Back in the league, Vale struggled to get by with an average home attendance of 4,356 and finished nineteenth, just three points from safety.

The pre-season saw manager Roy Sproson add two youngsters to his squad: forward Kevin Kennerley (Burnley) and defender Ian Osborne (Birmingham City).

[1] As 'a piece of good business' which 'could not be turned down', the club also sold star defender Terry Lees to Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam for £25,000.

[1] To replace him, Sproson signed Blackburn Rovers' Ken Beamish (£12,000) and Wigan Athletic's John Rogers ('a small fee').

The first of this run was a 1–1 draw with Rotherham United at Millmoor; after this match "Millers" boss Jimmy McGuigan stated that Vale showed 'the worst exhibition of football thuggery I have ever seen'.

[1] Thomson also returned to the US, Ray Williams was transferred to Northwich Victoria for 'a small fee', and Colin Tartt was sold to Chesterfield for £15,000.

[1] At the end of the season was the short-lived Debenhams Cup competition, Vale lost 4–3 to Chester over two legs, but still received a runners-up prize of £5,000.

[1] Meanwhile, three players were handed free transfers: ten-year club veteran Tommy McLaren (Telford United), Eric Skeels (Leek Town), and Ian Osborne (Hillingdon Borough).

[1] In the FA Cup, Vale advanced past Fourth Division Southport with a John Rogers brace at Haig Avenue.

A 2–0 home win in the first leg gave them a strong advantage heading to Sealand Road, but there they lost 4–1 and so had to be consoled with runners-up medals and £5,000 prize money.

[2] In the League Cup, Welsh club Wrexham knocked the Vale out 2–1 on aggregate, following a 1–1 draw in Burslem and a 1–0 win at the Racecourse Ground.