Huddersfield Town's 1951–52 campaign was Town's 32nd consecutive season in the 1st Division, but relegation would send Town to the 2nd Division since the 1919–20 season. Under the leadership of George Stephenson, Town recorded some of their worst ever results in their history, including 7–1 defeats by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland, as well as a 6–2 defeat by Newcastle United.
| 1951–52 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Haydn Battye | |
| Manager | George Stephenson (until 11 March 1952) Andy Beattie (from 24 April 1952) | |
| Football League First Division | 21st (relegated) | |
| FA Cup | Third round (knocked out by Tranmere Rovers) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Jimmy Glazzard (10) All: Jimmy Glazzard (10) | |
| Highest home attendance | 33,584 vs Blackpool (25 August 1951) | |
| Lowest home attendance | 8,260 vs Fulham (8 December 1951) | |
| Biggest win | 5–1 vs Manchester City (22 August 1951) | |
| Biggest defeat | 1–7 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (19 September 1951) 1–7 vs Sunderland (11 April 1952) | |
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Squad at the start of the season
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Review
editSince the end of World War II, Town's league form was in dire need of a boost, but unfortunately George Stephenson's team would soon find out the hard way that staying in Division 1 would be harder than even he imagined. Things weren't made easier with dreadful results against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Preston North End, Newcastle United and Sunderland.
Stephenson would leave Leeds Road in March and would be replaced by Stockport County manager Andy Beattie before the end of the season. Town finished in 21st place with 28 points, 3 points behind 20th placed Stoke City.
Squad at the end of the season
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Results
editDivision One
edit| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 1951 | Arsenal | A | 2–2 | Taylor, Glazzard | 54,072 | 11th |
| 22 August 1951 | Manchester City | H | 5–1 | McGarry, Nightingale (2), Hassall, Taylor | 25,623 | 4th |
| 25 August 1951 | Blackpool | H | 1–3 | Taylor | 33,584 | 10th |
| 29 August 1951 | Manchester City | A | 0–3 | 30,863 | 16th | |
| 1 September 1951 | Liverpool | A | 1–2 | Metcalfe (pen) | 39,818 | 18th |
| 8 September 1951 | Portsmouth | H | 0–1 | 25,861 | 20th | |
| 10 September 1951 | Aston Villa | A | 0–1 | 38,046 | 20th | |
| 15 September 1951 | Chelsea | A | 1–2 | Hassall | 25,129 | 21st |
| 19 September 1951 | Aston Villa | H | 3–1 | Taylor (2), Blanchflower (og) | 19,994 | 19th |
| 22 September 1951 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–0 | Hassall | 27,995 | 15th |
| 29 September 1951 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–7 | Metcalfe | 32,496 | 18th |
| 6 October 1951 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–0 | 24,236 | 19th | |
| 13 October 1951 | Newcastle United | H | 2–4 | Harvey (og), Brennan (og) | 32,945 | 21st |
| 20 October 1951 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | Metcalfe | 33,670 | 22nd |
| 27 October 1951 | Stoke City | H | 0–2 | 19,496 | 22nd | |
| 3 November 1951 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | Metcalfe (pen) | 25,616 | 21st |
| 10 November 1951 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | Burke | 30,259 | 21st |
| 17 November 1951 | Preston North End | A | 2–5 | Glazzard (2) | 31,695 | 21st |
| 24 November 1951 | Burnley | H | 1–3 | Cummings (og) | 14,882 | 22nd |
| 1 December 1951 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–4 | 24,245 | 22nd | |
| 8 December 1951 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | Pavitt (og) | 8,260 | 21st |
| 15 December 1951 | Arsenal | H | 2–3 | Davie, Gunn | 22,427 | 22nd |
| 22 December 1951 | Blackpool | A | 1–3 | Gunn | 14,923 | 22nd |
| 25 December 1951 | Derby County | H | 1–1 | Simpson | 28,418 | 22nd |
| 26 December 1951 | Derby County | A | 1–2 | Simpson | 24,896 | 22nd |
| 29 December 1951 | Liverpool | H | 1–2 | Glazzard | 25,500 | 22nd |
| 5 January 1952 | Portsmouth | A | 1–3 | Gunn | 30,048 | 22nd |
| 19 January 1952 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | Metcalfe (pen) | 19,315 | 22nd |
| 26 January 1952 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 | McGarry | 22,876 | 22nd |
| 9 February 1952 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–0 | 26,965 | 22nd | |
| 16 February 1952 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–0 | Kelly, Rickaby (og), Gunn | 16,983 | 22nd |
| 1 March 1952 | Newcastle United | A | 2–6 | Kelly, Davie | 51,394 | 22nd |
| 8 March 1952 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 24,045 | 22nd | |
| 15 March 1952 | Stoke City | A | 0–0 | 19,602 | 22nd | |
| 22 March 1952 | Manchester United | H | 3–2 | Glazzard (2), Metcalfe (pen) | 30,316 | 22nd |
| 2 April 1952 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 22,396 | 22nd | |
| 5 April 1952 | Preston North End | H | 2–0 | Glazzard, McEvoy | 15,815 | 21st |
| 11 April 1952 | Sunderland | A | 1–7 | Glazzard | 34,640 | 21st |
| 12 April 1952 | Burnley | A | 2–0 | Metcalfe, Glazzard | 23,081 | 21st |
| 15 April 1952 | Sunderland | H | 2–2 | Metcalfe (pen), Glazzard | 32,961 | 21st |
| 19 April 1952 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–0 | Boot | 22,079 | 20th |
| 26 April 1952 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | 21,295 | 21st |
FA Cup
edit| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 January 1952 | Round 3 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–2 | Metcalfe (pen) | 30,314 |
Appearances and goals
edit| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Battye |  England |
DF | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Eddie Boot | England |
DF | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| Ronnie Burke | England |
FW | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Willie Davie |  Scotland |
FW | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| Bryan Frear | England |
FW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Charlie Gallogly |  Northern Ireland |
DF | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Brian Gibson | England |
DF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jimmy Glazzard | England |
FW | 18 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 10 |
| Arthur Green | England |
DF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Alistair Gunn | Scotland |
MF | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 4 |
| Harold Hassall | England |
FW | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 |
| George Howe | England |
DF | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Ronald Humpston | England |
GK | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Laurie Kelly | England |
DF | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 2 |
| Don McEvoy | England |
DF | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Bill McGarry | England |
DF | 42 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 2 |
| Johnny McKenna | Northern Ireland |
MF | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Vic Metcalfe | England |
MF | 38 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 39 | 9 |
| Harry Mills | England |
GK | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Albert Nightingale | England |
MF | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Len Quested | England |
DF | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Roy Shiner | England |
FW | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Ron Simpson | England |
FW | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Jeff Taylor | England |
FW | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 |
| Jack Wheeler | England |
GK | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |