2019–20_Port_Vale_F.C._season
2019–20 Port Vale F.C. season
Port Vale F.C. 2019–20 football season
The 2019–20 season was Port Vale's 108th season of football in the English Football League, and third consecutive season in EFL League Two. The season covers the period from 1 July 2019 through to 30 June 2020.
| 2019–20 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Synsol Holdings Limited | ||
| Chairperson/s | Carol and Kevin Shanahan (until 30 January)[1] Carol Shanahan (from 30 January)[1] | ||
| Manager | John Askey | ||
| Stadium | Vale Park | ||
| League Two | 8th (1.54 points per game) | ||
| FA Cup | Third round (knocked out by Manchester City) | ||
| EFL Cup | First round (knocked out by Burton Albion) | ||
| EFL Trophy | Third round (knocked out by Salford City) | ||
| Player of the Year | David Worrall | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Richie Bennett, Tom Pope (6 each) All: Tom Pope (10) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 5,931 vs. Northampton Town, 10 August 2019 | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 571 vs. Newcastle United U21, 12 November 2019 | ||
| Average home league attendance | 4,862 | ||
| Biggest win | 3–0 vs. Colchester United, 15 February 2020 | ||
| Biggest defeat | 0–3 (twice), 1–4, 2–5 | ||
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Manager John Askey reshaped the squad by letting 14 players go and bringing in 14 new signings, though David Amoo was the only new player in the starting eleven for the opening game of the season. They lost just one league game in six matches in August, though this was a heavy 5–2 defeat at Grimsby Town, and they also exited the EFL Cup at the first round. September saw them in indifferent form, as they picked up just one league win, though Vale did secure their place in the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy. October saw more promise, as they picked up their first away win, though were held to disappointing draws at home to struggling teams. They went on to claim five wins in six games in the month of November, including a 1–0 victory at local rivals Crewe Alexandra and wins against Milton Keynes Dons and Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup. They drew four of their six games in December, though did win a penalty shoot-out to advance in the EFL Trophy, before ending 2019 with a 2–0 win over league leaders Swindon Town.
Vale had a quiet January transfer window, with only one new arrival and no major departures. A highlight of the season came in the FA Cup third round, as a glamour tie at Premier League champions Manchester City ended in a 4–1 defeat. However, a 3–0 defeat to Salford City in the EFL Trophy was a less auspicious end to the club's cup interests. They went unbeaten throughout February, picking up wins over promotion rivals Northampton Town and Colchester United, to end the month in the play-off places. On 13 March, all EFL fixtures were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. On 15 May, League Two clubs voted to end the season after 37 games, causing Vale to finish one place outside the play-offs.
EFL League Two
Manager John Askey called for patience as he and new owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan tried to rebuild the club following Norman Smurthwaite's ownership.[2] Though the budget was reduced he aimed to have a smaller and more competitive squad.[3] His first summer signing was midfielder Scott Burgess, released from Bury despite an impressive loan spell at York City; the 21-year-old had previously played on loan at Macclesfield Town in Askey's National League title-winning season.[4] He next signed Adam Crookes, a 21-year-old defender who had been released by Nottingham Forest despite impressing whilst on loan at Vale in the second half of the 2018–19 season.[5] He then signed 25-year-old Kieran Kennedy, "a footballing centre-half" who turned down a new deal at Wrexham in order to return to the English Football League.[6] Big target man striker Richie Bennett then joined, having been let go by Carlisle United.[7] The signings of 27-year-old former Blackpool striker Mark Cullen and 25-year-old former youth team midfielder Ryan Lloyd were confirmed on 26 June.[8] On 8 July, winger David Amoo arrived on a one-year deal after rejecting a new contract with Cambridge United; this was the first signing to meet Askey's priorities of bringing in a winger, a right-back and a backup goalkeeper.[9][10] Askey also evaluated five trialists in pre-season friendlies: 19-year-old Bradford (Park Avenue) midfielder Alex Hurst, former Darlington goalkeeper Jonny Maddison, former Millwall and Reading right-back Shaun Cummings, former Yeovil Town winger Rhys Browne and former Coventry City striker Kwame Thomas.[11] Cummings left without a contract as Askey instead again signed another of his former Macclesfield Town players, 23-year-old Callum Evans, who – like Lloyd – had been released by Macclesfield boss Sol Campbell.[12] Bookmakers predicted a mid-table finish for the club.[13] The club kit was reverted to Erreà manufacturers and the shirt sponsors were revealed as Synectics Solutions, the company owned by chairpersons Carol and Kevin Shanahan.[14] The black and gold away kit was launched in tribute to the protestors who helped to oust Smurthwaite.[15] As pre-season drew to a close the club took a week long trip to Scotland.[16] Trialist winger Rhys Browne, yet another former Macclesfield player, became the ninth summer signing on the day of the club's final pre-season friendly.[17] Signing number ten was the new back-up goalkeeper, 24-year-old Jonny Maddison, who had impressed on trial.[18] A third of the five trialists was also signed, though Alex Hurst was immediately loaned back to Bradford (Park Avenue) in order to gain match experience.[19]
Vale opened the season with a creditable 1–1 draw at Colchester United, having had a fifth-minute Tom Pope penalty cancelled out by a Luke Norris goal just before half-time.[20] Connell Rawlinson left Vale for National League side Notts County on a free transfer on 5 August, having been transfer-listed by Askey in pre-season.[21] The first game at Vale Park of the Shanahan era came against Northampton Town, and Amoo opened his account for the club with a header before "Cobblers" midfielder Ryan Watson levelled the score at 1–1 just before half-time; Askey said the players performed well but needed to show more belief.[22] On 17 August, Vale travelled to Moor Lane for their first ever game against Salford City and came close to recording their first win of the season after Bennett put them ahead with nine minutes to go, only for Jake Beesley to level the game at 1–1 in the third minute of stoppage-time.[23] Four days later Vale recorded their first ever victory over Forest Green Rovers; James Gibbons went from hero to villain within the opening six minutes as he crossed for Bennett to score only to give away the ball soon after the restart to gift Joseph Mills the equalising goal, and then Cristian Montaño crossed the ball to Amoo for the game's winning goal on 34 minutes.[24] However, they ended the week with a their first league loss of the season, a heavy 5–2 defeat at Grimsby Town that Askey described as a "reality check".[25] Askey boosted his squad with a triple signing, bringing in 29-year-old former Notts County defender Shaun Brisley, 25-year-old former Bury striker Jordan McFarlane-Archer, and 20-year-old midfielder Jake Taylor on loan from Nottingham Forest.[26][27] Vale ended the month with a dour 1–0 victory over Cambridge United, Amoo's 84th-minute cross having been bungled over the goalline by a United defender.[28]
On 3 September, it was confirmed that the club had come with an agreement to cancel Ben Whitfield's contract, who was not in Askey's first-team plans.[29] Five days later Vale fell to a narrow 1–0 defeat at second-placed Newport County; Jamille Matt heading home on 77 minutes after Corey Whitely found room to cross on the Vale's left on 77 minutes.[30] On 14 September, Vale suffered three first-half injuries at home to pre-season promotion favourites Plymouth Argyle, but rallied to a 1–0 victory after Nathan Smith scored the game's only goal on 76 minutes.[31] Another tough fixture saw them travel to league leaders Exeter City just three days later, and they managed to hold their hosts up until the 81st-minute, when Ryan Bowman netted the opening goal of a 2–0 loss.[32] Askey experimented with two strikers at home to a strong Mansfield Town club, though his team were fortunate to grab a 2–2 draw after Smith scored a stoppage-time equaliser; Askey went on to bemoan the officials and the Mansfield striker Danny Rose for winning a penalty with a dive.[33][34] The next trip was to National League champions Leyton Orient and had to settle for a points after sharing six goals, coming from behind to dominate the first half but then lose the lead twice in the second half.[35]
Vale launched a controversial new commercial campaign in October, offering youngsters the chance to swap Stoke City shirts and tickets for Vale ones, which was a response to Stoke's popular 'City 7s' scheme which handed seven year-olds a shirt and match tickets for a game at the Bet365 Stadium.[36] Back on the pitch, Askey signed versatile midfielder Will Atkinson on a short-term deal following injuries to Tom Conlon and Manny Oyeleke.[37] He replaced a suspended Gibbons at right-back at home to Morecambe (a club record 11 years and 11 months after his last game for the club[38]) and though Vale trailed 1–0 at half-time, the visitors were down to ten men and a superb Luke Joyce strike after the break started a comeback and Vale ended up 3–1 winners after a brace from Pope.[39] However, they then fell to a disappointing 2–1 defeat at Macclesfield Town after losing an early lead; Askey had experimented with a midfield diamond against his former club, going 4–3–3 to 4–4–2.[40] A drab 1–1 home draw with 23rd-placed Stevenage followed despite Vale taking an early lead with an excellent team goal.[41] Three days later they won 2–1 at second-placed Bradford City, with substitute Atkinson scoring his first goal for the club to win the game three minutes into injury-time.[42] They again failed to build on a positive result and performance though as they then grounded out a 0–0 home draw with a poor Oldham Athletic side.[43]
Vale travelled up the A500 to face local rivals Crewe Alexandra on 2 November, who were top of the table, and managed to edge a tight game 1–0 with a strike from Taylor on 61 minutes.[44] A fortnight later and they were one goal down at home to managerless Carlisle United within the opening minute, but then came from behind to win the game 2–1 with a late strike from substitute Cullen.[45] However, they then lost a one-goal lead at Scunthorpe United to lose 2–1, with in-form David Worrall also picking up Vale's first red card of the season for scuffling with Matty Lund after the final whistle.[46]
Vale's unbeaten home league record came to an end on 7 December, as struggling Walsall engineered a 1–0 victory with the only goal of the game coming within the first minute of the second half; Conlon was also sent off.[47] The following week they held Crawley Town to a 0–0 draw at Broadfield Stadium.[48] Third-place Cheltenham Town then visited Burslem and shared two goals in an exciting 1–1 draw.[49] Vale seemed to be heading for a 2–0 Boxing Day victory away at Mansfield Town after goals from centre-backs Smith and Legge, but mistakes from full-backs Montaño and Gibbons allowed Mansfield to finish level at 2–2.[50] League leaders Swindon Town were the visitors for the final game of the calendar year and Vale managed an impressive 2–0 victory, ending a run of six games without a win.[51]
Vale's habit of losing points from winning positions was demonstrated again on New Year's Day as they blew a half-time lead to draw 2–2 with Macclesfield Town.[52] Having been eliminated from two cup competitions in a week, they went to second-bottom Stevenage on 11 January and seemed to heading for a goalless draw until Conlon was fouled in the penalty box, leaving Pope to score the game's only goal from the penalty spot on 88 minutes.[53] However, three days later they lost 2–1 at Morecambe after going two goals down within the opening 12 minutes, who had been bottom of the table before Stevanage's defeat to Vale; the consolation goal was scored by Gibbons, his first goal in senior football.[54] They returned to Vale Park to play out-of-form Leyton Orient and won 1–0 thanks for a strike from Amoo, closing the gap to the play-offs to three points.[55] However, they then fell to a 3–0 defeat at league leaders Swindon Town after losing Smith to injury on 29 minutes.[56] Vale then beat second-placed Exeter City 3–1 at home after turning round a half-time deficit thanks to a brace from Bennett.[57] The January transfer window was a quiet one for the "Valiants", though Askey did re-sign defender Mitch Clark on loan from Leicester City.[58] The board of directors was also reshuffled, with Carol Shanahan named as sole chair whilst husband Kevin took an ambassadorial role.[1]
Clark's cross was deflected into the net to give Vale a 1–0 home lead over Salford City, though they went on draw the game 1–1 after 2015 summer transfer window target Tom Elliott netted a 75th-minute equaliser.[59] The following week saw a drab game at Northampton Town, but a Worrall goal won all three points for the Vale and lifted them out of tenth position for the first time in over two months.[60] They made it back-to-back wins with an eventful 3–2 victory at Forest Green Rovers; Vale led by three goals with 12 minutes to go, but a straight red for Clark was followed by two goals for Rovers and a second yellow card for Pope.[61] In the face of multiple suspensions and the difficult conditions posed by Storm Dennis, Vale cruised to a 3–0 home victory over Colchester United to take their place in the play-offs, with Conlon scoring his first of the season and Cullen bagging a brace.[62] The following week Vale brought a large away following to Walsall, but had to settle for a point after twice losing the lead in a 2–2 draw.[63] They picked up an identical result at home to Scunthorpe United the following week, surrendering a 2–1 lead to a 90th-minute George Miller equaliser.[64]
Vale faced a difficult trip to play-off rivals Cheltenham on 7 March, but managed to end their hosts five match winning run with a goalless draw and had two penalty shouts turned down, including one that referee Scott Duncan initially gave only to change his mind after consulting his linesman.[65] Bennett left the club the following week, after being sold to National League side Stockport County for an undisclosed fee.[66] On 13 March, all EFL fixtures were suspended until at least 3 April due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[67] Six days later, the suspension was extended until 30 April, before eventually that date too was scrubbed to an unspecified time when "it is safe to resume".[68][69] To help the local area during the crisis, Carol Shanahan turned the club into a community hub, delivering food and care packages to the north of the city and working closely with the city council, schools and charities.[70] The next month it was confirmed that the club would place the entire club staff on furlough, including players and coaches from the first-team and youth team.[71]
On 15 May, League Two clubs voted to end the season after 37 games, causing Vale to finish one place outside the play-offs; CEO Colin Garlick said that the club had voted for the proposal despite meaning they narrowly missed out on the play-offs as it would help to secure the financial future of all the clubs in the division.[72] A BBC Sport study with Professor James Reade and Dr Carl Singleton from the Economics Department at the University of Reading predicted that Vale would have finished seventh if the season had played out.[73] Askey confirmed that eight players would be offered new contracts – Luke Joyce, David Amoo, Rhys Browne, Shaun Brisley, Cristian Montaño, Tom Conlon, Mark Cullen and Nathan Smith – whilst six players would be released: Will Atkinson, Kieran Kennedy, Callum Evans, Ryan Lloyd, Jonny Maddison and Jordan McFarlane-Archer.[74]
"Manager John Askey sets up Port Vale very well in all areas of play. In attack, they look to make use of the entire pitch. They form triangles out wide and open up the midfield so that progressive passes can reach the lone striker. Their frontline also possesses players who can drift away from opposing defenders and others who can act as a target man and direct outlet for the team. Defensively, all of the Vale team contribute to the press and shape. The three most noteworthy players here however, are goalkeeper Scott Brown and the two centre-backs ahead of him. This defensive trio contain names that rank amongst the league’s best, and are capable of dealing with direct or possession-based opponents.... Port Vale from front to back have a solid structure and great individual quality. They’ve caught the eye in 2019–20 with a play-off push. Perhaps in 2020–21, John Askey’s boys in black and white can do even better."
Cup competitions
Vale faced a difficult tie at Milton Keynes Dons (League One) in the FA Cup first round, but secured their place into the next round with Worrall scoring the game's only goal inside 20 minutes.[76] They were then drawn away to League Two rivals Cheltenham Town and progressed into the third round thanks to a second half Tom Pope hat-trick after having trailed 1–0 at half-time.[77] The club were rewarded in the third round draw with a trip to the Premier League champions, Manchester City.[78] Pep Guardiola praised Vale's away support after the club sold out their 8,000 ticket allocation.[79] City took the lead through Oleksandr Zinchenko on 20 minutes, before Pope levelled the scoreline with a 35th-minute header; City though went on to secure a 4–1 victory thanks to goals from Sergio Agüero, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Phil Foden.[80]
Vale were drawn at home to Burton Albion (League One) in the first round of the EFL Cup, and though Cullen scored his first goal for the club with a 53rd-minute penalty, Burton went on to win the game 2–1.[81]
Vale were drawn against Shrewsbury Town (League One), Macclesfield Town (League Two) and the Newcastle United Academy in the group stages of the EFL Trophy; Askey had previously managed both Shrewsbury and Macclesfield.[82] Vale showed their strength in depth by coming from behind to beat Shrewsbury 2–1; Kennedy, Evans and McFarlane-Archer made their debuts and it was McFarlane-Archer who claimed the winning goal on 75 minutes.[83] They then effectively booked their place into the next round with a 3–2 victory at Macclesfield, Burgess (on his debut) and Taylor scored their first goals for the club, whilst Hurst also made his professional debut in the game; despite 283 travelling supporters making the short trip, the attendance of 757 was the fourth lowest for a competitive Port Vale fixture in recorded history.[84] Askey made eleven changes for the visit of Newcastle United's youngsters as Vale had already qualified for the next round; Cullen scored both goals of a 2–1 victory.[85] They were then drawn at home to League Two rivals Mansfield Town and advanced after winning 4–2 on penalties; as with the league game between the two sides earlier in the season Vale came from behind in the match to draw 2–2, though this time it was the Vale who lost a 2–1 lead in stoppage-time.[86] In the third round they faced a trip to League Two Salford City, where they had drawn 1–1 in the league back in August; however, a poor performance saw them eliminated 3–0.[87]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
Pre-season
| 6 July 2019 (2019-07-06) Friendly | Kidsgrove Athletic | 1–2 | Port Vale | Kidsgrove |
| 15:00 BST | Williamson  83' |
Report | Cullen 20' Bennett 65' |
Stadium: Hollinwood Road Attendance: 1,689 |
| 13 July 2019 (2019-07-13) Friendly | Leek Town | 1–2 | Port Vale | Leek |
| 15:00 BST | Bott 86' |
Report | Pope 19' Amoo 77' |
Stadium: Harrison Park Attendance: 1,100 |
| 17 July 2019 (2019-07-17) Friendly | Port Vale | 1–0 | Fleetwood Town | Burslem |
| 19:30 BST | Amoo 58' |
Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 780 Referee: Mike Dean |
EFL League Two
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Cheltenham Town | 36 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 52 | 27 | +25 | 64 | 1.78 | Qualification for League Two play-offs[lower-alpha 1] |
| 5 | Exeter City | 37 | 18 | 11 | 8 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 65 | 1.76 | |
| 6 | Colchester United | 37 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 58 | 1.57 | |
| 7 | Northampton Town (O, P) | 37 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 58 | 1.57 | |
| 8 | Port Vale | 37 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 57 | 1.54 | |
| 9 | Bradford City | 37 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 44 | 40 | +4 | 54 | 1.46 | |
| 10 | Forest Green Rovers | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 43 | 40 | +3 | 49 | 1.36 | |
| 11 | Salford City | 37 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 50 | 1.35 | |
| 12 | Walsall | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 40 | 49 | −9 | 47 | 1.31 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points per game; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results; 5) Wins; 6) Away goals; 7) Penalty points (sec 9.5); 8) 12-point sending off offences[88]
(O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
Notes:
- Four teams play for one spot and promotion to EFL League One.
Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 37 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 57 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 28 | 15 | +13 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 29 | −7 |
Last updated: 7 March 2020.
Source: BBC
Results by matchday
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | D | D | W | L | W | L | W | L | D | D | W | L | D | W | D | W | W | L | L | D | D | D | W | D | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | W | W | D | D | D | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Position | 13 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Matches
| 3 August 2019 (2019-08-03) 1 | Colchester United | 1–1 | Port Vale | Colchester |
| 15:00 BST | Norris 45' |
Report | Pope 5' (pen.) |
Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 3,729 Referee: Darren Drysdale |
| 10 August 2019 (2019-08-10) 2 | Port Vale | 1–1 | Northampton Town | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Amoo 26' |
Report | Watson 42+5' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,931 Referee: David Rock |
| 17 August 2019 (2019-08-17) 3 | Salford City | 1–1 | Port Vale | Salford |
| 15:00 BST | Beesley 90+3' |
Report | Bennett 81' |
Stadium: Moor Lane Attendance: 3,770 Referee: Anthony Backhouse |
| 20 August 2019 (2019-08-20) 4 | Port Vale | 2–1 | Forest Green Rovers | Burslem |
| 19:45 BST | Bennett 4' Amoo 34' |
Report | Mills 6' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,010 Referee: Ross Joyce |
| 24 August 2019 (2019-08-24) 5 | Grimsby Town | 5–2 | Port Vale | Cleethorpes |
| 15:00 BST | Cook 20' Ogbu 51'Green 57'Waterfall 80'Hanson 86' |
Report | Whitehouse 13' (og.) Smith 62' |
Stadium: Blundell Park Attendance: 4,290 Referee: Will Finnie |
| 31 August 2019 (2019-08-31) 6 | Port Vale | 1–0 | Cambridge United | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Bennett 84'[90] |
Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,874 Referee: James Oldham |
| 7 September 2019 (2019-09-07) 7 | Newport County | 1–0 | Port Vale | Newport, Wales |
| 15:00 BST | Matt 77' |
Report | Stadium: Rodney Parade Attendance: 3,913 Referee: Christopher Pollard |
| 14 September 2019 (2019-09-14) 8 | Port Vale | 1–0 | Plymouth Argyle | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Smith 76' |
Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,275 Referee: Marc Edwards |
| 17 September 2019 (2019-09-17) 9 | Exeter City | 2–0 | Port Vale | Exeter |
| 19:45 BST | Bowman 81' Kennedy 89' (og.) |
Report | Stadium: St James Park Attendance: 3,765 Referee: Alan Young |
| 21 September 2019 (2019-09-21) 10 | Port Vale | 2–2 | Mansfield Town | Burslem |
| 19:45 BST | Cullen 45+4' Smith 90+4' |
Report | Gordon 14' Rose 75' (pen.) |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,109 Referee: Josh Smith |
| 28 September 2019 (2019-09-28) 11 | Leyton Orient | 3–3 | Port Vale | Leyton, London |
| 15:00 BST | Wright 4' (90+3) Wilkinson 59' |
Report | Burgess 23' Legge 28' Taylor 85' |
Stadium: Brisbane Road Attendance: 5,490 Referee: Scott Oldham |
| 5 October 2019 (2019-10-05) 12 | Port Vale | 3–1 | Morecambe | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Joyce 49' Pope 68', 90' |
Report | O'Sullivan 18' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,485 Referee: Charles Breakspear |
| 12 October 2019 (2019-10-12) 13 | Macclesfield Town | 2–1 | Port Vale | Macclesfield |
| 15:00 BST | Gnahoua 39' Osadebe 64' |
Report | Bennett 12' |
Stadium: Moss Rose Attendance: 3,647 Referee: Darren Handley |
| 19 October 2019 (2019-10-19) 14 | Port Vale | 1–1 | Stevenage | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Taylor 8' |
Report | Guthrie 23' (pen.) |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,429 Referee: Peter Wright |
| 22 October 2019 (2019-10-22) 15 | Bradford City | 1–2 | Port Vale | Bradford |
| 19:45 BST | Vaughan 45+1' (pen.) |
Report | Worrall 18' Atkinson 90+3' |
Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 14,345 Referee: Graham Salisbury |
| 26 October 2019 (2019-10-26) 16 | Port Vale | 0–0 | Oldham Athletic | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,301 Referee: Robert Lewis |
| 2 November 2019 (2019-11-02) 17 | Crewe Alexandra | 0–1 | Port Vale | Crewe |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Taylor 61' |
Stadium: Gresty Road Attendance: 7,705 Referee: Ross Joyce |
| 16 November 2019 (2019-11-16) 18 | Port Vale | 2–1 | Carlisle United | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Worrall 60' Cullen 83' |
Report | Loft 1' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,783 Referee: Martin Coy |
| 23 November 2019 (2019-11-23) 19 | Scunthorpe United | 2–1 | Port Vale | Scunthorpe |
| 15:00 GMT | van Veen 37' Ntlhe 51' |
Report | Taylor 30' |
Stadium: Glanford Park Attendance: 3,391 Referee: James Oldham |
| 7 December 2019 (2019-12-07) 20 | Port Vale | 0–1 | Walsall | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Adebayo 46' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,079 Referee: Andy Haines |
| 14 December 2019 (2019-12-14) 21 | Crawley Town | 0–0 | Port Vale | Crawley |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Broadfield Stadium Attendance: 1,944 Referee: Will Finnie |
| 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 22 | Port Vale | 1–1 | Cheltenham Town | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Tozer 39' (og.) |
Report | Addai 24' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 4,404 Referee: Leigh Doughty |
| 26 December 2019 (2019-12-26) 23 | Mansfield Town | 2–2 | Port Vale | Mansfield |
| 15:00 GMT | Maynard 81' Hamilton 90+3' |
Report | Smith 53' Legge 66' |
Stadium: Field Mill Attendance: 5,565 Referee: Martin Coy |
| 29 December 2019 (2019-12-29) 24 | Port Vale | 2–0 | Swindon Town | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Burgess 13' Taylor 52' |
Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,495 Referee: Scott Oldham |
| 1 January 2020 (2020-01-01) 25 | Port Vale | 2–2 | Macclesfield Town | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Worrall 18' Amoo 62' |
Report | Harris 56' Ironside 57' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,350 Referee: Ben Toner |
| 11 January 2020 (2020-01-11) 26 | Stevenage | 0–1 | Port Vale | Stevenage |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Pope 88' (pen.) |
Stadium: Broadhall Way Attendance: 2,646 Referee: Lee Swabey |
| 14 January 2020 (2020-01-14) 27 | Morecambe | 2–1 | Port Vale | Morecambe |
| 15:00 GMT | Old 6' Stockton 12' |
Report | Gibbons 71' |
Stadium: Globe Arena Attendance: 1,639 Referee: Marc Edwards |
| 18 January 2020 (2020-01-18) 28 | Port Vale | 1–0 | Leyton Orient | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Amoo 71' |
Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,047 Referee: Michael Salisbury |
| 25 January 2020 (2020-01-25) 29 | Swindon Town | 3–0 | Port Vale | Swindon |
| 15:00 GMT | Legge 41' (o.g.) Hope 45'Doughty 60' |
Report | Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 7,343 Referee: Craig Hicks |
| 28 January 2020 (2020-01-28) 30 | Port Vale | 3–1 | Exeter City | Burslem |
| 19:45 GMT | Bennett 50' (pen.), 70' Legge 64' |
Report | Ajose 22' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 3,347 Referee: Paul Marsden |
| 1 February 2020 (2020-02-01) 31 | Port Vale | 1–1 | Salford City | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Burgess 55' (og.) |
Report | Elliott 75' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,281 Referee: Neil Hair |
| 8 February 2020 (2020-02-08) 32 | Northampton Town | 0–1 | Port Vale | Northampton |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Worrall 72' |
Stadium: Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 5,583 Referee: Charles Breakspear |
| 11 February 2020 (2020-02-11) 33 | Forest Green Rovers | 2–3 | Port Vale | Nailsworth |
| 19:45 GMT | Winchester 78' (pen.), 90+5' |
Report | Brisley 14' Pope 38', 70' (pen.) |
Stadium: The New Lawn Attendance: 1,682 Referee: Trevor Kettle |
| 15 February 2020 (2020-02-15) 34 | Port Vale | 3–0 | Colchester United | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Conlon 14' Cullen 54', 72' |
Report | Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,199 Referee: Leigh Doughty |
| 22 February 2020 (2020-02-22) 35 | Walsall | 2–2 | Port Vale | Walsall |
| 15:00 GMT | Adebayo 15' Gordon 58' |
Report | Legge 12' Burgess 36' |
Stadium: Bescot Stadium Attendance: 6,301 Referee: Anthony Backhouse |
| 29 February 2020 (2020-02-29) 36 | Port Vale | 2–2 | Scunthorpe United | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Cullen 16' Smith 78' |
Report | Gilliead 71' Miller 90' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 5,121 Referee: Antony Coggins |
| 7 March 2020 (2020-03-07) 37 | Cheltenham Town | 0–0 | Port Vale | Cheltenham |
| 15:00 GMT | Report | Stadium: Whaddon Road Attendance: 3,741 Referee: Scott Duncan |
| 14 March 2020 (2020-03-14) 38 | Port Vale | v | Crawley Town | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Stadium: Vale Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 17 March 2020 (2020-03-17) 39 | Port Vale | v | Bradford City | Burslem |
| 19:45 GMT | Stadium: Vale Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 21 March 2020 (2020-03-21) 40 | Oldham Athletic | v | Port Vale | Oldham |
| 15:00 GMT | Stadium: Boundary Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 28 March 2020 (2020-03-28) 41 | Port Vale | v | Crewe Alexandra | Burslem |
| 15:00 GMT | Stadium: Vale Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 4 April 2020 (2020-04-04) 42 | Carlisle United | v | Port Vale | Carlisle |
| 15:00 BST | Stadium: Brunton Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 10 April 2020 (2020-04-10) 43 | Port Vale | v | Grimsby Town | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Stadium: Vale Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 13 April 2020 (2020-04-13) 44 | Cambridge United | v | Port Vale | Cambridge |
| 15:00 BST | Stadium: Abbey Stadium | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 18 April 2020 (2020-04-18) 45 | Port Vale | v | Newport County | Burslem |
| 15:00 BST | Stadium: Vale Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
| 25 April 2020 (2020-04-25) 46 | Plymouth Argyle | v | Port Vale | Plymouth |
| 15:00 BST | Stadium: Home Park | |||
| Note: Season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[68] | ||||
FA Cup
| 9 November 2019 (2019-11-09) First round | Milton Keynes Dons | 0–1 | Port Vale | Milton Keynes |
| 15:00 BST | Report | Worrall 20' |
Stadium: Stadium MK Attendance: 3,598 Referee: Craig Hicks |
| 30 November 2019 (2019-11-30) Second round | Cheltenham Town | 1–3 | Port Vale | Cheltenham |
| 15:00 GMT | Reid 3' (pen.) |
Report | Pope 60', 63', 68' |
Stadium: Whaddon Road Attendance: 2,725 Referee: Ross Joyce |
| 4 January 2020 (2020-01-04) Third round | Manchester City | 4–1 | Port Vale | Manchester |
| 17:31 GMT | Zinchenko 20' Agüero 42' Harwood-Bellis 58' Foden 76' |
Report | Pope 35' |
Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium Attendance: 52,433 Referee: Lee Mason |
EFL Cup
| 13 August 2019 (2019-08-13) First round | Port Vale | 1–2 | Burton Albion | Burslem |
| 19:45 BST | Cullen 53' (pen.) |
Report | Boyce 9' Fraser 62' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 2,252 Referee: Paul Marsden |
EFL Trophy
| Pos | Div | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L2 | Port Vale | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 9 | Advance to Round 2 |
| 2 | L1 | Shrewsbury Town | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 6 | |
| 3 | L2 | Macclesfield Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | ACA | Newcastle United U21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 |
| 3 September 2019 (2019-09-03) Group stage | Port Vale | 2–1 | Shrewsbury Town | Burslem |
| 19:45 BST | Amoo 63' (pen.) Archer 75' |
Report | Kennedy 27' (o.g.) |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 1,008 Referee: Leigh Doughty |
| 24 September 2019 (2019-09-24) Group stage | Macclesfield Town | 2–3 | Port Vale | Macclesfield |
| 19:45 BST | Ironside 16' Archibald 90+2' |
Report | Burgess 34' Bennett 52'Taylor 74' |
Stadium: Moss Rose Attendance: 757 Referee: Carl Boyeson |
| 12 November 2019 (2019-11-12) Group stage | Port Vale | 2–1 | Newcastle United U21 | Burslem |
| 19:45 BST | Cullen 40', 85' |
Report | Anderson 50' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 571 Referee: Paul Marsden |
| 3 December 2019 (2019-12-03) Second round | Port Vale | 2–2 (4–2 p) | Mansfield Town | Burslem |
| 19:45 GMT | Browne 64' Taylor 82' |
Report | Hamilton 50' Sterling-James 90+2' |
Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 1,164 Referee: Marc Edwards |
| Penalties | ||||
Joyce  Taylor Burgess Atkinson |
Hamilton  Mellis Benning Knowles |
|||
| 7 January 2020 (2020-01-07) Third round | Salford City | 3–0 | Port Vale | Salford |
| 19:45 GMT | Burgess 35' Armstrong 79'Jervis 84' |
Report | Stadium: Moor Lane Attendance: 630 Referee: Christopher Sarginson |
Appearances and goals
| Pos. | # | Name | EFL League Two | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Trophy | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK | 1 |  Scott Brown |
37 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| DF | 2 | James Gibbons |
32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| DF | 3 | Adam Crookes |
14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| MF | 4 | Luke Joyce |
36 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| DF | 5 | Leon Legge |
37 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 4 | |
| DF | 6 | Kieran Kennedy |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| MF | 7 | David Worrall |
34 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 5 | |
| MF | 8 | Manny Oyeleke |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| FW | 9 | Tom Pope |
32 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 10 | |
| MF | 10 | Tom Conlon |
22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| MF | 11 |  Cristian Montaño |
30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| MF | 12 | Will Atkinson |
11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| FW | 13 | Mark Cullen |
18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 8 | |
| MF | 14 | Danny Pugh |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | 15 | Nathan Smith |
34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 5 | |
| MF | 16 | Jake Taylor |
18 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 7 | |
| MF | 17 |  Rhys Browne |
11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 1 | |
| DF | 18 | Callum Evans |
5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| MF | 19 | David Amoo |
32 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 5 | |
| MF | 20 | Scott Burgess |
24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 4 | |
| MF | 22 | Ryan Lloyd |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| DF | 23 | Ryan Campbell-Gordon |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| DF | 24 |  Mitch Clark |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| MF | 25 | Daniel Trickett-Smith |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| MF | 27 | Alex Hurst |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| DF | 28 | Shaun Brisley |
9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| FW | 29 | Jordan McFarlane-Archer |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |
| GK | 30 | Jonny Maddison |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Players that left the club mid-season: | |||||||||||||
| DF | 12 | Connell Rawlinson |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | 14 | Ben Whitfield |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | 21 | Richie Bennett |
26 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 7 | |
| MF | 24 | Joe Berks |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | 26 | Lucas Green-Birch |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Top scorers
| Place | Position | Nation | Number | Name | EFL League Two | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Trophy | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FW | England | 9 | Tom Pope | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | FW | England | 13 | Mark Cullen | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | FW | England | 21 | Richie Bennett | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| – | MF | England | 16 | Jake Taylor | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 5 | MF | England | 19 | David Amoo | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| – | MF | England | 7 | David Worrall | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | MF | England | 20 | Scott Burgess | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| – | DF | England | 5 | Leon Legge | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 10 | FW | England | 29 | Jordan McFarlane-Archer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | 12 | Will Atkinson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | 28 | Shaun Brisley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | Antigua and Barbuda | 17 | Rhys Browne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | 10 | Tom Conlon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | DF | England | 2 | James Gibbons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | MF | England | 4 | Luke Joyce | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| – | – | – | – | Own goals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| TOTALS | 50 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 66 | ||||
Disciplinary record
| Number | Nation | Position | Name | EFL League Two | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Trophy | Total | |||||
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | England | MF | David Worrall | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 9 | England | FW | Tom Pope | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 24 | Wales | DF | Mitch Clark | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | England | MF | Tom Conlon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | England | DF | James Gibbons | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 4 | England | MF | Luke Joyce | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 5 | England | DF | Leon Legge | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 11 | Colombia | MF | Cristian Montaño | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 28 | England | DF | Shaun Brisley | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | England | DF | Adam Crookes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | England | MF | Jake Taylor | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | England | MF | David Amoo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | England | FW | Richie Bennett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | England | MF | Will Atkinson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1 | England | GK | Scott Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | England | MF | Scott Burgess | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | England | DF | Kieran Kennedy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | England | DF | Nathan Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 64 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 4 | |||
Sourced from Soccerway.[91]
| End of Season Awards | Winner[92] |
|---|---|
| Player of the Year | David Worrall |
| Players' Player of the Year | Luke Joyce & David Worrall |
| Goal of the Season | Tom Pope (vs Manchester City, 4 January 2020) |
| Young Player of the Year | Scott Burgess |
| Youth Player of the Year | Luke Chambers |
| Supporter's Club Award | David Worrall |
| Official Away Travel Player of the Year | David Worrall |
Transfers in
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2019 | CF | | Richie Bennett | Carlisle United | Free transfer | [7] |
| 1 July 2019 | CM | | Scott Burgess | Bury | Free transfer | [4] |
| 1 July 2019 | CB | | Adam Crookes | Nottingham Forest | Free transfer | [5] |
| 1 July 2019 | CF | | Mark Cullen | Blackpool | Free transfer | [8] |
| 1 July 2019 | CB | | Kieran Kennedy | Wrexham | Free transfer | [6] |
| 1 July 2019 | AM | | Ryan Lloyd | Macclesfield Town | Free transfer | [8] |
| 8 July 2019 | RW | | David Amoo | Cambridge United | Free transfer | [9] |
| 20 July 2019 | DM | | Callum Evans | Macclesfield Town | Free transfer | [12] |
| 27 July 2019 | RW | | Rhys Browne | Yeovil Town | Free transfer | [17] |
| 31 July 2019 | GK | | Jonny Maddison | Darlington | Free transfer | [18] |
| 3 August 2019 | MF | | Alex Hurst | Bradford Park Avenue | Free transfer | [19] |
| 30 August 2019 | CB | | Shaun Brisley | Notts County | Free transfer | [26] |
| 31 August 2019 | CF | | Jordan McFarlane-Archer | Bury | Free transfer | [27] |
| 4 October 2019 | CM | | Will Atkinson | Mansfield Town | Free transfer | [37] |
Transfers out
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 July 2019 | MF | | Luke Daley | Huddersfield Town | Undisclosed | [93] |
| 5 August 2019 | CB | | Connell Rawlinson | Notts County | Free transfer | [21] |
| 3 September 2019 | CM | | Ben Whitfield | Torquay United | Mutual consent | [29][94] |
| 14 January 2020 | MF | | Joe Berks | Stafford Rangers | Released | [95][96] |
| 14 January 2020 | MF | | Lucas Green-Birch | Market Drayton Town | Released | [95][97] |
| 12 March 2020 | CF | | Richie Bennett | Stockport County | Undisclosed | [66] |
| 19 May 2020 | CF | | Jordan McFarlane-Archer | Boston United | Released | [74][98] |
| 19 May 2020 | CM | | Will Atkinson | Alfreton Town | Released | [74][99] |
| 19 May 2020 | DM | | Callum Evans | Bath City | Released | [74][100] |
| 19 May 2020 | CB | | Kieran Kennedy | York City | Released | [74][101] |
| 19 May 2020 | AM | | Ryan Lloyd | Hereford | Released | [74][102] |
| 19 May 2020 | GK | | Jonny Maddison | Released | [74] |
Loans in
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Date until | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 August 2019 | MF | | Jake Taylor | Nottingham Forest | 30 June 2020 | [26][103] |
| 30 January 2020 | RB | | Mitch Clark | Leicester City | 30 June 2020 | [58] |
Loans out
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date until | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 August 2019 | MF | | Alex Hurst | Bradford Park Avenue | 23 April 2020 | [19][104] |
| 5 August 2019 | MF | | Joe Berks | Stafford Rangers | 25 December 2019 | [105] |
| 13 September 2019 | LB | | Ryan Campbell-Gordon | Ilkeston Town | 13 October 2019 | [106] |
| 13 September 2019 | AM | | Daniel Trickett-Smith | Curzon Ashton | 14 November 2019 | [107] |
| 21 September 2019 | CM | | Lucas Green-Birch | Market Drayton Town | 21 October 2019 | [108] |
| 20 November 2019 | CB | | Kieran Kennedy | Wrexham | 23 April 2020 | [109][110] |
| 18 December 2019 | MF | | Hayden Campbell | Kidsgrove Athletic | January 2020 | [111] |
| 18 December 2019 | FW | | Maxwell Chimenes | Newcastle Town | January 2020 | [111] |
| 16 January 2020 | CF | | Jordan McFarlane-Archer | Stockport County | 15 February 2020 | [112] |
| 21 February 2020 | AM | | Daniel Trickett-Smith | FC United of Manchester | 17 March 2020 | [113] |
| 29 February 2020 | LB | | Ryan Campbell-Gordon | Kidsgrove Athletic | 17 March 2020 | [114] |
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