1938–39 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1938–39 campaign was the last full season of football before the start of World War II. Town would finish 19th in Division 1, but they had another brilliant FA Cup run, following from the previous season's runner-up spot, by reaching the semi-finals, before losing to Portsmouth.

Huddersfield Town
1938–39 season
ChairmanEngland Sir Amos Brook Hirst
ManagerEngland Clem Stephenson
Football League First Division19th
FA CupSemi-finals
(knocked out by Portsmouth)
Top goalscorerLeague: Billy Price (17)
All: Billy Price (24)
Highest home attendance56,518 vs Blackburn Rovers (4 March 1939)
Lowest home attendance5,442 vs Nottingham Forest (11 January 1939)
Biggest win4–0 vs Charlton Athletic (18 February 1939)
Biggest defeat0–4 vs Portsmouth (10 September 1938)
0–4 vs Aston Villa (15 February 1939)

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 Bob Hesford
-- DF   ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF   ENG Alan Brown
-- DF   ENG Benny Craig
-- DF   ENG Robert Gordon
-- DF   EIR Bill Hayes
-- DF   ENG Reg Mountford
-- DF   ENG Albert Watson
-- DF   ENG Ken Willingham
-- DF   ENG Alf Young
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   ENG Bobby Barclay
-- MF   ENG Pat Beasley
-- MF   ENG Tom Hinchcliffe
-- MF   ENG Jack Johnson
-- MF   ENG Robert Perrett
-- MF   RSA George Wienand
-- FW   ENG Lewis Brook
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Isaac
-- FW   SCO Willie Mills
-- FW   ENG Billy Price

Review

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Town continued their downward spiral, which saw Town fighting in a relegation battle for a major part of the season, but luckily most of the season was highlighted by Town's successes in the FA Cup, following their 5th final appearance the previous season. They reached the semi-final against Portsmouth. They lost the match 2–1 at Highbury. This to date, is their last ever FA Cup semi-final appearance. Town's final league placing was 19th just ahead of Chelsea, Birmingham and Leicester City.

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 Bob Hesford
-- DF   ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF   ENG Alan Brown
-- DF   ENG Robert Gordon
-- DF   EIR Bill Hayes
-- DF   ENG Reg Mountford
-- DF   ENG Albert Watson
-- DF   ENG Ken Willingham
-- DF   ENG Alf Young
-- MF   ENG Bobby Barclay
-- MF   EIR Pat Barlow
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   ENG Pat Beasley
-- MF   ENG Jack Mahon
-- MF   SCO Andy McCall
-- MF   ENG John Shiel
-- MF   ENG Willie Watson
-- FW   EIR Harry Baird
-- FW   ENG Lewis Brook
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Isaac
-- FW   SCO Willie Mills
-- FW   ENG Billy Price

Results

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Date Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance Position
27 August 1938 Brentford A 1–2 Price 26,638 14th
31 August 1938 Derby County A 0–1 13,375 19th
3 September 1938 Arsenal H 1–1 Mills 26,126 19th
7 September 1938 Derby County H 3–0 Brook, Hayes (pen), Isaac 11,293 13th
10 September 1938 Portsmouth A 0–4 26,302 20th
14 September 1938 Sunderland H 0–1 9,724 20th
17 September 1938 Leeds United H 0–1 19,793 22nd
24 September 1938 Everton H 3–0 Hinchcliffe (2), Isaac 27,710 19th
1 October 1938 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–3 21,213 20th
8 October 1938 Aston Villa H 1–1 Callaghan (og) 20,639 20th
15 October 1938 Charlton Athletic A 1–2 Price 28,038 21st
22 October 1938 Bolton Wanderers H 2–1 Baird, Beasley 18,027 20th
29 October 1938 Liverpool A 3–3 Beasley, Baird, Price 33,734 19th
5 November 1938 Leicester City H 2–0 Beasley, Barlow 16,102 16th
12 November 1938 Middlesbrough A 1–4 Price 19,630 19th
19 November 1938 Birmingham H 3–1 Barclay, Beasley, Baird 14,637 18th
26 November 1938 Manchester United A 1–1 Price 23,164 15th
3 December 1938 Stoke City H 1–4 Mills 17,953 18th
10 December 1938 Chelsea A 0–3 23,257 21st
17 December 1938 Preston North End H 3–0 Price (2), Beasley 8,916 18th
24 December 1938 Brentford H 1–2 Baird 11,493 20th
26 December 1938 Blackpool A 1–1 Price 18,955 19th
27 December 1938 Blackpool H 3–0 Beasley (2), Brook 27,113 17th
31 December 1938 Arsenal A 0–1 34,146 19th
14 January 1939 Portsmouth H 3–0 Price, Beasley, Isaac 9,006 16th
25 January 1939 Leeds United A 0–1 3,896
  • Match abandoned after 61 minutes due to snow.
28 January 1939 Everton A 2–3 Beasley, Price 37,269 18th
4 February 1939 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–2 Hayes (pen) 20,405 18th
15 February 1939 Aston Villa A 0–4 27,500 20th
18 February 1939 Charlton Athletic H 4–0 Price, Hayes (pen), Mills, Barclay 16,163 17th
25 February 1939 Bolton Wanderers A 2–3 Price, Beasley 19,332 18th
11 March 1939 Leicester City A 1–0 Isaac 13,898 19th
15 March 1939 Liverpool H 1–1 Price 7,704 19th
18 March 1939 Middlesbrough H 0–1 16,011 19th
29 March 1939 Birmingham A 1–1 Barclay 12,000 20th
1 April 1939 Manchester United H 1–1 Barclay 14,007 19th
7 April 1939 Grimsby Town A 3–3 Mills, Price (2) 18,835 19th
8 April 1939 Stoke City A 2–2 Boot, Mountford 26,014 19th
11 April 1939 Grimsby Town H 2–0 Brook (2) 21,747 19th
15 April 1939 Chelsea H 3–1 Mills (2), Price 11,731 18th
19 April 1939 Leeds United A 1–2 Isaac 12,006 18th
22 April 1939 Preston North End A 0–3 13,093 19th
29 April 1939 Sunderland A 0–0 7,729 19th
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
11 January 1939 Round 3 Nottingham Forest H 0–0 5,442
16 January 1939 Round 3 Replay Nottingham Forest A 3–0 Isaac (2), Price 22,304
21 January 1939 Round 4 Leeds United A 4–2 Price (3), Barclay 43,702
11 February 1939 Round 5 Walsall H 3–0 Price (2), McCall 33,543
4 March 1939 Round 6 Blackburn Rovers H 1–1 Price 56,518
9 March 1939 Round 6 Replay Blackburn Rovers A 2–1 Mahon, Beasley 54,400
25 March 1939 Semi-Final Portsmouth N 1–2 Barclay 60,053

Appearances and goals

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Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
Harry Baird   Ireland FW 19 4 2 0 21 4
Bobby Barclay   England MF 28 4 6 2 34 6
Pat Barlow   Ireland MF 7 1 0 0 7 1
Pat Beasley   England MF 34 9 7 1 41 10
Eddie Boot   England DF 36 1 5 0 41 1
Lewis Brook   England FW 8 4 0 0 8 4
Alan Brown   England DF 15 0 0 0 15 0
Benny Craig   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Robert Gordon   England DF 6 0 0 0 6 0
Bill Hayes   Ireland DF 41 3 7 0 48 3
Bob Hesford   England GK 42 0 7 0 49 0
Tom Hinchcliffe   England MF 7 2 0 0 7 2
Jimmy Isaac   England MF 19 5 6 2 25 7
Jack Johnson   England MF 5 0 0 0 5 0
Jack Mahon   England MF 5 0 1 1 6 1
Andy McCall   Scotland MF 5 0 3 1 8 1
Willie Mills   Scotland MF 23 6 4 0 27 6
Reg Mountford   England DF 42 1 7 0 49 1
Robert Perrett   England MF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Billy Price   England FW 33 17 7 7 40 24
John Shiel   England FW 1 0 0 0 1 0
Albert Watson   England DF 6 0 1 0 7 0
Willie Watson   England MF 11 0 0 0 11 0
George Wienand   South Africa MF 4 0 0 0 4 0
Ken Willingham   England DF 33 0 7 0 40 0
Alf Young   England DF 30 0 7 0 37 0