Huddersfield Town's 1919–20 campaign was one of the most memorable season in Town's entire history. It could even have been their last, after just 12 years. This was mainly because of plans to amalgamate the club with the new Leeds United team. However, Town's fan bought shares in the team, which saw the team survive and then gain promotion to the top-flight, as well as an appearance in the FA Cup Final against Aston Villa.
| 1919–20 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman |  William Hardcastle | |
| Manager | Arthur Fairclough (until 23 December 1919) Ambrose Langley (from 23 December 1919) | |
| Football League Second Division | 2nd (promoted) | |
| FA Cup | Runners-Up (knocked out by Aston Villa) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Sammy Taylor (35) All: Sammy Taylor (41) | |
| Highest home attendance | 47,527 vs Liverpool (6 March 1920) | |
| Lowest home attendance | 3,000 vs Fulham (1 November 1919) | |
| Biggest win | 7–1 vs Rotherham County (25 December 1919) | |
| Biggest defeat | 0–2 vs Bury (1 September 1919) 2–4 vs Birmingham (27 September 1919) 0–2 vs Blackpool (6 December 1919) 0–2 vs Tottenham Hotspur (16 February 1920) | |
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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.
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Review edit
After the end of World War I, the league schedule was returned to its normal status with Town still in Division 2. However, people were starting to wonder what the future would hold for the club after the club's first England international Jack Cock was sold to Chelsea. Then it was revealed that the club was to amalgamate with the new Leeds United team, formed following the demise of Leeds City. But, the people of Huddersfield rallied round and bought £30,000 worth of shares, which saw the club survive for the time being.
Following the club's rescue, the team's form dramatically improved and Town were fighting for an automatic promotion place. This was primarily achieved thanks to a run of losing only 1 out of their last 25 matches. That got them a finishing position of 2nd place behind Tottenham Hotspur.
The season is also noted for the club's first FA Cup Final, reached after beating Brentford, Newcastle United, Plymouth Argyle, Liverpool and Bristol City, before playing Aston Villa in the final at Stamford Bridge, before losing to Billy Kirton's goal in extra time.
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.
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Results edit
Division Two edit
| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away |
Result F – A |
Scorers | Attendance | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 August 1919 | Clapton Orient | H | 2–1 | Cock, Baker | 5,000 | 8th |
| 1 September 1919 | Bury | A | 0–2 | 4,000 | 13th | |
| 6 September 1919 | Clapton Orient | A | 1–0 | Taylor | 10,000 | 8th |
| 9 September 1919 | Bury | H | 5–0 | Cock (4), Mann | 4,000 | 5th |
| 13 September 1919 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–1 | 5,000 | 9th | |
| 20 September 1919 | Grimsby Town | H | 3–0 | Baker (2, 1 pen), Mann | 4,000 | 4th |
| 27 September 1919 | Birmingham | A | 2–4 | Shields, Cock | 16,000 | 9th |
| 4 October 1919 | Birmingham | H | 0–0 | 6,000 | 10th | |
| 11 October 1919 | Leicester City | A | 4–0 | Taylor (2), Mann, Shields | 12,000 | 6th |
| 18 October 1919 | Leicester City | H | 0–0 | 4,000 | 9th | |
| 25 October 1919 | Fulham | A | 2–2 | Chaplin (og), Taylor | 18,000 | 10th |
| 1 November 1919 | Fulham | H | 3–0 | Taylor (2), Mann | 3,000 | 8th |
| 8 November 1919 | Coventry City | A | 2–0 | Mann (pen), Taylor | 15,000 | 5th |
| 15 November 1919 | Coventry City | H | 5–0 | Taylor (2), Swann (2), Roberts (og) | 5,000 | 5th |
| 22 November 1919 | Bristol City | H | 1–0 | Smith | 7,897 | 4th |
| 29 November 1919 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | Shields | 10,000 | 6th |
| 6 December 1919 | Blackpool | H | 1–3 | Taylor | 6,500 | 6th |
| 13 December 1919 | Blackpool | A | 3–0 | Smith (2), Richardson | 5,000 | 5th |
| 20 December 1919 | West Ham United | H | 2–0 | Swann, Smith | 7,000 | 4th |
| 25 December 1919 | Rotherham County | H | 7–1 | Swann (3), Mann (3), Smith | 26,000 | 4th |
| 26 December 1919 | Rotherham County | A | 3–1 | Swann, Taylor (2) | 10,000 | 2nd |
| 27 December 1919 | West Ham United | A | 1–1 | Taylor | 20,000 | 3rd |
| 31 December 1919 | Lincoln City | A | 3–1 | Mann, Taylor, Swann | 3,000 | 2nd |
| 3 January 1920 | Port Vale | H | 4–1 | Taylor, Swann (3) | 8,000 | 2nd |
| 24 January 1920 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | Mann | 27,000 | 2nd |
| 7 February 1920 | South Shields | H | 2–2 | Smith, Swann | 12,700 | 2nd |
| 14 February 1920 | South Shields | A | 2–1 | Taylor, Richardson | 12,070 | 3rd |
| 16 February 1920 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–2 | 18,000 | 3rd | |
| 28 February 1920 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 3–2 | Mann, Smith, Richardson | 12,000 | 3rd |
| 13 March 1920 | Hull City | H | 2–0 | Taylor (2) | 8,048 | 3rd |
| 18 March 1920 | Hull City | A | 4–1 | Taylor (3), Swann | 12,000 | 3rd |
| 20 March 1920 | Stockport County | A | 2–1 | Taylor (2) | 15,000 | 2nd |
| 29 March 1920 | Port Vale | A | 0–0 | 10,000 | 2nd | |
| 3 April 1920 | Barnsley | A | 3–3 | Mann, Taylor (2) | 21,359 | 2nd |
| 5 April 1920 | Stoke | A | 1–0 | Taylor | 20,000 | 2nd |
| 6 April 1920 | Stoke | H | 3–0 | Taylor (2), Mann | 28,000 | 2nd |
| 10 April 1920 | Barnsley | H | 4–1 | T.J. Tindall (og), Taylor, Swann (2) | 10,000 | 2nd |
| 12 April 1920 | Stockport County | H | 5–1 | Mann (2), Taylor (3) | 12,700 | 2nd |
| 14 April 1920 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | Swann, Taylor | 14,000 | 2nd |
| 17 April 1920 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–1 | Mann, Taylor | 20,000 | 2nd |
| 26 April 1920 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–1 | Swann (2) | 11,500 | 2nd |
| 1 May 1920 | Lincoln City | H | 4–2 | Taylor, Richardson, Swann, Mann | 12,000 | 2nd |
FA Cup edit
| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away |
Result F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 January 1920 | Round 1 | Brentford | H | 5–1 | Smith, Taylor (2), Swann, Shields | 10,670 |
| 31 January 1920 | Round 2 | Newcastle United | A | 1–0 | Mann | 46,462 |
| 21 February 1920 | Round 3 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 3–1 | Taylor, Slade, Swann | 35,000 |
| 6 March 1920 | Round 4 | Liverpool | H | 2–1 | Swann, Taylor | 47,527 |
| 27 March 1920 | Semi-Final | Bristol City | N | 2–1 | Taylor (2) | 35,463 |
| 24 April 1920 | Final | Aston Villa | N | 0–1 (aet: 90 mins: 0–0) | 50,018 |
Appearances and goals edit
| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Baker | England |
DF | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 |
| Harry Brough | England |
DF | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Fred Bullock | England |
DF | 33 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Jack Cock | England |
FW | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 |
| Ted Davis | England |
GK | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Thomas Elliott | England |
FW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rennie Harrison | England |
DF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ernie Islip | England |
FW | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Harry Linley | England |
DF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Frank Mann | England |
FW | 37 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 43 | 18 |
| Sandy Mutch |  Scotland |
GK | 35 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| George Richardson | England |
MF | 34 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 4 |
| Ralph Rodgerson | England |
DF | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Ralph Shields | England |
FW | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 |
| Charlie Slade | England |
DF | 17 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
| Billy Smith | England |
MF | 39 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 44 | 8 |
| Jack Swann | England |
FW | 32 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 22 |
| Sammy Taylor | England |
FW | 42 | 35 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 41 |
| Percy Tompkin | England |
MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Billy Watson | England |
DF | 41 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| Tom Wilson | England |
DF | 26 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| James Wood | England |
DF | 39 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 45 | 0 |