Key new signings were Lee Mills and Player of the Year Jon McCarthy, though it was established star Tony Naylor who was the club's top-scorer.

The season started terribly, as Vale won just one of their opening ten league games, failing to find the net in half of these fixtures.

In November, Canadian international defender Randy Samuel signed after impressing on trial but soon was sidelined with a serious knee injury.

On 9 December, Vale won 3–2 at home to Reading, their second win in a row, to move themselves off the foot of the league table.

[2] To Stoke, Bogie lived up to his name, as he scored his second league goal of the campaign in front of a Vale Park crowd of 16,737.

Vale were facing the prospect of a promotion battle to reach the top-flight of English football, the Premier League, for the first time in their history.

Tony Naylor was the top-scorer with twelve goals in all competitions, closely followed by Martin Foyle, Andy Porter, and Jon McCarthy.

Bradley Sandeman was another departing player, as he was given a free transfer to Rotherham United, whilst Lee Glover also joined the "Millers" for a £150,000 fee.

[5] Foyle equalized after the "Toffees" scored the opener, and Ian Bogie saved the day with a deflected goal in injury time after Everton had again taken the lead through Duncan Ferguson.

[6] Back at Vale Park, the "Valiants" added another scalp to their collection with goals from Bogie and McCarthy to win the match 2–1.

The draw with nine-time Serie A champions and former UEFA Cup semi-finalists Genoa was seen as particularly creditable, with Musselwhite praised for some excellent close-range saves to earn his clean sheet.