The 1952–53 season was Port Vale's 41st season of football in the English Football League, and their first season (fourth overall) back in the Third Division North, following their switch from the Third Division South. Using an incredibly settled squad (only nineteen players were used all season), manager Freddie Steele led the Vale to a second-place finish, just a single point from the promotion spot. Built upon an 'iron curtain defence', just 35 goals were conceded in 46 league games. All this was achieved with pretty much the same bottom-placed team that Steele inherited in December 1951.