Description
Kidsgrove, Staffordshire born goalkeeper Alfred Bourne had three seasons in the Second Division at Port Vale immediately after the First World War making his Football League debut at Tottenham Hotspur in November 1919. That first season he made the jersey his own with 34 appearances, however thereafter he only played sporadically as Walter Smith took over the gloves from him in October 1920 after 10 appearances in the new season. When Vale signed Teddy Peers, the experienced former Wolves goalkeeper, in 1922, he was restricted to 13 further appearances in 1921-22 and Bourne’s time at The Old Recreation was up at the end of the 1921-22 season, leaving the professional game after 57 appearances for his only League club.