The 1935–36 season was Port Vale's 30th season of football in the Football League, and their sixth successive season (29th overall) in the Second Division. The club suffered the second relegation of its history. This occurred primarily through a still-standing club record 106 goals conceded in 42 league matches, as well as through away form that saw the team pick up just five points on their travels, and a streak of twelve defeats in sixteen games from September to January. Finishing with a tally of 32 points, they were just two points shy of safety. The club would have to wait until 1954–55 before playing another season of second tier football. Despite this, one positive of the season was an historic win over Football League champions Sunderland in the FA Cup.

The pre-season began with the sale of top-scorer Tom Nolan to Bradford Park Avenue, whilst manager Tom Holford heralded a youth policy. Ten new faces replaced the fourteen retained from the previous season, these included: free-scoring striker George Stabb (Notts County), centre-half Harry Griffiths (Everton), left-winger Arthur Caldwell (Winsford United), left-back Roderick Welsh (Portsmouth), and right-half Michael Curley (Manchester City).

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