1967–68 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1967–68 campaign was a mainly mediocre season for the Town. Town finished the season in the mid-table position of 14th under Tom Johnston. This season is most remembered by Town fans for their best ever run in the Football League Cup. They reached the semi-finals, before losing to 1st Division Arsenal 6–3 on aggregate.

Huddersfield Town
1967–68 season
ChairmanEngland Roger B. Kaye
ManagerScotland Tom Johnston
Football League Second Division14th
FA CupThird round
(knocked out by Tranmere Rovers)
Football League CupSemi-finals
(knocked out by Arsenal)
Top goalscorerLeague: Colin Dobson (12)
All: Colin Dobson (14)
Highest home attendance27,312 vs Arsenal (6 February 1968)
Lowest home attendance6,562 vs Plymouth Argyle (24 February 1968)
Biggest win4–1 vs Charlton Athletic (30 March 1968)
Biggest defeat1–6 vs Birmingham City (23 December 1967)

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   IRL John Oldfield
-- DF   ENG Chris Cattlin
-- DF   ENG Trevor Cherry
-- DF   ENG Roy Ellam
-- DF   ENG Billy Legg
-- DF   IRL Mick Meagan
-- DF   ENG Derek Parkin
-- MF   ENG Colin Dobson
-- MF   ENG Mike Hellawell
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   ENG Brian Hill
-- MF   ENG Kevin McHale
-- MF   NIR Jimmy Nicholson
-- MF   ENG Steve Smith
-- FW   ENG Brian Clark
-- FW   SCO Joe Harper
-- FW   ENG Tony Leighton
-- FW   ENG David Shaw
-- FW   ENG Frank Worthington

Review

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Tom Johnston was beginning his 3rd full season in charge of the Terriers following a pretty impressive previous season, many were hoping that Town could possibly push for a promotion back to Division 1. After winning the first 2 games against Bristol City and Millwall, Town failed to win the next 7 games in the league and Town's league form never seemed to truly recover during the season.

Their Football League Cup campaign during the season is currently the best in Town's history. Following wins in the earlier rounds against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Norwich City, West Ham United and Fulham, Town played 1st Division Arsenal in the semi-finals of the competition. Following a narrow 3-2 defeat at Highbury in the first leg, some were thinking that a trip to Wembley wasn't out of the question. Tony Leighton gave Town an early lead in the second leg at Leeds Road, but the Gunners scored 3 further goals to secure their final berth at Town's expense. Town finished their league campaign in 14th place with only 38 points.

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   IRL John Oldfield
-- DF   ENG Trevor Cherry
-- DF   ENG Roy Ellam
-- DF   ENG Billy Legg
-- DF   IRL Mick Meagan
-- DF   WAL Ray Mielczarek
-- DF   ENG Alex Smith
-- MF   ENG Colin Dobson
-- MF   ENG Mike Hellawell
-- MF   ENG Brian Hill
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   SCO Jimmy McGill
-- MF   NIR Jimmy Nicholson
-- MF   ENG Steve Smith
-- FW   ENG Paul Aimson
-- FW   ENG John Archer
-- FW   SCO Joe Harper
-- FW   ENG Bobby Hoy
-- FW   ENG David Shaw
-- FW   ENG Frank Worthington

Results

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Date Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F - A
Scorers Attendance Position
19 August 1967 Bristol City A 3 - 2 Ellam, Nicholson, Harper 18,148 8th
22 August 1967 Millwall H 1 - 0 Nicholson 13,832 1st
26 August 1967 Birmingham City H 2 - 3 Dobson (2) 14,228 6th
29 August 1967 Millwall A 1 - 1 Leighton 15,153 7th
2 September 1967 Bolton Wanderers A 1 - 3 Hill 11,544 11th
4 September 1967 Blackpool A 0 - 2 17,674 12th
9 September 1967 Portsmouth H 2 - 2 Dobson (pen), Clark 11,107 14th
16 September 1967 Ipswich Town H 1 - 4 Dobson (pen) 11,544 13th
23 September 1967 Carlisle United A 1 - 2 Dobson 13,511 15th
30 September 1967 Blackburn Rovers H 2 - 1 Clark, Coddington (og) 15,216 14th
7 October 1967 Plymouth Argyle A 1 - 1 McGill 12,900 15th
14 October 1967 Rotherham United H 2 - 0 Clark, Dobson 11,453 13th
21 October 1967 Derby County A 0 - 1 23,950 15th
28 October 1967 Preston North End H 1 - 1 Dobson 10,834 15th
11 November 1967 Crystal Palace H 1 - 1 Dobson 10,055 15th
18 November 1967 Norwich City A 1 - 0 Shaw 17,573 13th
25 November 1967 Queens Park Rangers H 1 - 0 Worthington 14,615 13th
2 December 1967 Aston Villa A 0 - 0 19,507 13th
9 December 1967 Cardiff City H 1 - 0 Nicholson 8,552 11th
16 December 1967 Bristol City H 0 - 3 12,071 14th
23 December 1967 Birmingham City A 1 - 6 Worthington 26,163 14th
26 December 1967 Hull City H 2 - 0 Leighton (2) 19,739 14th
30 December 1967 Hull City A 1 - 1 Nicholson 17,656 13th
6 January 1968 Bolton Wanderers H 1 - 1 Dobson 14,147 11th
13 January 1968 Portsmouth A 1 - 3 Shaw 17,647 13th
29 January 1968 Ipswich Town A 0 - 2 14,945 16th
3 February 1968 Carlisle United H 1 - 1 Dobson 9,071 16th
14 February 1968 Blackburn Rovers A 0 - 0 11,796 15th
17 February 1968 Charlton Athletic A 2 - 4 McGill, Worthington 13,550 16th
24 February 1968 Plymouth Argyle H 0 - 1 6,562 17th
2 March 1968 Rotherham United A 0 - 1 13,672 17th
16 March 1968 Derby County H 3 - 1 Harper, Aimson, Dobson 9,326 17th
23 March 1968 Preston North End A 1 - 3 Mielczarek 13,504 18th
30 March 1968 Charlton Athletic H 4 - 1 Harper, Nicholson, Aimson (2) 7,742 16th
6 April 1968 Crystal Palace A 1 - 0 Worthington 10,929 15th
13 April 1968 Norwich City H 2 - 0 Hill, Worthington 9,727 12th
15 April 1968 Middlesbrough A 2 - 3 Dobson, Aimson 15,065 12th
16 April 1968 Middlesbrough H 1 - 0 Aimson 12,709 11th
20 April 1968 Queens Park Rangers A 0 - 3 19,646 14th
27 April 1968 Aston Villa H 0 - 0 7,489 15th
4 May 1968 Cardiff City A 0 - 0 10,669 12th
11 May 1968 Blackpool H 1 - 3 Legg 11,603 13th
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F - A
Scorers Attendance
27 January 1968 Round 3 Tranmere Rovers A 1 - 2 Worthington 20,038
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F - A
Scorers Attendance
12 September 1967 Round 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1 - 0 Dobson 11,850
11 October 1967 Round 3 Norwich City A 1 - 0 Nicholson 12,215
1 November 1967 Round 4 West Ham United H 2 - 0 Worthington, Cattlin 17,729
29 November 1967 Round 5 Fulham A 1 - 1 Worthington 20,309
12 December 1967 Round 5 Replay Fulham H 2 - 1 Nicholson, Shaw 23,801
17 January 1968 Semi-Final 1st Leg Arsenal A 2 - 3 Cherry, Dobson 40,079
6 February 1968 Semi-Final 2nd Leg Arsenal H 1 - 3 Leighton 27,312
  • Huddersfield lost 6-3 on aggregate.

Appearances and goals

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Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals League Cup Apps League Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
Paul Aimson   England FW 10 5 0 0 0 0 10 5
John Archer   England FW 7 (2) 0 0 0 0 0 7 (2) 0
Chris Cattlin   England DF 23 0 1 0 7 1 31 1
Trevor Cherry   England DF 24 (2) 0 0 0 3 1 27 (2) 1
Brian Clark   England FW 8 (2) 3 0 0 2 0 10 (2) 3
Colin Dobson   England FW 37 (2) 12 1 0 7 2 45 (2) 14
Roy Ellam   England DF 24 1 0 0 7 0 31 1
Joe Harper   Scotland MF 21 (2) 3 0 0 1 (1) 0 22 (3) 3
Mike Hellawell   England MF 14 (1) 0 1 0 6 0 21 (1) 0
Brian Hill   England MF 38 (1) 2 1 0 7 0 46 (1) 2
Bobby Hoy   England MF 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Billy Legg   England DF 19 (2) 1 0 0 0 0 19 (2) 1
Tony Leighton   England FW 9 (1) 3 0 0 1 1 10 (1) 4
Jimmy McGill   Scotland MF 29 (1) 2 1 0 4 (1) 0 34 (2) 2
Kevin McHale   England MF 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Mick Meagan   Republic of Ireland DF 19 0 1 0 5 0 25 0
Ray Mielczarek   Wales DF 19 (1) 1 1 0 0 0 20 (1) 1
Jimmy Nicholson   Northern Ireland MF 37 5 1 0 7 2 45 7
John Oldfield   Republic of Ireland GK 42 0 1 0 7 0 50 0
Derek Parkin   England DF 27 0 1 0 7 0 35 0
David Shaw   England MF 14 (2) 2 0 0 1 1 15 (2) 3
Alex Smith   England DF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Steve Smith   England MF 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Frank Worthington   England FW 27 (2) 5 1 1 5 2 33 (2) 8