1964–65 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season
# 1964–65 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1964–65 campaign was mainly a season of change for the Town, with Roger B. Kaye becoming the new chairman just before the start of the season, followed by the departure of manager Eddie Boot after just 3 games. Tom Johnston would then give Town a big boost for the rest of the season. A superb second half of the season saw Town only lose 3 league games in 1965, which would eventually lead Town to 8th place in Division 2.

## 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 | IRL | John Oldfield |
| -- | GK | ENG | Ray Wood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Denis Atkins |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Coddington |
| -- | DF | ENG | Stewart Holden |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Holt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bob McNab |
| -- | DF | IRL | Mick Meagan |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bob Parker |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ken Taylor |
| -- | MF | ENG | John Bettany |
| -- | MF | ENG | Peter Dinsdale |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | SCO | Billy Fraser |
| -- | MF | ENG | Kevin McHale |
| -- | MF | ENG | Michael O'Grady |
| -- | MF | ENG | Steve Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Chris Balderstone |
| -- | FW | ENG | Allan Gilliver |
| -- | FW | ENG | Kevin Lewis |
| -- | FW | SCO | Les Massie |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Rudge |
| -- | FW | ENG | Derek Stokes |
| -- | FW | ENG | Len White |

## Review

Following the previous season's mid-table position, gates at Leeds Road drastically fell, no match recorded a crowd of more than 15,000 during the season. It wasn't helped by the dreadful start made by the Town, which cost Eddie Boot his job in early September. Town failed to win any of their first 9 matches. Tom Johnston would replace Boot and brought in Jimmy Nicholson, Tony Leighton and Johnny Quigley. But, Town's form didn't seem to completely improve until Town reached December.

Town's new acquisitions would help Town's form improve during the second half of the season, which would see Town lose only 3 times in the second half of the season. It would see Town finish in 8th place with 44 points, 12 points behind 2nd placed Northampton Town.

## 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 | IRL | John Oldfield |
| -- | GK | ENG | Ray Wood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Denis Atkins |
| -- | DF | ENG | Chris Cattlin |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Coddington |
| -- | DF | ENG | Stewart Holden |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Holt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Billy Legg |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bob McNab |
| -- | DF | IRL | Mick Meagan |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bob Parker |
| -- | DF | ENG | Derek Parkin |
| -- | MF | ENG | Peter Dinsdale |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | SCO | Billy Fraser |
| -- | MF | ENG | Kevin McHale |
| -- | MF | NIR | Jimmy Nicholson |
| -- | MF | ENG | Michael O'Grady |
| -- | MF | SCO | Johnny Quigley |
| -- | MF | ENG | Steve Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Chris Balderstone |
| -- | FW | ENG | Allan Gilliver |
| -- | FW | ENG | Tony Leighton |
| -- | FW | ENG | Kevin Lewis |
| -- | FW | SCO | Les Massie |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Rudge |
| -- | FW | ENG | Derek Stokes |

## Results

### Division Two

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 22 August 1964 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | White | 12,657 | 12th |
| 26 August 1964 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–0 | | 17,841 | 8th |
| 29 August 1964 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–0 | | 23,152 | 10th |
| 2 September 1964 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–2 | White | 9,478 | 17th |
| 5 September 1964 | Newcastle United | H | 0–1 | | 8,770 | 21st |
| 11 September 1964 | Northampton Town | A | 2–3 | O'Grady, Massie | 12,984 | 20th |
| 16 September 1964 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | White | 9,392 | 20th |
| 19 September 1964 | Southampton | H | 0–3 | | 6,969 | 21st |
| 26 September 1964 | Swindon Town | A | 1–4 | Gilliver | 12,764 | 22nd |
| 29 September 1964 | Cardiff City | H | 3–1 | Lewis, Stokes, McHale | 5,640 | 19th |
| 3 October 1964 | Coventry City | A | 3–2 | Coddington (pen), Lewis, Balderstone | 26,994 | 20th |
| 7 October 1964 | Derby County | A | 0–2 | | 13,622 | 21st |
| 10 October 1964 | Portsmouth | H | 2–1 | Massie, Stokes | 7,511 | 18th |
| 17 October 1964 | Manchester City | A | 3–2 | White (2), Gratrix (og) | 15,704 | 17th |
| 24 October 1964 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–1 | | 7,480 | 18th |
| 31 October 1964 | Leyton Orient | A | 0–1 | | 7,673 | 20th |
| 7 November 1964 | Bury | H | 0–2 | | 7,793 | 21st |
| 14 November 1964 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–3 | | 14,084 | 21st |
| 21 November 1964 | Norwich City | H | 0–0 | | 6,536 | 21st |
| 28 November 1964 | Rotherham United | A | 3–2 | Massie, O'Grady, Bettany | 9,116 | 21st |
| 5 December 1964 | Swansea Town | H | 4–0 | Holden, McHale (2), Massie | 5,533 | 19th |
| 15 December 1964 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | | 11,782 | 19th |
| 26 December 1964 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–3 | McHale, Stokes | 11,608 | 21st |
| 28 December 1964 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–0 | | 10,596 | 21st |
| 2 January 1965 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | Leighton | 45,315 | 21st |
| 16 January 1965 | Northampton Town | H | 2–0 | Balderstone, Massie | 7,359 | 21st |
| 23 January 1965 | Southampton | A | 3–3 | Dinsdale, Leighton (2) | 17,473 | 21st |
| 6 February 1965 | Swindon Town | H | 2–1 | Leighton, Nicholson | 9,064 | 19th |
| 13 February 1965 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | Massie, McHale | 13,042 | 16th |
| 20 February 1965 | Portsmouth | A | 0–3 | | 11,435 | 17th |
| 27 February 1965 | Manchester City | H | 1–0 | Legg | 14,405 | 15th |
| 6 March 1965 | Swansea Town | A | 2–2 | Legg, Leighton | 7,574 | 15th |
| 13 March 1965 | Leyton Orient | H | 0–0 | | 11,237 | 15th |
| 19 March 1965 | Bury | A | 2–0 | Leighton, Coddington (pen) | 8,106 | 15th |
| 27 March 1965 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–0 | Massie, O'Grady | 10,255 | 14th |
| 30 March 1965 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–0 | Massie | 13,215 | 12th |
| 3 April 1965 | Norwich City | A | 2–0 | Quigley, Massie | 14,465 | 9th |
| 10 April 1965 | Rotherham United | H | 1–0 | Legg | 12,462 | 9th |
| 17 April 1965 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–0 | | 11,962 | 9th |
| 19 April 1965 | Preston North End | H | 3–0 | Massie, Fraser, Leighton | 12,261 | 9th |
| 20 April 1965 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | | 13,256 | 9th |
| 24 April 1965 | Derby County | H | 3–1 | Leighton, Quigley (2) | 10,275 | 8th |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 9 January 1965 | Round 3 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 1–0 | Massie | 19,914 |
| 30 January 1965 | Round 4 | Swansea Town | A | 0–1 | | 22,614 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 23 September 1964 | Round 2 | Leeds United | A | 2–3 | Lewis, Bell (og) | 9,837 |

## Appearances and goals

| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | League Cup Apps | League Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Denis Atkins | England | DF | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Chris Balderstone | England | MF | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| John Bettany | England | MF | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Chris Cattlin | England | DF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| John Coddington | England | DF | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 2 |
| Peter Dinsdale | England | DF | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Billy Fraser | Scotland | MF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Allan Gilliver | England | FW | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Stewart Holden | England | MF | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Ray Holt | England | DF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Billy Legg | England | DF | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| Tony Leighton | England | FW | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 |
| Kevin Lewis | England | MF | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 |
| Les Massie | Scotland | FW | 36 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 11 |
| Kevin McHale | England | MF | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 |
| Bob McNab | England | DF | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Mick Meagan | Republic of Ireland | DF | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Jimmy Nicholson | Northern Ireland | MF | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Michael O'Grady | England | MF | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3 |
| John Oldfield | Republic of Ireland | GK | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Bob Parker | England | DF | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Derek Parkin | England | DF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Johnny Quigley | Scotland | MF | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 |
| John Rudge | England | MF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Steve Smith | England | MF | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Derek Stokes | England | FW | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| Ken Taylor | England | DF | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Len White | England | FW | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 |
| Ray Wood | England | GK | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
