You know their names, but do you know their stories? Tommy Cheadle and Ray King are Vale legends in their own right, but their remarkable journeys make their place in the club’s history books that bit more special...
Tommy Cheadle
Cheadle worked at Mossfield Colliery and in the pottery industry before joining the army. Whilst there, he was coached by Matt Busby - then a Liverpool player – who secured Tommy a trial there.
In 1944, on a battlefield in Holland, Cheadle threw a faulty grenade which went off almost in his hand. Tommy woke up in hospital, where he met Ken Fish, PT instructor and Vale trainer.
After being demobbed, Tommy went to see Ken and got a trial at Vale, which led to him signing professional forms in May 1946.
Solid as a rock, he soon held down a regular place in the Vale defence and became captain. He was known as ‘Wooden Head’ because of his toughness.
He was captain of the team that won the Third Division (North) and reached the FA Cup Semi-Finals in 1953/54, the club’s best-ever season.
Cheadle joined Crewe Alexandra as player-coach in July 1957. He hung up his boots in 1959, at the age of 40, and later became a postman in the Porthill area. He died in September 1993 in Bucknall, aged 74.
His legacy lives on by the name of the pub on the Hamil Road car park at Vale Park, ‘Tommy’s’.
Ray King
King began his career with Newcastle United and also played for Leyton Orient and Ashington, before linking up with his brother George - a striker - at the Vale in May 1949.
As a young player with Newcastle, he saved a penalty from Tommy Lawton at Goodison Park and, in doing so, broke both of his wrists. Two years later, he made a comeback with Leyton Orient and broke a wrist in his first game. In his next comeback, again in his first game, he broke his jaw!
Then, his brother George persuaded him to come to Vale and make yet another comeback.
He was a regular for the first two seasons, but then dropped out of the side being, replaced by Ray Hancock. Another brother, Frank, was a goalkeeper with Everton.
Ray only conceded 21 goals as Vale won the Third Division (North) in 1953/54 and also reached the FA Cup Semi-Finals. Ray kept 29 clean sheets in the league, a joint Football League record.
King was transferred to Boston United for £2,500 in July 1957. He also managed them, as well as Poole Town and Sittingbourne respectively.
He also set up a physiotherapy business (where his clients included a Liverpudlian by the name of John Lennon!), and occupied roles for Oxford United (coach), Luton Town and Southampton (scout).
He died in Thailand in August 2014, aged 89.