nickname of "the Valiants". In 1921 the club adopted their familiar white and black strip after having experimented with numerous colours, including; plain red, gold and black stripes, claret and blue and even during 1898–1902 playing in the red and white stripes now used by rivals Stoke City for the past 100 years. However, the kit soon changed to plain red shirts with white shorts in 1923, a look which lasted until 1934, where the white shirt, black shorts and socks kit once again was adopted. In February 1921, top striker Bobby Blood was sold to West Bromwich Albion for an unprecedented £4,000. A January 1922 signing of Wales international goalkeeper Teddy Peers from Wolverhampton Wanderers meant the club now saw one of its current players capped at international level for the first time. However the club were soon in financial troubles again. In June 1923, former trainer Billy Barr reported the club to the FA for making illegal payments to its players. Found guilty, the club were punished by a £100 fine, with around £150 in total being fined to various officials and players. On 11 November 1923, Tom Butler died in hospital after sustaining injuries on the pitch. The cash-strapped club arranged a benefit fund; Stoke and numerous other clubs raised a total of £700 for the man's widow. Wilf Kirkham was the club's top scorer in 1924–25 with 33 goals. He would be the club's top scorer for the next three seasons. On 16 April 1926, the club's directors agreed in principle to an amalgamation with rival's Stoke City. Citing reducing gates and a history of financial trouble, the club's hierarchy felt the merger was for the best. However Vale's supporters were far from keen on the proposal and threatened to start their own club if the merger went ahead. As it happened, Stoke were relegated in 1925–26, leaving Vale in the Second Division and Stoke in the Third Division (North). On 19 May, Stoke decided against the proposal and the four Vale directors, including the chairman, who had come up with the plan, tendered their resignations. In the summer of 1927 the club debated moving back to Cobridge, building a 50,000 capacity stadium. However, with the city council having a first option on a repurchase of The Old Recreation Ground, and offering a mere £20,000, the plan was killed. At the end of the 1928–29 season