The squad was virtually identical to last season's, with striker Rory Mair lining up for the first two months of the season before joining the Marines. Ross McManus was missing the same amount of time while filling a soccer coaching position in USA, while Scott Johnston and Lewis Montgomery missed a significant chunk of the action due to injuries. Gary Whitehead, Darren Combe and Mark Malone, who had all taken part in games toward the end of the previous campaign signed on, as did new faces Greg McBeth and Stephan Wilson, while ex-Craigroyston goalkeeper Ross Combe replaced Colin Garvie. Assistant manager Jocky Taylor was almost like signing a new player - expected to be used only as emergency cover, he became a regular in the side at sweeper after some outstanding performances during pre-season friendlies.

The most significant pre-season game came against a Motherwell Under-21 side. Basing themselves at Peebles Hydro, they played the newly formed Peebles Football Club - a merger of Peebles Rovers, Peebles Thistle and Peebles Sports Club - at Whitestone Park and then Vale the next evening. With first team manager Maurice Malpas looking on, 'Well followed their 3-0 win the previous evening with a 6-2 victory at Victoria Park as superior fitness levels proved the difference in the second half. Vale took the lead twice through Lewis Montgomery and Mark Malone, only for John McGeough and David Gormley to equalise for the visitors. After the break, the SPL side forced the pace of the game up a notch and scored four goals in a nine minute spell. Another strike from Gormley was followed by a brace from the impressive Jamie Murphy and Craig Gupwell completed the scoring.

The East of Scotland League Cup, which gained sponsorship in the shape of Colin Campbell Sports, again provided the season's curtain raiser. A slightly changed format saw groups of three arranged along roughly regional lines playing each other home and away. Vale's group games - and the season - got off to a superb start with a victory in the home match against Preston Athletic. The Premier Division team opened the scoring in the 17th minute as centre-half Craig Scott headed home a corner. Vale's equaliser also came from a corner as Darren Combe's flick on found Greg McBeth at the back post, who controlled the ball superbly before drilling it home. In the second half, Vale dictated the pace of the game and scored what proved to be the winning goal ten minutes into the second period when a quick break caught Preston out, leaving Rory Mair to round the keeper and slot home. But this proved to be the only three points of Vale's League Cup campaign, as three straight defeats followed home and away to Easthouses Lily and in the return at Pennypit Park.

The East of Scotland League had also attracted new sponsorship - Tyreman, providers of software solutions to the tyre & exhaust industry. Vale got off to a good start with maximum points from their first two games, but lost ground to fellow promotion hopefuls Coldstream and Edinburgh Athletic. First Division pace-setters Dalbeattie arrived at Victoria Park with a 100% record after six matches and a goal difference of +21, only to return home having suffered what would turn out to be the only defeat of their league campaign.

Holding onto a lead seemed to be a problem though. A Mark Brown double put Vale in the driving seat against Kelso United, but strikes from Gary Mabon and Alan Tait clawed a point back for the Tweedsiders, who could well have gone on to win. Discipline was a major factor at Netherdale as a Mike MacKale goal gave Vale the lead, who looked good for the points until midfielder Raymond Fleming got himself needlessly sent off for dissent. Encouraged by their numerical advantage, Fairydean pressed forward with Jay Wilson hitting the equaliser before Welsh Curran wasted a late opportunity to win the game for Gala. The visit to Fernieside saw Vale race into a three-goal lead by half time, but were left clinging on as the improving Tynecastle side pulled two goals back in the second period. Seven days later, Peebles FC made their first visit to Innerleithen, and the game looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw until Greig Shortreed popped up in injury time to net the winner for the visitors.

In the Scottish Qualifying Cup, Vale could hardly have been handed a better First Round draw - at home to Newton Stewart, generally regarded as the weakest side in the competition. Vale went ahead courtesy of an early penalty converted by Scott Johnston, and Greg McBeth touched home a Robbie Clark cross on the half hour mark to double the lead. The Creesiders got a boost just before half time as David Hislop scrambled home a goal, but found themselves reduced to ten men in 63 minutes as Danny Hair received a second yellow card. Robbie Clark wrapped things up for Vale, smashing home a free kick in 72 minutes.

Vale striker Rory Mair threatens the Newton Stewart goal in the Scottish Qualifying Cup game at Victoria Park. (Photo by John Robertson)

Vale knew they faced a far stiffer test in the Second Round, with Edinburgh University the visitors to Victoria Park. The students had not qualified for the Scottish Cup since 1973, and, with a strong squad at their disposal, felt that this would be their year. Jamie Redman put the capital side in front on 20 minutes, heading home a cross from the impressive George Nikolaidis and Steven Maxwell increased their lead 15 minutes later, shooting home from a tight angle. Vale, badly missing influential midfielders Craig Dickson and Scott Johnston, seemed completely overwhelmed by the movement and organisation of the students, who appeared far more motivated than their hosts. Five minutes into the second period, University notched a third when Vale lost possession to the veteran Neil Irvine, and his quick ball into the box was met by the unmarked Andy Howat, who steered his header into the net. It was a richly deserved victory for 'Burgh, and their first Scottish Cup campaign in 33 years proved them to be fantastic ambassadors for East of Scotland football, defeating Highland League side Keith 2-1 in the First Round, before putting up a good show in defeat against SFL team Cowdenbeath in the Second Round.

The first league fixture of the new year was to prove significant in Vale's promotion ambitions. Coldstream sat in second place nine points ahead of Vale, who had a game in hand. The windy conditions at Home Park had a big influence on the game, in which Coldstream took the lead through David Brown in the 13th minute. Craig Dickson equalised for Vale on the hour mark, but a minute later the home side re-took the lead as a goal mouth scramble ended with Darren Gillon forcing the ball home to loud appeals from the Vale players that the decisive touch had been with his hand. As if the controversy surrounding the goal wasn't enough, a group of Coldstream players celebrated victory at the final whistle by taunting their opponents. Vale manager Stuart Robertson, an ex-Coldstream boss and a great believer in always showing respect for opponents no matter the result, later made clear his disappointment at the Streamers lack of sportsmanship in the local press.

The Image Printers Cup draw paired Vale again with Scottish Qualifying Cup opponents Edinburgh University. Vale once more failed to perform on the day, as 'Burgh repeated their Qualifying Cup victory scoreline with ease. A Michael Hazeldine penalty in the 9th minute set them on their way, and Vale suffered a major blow to their game plan five minutes later as Craig Dickson was red-carded for raising his hands to an opponent. Further strikes from James Hair and Jack Beesley sealed the victory.

Vale faced a fascinating First Round tie in the King Cup - a home tie against Peebles. With Peebles having taken the honours in the league meeting a couple of months previously, it was an early chance for revenge and a pulsating derby saw Lewis Montgomery open the scoring for Vale in the 20th minute, and Greg McBeth double the lead shortly after half time. It looked as if Vale were comfortably heading for the next round, until ten minutes from the end of regulation time when Peebles were awarded a penalty, camly converted by Gavin Tainsh. A grandstand finish saw Kevin Brocklehurst head home the equaliser for Peebles, but Vale substitute Laurie Flynn, recently recruited from Hawick Royal Albert, couldn't have chosen a better time to score his first goal for the club, firing home three minutes into injury time.