1919–20 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1919–20 season was one of the most memorable season in Town's entire history. It could even have been their last, after just 12 years. This was mainly because of plans to amalgamate the club with the new Leeds United team. However, Town's fan bought shares in the team, which saw the team survive and then gain promotion to the top-flight, as well as an appearance in the FA Cup Final against Aston Villa.[1]

Huddersfield Town
1919–20 season
ChairmanEngland William Hardcastle
ManagerEngland Arthur Fairclough (until 23 December 1919)
England Ambrose Langley (from 23 December 1919)
Football League Second Division2nd (promoted)
FA CupRunners-Up
(knocked out by Aston Villa)
Top goalscorerLeague: Sammy Taylor (35)
All: Sammy Taylor (41)
Highest home attendance47,527 vs Liverpool (6 March 1920)
Lowest home attendance3,000 vs Fulham (1 November 1919)
Biggest win7–1 vs Rotherham County (25 December 1919)
Biggest defeat0–2 vs Bury (1 September 1919)
2–4 vs Birmingham (27 September 1919)
0–2 vs Blackpool (6 December 1919)
0–2 vs Tottenham Hotspur (16 February 1920)

Squad at the start of the season

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
-- GK   ENG Ted Davis
-- GK   SCO Sandy Mutch
-- DF   ENG Jim Baker
-- DF   ENG Harry Brough
-- DF   ENG Fred Bullock
-- DF   ENG Harry Linley
-- DF   ENG Ralph Rodgerson
-- DF   ENG Charlie Slade
-- DF   ENG Billy Watson
-- DF   ENG Tom Wilson
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG James Wood
-- MF   ENG George Richardson
-- MF   ENG Billy Smith
-- FW   ENG Jack Cock
-- FW   ENG Thomas Elliott
-- FW   ENG Ernie Islip
-- FW   ENG Frank Mann
-- FW   ENG Ralph Shields
-- FW   ENG Jack Swann
-- FW   ENG Sammy Taylor

Review

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After the end of World War I, the league schedule was returned to its normal status with Town still in Division 2. However, people were starting to wonder what the future would hold for the club after the club's first England international Jack Cock was sold to Chelsea. Then it was revealed that the club was to amalgamate with the new Leeds United team, formed following the demise of Leeds City. But, the people of Huddersfield rallied round and bought £30,000 worth of shares, which saw the club survive for the time being.

Following the club's rescue, the team's form dramatically improved and Town were fighting for an automatic promotion place. This was primarily achieved thanks to a run of losing only 1 out of their last 25 matches. That got them a finishing position of 2nd place behind Tottenham Hotspur.

The season is also noted for the club's first FA Cup Final, reached after beating Brentford, Newcastle United, Plymouth Argyle, Liverpool and Bristol City, before playing Aston Villa in the final at Stamford Bridge, before losing to Billy Kirton's goal in extra time.

Squad at the end of the season

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
-- GK   ENG Ted Davis
-- GK   SCO Sandy Mutch
-- DF   ENG Jim Baker
-- DF   ENG Harry Brough
-- DF   ENG Fred Bullock
-- DF   ENG Rennie Harrison
-- DF   ENG Harry Linley
-- DF   ENG Ralph Rodgerson
-- DF   ENG Charlie Slade
-- DF   ENG Billy Watson
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG Tom Wilson
-- DF   ENG James Wood
-- MF   ENG George Richardson
-- MF   ENG Billy Smith
-- MF   ENG Percy Tompkin
-- FW   ENG Ernie Islip
-- FW   ENG Frank Mann
-- FW   ENG Ralph Shields
-- FW   ENG Jack Swann
-- FW   ENG Sammy Taylor

Results

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Date Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance Position
30 August 1919 Clapton Orient H 2–1 Cock, Baker 5,000 8th
1 September 1919 Bury A 0–2 4,000 13th
6 September 1919 Clapton Orient A 1–0 Taylor 10,000 8th
9 September 1919 Bury H 5–0 Cock (4), Mann 4,000 5th
13 September 1919 Grimsby Town A 0–1 5,000 9th
20 September 1919 Grimsby Town H 3–0 Baker (2, 1 pen), Mann 4,000 4th
27 September 1919 Birmingham A 2–4 Shields, Cock 16,000 9th
4 October 1919 Birmingham H 0–0 6,000 10th
11 October 1919 Leicester City A 4–0 Taylor (2), Mann, Shields 12,000 6th
18 October 1919 Leicester City H 0–0 4,000 9th
25 October 1919 Fulham A 2–2 Chaplin (og), Taylor 18,000 10th
1 November 1919 Fulham H 3–0 Taylor (2), Mann 3,000 8th
8 November 1919 Coventry City A 2–0 Mann (pen), Taylor 15,000 5th
15 November 1919 Coventry City H 5–0 Taylor (2), Swann (2), Roberts (og) 5,000 5th
22 November 1919 Bristol City H 1–0 Smith 7,897 4th
29 November 1919 Bristol City A 1–2 Shields 10,000 6th
6 December 1919 Blackpool H 1–3 Taylor 6,500 6th
13 December 1919 Blackpool A 3–0 Smith (2), Richardson 5,000 5th
20 December 1919 West Ham United H 2–0 Swann, Smith 7,000 4th
25 December 1919 Rotherham County H 7–1 Swann (3), Mann (3), Smith 26,000 4th
26 December 1919 Rotherham County A 3–1 Swann, Taylor (2) 10,000 2nd
27 December 1919 West Ham United A 1–1 Taylor 20,000 3rd
31 December 1919 Lincoln City A 3–1 Mann, Taylor, Swann 3,000 2nd
3 January 1920 Port Vale H 4–1 Taylor, Swann (3) 8,000 2nd
24 January 1920 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–1 Mann 27,000 2nd
7 February 1920 South Shields H 2–2 Smith, Swann 12,700 2nd
14 February 1920 South Shields A 2–1 Taylor, Richardson 12,070 3rd
16 February 1920 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–2 18,000 3rd
28 February 1920 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 3–2 Mann, Smith, Richardson 12,000 3rd
13 March 1920 Hull City H 2–0 Taylor (2) 8,048 3rd
18 March 1920 Hull City A 4–1 Taylor (3), Swann 12,000 3rd
20 March 1920 Stockport County A 2–1 Taylor (2) 15,000 2nd
29 March 1920 Port Vale A 0–0 10,000 2nd
3 April 1920 Barnsley A 3–3 Mann, Taylor (2) 21,359 2nd
5 April 1920 Stoke A 1–0 Taylor 20,000 2nd
6 April 1920 Stoke H 3–0 Taylor (2), Mann 28,000 2nd
10 April 1920 Barnsley H 4–1 T.J. Tindall (og), Taylor, Swann (2) 10,000 2nd
12 April 1920 Stockport County H 5–1 Mann (2), Taylor (3) 12,700 2nd
14 April 1920 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 2–0 Swann, Taylor 14,000 2nd
17 April 1920 Nottingham Forest A 2–1 Mann, Taylor 20,000 2nd
26 April 1920 Nottingham Forest H 2–1 Swann (2) 11,500 2nd
1 May 1920 Lincoln City H 4–2 Taylor, Richardson, Swann, Mann 12,000 2nd
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
10 January 1920 Round 1 Brentford H 5–1 Smith, Taylor (2), Swann, Shields 10,670
31 January 1920 Round 2 Newcastle United A 1–0 Mann 46,462
21 February 1920 Round 3 Plymouth Argyle H 3–1 Taylor, Slade, Swann 35,000
6 March 1920 Round 4 Liverpool H 2–1 Swann, Taylor 47,527
27 March 1920 Semi-Final Bristol City N 2–1 Taylor (2) 35,463
24 April 1920 Final Aston Villa N 0–1 (aet: 90 mins: 0–0) 50,018

Appearances and goals

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Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
Jim Baker   England DF 19 3 0 0 19 3
Harry Brough   England DF 18 0 0 0 18 0
Fred Bullock   England DF 33 0 6 0 39 0
Jack Cock   England FW 9 6 0 0 9 6
Ted Davis   England GK 6 0 0 0 6 0
Thomas Elliott   England FW 1 0 0 0 1 0
Rennie Harrison   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Ernie Islip   England FW 3 0 1 0 4 0
Harry Linley   England DF 5 0 0 0 5 0
Frank Mann   England FW 37 17 6 1 43 18
Sandy Mutch   Scotland GK 35 0 6 0 41 0
George Richardson   England MF 34 4 6 0 40 4
Ralph Rodgerson   England DF 11 0 0 0 11 0
Ralph Shields   England FW 13 3 1 1 14 4
Charlie Slade   England DF 17 0 5 1 22 1
Billy Smith   England MF 39 7 5 1 44 8
Jack Swann   England FW 32 19 6 3 38 22
Sammy Taylor   England FW 42 35 6 6 48 41
Percy Tompkin   England MF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Billy Watson   England DF 41 0 6 0 47 0
Tom Wilson   England DF 26 0 6 0 32 0
James Wood   England DF 39 0 6 0 45 0

References

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  1. ^ Burnton, Simon. "The forgotten story of … Frank Barson's seven-month ban". theguardian.com. Retrieved 10 August 2024.

https://www.fifamuseum.com/en/blog-stories/blog/turning-back-the-clock-football-a-hundred-years-ago-the-1920-fa-cup-fi-2622333/

https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/1104