and Millwall for £2,000 respectively. On 13 March the club went out of the FA Cup at the fourth round, defeated 2–1 by top tier Sheffield United. Tony Richards was bought for £9,000 in March and amazingly became the season's top scorer with 13 goals in three months and 14 games. With rivals Stoke promoted from the second tier and Crewe from the fourth, Vale finished in third, four points off the Second Division. Determined to win promotion in 1963–64, the club spent £15,000 a piece on Northern Ireland international Billy Bingham and Englishman Albert Cheesebrough. Tim Rawlings was also bought for £4,000 from nearby Walsall. Soon into the season winger Ron Smith was also purchased from Crewe for £6,500. Scotsmen Jackie Mudie and Ron Wilson were transferred from Stoke City for around £12,000. The club did well in the FA Cup, taking Liverpool to a fourth round replay, however the season was a disaster in the league. It was 'the season that misfired', having spent a massive amount of money (nearly £50,000 alone in transfer fees) they finished a whole ten places lower than the previous season. The club made a net loss of £42,650, even with the regular donation from the Supporters Association of close to £20,000. The club flopped completely in 1964–65. Goalkeeper Ken Hancock was sold to Ipswich Town at Christmas time, raising £10,000. Freddie Steele departed in February, as Jackie Mudie was appointed caretaker manager. Mudie created 'a punchier attack and a far more stable defence' as the club managed four home wins in a row. However the club were relegated in 22nd place, five points away from safety. No club in the Football League had scored less than Vale's tally of 41, with top scorer Cheesebrough managing just seven strikes. To slash the wage bill, Stan Steele, Ron Smith, Ron Andrew, Tim Rawlings and Stan Trafford all left on free transfers. The season saw a financial loss of around £15,000, the home attendance being an average of around 5,500. Stanley Matthews was made general manager in preparation for the 1965–66, his emphasis was strongly on nurturing young talent. As a demonstration of this, over 700 boys were given trials with the club. Centre-half John Nicholson made a club record 208 consecutive appearances before being dropped in favour of Terry Alcock. This unsettled Nicholson, who was soon sold to Doncaster Rovers for £5,000. That money