1997–98 Port Vale F.C. season

The pre-season saw the arrival of Swedish midfielder Jan Jansson from IFK Norrköping for a £200,000 fee. Dutch defender Mark Snijders also signed from AZ.

The Vale started the season in modest form, picking up 14 points in the opening nine games. On 11 September, John Rudge made the club's record signing by paying Lincoln City £500,000 for the services of midfielder Gareth Ainsworth. To pay for this, Jon McCarthy was sold to Birmingham City for £1.5m.^[1] Also heading away from Stoke-on-Trent was Arjan van Heusden, who joined Oxford United on loan. The next month, Gareth Griffiths left for a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town. Disappointment came on 12 October, with a 2–1 defeat to rivals Stoke City at the newly opened Britannia Stadium. Vale's indifferent form continued, one highlight being a 3–2 win over Manchester City at Maine Road on 4 November in which Andy Porter man-marked Georgi Kinkladze out of the game.^[2] Later in the year Paul Beesley joined on loan from Man City, and played a handful of games. The club's indifferent form then turned to a terrible run of ten defeats in twelve games, which included a run of one goal scored in seven games. Their form picked up in February, though they were still inconsistent.

On 1 March, Stoke, who were also in relegation danger, escaped from Vale Park with a goalless draw. On 7 March, Vale beat Reading 3–0 at Elm Park.^[3] Later in month Rudge signed young Tottenham Hotspur forward Paul Mahorn on non-contract terms. On 14 March, a 2–1 win over Manchester City was to prove crucial – the club's first home win over Manchester City, though Vale were still in danger of the drop.^[4] Going into their final game with Huddersfield Town at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium Vale had lost three straight games, and needed a win to ensure their safety in the league.^[5] A brace from Jansson, and one each from Martin Foyle and Lee Mills earned Vale a 4–0 win.^[6] Rudge said: "It all ended happily in the end but we must take that as a warning and not ignore it".^[7]

They finished in 19th place, one point above Manchester City in the relegation zone.^[8] Stoke City were also relegated, and had Stoke beat Vale in Burslem then Vale would have taken Stoke's place in the relegation zone.^[5] Lee Mills was the club's top-scorer with 16 goals, whilst Tony Naylor also hit double-figures.

At the end of the season, Lee Mills was signed by Premier League Bradford City, becoming Bradford's first million-pound player. Twelve-year club veteran Andy Porter signed for Wigan Athletic, as did Griffiths. Another major departure was nine-year club veteran defender Dean Glover, who joined non-League Kidderminster Harriers. Another older player, Andy Hill, retired outright. Other departures were Dave Barnett to Lincoln City, Dean Stokes to Third Division Rochdale, and Dutch keeper Arjan van Heusden also headed into the basement division with Cambridge United. Fellow Dutchman Jermaine Holwyn returned to the Netherlands to play for HFC Haarlem.

The club's shirt sponsors were Tunstall Assurance.

In the FA Cup, Vale faced a trip to Highbury to face Arsenal. Rudge's "Valiants" battled to a goalless draw with the "Gunners" to take the Londoners back to Burslem; manager Arsène Wenger remarked that it was "amazing how teams who do not do especially well in their own league suddenly become monsters".^[9] Again goalless, Dennis Bergkamp scored in the tenth minute of extra time, but Wayne Corden equalized eight minutes before the full-time whistle.^[10] Lee Dixon missed the first penalty of the shoot-out, but Arsenal recovered to win the game 4–3 on penalties, and later went on to lift the cup.^[11][12]

In the League Cup, Second Division York City eliminated the Vale with a 3–2 aggregate victory.

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

Pos.	Name	Football League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Matthew Boswell	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
GK	Paul Musselwhite	40	0	2	0	2	0	44	0
GK	Arjan van Heusden	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
DF	Dean Glover	25	1	0	0	1	0	26	1
DF	Neil Aspin	25	0	2	0	2	0	29	0
DF	Allen Tankard	38	0	2	0	2	0	42	0
DF	Dean Stokes	8	0	0	0	1	0	9	0
DF	Jon McCarthy	4	0	0	0	2	0	6	0
DF	Andy Hill	27	0	2	0	2	0	31	0
DF	Matt Carragher	25	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
DF	Paul Beesley	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
DF	Dave Barnett	9	1	0	0	0	0	9	1
DF	Liam Burns	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
DF	Mark Snijders	23	2	0	2	0	0	25	2
DF	Gareth Griffiths	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
MF	Andy Porter	40	1	2	0	1	0	43	1
MF	Ian Bogie	38	1	2	0	1	0	41	1
MF	Wayne Corden	31	1	2	1	2	0	35	2
MF	Stewart Talbot	41	6	2	0	2	0	45	6
MF	Rogier Koordes	9	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
MF	Jan Jansson	32	5	0	0	2	0	34	5
MF	Gareth Ainsworth	39	5	2	0	0	0	41	5
MF	Richard Eyre	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
MF	Scott Ruscoe	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FW	Dean Cunningham	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FW	Martin Foyle	38	8	2	0	2	0	42	8
FW	Lee Mills	42	14	1	0	2	2	45	16
FW	Justin O'Reilly	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FW	Tony Naylor	37	10	2	0	2	0	41	10
FW	Simon Armstrong	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FW	Steve Williams	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Place	Position	Nation	Name	First Division	FA Cup	League Cup	Total
1	FW	England	Lee Mills	14	0	2	16
2	FW	England	Tony Naylor	10	0	0	10
3	FW	England	Martin Foyle	8	0	0	8
4	MF	England	Stewart Talbot	6	0	0	6
5	MF	Sweden	Jan Jansson	5	0	0	5
–	MF	England	Gareth Ainsworth	5	0	0	5
7	MF	England	Wayne Corden	1	1	0	2
–	DF	Netherlands	Mark Snijders	2	0	0	2
9	DF	England	Dean Glover	1	0	0	1
–	DF	England	Dave Barnett	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Ian Bogie	1	0	0	1
–	MF	England	Andy Porter	1	0	0	1
–		–	Own goals	1	0	0	1
			TOTALS	56	1	2	59