The 1937–38 season was Port Vale's 32nd season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season (third overall) in the Third Division North. With thirty goals, Jack Roberts was the division's top scorer. However the club managed only a mid-table finish, also exiting both cup competitions at the first stage.

The pre-season saw the arrival of goalkeepers James Nicholls and George Heppell (Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers); veteran right-back Johnny Rowe (Queen's Park Rangers); left-back Harry Johnson (Newcastle United); winger Charlie Rattray (Mansfield Town); experienced inside-right Arthur Masters (Nottingham Forest); and 'clever' inside-left William Price (Fulham). Pre-season training included bowls, cricket, and practice with rubbers balls and rubber boots to improve ball control. The fans were not optimistic for the campaign, and so ticket sales were low despite lowered prices.

The season began with a 3–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park.Tom Nolan found himself dropped in favour of Jack Roberts, who immediately went on a run of three goals in three games. The team went on to go six games unbeaten, including a 4–0 win over Barrow in which Roberts scored all four. Their 5–1 win over Hartlepools United – in which Arthur Caldwell scored a hat-trick – took them into seventh in the table. This run ended with a 5–0 drubbing at Valley Parade. After this defeat to Bradford City the Vale signed forward Ken Fish from Aston Villa for 'a sizeable fee'. In November, William Price was released from his contract. The next month the side were on the end of a 7–2 beating by Chester at Sealand Road. Soon after this Tom Morgan was re-appointed as manager, having been demoted to assistant-secretary in June 1932. Immediately following this the club went on a run of one defeat in nine games. During this run Roberts scored a hat-trick past Accrington Stanley in a 4–1 win.

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