1951–52 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1951–52 campaign was Town's 32nd consecutive season in the 1st Division, but relegation would send Town to the 2nd Division since the 1919–20 season. Under the leadership of George Stephenson, Town recorded some of their worst ever results in their history, including 7–1 defeats by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland, as well as a 6–2 defeat by Newcastle United.

Huddersfield Town
1951–52 season
ChairmanHaydn Battye
ManagerGeorge Stephenson (until 11 March 1952)
Andy Beattie (from 24 April 1952)
Football League First Division21st (relegated)
FA CupThird round
(knocked out by Tranmere Rovers)
Top goalscorerLeague: Jimmy Glazzard (10)
All: Jimmy Glazzard (10)
Highest home attendance33,584 vs Blackpool (25 August 1951)
Lowest home attendance8,260 vs Fulham (8 December 1951)
Biggest win5–1 vs Manchester City (22 August 1951)
Biggest defeat1–7 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (19 September 1951)
1–7 vs Sunderland (11 April 1952)

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 Ronald Humpston
-- GK   ENG Harry Mills
-- GK   ENG Jack Wheeler
-- DF   ENG John Battye
-- DF   ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF   NIR Charlie Gallogly
-- DF   ENG Arthur Green
-- DF   ENG George Howe
-- DF   ENG Laurie Kelly
-- DF   ENG Don McEvoy
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG Bill McGarry
-- MF   SCO Ian Duthie
-- MF   SCO Alistair Gunn
-- MF   NIR Johnny McKenna
-- MF   ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW   ENG Ronnie Burke
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW   ENG Harold Hassall
-- FW   ENG Albert Nightingale
-- FW   ENG Jeff Taylor

Review edit

Since the end of World War II, Town's league form was in dire need of a boost, but unfortunately George Stephenson's team would soon find out the hard way that staying in Division 1 would be harder than even he imagined. Things weren't made easier with dreadful results against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Preston North End, Newcastle United and Sunderland.

Stephenson would leave Leeds Road in March and would be replaced by Stockport County manager Andy Beattie before the end of the season. Town finished in 21st place with 28 points, 3 points behind 20th placed Stoke City.

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 Ronald Humpston
-- GK   ENG Harry Mills
-- GK   ENG Jack Wheeler
-- DF   ENG John Battye
-- DF   ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF   NIR Charlie Gallogly
-- DF   ENG Arthur Green
-- DF   ENG George Howe
-- DF   ENG Laurie Kelly
-- DF   ENG Don McEvoy
-- DF   ENG Bill McGarry
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- DF   ENG Len Quested
-- MF   SCO Willie Davie
-- MF   SCO Ian Duthie
-- MF   SCO Alistair Gunn
-- MF   NIR Johnny McKenna
-- MF   ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW   ENG Ronnie Burke
-- FW   ENG Bryan Frear
-- FW   ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW   ENG Roy Shiner
-- FW   ENG Ron Simpson

Results edit

Division One edit

Date Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance Position
18 August 1951 Arsenal A 2–2 Taylor, Glazzard 54,072 11th
22 August 1951 Manchester City H 5–1 McGarry, Nightingale (2), Hassall, Taylor 25,623 4th
25 August 1951 Blackpool H 1–3 Taylor 33,584 10th
29 August 1951 Manchester City A 0–3 30,863 16th
1 September 1951 Liverpool A 1–2 Metcalfe (pen) 39,818 18th
8 September 1951 Portsmouth H 0–1 25,861 20th
10 September 1951 Aston Villa A 0–1 38,046 20th
15 September 1951 Chelsea A 1–2 Hassall 25,129 21st
19 September 1951 Aston Villa H 3–1 Taylor (2), Blanchflower (og) 19,994 19th
22 September 1951 Middlesbrough H 1–0 Hassall 27,995 15th
29 September 1951 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–7 Metcalfe 32,496 18th
6 October 1951 West Bromwich Albion A 0–0 24,236 19th
13 October 1951 Newcastle United H 2–4 Harvey (og), Brennan (og) 32,945 21st
20 October 1951 Bolton Wanderers A 1–2 Metcalfe 33,670 22nd
27 October 1951 Stoke City H 0–2 19,496 22nd
3 November 1951 Manchester United A 1–1 Metcalfe (pen) 25,616 21st
10 November 1951 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–1 Burke 30,259 21st
17 November 1951 Preston North End A 2–5 Glazzard (2) 31,695 21st
24 November 1951 Burnley H 1–3 Cummings (og) 14,882 22nd
1 December 1951 Charlton Athletic A 0–4 24,245 22nd
8 December 1951 Fulham H 1–0 Pavitt (og) 8,260 21st
15 December 1951 Arsenal H 2–3 Davie, Gunn 22,427 22nd
22 December 1951 Blackpool A 1–3 Gunn 14,923 22nd
25 December 1951 Derby County H 1–1 Simpson 28,418 22nd
26 December 1951 Derby County A 1–2 Simpson 24,896 22nd
29 December 1951 Liverpool H 1–2 Glazzard 25,500 22nd
5 January 1952 Portsmouth A 1–3 Gunn 30,048 22nd
19 January 1952 Chelsea H 1–0 Metcalfe (pen) 19,315 22nd
26 January 1952 Middlesbrough A 1–2 McGarry 22,876 22nd
9 February 1952 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–0 26,965 22nd
16 February 1952 West Bromwich Albion H 3–0 Kelly, Rickaby (og), Gunn 16,983 22nd
1 March 1952 Newcastle United A 2–6 Kelly, Davie 51,394 22nd
8 March 1952 Bolton Wanderers H 0–2 24,045 22nd
15 March 1952 Stoke City A 0–0 19,602 22nd
22 March 1952 Manchester United H 3–2 Glazzard (2), Metcalfe (pen) 30,316 22nd
2 April 1952 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–1 22,396 22nd
5 April 1952 Preston North End H 2–0 Glazzard, McEvoy 15,815 21st
11 April 1952 Sunderland A 1–7 Glazzard 34,640 21st
12 April 1952 Burnley A 2–0 Metcalfe, Glazzard 23,081 21st
15 April 1952 Sunderland H 2–2 Metcalfe (pen), Glazzard 32,961 21st
19 April 1952 Charlton Athletic H 1–0 Boot 22,079 20th
26 April 1952 Fulham A 0–1 21,295 21st

FA Cup edit

Date Round Opponents H / A Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
12 January 1952 Round 3 Tranmere Rovers H 1–2 Metcalfe (pen) 30,314

Appearances and goals edit

Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
John Battye   England DF 9 0 0 0 9 0
Eddie Boot   England DF 26 1 0 0 26 1
Ronnie Burke   England FW 13 1 0 0 13 1
Willie Davie   Scotland FW 20 2 1 0 21 2
Bryan Frear   England FW 1 0 0 0 1 0
Charlie Gallogly   Northern Ireland DF 31 0 1 0 32 0
Brian Gibson   England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jimmy Glazzard   England FW 18 10 1 0 19 10
Arthur Green   England DF 3 0 0 0 3 0
Alistair Gunn   Scotland MF 24 4 1 0 25 4
Harold Hassall   England FW 21 3 0 0 21 3
George Howe   England DF 14 0 0 0 14 0
Ronald Humpston   England GK 5 0 0 0 5 0
Laurie Kelly   England DF 37 2 1 0 38 2
Don McEvoy   England DF 35 1 1 0 36 1
Bill McGarry   England DF 42 2 1 0 43 2
Johnny McKenna   Northern Ireland MF 25 0 0 0 25 0
Vic Metcalfe   England MF 38 8 1 1 39 9
Harry Mills   England GK 20 0 1 0 21 0
Albert Nightingale   England MF 7 2 0 0 7 2
Len Quested   England DF 27 0 1 0 28 0
Roy Shiner   England FW 9 0 0 0 9 0
Ron Simpson   England FW 6 2 1 0 7 2
Jeff Taylor   England FW 13 5 0 0 13 5
Jack Wheeler   England GK 17 0 0 0 17 0