 The Butler Stand roof was blown off in a storm in January 1976 . The ground damage meant the club 's next home game against Middlesbrough had to be played at Vale Park , the home of local rivals Port Vale . The repair bill , in the region of £ 250 @,@ 000 , put the club in financial trouble , which was eased by the sale of Alan Hudson , Mike Pejic and Jimmy Greenhoff for a combined sum of £ 440 @,@ 000 . With the team depleted , relegation proved inevitable in the 1976 – 77 season . Waddington , after a spell of 17 years in charge , left the club after a 1 – 0 home defeat in March 1977 . 
