1947–48 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1947–48 campaign was a dreadful season for Town under new manager George Stephenson, brother of Town legend Clem Stephenson. They would finish the season in 19th place in Division 1, but had to endure the humiliation of being knocked out of the FA Cup by Southern League side Colchester United.

Huddersfield Town
1947–48 season
ChairmanEngland Haydn Battye
ManagerEngland George Stephenson
Football League First Division19th
FA CupThird round
(knocked out by Colchester United)
Top goalscorerLeague: Peter Doherty (13)
All: Peter Doherty (13)
Highest home attendance38,266 vs Manchester United (27 March 1948)
Lowest home attendance13,905 vs Everton (28 April 1948)
Biggest win5–1 vs Grimsby Town (10 September 1947)
5–1 vs Bolton Wanderers (11 October 1947)
Biggest defeat0–4 vs Blackpool (1 September 1947)
0–4 vs Liverpool (6 March 1948)

Squad at the start of the season edit

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 Don Clegg
-- GK   ENG Bob Hesford
-- DF   ENG Jeff Barker
-- DF   ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF   ENG Tom Briggs
-- DF   ENG George Green
-- DF   IRL Bill Hayes
-- DF   ENG George Hepplewhite
-- DF   ENG George Howe
-- DF   ENG Joe Lodge
-- DF   ENG Les Smith
-- DF   ENG Alan Stewart
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG Albert Watson
-- MF   ENG Albert Bateman
-- MF   ENG George Hutchinson
-- MF   ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW   EIR Peter Doherty
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW   ENG Billy Price
-- FW   SCO Frank Reid
-- FW   ENG Arnold Rodgers
-- FW   ENG Arthur Thompson
-- FW   ENG Alf Whittingham

Review edit

Following David Steele's resignation, George Stephenson, brother of Town legend Clem was appointed as the new manager at Leeds Road. The previous season's 20th-place finish needed to improve and Town made a bright start with 3 wins in the first 6 games, including a 5–1 win at Grimsby Town. A 5–1 win at Bolton Wanderers, the following month stopped a winless run of 6 matches, but Town only won 12 matches in the league all season and never won more than 2 matches in a row.

The main lowlight of a dreadful season, however, came in the FA Cup, when Town lost 1–0 to Southern League side Colchester United. It is still renowned as one of the most high-profile giant-killings in FA Cup history.

Squad at the end of the season edit

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 Don Clegg
-- GK   ENG Ray Dring
-- GK   ENG Bob Hesford
-- GK   ENG Harry Mills
-- DF   ENG Jeff Barker
-- DF   ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF   ENG Tom Briggs
-- DF   IRL Bill Hayes
-- DF   ENG George Hepplewhite
-- DF   ENG George Howe
-- DF   ENG Joe Lodge
-- DF   ENG Jack Percival
-- DF   ENG Les Smith
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG Alan Stewart
-- DF   ENG Albert Watson
-- MF   ENG Albert Bateman
-- MF   ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW   EIR Peter Doherty
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW   ENG Albert Nightingale
-- FW   SCO Frank Reid
-- FW   ENG Arnold Rodgers
-- FW   ENG Conway Smith
-- FW   ENG Arthur Thompson
-- FW   ENG Alf Whittingham

Results edit

Division One edit

Date Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance Position
23 August 1947 Derby County A 0–0 30,069 10th
27 August 1947 Blackpool H 2–0 Whittingham (2) 32,099 4th
30 August 1947 Portsmouth H 0–2 25,415 12th
1 September 1947 Blackpool A 0–4 29,555 15th
6 September 1947 Chelsea H 3–1 Doherty, Metcalfe, Price 24,837 13th
10 September 1947 Grimsby Town H 5–1 Doherty (2), Green, Glazzard, Whittingham 20,145 9th
13 September 1947 Everton A 1–1 Metcalfe 40,622 6th
17 September 1947 Grimsby Town A 0–3 17,658 10th
20 September 1947 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–1 28,591 14th
27 September 1947 Aston Villa A 1–2 Thompson 36,000 16th
4 October 1947 Sunderland H 2–2 Thompson, Metcalfe 24,928 16th
11 October 1947 Bolton Wanderers A 5–1 Doherty, Rodgers (3), Whittingham 27,590 13th
18 October 1947 Liverpool H 1–1 Ramsden (og) 27,518 15th
25 October 1947 Middlesbrough A 0–1 36,142 16th
1 November 1947 Charlton Athletic H 0–1 22,028 18th
8 November 1947 Manchester United A 4–4 Glazzard, Doherty (2, 1 pen), Bateman 59,772 18th
15 November 1947 Preston North End H 1–0 Bateman 27,506 15th
22 November 1947 Arsenal A 0–2 47,514 17th
29 November 1947 Sheffield United H 2–1 Whittingham, Doherty 21,915 13th
6 December 1947 Stoke City A 1–1 Whittingham 24,451 13th
13 December 1947 Burnley H 0–1 36,375 16th
20 December 1947 Derby County H 2–1 Doherty (2) 27,752 13th
26 December 1947 Manchester City A 1–1 Whittingham 56,460 13th
27 December 1947 Manchester City H 1–1 Whittingham 32,634 15th
3 January 1948 Portsmouth A 2–3 Doherty (pen), Glazzard 23,481 17th
17 January 1948 Chelsea A 4–2 Bateman, Whittingham, Metcalfe, Glazzard 41,908 15th
7 February 1948 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–2 Doherty 35,875 15th
14 February 1948 Aston Villa H 0–1 20,571 15th
21 February 1948 Sunderland A 0–2 33,146 16th
28 February 1948 Bolton Wanderers H 1–2 Bateman 14,273 18th
6 March 1948 Liverpool A 0–4 40,000 21st
13 March 1948 Middlesbrough H 2–1 Metcalfe, Nightingale 23,588 18th
20 March 1948 Charlton Athletic A 0–0 29,837 18th
26 March 1948 Blackburn Rovers A 2–1 Bateman, Glazzard 28,795 16th
27 March 1948 Manchester United H 0–2 38,266 18th
29 March 1948 Blackburn Rovers H 1–1 Bateman 19,928 17th
3 April 1948 Preston North End A 2–0 Glazzard (2) 27,648 17th
10 April 1948 Arsenal H 1–1 Bateman 38,110 18th
17 April 1948 Sheffield United A 1–0 Doherty 32,596 17th
24 April 1948 Stoke City H 0–0 16,115 17th
28 April 1948 Everton H 1–3 Glazzard 13,905 17th
1 May 1948 Burnley A 1–2 Doherty 25,443 19th

FA Cup edit

Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
10 January 1948 Round 3 Colchester United A 0–1 17,000

Appearances and goals edit

Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
Jeff Barker   England DF 35 0 1 0 36 0
Albert Bateman   England MF 31 7 1 0 32 7
Eddie Boot   England DF 41 0 1 0 42 0
Tom Briggs   England DF 8 0 0 0 8 0
Don Clegg   England GK 2 0 0 0 2 0
Peter Doherty   Ireland FW 38 13 1 0 39 13
Ray Dring   England GK 4 0 0 0 4 0
Jimmy Glazzard   England FW 34 8 1 0 35 8
George Green   England DF 7 1 0 0 7 1
Bill Hayes   Republic of Ireland DF 40 0 1 0 41 0
George Hepplewhite   England DF 39 0 1 0 40 0
Bob Hesford   England GK 25 0 1 0 26 0
George Hutchinson   England MF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Joe Lodge   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Vic Metcalfe   England MF 42 5 1 0 43 5
Harry Mills   England GK 11 0 0 0 11 0
Albert Nightingale   England MF 11 1 0 0 11 1
Jack Percival   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Billy Price   England FW 5 1 0 0 5 1
Frank Reid   Scotland FW 3 0 0 0 3 0
Arnold Rodgers   England FW 6 3 0 0 6 3
Conway Smith   England MF 3 0 1 0 4 0
Les Smith   England DF 21 0 1 0 22 1
Alan Stewart   England DF 2 0 0 0 2 0
Arthur Thompson   England FW 6 2 0 0 6 2
Albert Watson   England DF 4 0 0 0 4 0
Alf Whittingham   England FW 41 9 1 0 42 9