Vic Rouse (footballer, born 1897)

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Val Rouse
Personal information
Full name Alfred Valentine Rouse[1]
Date of birth (1897-02-14)14 February 1897[1]
Place of birth Hoddesdon, England[1]
Date of death 1961 (aged 63–64)[1]
Height 5 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1.74 m)[2]
Position(s) Left half
Youth career
Llanelly
Pontypridd
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1921–1922 Wolverhampton Wanderers 5 (0)
1922–1926 Stoke 92 (2)
1926 Swansea Town 4 (0)
1926–1929 Port Vale 95 (0)
1929–1931 Crewe Alexandra 83 (1)
Connah's Quay & Shotton
Total 279 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Alfred Valentine "Val or Vic" Rouse (14 February 1897 – 1961) was an English footballer who played for Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Stoke, Swansea Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers and was described as a 'gentleman' player.[1]

Playing career[]

Rouse was born in Hoddesdon and played for Welsh sides Llanelly and Pontypridd, before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1921.[1] He played five Second Division games for "Wolves" in the 1921–22 campaign, before joining First Division club Stoke in August 1922.[1] He played in 38 matches in 1922–23 as Stoke suffered relegation back to the Second Division.[1] Manager Tom Mather kept faith with Rouse at left-half in 1923–24, and made him captain for the 1924–25 campaign. He scored his first senior goal in a 1–1 draw with Barnsley at the Victoria Ground on 1 November 1924. Despite possessing a strong squad, overall performances on the pitch were below standard and the team went 12 matches without a win (1 January 1925 to 21 March 1925) and were almost relegated.[1] Four wins and three draws in their last eight matches ensured survival by the narrowest of margins, a single point.[1] Rouse was the sold to Swansea Town, but featured just four times for the "Swans" in 1925–26. He left Vetch Field and joined Port Vale in June 1926.[3] He played 29 Second Division matches in the 1926–27 season and then 39 league games in the 1927–28 season, as Vale posted top ten finishes. However he lost his first team place at The Old Recreation Ground in February 1929, and was given a free transfer in May 1929. He spent the 1929–30 and 1930–31 seasons in the Third Division North with Crewe Alexandra, before joining Connah's Quay & Shotton.

Career statistics[]

Source:[4]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers Second Division 5 0 0 0 5 0
Stoke 1922–23 First Division 37 0 1 0 38 0
1923–24 Second Division 24 0 1 0 25 0
1924–25 Second Division 31 2 1 0 32 2
Total 92 2 3 0 95 2
Swansea Town Second Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
Port Vale 1926–27 Second Division 29 0 3 0 33 0
1927–28 Second Division 38 0 3 0 41 0
1928–29 Second Division 28 0 1 0 29 0
Total 95 0 7 0 102 0
Crewe Alexandra Third Division North 42 0 2 0 44 0
Third Division North 41 1 2 0 43 1
Total 83 1 4 0 87 1
Career total 279 3 14 0 293 3

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ Onward (21 August 1922). "Few big transfers in the First Division of the Football League. Stoke". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
  3. ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 254. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  4. ^ Vic Rouse at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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