So we started with fairly simple terms, a Port - which is where ships alight to load and unload their goods - and a Vale - which is a rather poetic name for a valley, or long gentle depression in the earth. Now strangely this club is not sited in Port Vale, for there is nowhere by that name. They are in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, but they do get their name from a geographical feature, because the ports along the Trent and Mersey Canal trickle along in a little valley.
This is a rather intriguing card, and though I have never seen any before it turns out that there were several series of them and over a hundred cards.
They are recorded in our original British Trade Index part I as “Comptons, Sheffield”, with the header of “Gravy Salt. Cards issued 1925-27” - and with the listing of
FOOTBALLERS (A). Nd.
1. “Serie A”. Coloured (22)
2. “Serie B”. Coloured (22)
3. “Serie C”. Coloured (22)
4. “Serie D”. Coloured (22)
5. “Serie A”. Black back with Gift Offer, expiring 31.12.26 (22)
6. “Serie B”. Black back (a) plain (b) with Gift Offer, expiring 30.6.27 (22)
All change in our updated British Trade Index though, where the date in the header has been altered to 1924-27 and they are now listed as
FOOTBALLERS (A). Nd.
1. “Series A”. (a) coloured (b) black, back with Gift Offer, expiring 31.12.26 (22)
2. “Series B”. (a) coloured (b) black, back with Gift Offer, expiring 30.6.27 (22)
3. “Series C”. (22)
4. “Series D”. (22)