1955–56 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1955–56 campaign saw Town relegated from Division 1. They finished in 21st position with 35 points, the same as 20th placed Aston Villa, who survived due to a superior goal average. The season was a cramped affair in the league standings, with difference in points between 2nd placed Blackpool and bottom placed Sheffield United, being just 16 points.

Huddersfield Town
1955–56 season
ChairmanDick Parker
J. Bernard Newman
ManagerAndy Beattie
Football League First Division21st (relegated)
FA CupThird round
(knocked out by Bolton Wanderers)
Top goalscorerLeague: Jimmy Glazzard (11)
All: Jimmy Glazzard (11)
Highest home attendance37,780 vs Manchester United (31 March 1956)
Lowest home attendance9,224 vs Birmingham City (7 March 1956)
Biggest win4–0 vs Sunderland (24 December 1955)
4–0 vs Charlton Athletic (14 April 1956)
Biggest defeat0–5 vs Birmingham City (19 November 1955)

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 Harry Mills
-- GK   ENG Jack Wheeler
-- DF   ENG John Battye
-- DF   ENG Jack Connor
-- DF   ENG Tony Conwell
-- DF   ENG Brian Gibson
-- DF   ENG Laurie Kelly
-- DF   ENG Bill McGarry
-- DF   ENG Len Quested
-- DF   ENG Ken Taylor
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF   NIR Gerry Burrell
-- MF   SCO Willie Davie
-- MF   ENG Albert Hobson
-- MF   ENG Jackie Marriott
-- MF   ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW   ENG Tommy Cavanagh
-- FW   ENG Bryan Frear
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW   ENG Ron Simpson
-- FW   SCO Jimmy Watson

Review

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Following the previous season's failure to improve on the season before's 3rd-placed finish, some were wondering what Town would conjure up under Andy Beattie. The start of the season was dreadful for Town, with many losses sending Town into a downward spiral to the bottom of Division 1. Even the signing of Aston Villa striker Dave Hickson didn't halt the slide to Division 2. A run of 7 defeats in a row, including a 5–2 defeat at Everton, followed immediately by a 6–2 defeat to Newcastle United at Leeds Road didn't help things much.

February to April saw Town mount a recovery mainly through the goals of Jimmy Glazzard, Dave Hickson and Vic Metcalfe. Town still had a chance of survival with 4 matches to go, although they realistically had to win all their last 4 games against West Bromwich Albion, Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur and Charlton Athletic. They did manage to achieve this, but an inferior goal average meant that Town went down, while Aston Villa survived.

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 Harry Fearnley
-- GK   ENG Jack Wheeler
-- DF   ENG John Battye
-- DF   ENG Ron Cockerill
-- DF   ENG John Coddington
-- DF   ENG Jack Connor
-- DF   ENG Tony Conwell
-- DF   ENG Brian Gibson
-- DF   ENG Laurie Kelly
-- DF   ENG Bill McGarry
-- DF   ENG Len Quested
-- DF   ENG Ken Taylor
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG Ray Wilson
-- MF   NIR Gerry Burrell
-- MF   SCO Willie Davie
-- MF   SCO Bob Ledger
-- MF   ENG Jackie Marriott
-- MF   ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW   ENG Tommy Cavanagh
-- FW   ENG Bryan Frear
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW   ENG Dave Hickson
-- FW   ENG Ron Simpson
-- FW   SCO Jimmy Watson

Results

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Division One

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Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance Position
20 August 1955 Portsmouth H 1–0 Watson 21,062 1st
24 August 1955 Chelsea H 1–3 Glazzard 20,308 14th
27 August 1955 Sunderland A 1–4 Cavanagh 42,369 17th
29 August 1955 Chelsea A 0–0 25,883 16th
3 September 1955 Aston Villa H 1–1 Glazzard 19,805 17th
10 September 1955 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–4 43,954 20th
17 September 1955 Manchester City H 3–3 McGarry, Metcalfe (pen), Connor 26,443 21st
24 September 1955 Cardiff City A 2–1 Watson, Davie 25,117 18th
1 October 1955 Preston North End H 2–2 Watson, Glazzard 23,892 16th
8 October 1955 Burnley A 0–2 22,109 19th
15 October 1955 Luton Town H 0–2 19,621 21st
22 October 1955 Manchester United A 0–3 34,150 21st
29 October 1955 Sheffield United H 1–2 Glazzard 17,832 21st
5 November 1955 Everton A 2–5 Glazzard, Lello (og) 36,423 21st
12 November 1955 Newcastle United H 2–6 Cavanagh, Watson 18,664 22nd
19 November 1955 Birmingham City A 0–5 24,841 22nd
26 November 1955 West Bromwich Albion H 1–0 Metcalfe (pen) 18,731 22nd
3 December 1955 Charlton Athletic A 1–4 Metcalfe (pen) 16,728 22nd
10 December 1955 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–0 Glazzard 11,094 22nd
17 December 1955 Portsmouth A 2–5 Metcalfe (pen), Watson 16,347 22nd
24 December 1955 Sunderland H 4–0 Quested, Marriott, Glazzard (2) 21,803 22nd
26 December 1955 Blackpool A 2–4 Glazzard, Hickson 27,628 22nd
27 December 1955 Blackpool H 3–1 Metcalfe (2), Gratrix (og) 34,619 22nd
31 December 1955 Aston Villa A 0–3 24,993 22nd
2 January 1956 Bolton Wanderers A 2–2 Hartle (og), Cavanagh 39,524 22nd
14 January 1956 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–3 Metcalfe (pen) 14,587 22nd
21 January 1956 Manchester City A 0–1 21,076 22nd
4 February 1956 Cardiff City H 1–2 Metcalfe (pen) 12,586 22nd
11 February 1956 Preston North End A 2–1 Hickson (2) 17,363 22nd
18 February 1956 Burnley H 1–0 Cavanagh 16,243 21st
25 February 1956 Luton Town A 2–1 McGarry (2) 15,331 21st
7 March 1956 Birmingham City H 1–1 Simpson 9,224 20th
10 March 1956 Sheffield United A 1–3 Quested 30,382 21st
17 March 1956 Everton H 1–0 Hickson 18,807 21st
24 March 1956 Newcastle United A 1–1 Davie 20,008 20th
31 March 1956 Manchester United H 0–2 37,780 22nd
2 April 1956 Arsenal A 0–2 30,836 22nd
3 April 1956 Arsenal H 0–1 24,469 22nd
7 April 1956 West Bromwich Albion A 2–1 Hickson, Glazzard 16,141 22nd
14 April 1956 Charlton Athletic H 4–0 Metcalfe (2), McGarry, Hickson 14,065 22nd
21 April 1956 Tottenham Hotspur A 2–1 Norman (og), Hickson 36,387 21st
28 April 1956 Bolton Wanderers H 3–1 Glazzard, Hickson (2) 18,877 21st

FA Cup

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Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F – A
Scorers Attendance
7 January 1956 Round 3 Bolton Wanderers A 0–0 Match abandoned after 46 minutes due to fog ?
11 January 1956 Round 3 Bolton Wanderers A 0–3 20,862

Appearances and goals

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Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
John Battye   England DF 8 0 0 0 8 0
Gerry Burrell   Northern Ireland MF 4 0 0 0 4 0
Tommy Cavanagh   England FW 19 4 1 0 20 4
Ron Cockerill   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
John Coddington   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jack Connor   England DF 2 1 0 0 2 1
Tony Conwell   England DF 18 0 0 0 18 0
Willie Davie   Scotland FW 21 2 0 0 21 2
Harry Fearnley   England GK 13 0 0 0 13 0
Bryan Frear   England FW 7 0 0 0 7 0
Brian Gibson   England DF 28 0 1 0 29 0
Jimmy Glazzard   England FW 27 11 1 0 28 11
Dave Hickson   England FW 26 9 1 0 27 9
Albert Hobson   England MF 3 0 0 0 3 0
Laurie Kelly   England DF 28 0 1 0 29 0
Bob Ledger   England MF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jackie Marriott   England MF 27 1 1 0 28 1
Bill McGarry   England DF 40 4 1 0 41 4
Vic Metcalfe   England MF 31 10 1 0 32 10
Harry Mills   England GK 10 0 0 0 10 0
Len Quested   England DF 42 2 1 0 43 2
Ron Simpson   England FW 21 1 0 0 21 1
Ken Taylor   England DF 36 0 1 0 37 0
Jimmy Watson   Scotland MF 23 5 0 0 23 5
Jack Wheeler   England GK 19 0 1 0 20 0
Ray Wilson   England DF 6 0 0 0 6 0