1984–85 Port Vale F.C. season
| 1984–85 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Jim Lloyd | ||
| Manager | John Rudge | ||
| Stadium | Vale Park | ||
| Football League Fourth Division | 12th (60 Points) | ||
| FA Cup | Third Round (knocked out by West Ham United) | ||
| League Cup | Second Round (knocked out by Wolverhampton Wanderers) | ||
| Associate Members' Cup | Second Round (knocked out by Bristol City) | ||
| Player of the Year | Alan Webb | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Ally Brown (17) All: Ally Brown (21) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 6,949 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 24 September 1984 | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 1,386 vs. Northampton Town, 29 January 1985 | ||
| Average home league attendance | 3,267 | ||
| Biggest win | 5–1 vs. Exeter City, 1 January 1985 | ||
| Biggest defeat | 0–4 vs. Bury, 26 December 1984 | ||
|
| |||
The 1984–85 season was Port Vale's 73rd season of football in the English Football League, and first (12th overall) back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division. John Rudge led his first full campaign as manager, overseeing a period of rebuilding that resulted in a mid-table 12th‑place finish
Veteran striker Ally Brown emerged as both league and season top‑scorer with 17 and 21 goals respectively, while young midfield dynamo Robbie Earle added 19 goals, signalling the club's attacking promise for the future. Defender Alan Webb, solid and consistent at the back, was voted the club's Player of the Year. In cup competitions, Vale reached the Third Round of the FA Cup, were eliminated in the Second Round of the Associate Members' Cup, and made it to the Second Round of the League Cup. Off the pitch, the club recorded its largest league win of 5–1 against Exeter City on New Year's Day, suffered a heaviest defeat of 4–0 at Bury on Boxing Day, and averaged an attendance of 3,267 at Vale Park.
A transitional yet promising season under John Rudge — quietly steady, powered by key performers Brown, Earle, and Webb — laid the groundwork for future progress despite a return to the lower tier.