1971–72 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1971–72 campaign was Town's last season in the Football League's top division. They finished bottom of the table with only 25 points, the same as Nottingham Forest. Town won only 6 matches in the league all season and did not win any games from December to the end of the season. The only bright spark came in the FA Cup campaign which saw Town reach the 6th round, before losing to Birmingham City. Town only scored 6 away goals in 1972, and 2 of those were own goals. This would be the start of Town's slump which would see Town relegated to Division 4 in 1975, and they would not return to the top flight, by then the Premier League, until 2017.

Huddersfield Town
1971–72 season
ChairmanEngland Frank Drabble
ManagerEngland Ian Greaves
Football League First Division22nd (relegated)
FA CupQuarter-finals
(knocked out by Birmingham City)
Football League CupSecond round
(knocked out by Bolton Wanderers)
Top goalscorerLeague: Jimmy Lawson (9)
All: Jimmy Lawson (12)
Highest home attendance33,458 vs Manchester United (9 October 1971)
Lowest home attendance9,459 vs Nottingham Forest (26 October 1971)
Biggest win3–0 vs Fulham (5 February 1972)
Biggest defeat1–4 vs Tottenham Hotspur (21 August 1971)
0–3 vs Manchester United (9 October 1971)
0–3 vs West Ham United (4 March 1972)
0–3 vs Derby County (15 April 1972)

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 David Lawson
-- GK   ENG Gary Pierce
-- GK   ENG Terry Poole
-- DF   ENG Trevor Cherry
-- DF   ENG Dennis Clarke
-- DF   ENG Roy Ellam
-- DF   ENG Geoff Hutt
-- DF   ENG Alan Jones
-- MF   WAL Mike Barry
-- MF   ENG Les Chapman
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   ENG Terry Dolan
-- MF   ENG Bobby Hoy
-- MF   ENG Brian Mahoney
-- MF   SCO Jimmy McGill
-- MF   NIR Jimmy Nicholson
-- MF   ENG Steve Smith
-- FW   WAL Dick Krzywicki
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Lawson
-- FW   ENG Dave Smith
-- FW   ENG Frank Worthington

Review

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Following their first season back in Division 1 for 15 years, Town were hoping to try to reach the summit of English football. This season would be one of Town's worst in their history. Town were bottom of the table all season, with the exception of a small period in September. They had a run of 4 wins in 5 during that time including a 2–1 win over rivals Leeds United. Town's last league win on 27 November was a 2–1 win over Derby County, who would become champions at the end of the season.

Town never won another league game until the next season, but they put on an inspired run in the FA Cup. After beating Division 2 sides Burnley and Fulham, Town hosted West Ham United and put on a thrilling display culminating in a 4–2 win over the Hammers. They then lost to Birmingham City in the 6th round and were then promptly relegated to Division 2 with 25 points, the same as Nottingham Forest.

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 David Lawson
-- GK   ENG Gary Pierce
-- GK   ENG Terry Poole
-- DF   ENG Trevor Cherry
-- DF   ENG Dennis Clarke
-- DF   ENG Roy Ellam
-- DF   ENG Geoff Hutt
-- DF   ENG Alan Jones
-- MF   WAL Mike Barry
-- MF   ENG Les Chapman
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   ENG Terry Dolan
-- MF   ENG Bobby Hoy
-- MF   NIR Jimmy Nicholson
-- MF   ENG Steve Smith
-- FW   IRL Mick Fairclough
-- FW   WAL Dick Krzywicki
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Lawson
-- FW   ENG Dave Lyon
-- FW   ENG Dave Smith
-- FW   ENG Frank Worthington

Results

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Date Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance Position
14 August 1971 Leicester City H 2–2 Worthington, Cherry 16,285 9th
17 August 1971 Arsenal H 0–1 21,279 15th
21 August 1971 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–4 J. Lawson 33,260 20th
25 August 1971 Newcastle United A 0–0 40,880 19th
28 August 1971 Chelsea H 1–2 Worthington 15,303 22nd
31 August 1971 Sheffield United A 1–3 J. Lawson 35,007 22nd
4 September 1971 Southampton A 2–1 Chapman, J. Lawson 17,372 21st
11 September 1971 West Bromwich Albion H 1–0 Chapman 9,938 18th
18 September 1971 Stoke City A 0–1 16,463 21st
25 September 1971 Leeds United H 2–1 J. Lawson, Ellam 26,340 16th
2 October 1971 Nottingham Forest A 2–1 Worthington, J. Lawson 15,693 14th
9 October 1971 Manchester United H 0–3 33,458 16th
16 October 1971 Leicester City A 0–2 22,412 18th
23 October 1971 Liverpool A 0–2 41,627 18th
26 October 1971 Nottingham Forest H 0–1 9,459 18th
30 October 1971 Manchester City H 1–1 D. Smith 20,153 19th
6 November 1971 Coventry City A 1–2 D. Smith 16,400 19th
13 November 1971 West Ham United H 1–0 D. Smith 14,177 18th
20 November 1971 Ipswich Town A 0–1 16,165 18th
27 November 1971 Derby County H 2–1 Worthington, J. Lawson 15,329 17th
4 December 1971 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–2 J. Lawson, Dolan 21,498 17th
11 December 1971 Crystal Palace H 0–1 11,692 19th
18 December 1971 Southampton H 0–2 10,436 19th
27 December 1971 Everton A 2–2 Worthington, J. Lawson 41,088 19th
1 January 1972 Stoke City H 0–0 12,655 19th
8 January 1972 Chelsea A 2–2 Chapman, S. Smith 30,801 19th
22 January 1972 Arsenal A 0–1 36,670 19th
29 January 1972 Newcastle United H 0–0 12,829 19th
12 February 1972 Liverpool H 0–1 18,702 20th
19 February 1972 Manchester City A 0–1 36,421 21st
4 March 1972 West Ham United A 0–3 18,481 21st
11 March 1972 Manchester United A 0–2 53,581 21st
21 March 1972 Sheffield United H 0–0 17,729 21st
25 March 1972 West Bromwich Albion A 1–1 Robertson (og) 18,501 21st
28 March 1972 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–1 J. Lawson 16,123 21st
1 April 1972 Everton H 0–0 17,265 21st
5 April 1972 Leeds United A 1–3 S. Smith 46,148 21st
8 April 1972 Ipswich Town H 1–3 Hunter (og) 12,139 21st
11 April 1972 Coventry City H 0–1 11,782 21st
15 April 1972 Derby County A 0–3 31,414 21st
22 April 1972 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–1 11,677 21st
29 April 1972 Crystal Palace A 0–0 18,120 21st
  • Town did not drop to 22nd until Nottingham Forest finished their matches at a later date.
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
15 January 1972 Round 3 Burnley A 1–0 Clarke 21,563
5 February 1972 Round 4 Fulham H 3–0 Chapman, J. Lawson (2) 18,000
26 February 1972 Round 5 West Ham United H 4–2 J. Lawson, Dolan, D. Smith, Worthington 27,080
18 March 1972 Round 6 Birmingham City A 1–3 Cherry 52,500
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
7 September 1971 Round 2 Bolton Wanderers H 0–2 10,131

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
Mike Barry   Wales MF 2 (3) 0 0 0 0 0 2 (3) 0
Les Chapman   England MF 38 (1) 3 4 1 1 0 43 (1) 4
Trevor Cherry   England DF 42 1 4 1 1 0 46 2
Dennis Clarke   England DF 41 0 3 1 1 0 45 1
Terry Dolan   England MF 18 (2) 1 4 1 0 0 22 (2) 2
Roy Ellam   England DF 42 1 4 0 1 0 47 1
Mick Fairclough   Republic of Ireland FW 5 (3) 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 5 (4) 0
Bobby Hoy   England MF 22 0 0 0 1 0 23 0
Geoff Hutt   England DF 42 0 4 0 1 0 47 0
Alan Jones   England DF 10 (2) 0 1 (1) 0 0 0 11 (3) 0
Dick Krzywicki   Wales MF 10 (3) 0 1 (1) 0 0 0 11 (4) 0
David Lawson   England GK 32 0 4 0 1 0 37 0
Jimmy Lawson   England MF 40 9 4 3 1 0 45 12
Dave Lyon   England DF 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Brian Mahoney   England MF 4 (1) 0 1 0 0 0 5 (1) 0
Jimmy McGill   Scotland MF 10 (1) 0 0 0 1 0 11 (1) 0
Jimmy Nicholson   Northern Ireland MF 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Gary Pierce   England GK 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Dave Smith   England MF 8 (2) 3 2 1 0 0 10 (2) 4
Steve Smith   England MF 40 2 4 0 1 0 45 2
Frank Worthington   England FW 39 5 4 1 1 0 44 6