The 2014–15 season was Port Vale's 103rd season of football in the English Football League and second-successive season in League One. Before the season began, the bookies listed the club as the third favourite to be relegated.
A run of six defeats resulted in a surprise resignation from manager Micky Adams on 18 September, and his assistant Rob Page took his place in the hot seat. Chairman Norman Smurthwaite then initiated his plan for the club to sign young players to develop and sell for profit later. Vale exited the cups in the early stages after coming up against tough opposition, exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Milton Keynes Dons, losing to Cardiff City in the League Cup and Preston North End in the Football League Trophy. They climbed up the league table under Page, reaching the outskirts of the play-offs by the end of February before a late-season collapse saw them finish in 18th place.
Overview
League One Manager Micky Adams ended months of speculation surrounded his future when he signed a 12-month rolling contract the following in June 2014. His first signing of the season was versatile left-sided player Colin Daniel. Kaid Mohamed left the club on loan, after he agreed to spend the season playing for Northampton Town. Adams admitted he was finding it difficult to sign new players to take the club forward after losing out on numerous transfer targets to rival clubs. Chairman Norman Smurthwaite was criticised by fans for showing a lack of ambition, but Smurthwaite defended his record by pointing to falling season ticket sales and the high amount of time and money he had invested in the club without financial reward. The second signing of the season was 24-year-old full-back Ryan McGivern, who negotiated a release from relegated Scottish Premier League club Hibernian in order to sign a two-year contract with the Vale. The third arrival was winger Mark Marshall, who had spent the latter half of the previous campaign with Coventry City after serving a two-year ban for taking performance-enhancing drugs. His next signing was winger Byron Moore, who turned down a contract offer at nearby Crewe Alexandra to join the Vale. This capture raised the tensions between Vale and Crewe, particularly after Adams and Crewe boss Steve Davis had a spat over the departure of his son Joe Davis; his father claiming Vale's contract offer to Joe was "derisory". Adams looked at a number of players on trial over the summer, including: Michael O’Connor, Steve Jennings, Javan Vidal, and Sylvestre Guyonet. Adams completed his squad on 18 July with a triple signing, taking on a trio of experienced midfielders: Michael Brown, Steve Jennings, and Michael O'Connor. He took the squad on a pre-season tour of Cornwall, including a stay at HMS Raleigh. Adams added to the squad by taking in versatile right-back Frédéric Veseli on a long-term loan from Ipswich Town. Carl Dickinson was appointed as club captain in August 2014, taking the armband from the departed Doug Loft.
Vale opened the season with a 1–1 draw at home to Walsall, with young goalkeeper Sam Johnson being favoured ahead of Chris Neal. An excellent away win followed as Vale picked up a 3–1 win at newly relegated Doncaster Rovers. Adams said this performance was as good as he had seen in an away game during his time as Vale manager. They remained unbeaten after picking up a 1–1 draw with Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park. Their unbeaten start to the season came to an end with a 2–0 home defeat to Notts County, with the Vale unable to turn round a 1–0 half-time deficit despite a strong attacking performance in the second half. To boost his attacking options, Adams then took in Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Slew on loan until January. However, Adams went on to bemoan defensive errors as Chesterfield left Burslem with a 2–1 win following a bad-tempered encounter upon Daniel Jones's return to Vale Park. After the match opposition player Armand Gnanduillet was racially abused by a Vale supporter. Adams ended the month by signing French striker Achille Campion on loan from Swedish side Norrby IF.
A trip to London Road opened September for Vale, and Adams changed the team following the run of defeats, but league leaders Peterborough United proved too strong as they ran out 3–1 winners. The run of defeats was extended to five games on 13 September when local rivals Crewe Alexandra picked up their first points of the season. Following the defeat Adams told the media that his position would be under threat if results did not turn around quickly. Three days later league leaders Bristol City made it six defeats in a row by inflicting a 3–0 defeat on the Vale. This proved too much for Adams, who announced his resignation on 18 September. Rob Page stepped in as caretaker manager initially "until the end of October". His first game in charge saw the Vale beat Barnsley 2–1, Mark Marshall providing a deserved late winner with a mazy penalty box run. At Bradford City former Valiant Billy Knott gave away a penalty which was converted by Chris Lines, but a Mark Yeates free kick just before half-time levelled the scores. The defence was then bolstered with the signings of two loanee players: Guadeloupe international Stéphane Zubar from AFC Bournemouth, and Reiss Greenidge from West Bromwich Albion.
A trip to Fleetwood Town on 4 October proved fruitless after a late penalty gave Fleetwood a 1–0 win; Vale had played well and seemed to have done enough to earn a point despite playing much of the match with ten men after Slew was sent off for striking an opposition player. In search of a first clean sheet of the season, Page signed 19-year-old centre-back Remie Streete on loan from Newcastle United. Vale came out of the relegation zone on 11 October with a convincing 4–1 win over struggling Yeovil Town. A 2–0 defeat followed at Deepdale, with Zubar receiving a straight red card for lashing out at Preston North End's Joe Garner. After the game Page condemned Garner for play-acting throughout the match to try and get Vale player's sent off. The loan signings continued, as Leicester City's Saint Kitts and Nevis international striker Harry Panayiotou arrived on a one-month loan. The club were also in talks with former Premier League midfielder Isaiah Osbourne, who instead joined fellow relegation battlers Scunthorpe United. Ironically a few days later Scunthorpe then came to Burslem, as did the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo, and the game ended 2–2 despite the Vale leading 2–1 and facing ten men after former player Jennison Myrie-Williams was sent off. The fifth signing of Page's reign then arrived in the form of French striker Dany N'Guessan, who signed a two-month deal. The signing came in good time as Tom Pope was later ruled out of action for a few weeks with a knee injury. Vale then beat Leyton Orient 3–0, keeping their first clean sheet of the season; Orient were reduced to ten men early in the first half after Darius Henderson was sent off for elbowing Richard Duffy. Having taken the club up seven league places within six weeks, Page was appointed as manager on a permanent basis on 29 October.
Vale opened November with three points at Colchester United; Neal saved a first-half penalty before Marshall and Daniel secured the goals in a 2–1 win. The search for talented young players continued, with Aziz Deen-Conteh and Enoch Andoh both joining the club on a trial basis. The clash with Rochdale on 15 November came amidst a defensive crisis as Streete was recalled from his loan and both Duffy and McGivern were suspended. The positive results kept coming however, as Vale moved into the top half of the table with a 1–0 win. Former Chelsea left-back Aziz Deen-Conteh then signed a deal with the club until 2017. Leaving the club, though only on a 28-day loan, was goalkeeper Sam Johnson, who went to Conference Premier side Alfreton Town. Not long after their FA Cup triumph at Vale Park, Milton Keynes Dons hosted the Vale and ran out 1–0 following a sending off to Chris Lines. Another two long-term prospects were then added in the form of Ghana youth international Enoch Andoh, who signed an 18-month contract, and former Manchester City striker Alex Nimely. The "Valiants" then ended the month with a 2–2 draw at Gillingham, Brown's 94th-minute equaliser securing a deserved point.
After a two-week break Vale hosted Coventry City on 13 December, and went on to lose the game 2–0 after failing to pose much of an attacking threat. They got back to winning ways the following week by beating struggling Crawley Town 2–1. The visitors on Boxing Day were Sheffield United, who were defeated 2–1 after referee Stuart Attwell sent off "Blades" defender Chris Basham and later gave Vale a penalty. Another tricky tie followed at Swindon Town, who went into the automatic promotion places after beating Vale 1–0.
Vale began 2015 with a home tie against Gillingham, and a victory took them to within a point of the play-offs thanks to a stoppage time winner from Colin Daniel. Shortly after Frédéric Veseli's loan signing from Ipswich was made into a permanent deal. Going forward Page managed to adequately cover for the continuing absence of Pope by playing Ben Williamson as a lone striker supported by Louis Dodds in a central attacking midfield role. The next week's opponents, Chesterfield, were one place above Vale, but a 3–0 Chesterfield win put Vale four points and four places outside the play-offs; both chairman and manager described the performance as "embarrassing". This proved to be a temporary setback however, as Vale went on to beat Peterborough 2–1. A win over "A500 derby" rivals Crewe would then take Vale into the play-offs, but a 1–0 win completed a double over Vale for the "Railwaymen"; Neal saved a penalty he himself gave away but could not keep out Nicky Ajose's 39th-minute strike. Next opponents Barnsley tried to buy Tom Pope before Vale's visit to Oakwell. Pope played against Barnsley but it was goalkeeper Neal who opened the scoring after fumbling into his own net just before half-time; Barnsley went on to win the game 2–1. Pope stayed put throughout the remainder of the transfer window, instead it was N'Guessan who departed, whilst Tommy O'Sullivan and Greg Luer arrived on loan.
Vale twice came from behind at home to Bradford on 7 February, Campion scoring the first equalizer before City goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was sent off in stoppage time for bringing down Birchall; O'Connor converted the resulting penalty. A trip to league leaders Bristol City followed, who demonstrated their superiority over the Vale with a 3–1 win. To bolster the defence Page signed teenage centre-back Ryan Inniss on a youth loan from Crystal Palace. The youngster made his debut at Walsall, helping Vale to a rare clean sheet as Tom Pope returned to the score-sheet. A second clean sheet followed in a 3–0 home win over Doncaster Rovers, as both Veseli and Moore opened their accounts with the club to complete the double over "Donny". A 1–0 win over Notts County extended the run of victories and clean sheets and took Vale to within three points of the play-offs.