Famous Managers – Freddie Steele

Freddie Steele

Port Vale Manager 1951- 1957 and 1962-1965

Following his career as a striker for neighbours Stoke City, where he scored 159 goals in 251 appearances and played 6 times (scoring 8 goals) for England, Freddie had a short spell at Mansfield Town before he was appointed as player-manager of the Vale in 1951.

Freddie had also gained some managerial experience immediately following the second World War when he coach KR Reykjavik in Iceland and also managed the national team there.

His initial six years with the Vale were really significant, as he masterminded a Third Division North title-winning season coupled with the club’s only ever FA Cup semi-final appearance.

The 1953-54 season was one of the finest in the history of Port Vale, and incredibly the team’s achievements were built with almost exactly the same playing staff that were bottom of the league when Freddie arrived at Vale Park. Vale’s hard-working defence was hailed as ‘the Iron Curtain’ or ‘the Steele Curtain’ (in honour of their manager). They finished top of the table, eleven points clear of second-placed Barnsley with the miserly 21 league goals conceded, and 30 clean sheets recorded both becoming Football League records. They also established a club record low of only three league defeats for the season.

Possibly the more recognised success that season came in the FA Cup, where they beat holders Blackpool (including Stanley Matthews) 2-0 at Vale Park on the way to a controversial semi-final defeat by West Bromwich Albion in front of 68,000 fans at Villa Park.

Freddie subsequently resigned in 1957 prior to the club being relegated back to the third tier but returned as manager in 1962.  His second spell started well with Vale challenging for promotion but with a string of poor performances during the following season, he left the club in February 1965 and one of his signings, Scottish international Jackie Mudie, took over as player manager.

Freddie died in 1976 aged 59.  He was posthumously inducted into the Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame in 2024.

Management style

“Steele was a great psychologist. He was also a tremendous tactician and, looking back, was years ahead of his time.”

Vale legend Roy Sproson talking to Sentinel correspondent Chris Harper in 1975.