The 2017-18 campaign for Port Vale was a season of desperate struggle and high drama, with The Valiants ultimately finishing a tense 20th in League Two. The year was characterized by managerial turmoil, including Michael Brown's early departure, and a brutal 14-game winless run in 2018 that brought genuine fears of relegation from the Football League. However, their survival was anchored by the prolific form of local hero Tom Pope, whose 17 league goals proved absolutely vital and earned him a club-record third Player of the Year award, in a campaign that remains a defining chapter in the fight to maintain their Football League status.