1960–61 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1960–61 campaign was Town's worst ever season to date. They missed out on relegation to Division Three for the first time in their history. They finished the season in 20th place, just two points ahead of relegated Portsmouth. Their main high point of the season was the defeat of FA Cup holders Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round of the FA Cup.

Huddersfield Town

1960–61 season
Chairman	Stephen Lister
Manager	Eddie Boot
Football League Second Division	20th
FA Cup	Fourth round (knocked out by Barnsley)
Football League Cup	Second round (knocked out by Aston Villa)
Top goalscorer	League: Derek Stokes (16) All: Derek Stokes (18)
Highest home attendance	46,155 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (11 January 1961)
Lowest home attendance	5,860 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (3 December 1960)
Biggest win	4–0 vs Bristol Rovers (29 April 1961)
Biggest defeat	1–5 vs Plymouth Argyle (24 September 1960)

Squad at the start of the season

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	Harry Fearnley
--	GK	ENG	Ray Wood
--	DF	ENG	Denis Atkins
--	DF	ENG	John Coddington
--	DF	ENG	Colin Howarth
--	DF	ENG	Brian Gibson
--	DF	ENG	Bob Ledger
--	DF	SCO	Gordon Low
--	DF	ENG	Bill McGarry
--	DF	ENG	Bob Parker
--	DF	ENG	Ken Taylor

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
--	DF	ENG	Ray Wilson
--	MF	IRL	Ollie Conmy
--	MF	ENG	Peter Dinsdale
--	MF	SCO	Jim Kerray
--	MF	ENG	Kevin McHale
--	MF	ENG	John Milner
--	MF	ENG	Michael O'Grady
--	FW	ENG	Chris Balderstone
--	FW	SCO	Les Massie
--	FW	ENG	Derek Stokes

Review

Following Denis Law's record-breaking departure to Manchester City the previous season, Town's strikeforce was severely depleted, despite the purchase of Derek Stokes from neighbours Bradford City. Town's start was OK in the strike department, but the defence department was leaking goals leading Town down the table to the relegation trapdoor to Division Three. Not even a 4–1 win over rivals Leeds United at Elland Road gave Town much joy during the season. As Town were dropping rapidly down the table Aston Villa's Pat Saward was brought in to stop the slide. Les Massie & Derek Stokes' 31 league goals helped Town survive the drop by just two points from Portsmouth. They finished 20th with just 35 points, their closest shave with relegation in their history.

Their season will be best remembered for their exploits in the FA Cup. Their 3rd round match was against the holders and Division One leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers. At the time, Town were bottom of Division Two and travelled to Molineux Stadium with virtually no chance of victory expected. They managed a 1–1 draw thanks to a goal by Stokes. The replay at Leeds Road was the first match to use the newly erected "Denis Law Lights" and saw Town victorious by the score of 2–1 with goals from Stokes and Michael O'Grady. They eventually lost to Barnsley in the next round.

Squad at the end of the season

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	Harry Fearnley
--	GK	ENG	Ray Wood
--	DF	ENG	Denis Atkins
--	DF	ENG	John Coddington
--	DF	ENG	Brian Gibson
--	DF	ENG	Stewart Holden
--	DF	ENG	Bob Ledger
--	DF	ENG	Bob Parker
--	DF	IRL	Pat Saward
--	DF	ENG	Ken Taylor
--	DF	ENG	Ray Wilson

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
--	MF	ENG	John Bettany
--	MF	IRL	Ollie Conmy
--	MF	ENG	Peter Dinsdale
--	MF	SCO	Jim Kerray
--	MF	SCO	John McCann
--	MF	ENG	Kevin McHale
--	MF	ENG	John Milner
--	MF	ENG	Michael O'Grady
--	FW	ENG	Chris Balderstone
--	FW	SCO	Les Massie
--	FW	ENG	Derek Stokes

Results

Division Two

Date	Opponents	Home/ Away	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance	Position
20 August 1960	Luton Town	H	1–1	Stokes	18,156	9th
23 August 1960	Swansea Town	A	0–2		15,295	15th
27 August 1960	Lincoln City	A	0–0		8,639	19th
31 August 1960	Swansea Town	H	3–1	Stokes, Massie, McHale	12,913	10th
3 September 1960	Portsmouth	H	3–3	Massie, Stokes (2)	15,237	11th
6 September 1960	Sheffield United	A	1–3	Stokes (pen)	14,258	15th
10 September 1960	Leeds United	A	4–1	Stokes (2, 1 pen), Charlton (og), Balderstonw	22,146	11th
14 September 1960	Sheffield United	H	0–1		12,346	15th
17 September 1960	Sunderland	A	2–1	McGarry, Stokes	21,336	10th
24 September 1960	Plymouth Argyle	H	1–5	Holden	14,154	14th
1 October 1960	Norwich City	A	0–2		25,304	16th
8 October 1960	Southampton	H	3–1	Massie, McCann, Stokes	11,220	12th
15 October 1960	Rotherham United	A	2–2	Massie, Taylor	10,961	13th
22 October 1960	Liverpool	H	2–4	Massie, Taylor	15,719	15th
29 October 1960	Bristol Rovers	A	2–1	Stokes (2)	15,381	13th
5 November 1960	Derby County	H	1–3	Stokes (pen)	11,770	14th
19 November 1960	Scunthorpe United	H	1–2	John (og)	8,617	17th
26 November 1960	Ipswich Town	A	2–4	Stokes, Low	11,056	18th
3 December 1960	Brighton & Hove Albion	H	0–1		5,860	20th
10 December 1960	Middlesbrough	A	1–2	McNeil (og)	9,948	21st
17 December 1960	Luton Town	A	0–1		11,219	21st
24 December 1960	Stoke City	A	2–2	O'Grady, Massie	12,029	21st
26 December 1960	Stoke City	H	0–0		13,783	19th
31 December 1960	Lincoln City	H	4–1	Massie, Stokes, Bettany, O'Grady	11,564	19th
14 January 1961	Portsmouth	A	3–1	Massie, McHale, Balderstone	11,243	18th
21 January 1961	Leeds United	H	0–1		18,938	18th
4 February 1961	Sunderland	H	4–2	Bettany (2), Balderstone (2)	16,341	17th
11 February 1961	Plymouth Argyle	A	1–2	Kerray	12,876	18th
21 February 1961	Norwich City	H	1–1	Kerray	16,984	16th
25 February 1961	Southampton	A	2–4	Kerray, McHale	14,368	18th
4 March 1961	Rotherham United	H	0–1		15,144	19th
11 March 1961	Liverpool	A	1–3	Kerray	29,733	20th
18 March 1961	Middlesbrough	H	1–0	Massie	11,788	20th
21 March 1961	Leyton Orient	A	0–2		10,099	20th
25 March 1961	Derby County	A	1–1	Dinsdale	9,524	20th
31 March 1961	Charlton Athletic	A	3–2	Massie (2), Balderstone	12,980	20th
1 April 1961	Ipswich Town	H	1–3	McHale	16,459	20th
3 April 1961	Charlton Athletic	H	2–2	Balderstone, Massie	12,542	20th
8 April 1961	Scunthorpe United	A	1–0	Massie	8,352	20th
15 April 1961	Leyton Orient	H	1–0	Massie	12,247	19th
22 April 1961	Brighton & Hove Albion	A	1–2	O'Grady	13,088	20th
29 April 1961	Bristol Rovers	H	4–0	Stokes (2), O'Grady, Massie	10,322	19th

FA Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	Home/ Away	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
7 January 1961	Round 3	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	1–1	Stokes	31,403
11 January 1961	Round 3 Replay	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	2–1	Stokes, O'Grady	46,155
1 February 1961	Round 4	Barnsley	H	1–1	Coddington (pen)	44,761
6 February 1961	Round 4 Replay	Barnsley	A	0–1		29,149

Football League Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	Home/ Away	Result F – A	Scorers	Attendance
12 October 1960	Round 2	Aston Villa	A	1–4	Milner	17,057

Appearances and goals

Name	Nation	Position	League Apps	League Goals	FA Cup Apps	FA Cup Goals	League Cup Apps	League Cup Goals	Total Apps	Total Goals
Denis Atkins	England	DF	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Chris Balderstone	England	MF	29	6	3	0	1	0	33	6
John Bettany	England	MF	7	3	3	0	0	0	10	3
John Coddington	England	DF	41	0	4	1	1	0	46	1
Ollie Conmy	Republic of Ireland	MF	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Jack Connor	England	DF	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Peter Dinsdale	England	DF	24	1	3	0	0	0	27	1
Harry Fearnley	England	GK	23	0	4	0	0	0	27	0
Brian Gibson	England	DF	16	0	0	0	1	0	17	0
Stewart Holden	England	MF	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
Jim Kerray	Scotland	MF	28	4	0	0	1	0	29	4
Bob Ledger	England	MF	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Gordon Low	Scotland	DF	7	1	0	0	1	0	8	1
Les Massie	Scotland	FW	42	15	4	0	1	0	47	15
John McCann	Scotland	MF	11	1	0	0	0	0	11	1
Bill McGarry	England	DF	19	1	1	0	0	0	20	1
Kevin McHale	England	MF	34	4	4	0	0	0	38	4
John Milner	England	MF	7	0	0	0	1	1	8	1
Michael O'Grady	England	MF	23	4	4	1	0	0	27	5
Bob Parker	England	DF	30	0	4	0	1	0	35	0
Pat Saward	Republic of Ireland	MF	8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Derek Stokes	England	FW	33	16	4	2	1	0	38	18
Ken Taylor	England	DF	21	2	2	0	1	0	24	2
Ray Wilson	England	DF	32	0	4	0	0	0	36	0
Ray Wood	England	GK	19	0	0	0	1	0	20	0