1892–93 Burslem Port Vale F.C. season
| 1892–93 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Athletic Ground | |
| Football League Second Division | 11th (15 Points) | |
| FA Cup | First Qualifying Round (knocked out by Burton Swifts) | |
| Birmingham Senior Cup | Second Round (knocked out by Aston Villa) | |
| Staffordshire Senior Cup | First Round (knocked out by Burton Wanderers) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Meshach Dean (5) All: Meshach Dean (6) | |
| Highest home attendance | 2,000 vs Darwen, 1 October 1892 | |
| Lowest home attendance | 500 vs Grimsby Town, 17 February 1893 | |
| Average home league attendance | 1,344+ | |
| Biggest win | 4–0 vs. Northwich Victoria, 4 March 1893 | |
| Biggest defeat | 0–10 vs. Sheffield United, 10 December 1892 | |
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The 1892–93 season was Burslem Port Vale's first season of football in the English Football League. The club were founding members of the Football League Second Division, the First Division having been in operation for four seasons before 1892–93. A learning curve for the club, it marked the first of four seasons of struggle in what was rapidly becoming the second tier of the strongest league in the world. This learning curve was punctuated by the biggest league defeat in the club's history, a 10–0 humiliation in a snowstorm at home to Sheffield United on 10 December 1892, still a Football League record for a home defeat.
Other than the record defeat (which saw right-half Billy Delves play in goal) and two away performances where five goals were conceded, the Vale were competitive in most matches, winning three of their games by at least a three-goal margin. If not for the capitulation against Sheffield United, then the club would have had one of the better defensive records in the league. However, a run of one goal scored in five consecutive games highlighted their lack of offensive firepower. This run saw them lose eight of ten games.