This articledoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved. Find sources: "1972–73 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| 1972–73 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Frank Drabble Stanley Kinder | |
| Manager | Ian Greaves | |
| Stadium | Leeds Road | |
| Football League Second Division | 21st (relegated) | |
| FA Cup | Third round (knocked out byCarlisle United) | |
| Football League Cup | Second round (knocked out byTottenham Hotspur) | |
| Top goalscorer | League:Alan Gowling (17) All:Alan Gowling (17) | |
| Highest home attendance | 13,689 vsBurnley (14 April 1973) | |
| Lowest home attendance | 3,871 vsLuton Town (20 January 1973) | |
| Biggest win | 2–0 vsRochdale (9 September 1972) 2–0 vsPortsmouth (28 April 1973) | |
| Biggest defeat | 1–4 vsLuton Town (2 September 1972) 0–3 vsSunderland (10 April 1973) 1–4 vsCardiff City (21 April 1973) | |
Huddersfield Town's 1972–73 campaign saw Town get relegated for a consecutive season, which saw them drop into the3rd Division for the first time in their history. Despite the 17 goals of new signingAlan Gowling fromManchester United, Town were relegated bygoal average fromCardiff City, who were beaten by Town to the1st Division title in1924.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Following the relegation of Town from1st Division at the end ofthe previous season, Town's three most experienced players,Trevor Cherry,Roy Ellam andFrank Worthington all left for pastures new, but the money received from their transfers was used to sign the experience ofAlan Gowling fromManchester United andGraham Pugh fromSheffield Wednesday. However, a rise back up to Division 1 had a bad start, with Town drawing most of their opening matches and not making any realistic ground on any of the promotion chasing teams such asBurnley andQueens Park Rangers.
Town had only 7 wins in the league by the end of the season, with Town needing to win the last game of the season at home toPortsmouth to have any chance of Town avoiding the unthinkable drop toDivision 3. Town beat Pompey 2–0 thanks to goals fromMick Fairclough and new signingPhil Summerill gave Town the needed win, but they had to wait on other results to go their way.Cardiff City got their needed result from their game in hand, which relegated Town on goal average. It was revenge on Town, who pipped Cardiff to the 1st Division title in1924. They finished 21st with 33 points, getting relegated to Division 3 withBrighton & Hove Albion.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 August 1972 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | Krzywicki | 12,840 | 1st |
| 19 August 1972 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 34,843 | 15th | |
| 26 August 1972 | Carlisle United | H | 1–1 | D. Smith | 9,483 | 13th |
| 30 August 1972 | Portsmouth | A | 2–1 | Gowling (2) | 16,419 | 8th |
| 2 September 1972 | Luton Town | A | 1–4 | Gowling | 8,133 | 13th |
| 9 September 1972 | Oxford United | H | 2–0 | D. Smith (2) | 7,356 | 9th |
| 16 September 1972 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | D. Smith | 7,071 | 9th |
| 19 September 1972 | Swindon Town | H | 1–1 | Lawson | 7,992 | 10th |
| 23 September 1972 | Sunderland | H | 1–1 | Chapman | 10,145 | 10th |
| 27 September 1972 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–3 | Gowling, Chapman | 22,185 | 11th |
| 30 September 1972 | Bristol City | A | 0–0 | 12,406 | 11th | |
| 7 October 1972 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | Gowling | 7,931 | 13th |
| 14 October 1972 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 0–2 | 7,935 | 15th | |
| 21 October 1972 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 | Dungworth | 9,907 | 15th |
| 28 October 1972 | Orient | H | 1–1 | Gowling (pen) | 6,232 | 15th |
| 4 November 1972 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | Gowling | 12,806 | 14th |
| 11 November 1972 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | Gowling | 9,673 | 13th |
| 14 November 1972 | Bristol City | H | 0–1 | 5,692 | 14th | |
| 18 November 1972 | Cardiff City | H | 2–1 | Pugh, Krzywicki | 5,886 | 13th |
| 25 November 1972 | Millwall | A | 0–1 | 9,112 | 16th | |
| 2 December 1972 | Preston North End | H | 0–0 | 6,900 | 14th | |
| 23 December 1972 | Hull City | H | 1–3 | Gowling | 6,827 | 17th |
| 30 December 1972 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | Gowling | 9,719 | 18th |
| 6 January 1973 | Carlisle United | A | 0–0 | 6,986 | 18th | |
| 20 January 1973 | Luton Town | H | 1–2 | Hutt | 3,871 | 19th |
| 27 January 1973 | Oxford United | A | 0–2 | 8,107 | 20th | |
| 3 February 1973 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | Gowling (pen) | 14,589 | 20th |
| 6 February 1973 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–3 | Gowling | 13,539 | 20th |
| 10 February 1973 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | Saunders | 6,469 | 20th |
| 17 February 1973 | Blackpool | A | 1–1 | Hoy | 8,593 | 18th |
| 3 March 1973 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | Summerill | 7,473 | 21st |
| 6 March 1973 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–2 | Summerill, S. Smith | 8,627 | 18th |
| 10 March 1973 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–2 | Gowling | 10,053 | 20th |
| 17 March 1973 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–1 | Gowling (pen) | 7,193 | 20th |
| 24 March 1973 | Orient | A | 1–3 | Gowling | 5,497 | 20th |
| 31 March 1973 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | Gowling | 5,551 | 20th |
| 7 April 1973 | Preston North End | A | 0–0 | 7,896 | 20th | |
| 10 April 1973 | Sunderland | A | 0–3 | 32,251 | 20th | |
| 14 April 1973 | Burnley | H | 0–2 | 13,689 | 20th | |
| 21 April 1973 | Cardiff City | A | 1–4 | Gowling | 12,379 | 21st |
| 23 April 1973 | Hull City | A | 0–0 | 7,480 | 21st | |
| 28 April 1973 | Portsmouth | H | 2–0 | Fairclough, Summerill | 8,993 | 20th
|
| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 January 1973 | Round 3 | Carlisle United | A | 2–2 | Fairclough (2) | 9,557 |
| 16 January 1973 | Round 3 Replay | Carlisle United | H | 0–1 | 13,555 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September 1972 | Round 2 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–2 | Pugh | 21,422 |
| Name | Nationality | Position | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Mike Barry | MF | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Les Chapman | MF | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 2 | |
| Dennis Clarke | DF | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| Terry Dolan | MF | 21 (2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 (2) | 0 | |
| John Dungworth | FW | 13 (3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 (3) | 1 | |
| Mick Fairclough | FW | 14 (6) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 17 (6) | 3 | |
| Paul Garner | DF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Alan Gowling | FW | 42 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 17 | |
| Bobby Hoy | MF | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| Geoff Hutt | DF | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 | |
| Alan Jones | DF | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Dick Krzywicki | MF | 8 (1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 (1) | 2 | |
| Jimmy Lawson | MF | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| Dave Lyon | DF | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Brian Marshall | DF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Grahame McGifford | DF | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | |
| Jimmy Nicholson | MF | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| Gary Pierce | GK | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Terry Poole | GK | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Graham Pugh | MF | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 2 | |
| John Saunders | DF | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| Dave Smith | MF | 18 (4) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 (4) | 4 | |
| Paul Smith | MF | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | |
| Steve Smith | MF | 29 (1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 (1) | 1 | |
| Phil Summerill | FW | 13 (3) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 (3) | 3 | |
| Chris Wood | GK | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |