1985–86 Port Vale F.C. season
| 1985–86 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Jim Lloyd | ||
| Manager | John Rudge | ||
| Stadium | Vale Park | ||
| Football League Fourth Division | 4th (79 Points) | ||
| FA Cup | Second Round (knocked out by Walsall) | ||
| League Cup | Second Round (knocked out by West Bromwich Albion) | ||
| Associate Members' Cup | Northern Section Semi-finalists (knocked out by Wigan Athletic) | ||
| Player of the Year | Jim Arnold | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Robbie Earle (15) All: Andy Jones (18) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 11,736 vs. Walsall, 8 December 1985 | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 1,584 vs. Blackpool, 10 February 1986 | ||
| Average home league attendance | 3,581 | ||
| Biggest win | 4–0 (three games) | ||
| Biggest defeat | 1–4 vs. Chester City, 1 January 1986 | ||
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The 1985–86 season was Port Vale's 74th season of football in the English Football League, and second-successive (13th overall) season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge managed a Vale to a club record low of only one home league defeat all season, contributing to a fourth-place finish with 79 points and a return to the Third Division via promotion.
Building the team shrewdly, Rudge leaned on rookie striker Andy Jones — signed for just a few thousand pounds — to lead the scoring charts with 18 goals, while Robbie Earle added 15 strikes in the league, and Jim Arnold marshalled a resolute defence that earned him Player of the Year honors. In cup competitions, the team reached the Second Round in both the FA Cup and League Cup, and progressed to the Northern Section Semi-finals of the Associate Members' Cup.
A season of calculated recruitment, defensive consistency, and rising young stars such as Andy Jones and Robbie Earle culminated in a well-earned return to the Third Division — the first taste of Rudge’s managerial success.