1896).
- Average home league attendance: around 1,771.
- Financials: debts grew during the season; continuing losses and high wages led to a difficult financial picture.

Biggest results
- Biggest win: 4–0 vs Rotherham Town (25 January 1896).
- Biggest defeat: 2–8 vs Darwen (19 October 1895).

Overall, the 1895–96 season was a low point for Port Vale, ending with their exit from the Football League and a move into Midlands football for the following years.