1956–57 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season
# 1956–57 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1956–57 campaign was a fairly poor season for the Town under Andy Beattie and then his assistant Bill Shankly, following the previous season's relegation from Division 1. They finished in 12th place with 42 points, 12 points behind 2nd placed Nottingham Forest, but only 12 points ahead of 20th placed Notts County.

## Squad at the start of the season

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 | RSA | Sandy Kennon |
| -- | 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 |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ken Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Wilson |
| -- | MF | SCO | Willie Davie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Bob Ledger |
| -- | MF | ENG | Jackie Marriott |
| -- | MF | ENG | Vic Metcalfe |
| -- | FW | ENG | Bryan Frear |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dave Hickson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ron Simpson |
| -- | FW | SCO | Jimmy Watson |

## Review

Following the previous season's relegation from Division 1, Andy Beattie tried to get Town back into the 1st Division at the first attempt. A mixed start to the season saw Town gain some memorable wins including an opening day 3–2 win at Anfield over Liverpool. Beattie resigned in early November and was replaced by his assistant Bill Shankly, who would then lead Liverpool to greatness in the 1960s and 1970s. Memorable wins during the season for Town were a 5–0 away win at Barnsley and a 6–2 win over West Ham United, where defender Ken Taylor, playing as an emergency striker, scored 4 goals.

This season also marked the debuts of Town's future stalwarts Kevin McHale and Les Massie and future British transfer record holder Denis Law. Law broke the record for the youngest player ever to make a first-team appearance when he came on at the age of 16 years, 303 days, beating McHale's record by 26 days, which he set earlier in the season.

Town also had a good run in the FA Cup, where they reached the 5th round, before bowing out to Burnley in a 2–1 defeat in front of over 55,000 fans at Leeds Road. Town finished the league season in 12th position with 44 points, but it would be nearly 15 years until Town returned to the big time.

## Squad at the end of the season

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 | Tom Daley |
| -- | GK | ENG | Harry Fearnley |
| -- | GK | RSA | Sandy Kennon |
| -- | 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 |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ken Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Wilson |
| -- | MF | SCO | Willie Davie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Bob Ledger |
| -- | MF | ENG | Jackie Marriott |
| -- | MF | ENG | Kevin McHale |
| -- | MF | ENG | Vic Metcalfe |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dave Hickson |
| -- | FW | SCO | Denis Law |
| -- | FW | SCO | Les Massie |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ron Simpson |
| -- | FW | SCO | Jimmy Watson |

## Results

### Division Two

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 18 August 1956 | Liverpool | A | 3–2 | Simpson, Hickson, Davie | 49,344 | 7th |
| 20 August 1956 | Leicester City | H | 1–2 | Simpson | 18,978 | 8th |
| 25 August 1956 | Leyton Orient | H | 3–0 | Metcalfe (pen), Hickson, Watson | 15,164 | 7th |
| 29 August 1956 | Leicester City | A | 2–2 | Hickson, McHale | 28,301 | 6th |
| 1 September 1956 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | | 17,606 | 9th |
| 3 September 1956 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–1 | Hickson (2) | 14,560 | 5th |
| 8 September 1956 | Bury | A | 3–1 | Hickson (2), Frear | 17,434 | 4th |
| 10 September 1956 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–4 | | 27,553 | 5th |
| 15 September 1956 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–1 | Frear, McHale | 18,312 | 5th |
| 22 September 1956 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–4 | | 19,754 | 9th |
| 29 September 1956 | Stoke City | H | 2–2 | Hickson, McHale | 16,202 | 8th |
| 6 October 1956 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–0 | Hickson | 17,600 | 7th |
| 13 October 1956 | West Ham United | A | 2–0 | Marriott, Hickson | 22,643 | 6th |
| 20 October 1956 | Lincoln City | H | 0–1 | | 16,999 | 8th |
| 27 October 1956 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | Hickson | 24,873 | 9th |
| 3 November 1956 | Sheffield United | H | 1–4 | Hickson | 18,853 | 10th |
| 10 November 1956 | Barnsley | A | 5–0 | Hickson, Massie, Marriott, Simpson (2) | 15,234 | 9th |
| 17 November 1956 | Port Vale | H | 3–1 | Marriott, Sproson (og), Hickson | 14,044 | 8th |
| 24 November 1956 | Rotherham United | A | 3–3 | Hickson, Metcalfe, Quested | 12,977 | 8th |
| 1 December 1956 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 0–2 | | 14,418 | 10th |
| 8 December 1956 | Swansea Town | A | 2–4 | Simpson (2) | 13,781 | 12th |
| 15 December 1956 | Liverpool | H | 0–3 | | 11,577 | 13th |
| 22 December 1956 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–3 | Metcalfe (pen) | 14,725 | 14th |
| 24 December 1956 | Notts County | A | 2–1 | Simpson (2) | 9,165 | 12th |
| 26 December 1956 | Notts County | H | 3–0 | Hickson, Connor, Law | 7,483 | 12th |
| 29 December 1956 | Fulham | H | 1–1 | Hickson | 16,503 | 12th |
| 12 January 1957 | Bury | H | 1–2 | Metcalfe (pen) | 16,282 | 13th |
| 19 January 1957 | Grimsby Town | A | 2–1 | Simpson (2) | 14,929 | 12th |
| 2 February 1957 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 0–1 | | 17,888 | 13th |
| 9 February 1957 | Stoke City | A | 1–5 | Hickson | 27,503 | 14th |
| 21 February 1957 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–0 | | 14,754 | 13th |
| 23 February 1957 | West Ham United | H | 6–2 | Taylor (4), Massie, McGarry | 5,878 | 13th |
| 2 March 1957 | Lincoln City | A | 2–1 | McGarry, Massie | 9,917 | 12th |
| 9 March 1957 | Bristol City | H | 2–1 | Taylor, Metcalfe (pen) | 14,218 | 11th |
| 16 March 1957 | Sheffield United | A | 0–2 | | 19,038 | 12th |
| 23 March 1957 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | Simpson, Conwell | 16,772 | 11th |
| 30 March 1957 | Port Vale | A | 2–1 | Massie, Taylor | 10,500 | 11th |
| 6 April 1957 | Rotherham United | H | 1–0 | Taylor | 13,008 | 9th |
| 13 April 1957 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–3 | Taylor, Woods (og) | 24,181 | 10th |
| 20 April 1957 | Swansea Town | H | 2–2 | Law, Simpson | 13,516 | 11th |
| 22 April 1957 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–7 | Hickson, Massie | 20,651 | 12th |
| 23 April 1957 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–1 | | 13,818 | 12th |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 January 1957 | Round 3 | Sheffield United | H | 0–0 | | 24,220 |
| 7 January 1957 | Round 3 Replay | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | Simpson | 25,537 |
| 14 January 1957 | Round 3 2nd Replay | Sheffield United | N | 2–1 | Quested, Hickson | 12,270 |
| 26 January 1957 | Round 4 | Peterborough United | H | 3–1 | Law, Hickson, Simpson | 48,735 |
| 16 February 1957 | Round 5 | Burnley | H | 1–2 | Hickson | 55,168 |

## Appearances and goals

| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ron Cockerill | England | DF | 20 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Jack Connor | England | DF | 10 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Tony Conwell | England | DF | 31 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Tom Daley | England | GK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Willie Davie | Scotland | FW | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Harry Fearnley | England | GK | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Bryan Frear | England | FW | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Brian Gibson | England | DF | 29 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Dave Hickson | England | FW | 28 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 22 |
| Laurie Kelly | England | DF | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Sandy Kennon | South Africa | GK | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Denis Law | Scotland | MF | 13 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 3 |
| Jackie Marriott | England | MF | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Les Massie | Scotland | FW | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 |
| Bill McGarry | England | DF | 35 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| Kevin McHale | England | MF | 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| Vic Metcalfe | England | MF | 42 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 5 |
| Len Quested | England | DF | 41 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 46 | 2 |
| Ron Simpson | England | FW | 34 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 14 |
| Ken Taylor | England | DF | 33 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 8 |
| Jimmy Watson | Scotland | MF | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| Ray Wilson | England | DF | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
