1962–63 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season
# 1962–63 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1962–63 campaign was an impressive season for the Town. They finished 6th in Division 2, just 4 points off Chelsea, who took the second promotion spot to Division 1. They finished their campaign on the same points as Leeds United.

## 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 | ENG | Ray Wood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Denis Atkins |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Coddington |
| -- | DF | ENG | Stewart Holden |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Holt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bob Parker |
| -- | DF | IRL | Pat Saward |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ken Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Wilson |
| -- | MF | ENG | John Bettany |
| -- | MF | IRL | Ollie Conmy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Peter Dinsdale |
| -- | MF | SCO | Billy Fraser |
| -- | MF | SCO | John McCann |
| -- | MF | ENG | Kevin McHale |
| -- | MF | ENG | John Milner |
| -- | MF | ENG | Michael O'Grady |
| -- | FW | ENG | Chris Balderstone |
| -- | FW | ENG | Allan Gilliver |
| -- | FW | SCO | Les Massie |
| -- | FW | ENG | Derek Stokes |
| -- | FW | ENG | Len White |

## Review

After the success of the previous season, Town under Eddie Boot were hoping to mount yet another promotion push to Division 1. An impressive start to the season saw Town unbeaten in their first 13 league games of the season. This run was ended by a home defeat from Southampton on 27 October. A mixed November and December saw Town lose ground, but an amazingly cold snap during the winter would see the team out of action for 3 months at Leeds Road. During that time, Town played only 3 away league games and an FA Cup game at Manchester United. Town would have to play their last 20 games in 2 and a half months.

It was a tall order and Town's impressive start to the season slowly evaporated. Too many draws and losses during the period saw Town lose ground with the leading pack of Stoke City, Chelsea and Sunderland. A win over Leeds United in May, gave Town a faint hope of promotion, but 2 defeats to Portsmouth and Cardiff City saw Town finish down in 6th place with 48 points.

## 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 | Harry Fearnley |
| -- | GK | ENG | Ray Wood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Denis Atkins |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Coddington |
| -- | DF | ENG | Stewart Holden |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Holt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bob Parker |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ken Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Ray Wilson |
| -- | MF | ENG | John Bettany |
| -- | MF | IRL | Ollie Conmy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Peter Dinsdale |
| -- | MF | SCO | Billy Fraser |
| -- | MF | ENG | Kevin McHale |
| -- | MF | ENG | John Milner |
| -- | MF | ENG | Michael O'Grady |
| -- | FW | ENG | Chris Balderstone |
| -- | FW | ENG | Allan Gilliver |
| -- | FW | SCO | Les Massie |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Rudge |
| -- | FW | ENG | Derek Stokes |
| -- | FW | ENG | Len White |

## Results

### Division Two

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 18 August 1962 | Derby County | H | 3–3 | O'Grady, Stokes, Barrowclough (og) | 10,660 | 8th |
| 21 August 1962 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | Stokes | 13,505 | 8th |
| 25 August 1962 | Middlesbrough | A | 5–0 | Stokes (2), Jones (og), Wilson, McHale | 18,470 | 4th |
| 29 August 1962 | Walsall | H | 4–0 | Massie (2), O'Grady, White | 12,310 | 1st |
| 1 September 1962 | Leeds United | H | 1–1 | White | 34,946 | 6th |
| 5 September 1962 | Norwich City | A | 3–2 | O'Grady (3) | 28,794 | 1st |
| 8 September 1962 | Cardiff City | H | 1–0 | White | 17,573 | 1st |
| 12 September 1962 | Norwich City | H | 0–0 | | 13,285 | 1st |
| 15 September 1962 | Portsmouth | A | 1–1 | Stokes | 18,410 | 1st |
| 22 September 1962 | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | White | 17,594 | 1st |
| 29 September 1962 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | Stokes | 20,125 | 1st |
| 6 October 1962 | Swansea Town | A | 2–1 | White, Stokes | 11,024 | 1st |
| 13 October 1962 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | Stokes | 23,936 | 1st |
| 27 October 1962 | Southampton | H | 2–3 | Massie, White | 15,589 | 2nd |
| 2 November 1962 | Scunthorpe United | A | 2–2 | Balderstone (2) | 8,908 | 1st |
| 10 November 1962 | Bury | H | 0–1 | | 17,214 | 5th |
| 17 November 1962 | Rotherham United | A | 2–0 | Stokes, McHale | 11,589 | 5th |
| 24 November 1962 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–0 | White (pen), Dinsdale | 12,435 | 3rd |
| 1 December 1962 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | Stokes | 29,856 | 5th |
| 8 December 1962 | Sunderland | H | 0–3 | | 21,260 | 5th |
| 15 December 1962 | Derby County | A | 1–2 | O'Grady | 9,076 | 7th |
| 29 December 1962 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–1 | McHale | 9,814 | 7th |
| 2 March 1963 | Chelsea | A | 2–1 | O'Grady, White | 32,427 | 9th |
| 9 March 1963 | Luton Town | H | 2–0 | Stokes, Kelly (og) | 10,279 | 7th |
| 16 March 1963 | Luton Town | A | 2–3 | Balderstone, O'Grady | 5,507 | 9th |
| 20 March 1963 | Southampton | A | 1–3 | Stokes | 11,957 | 10th |
| 23 March 1963 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–0 | Stokes, White | 11,002 | 10th |
| 30 March 1963 | Bury | A | 1–1 | White | 7,768 | 7th |
| 1 April 1963 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 4–2 | Stokes (2), Massie (2) | 8,452 | 5th |
| 6 April 1963 | Rotherham United | H | 1–0 | Stokes | 14,015 | 6th |
| 12 April 1963 | Newcastle United | A | 1–1 | O'Grady | 49,672 | 6th |
| 13 April 1963 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–1 | | 13,008 | 7th |
| 16 April 1963 | Newcastle United | H | 2–1 | Coddington (pen), McHale | 22,022 | 6th |
| 20 April 1963 | Stoke City | H | 3–3 | White, Stokes (2) | 27,779 | 6th |
| 24 April 1963 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–0 | | 14,281 | 6th |
| 27 April 1963 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | O'Grady | 37,098 | 6th |
| 29 April 1963 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–0 | | 14,000 | 4th |
| 4 May 1963 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | | 11,770 | 6th |
| 6 May 1963 | Swansea Town | H | 4–1 | Bettany, White, McHale, Gilliver | 7,964 | 6th |
| 11 May 1963 | Leeds United | A | 1–0 | McHale | 28,501 | 4th |
| 13 May 1963 | Portsmouth | H | 1–3 | White | 12,854 | 4th |
| 18 May 1963 | Cardiff City | A | 0–3 | | 8,774 | 5th Town didn't drop to 6th until Leeds United played their matches at a later date. |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 March 1963 | Round 3 | Manchester United | A | 0–5 | | 47,703 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 26 September 1962 | Round 2 | Bradford (Park Avenue) | A | 1–3 | Balderstone | 6,931 |

## 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 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Chris Balderstone | England | MF | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 4 |
| John Bettany | England | MF | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| John Coddington | England | DF | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| Ollie Conmy | Republic of Ireland | MF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Peter Dinsdale | England | DF | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 1 |
| Harry Fearnley | England | GK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Allan Gilliver | England | FW | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Stewart Holden | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Ray Holt | England | DF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Les Massie | Scotland | FW | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 |
| John McCann | Scotland | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kevin McHale | England | MF | 37 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 6 |
| John Milner | England | MF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Michael O'Grady | England | MF | 41 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 |
| Bob Parker | England | DF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| John Rudge | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Pat Saward | Republic of Ireland | MF | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Derek Stokes | England | FW | 35 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 18 |
| Ken Taylor | England | DF | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Len White | England | FW | 40 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 13 |
| Ray Wilson | England | DF | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| Ray Wood | England | GK | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
