1973–74 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season
# 1973–74 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1973–74 campaign was a season of new beginnings for Huddersfield Town as they experienced life in the 3rd Division for the first time. The season was not spectacular as Town finished in 10th place, behind fellow West Yorkshire club Halifax Town. At the end of the season, Ian Greaves resigned after 6 years as manager. The alarming slide down the Football League was temporarily halted, but the following season would see Town continue their perilous freefall to the basement of the Football League.

## 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 | Terry Poole |
| -- | GK | ENG | Dick Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dennis Clarke |
| -- | DF | ENG | Paul Garner |
| -- | DF | ENG | Geoff Hutt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Lyon |
| -- | DF | ENG | Brian Marshall |
| -- | DF | ENG | Grahame McGifford |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Saunders |
| -- | MF | ENG | Les Chapman |
| -- | MF | ENG | Terry Dolan |
| -- | MF | ENG | Bobby Hoy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | NIR | Jimmy Nicholson |
| -- | MF | ENG | Graham Pugh |
| -- | MF | ENG | Paul Smith |
| -- | MF | ENG | Steve Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Dungworth |
| -- | FW | IRL | Mick Fairclough |
| -- | FW | ENG | Alan Gowling |
| -- | FW | ENG | Terry Gray |
| -- | FW | WAL | Dick Krzywicki |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Lawson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dave Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Phil Summerill |

## Review

Following Town's second relegation in 2 seasons, Town had reached a division not seen by any previous Town team in their history. Town would visit 13 grounds for the first time in league football, although 4 of them had hosted Town in cup matches before. Town's start to the season was pretty mediocre with Town drawing 6 of their opening 12 games, losing only 2 of them, but it was a far cry from 1st Division football they were playing just 2 seasons earlier. The previous season's top scorer, Alan Gowling, continued with his goalscoring form scoring 24 goals in the league campaign.

Town eventually finished the season in a disappointing 10th place with 47 points, 2 points behind local rivals Halifax Town. However, at the end of the season Ian Greaves resigned as manager of the side. He became Jimmy Armfield's assistant at Bolton Wanderers. The next season would see Town get even further down the league ladder, so even though Greaves had halted the slide, it was temporary, not permanent.

## 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 | Terry Poole |
| -- | GK | ENG | Dick Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Paul Garner |
| -- | DF | ENG | Peter Hart |
| -- | DF | ENG | Geoff Hutt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Lyon |
| -- | DF | ENG | Brian Marshall |
| -- | DF | ENG | Grahame McGifford |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Saunders |
| -- | MF | ENG | Les Chapman |
| -- | MF | ENG | Terry Dolan |
| -- | MF | ENG | Martin Fowler |
| -- | MF | ENG | Bobby Hoy |
| -- | MF | ENG | Bob Mountain |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Graham Pugh |
| -- | MF | ENG | Paul Smith |
| -- | MF | ENG | Steve Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Dungworth |
| -- | FW | IRL | Mick Fairclough |
| -- | FW | ENG | Franny Firth |
| -- | FW | ENG | Alan Gowling |
| -- | FW | ENG | Terry Gray |
| -- | FW | WAL | Dick Krzywicki |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Lawson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Bob Newton |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dave Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Phil Summerill |

## Results

### Division Three

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F — A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 25 August 1973 | Watford | A | 1–1 | Hoy | 6,246 | 12th |
| 1 September 1973 | Cambridge United | H | 2–1 | Gowling, Hoy | 5,559 | 8th |
| 8 September 1973 | Port Vale | A | 2–4 | Dolan, Gowling | 5,003 | 12th |
| 11 September 1973 | Chesterfield | H | 1–0 | Fairclough | 6,164 | 8th |
| 15 September 1973 | Aldershot | H | 1–0 | Gowling | 5,849 | 7th |
| 17 September 1973 | Walsall | A | 0–3 | | 5,491 | 8th |
| 22 September 1973 | Wrexham | A | 0–0 | | 6,665 | 9th |
| 29 September 1973 | Bournemouth | H | 1–1 | Gowling (pen) | 5,360 | 12th |
| 6 October 1973 | Rochdale | A | 1–1 | Arnold (og) | 3,220 | 12th |
| 9 October 1973 | Walsall | H | 2–2 | S. Smith, Dolan | 4,436 | 12th |
| 13 October 1973 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–1 | S. Smith, Summerill | 4,927 | 8th |
| 19 October 1973 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–1 | Gowling (pen) | 4,715 | 5th |
| 24 October 1973 | Chesterfield | A | 2–0 | Dolan, Gowling | 6,589 | 6th |
| 27 October 1973 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–2 | Dolan | 9,532 | 9th |
| 3 November 1973 | Southend United | A | 2–5 | Gowling (2) | 7,255 | 10th |
| 10 November 1973 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–2 | Dolan, Summerill | 6,057 | 12th |
| 13 November 1973 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–0 | Summerill | 4,154 | 6th |
| 17 November 1973 | Hereford United | A | 1–0 | Gowling | 7,925 | 6th |
| 1 December 1973 | Southport | A | 0–0 | | 2,109 | 6th |
| 8 December 1973 | Oldham Athletic | H | 2–1 | Gowling (2) | 8,074 | 5th |
| 22 December 1973 | Bournemouth | A | 0–1 | | 9,141 | 7th |
| 26 December 1973 | Halifax Town | H | 4–0 | Lawson, Dolan, Gowling (2) | 11,514 | 6th |
| 29 December 1973 | Port Vale | H | 3–0 | Lawson (2), Gowling | 7,702 | 6th |
| 1 January 1974 | Cambridge United | A | 2–2 | Chapman, Hoy | 5,667 | 6th |
| 12 January 1974 | Aldershot | A | 0–1 | | 5,029 | 6th |
| 19 January 1974 | Watford | H | 1–2 | Gowling | 6,301 | 6th |
| 26 January 1974 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–2 | Lawson | 5,391 | 7th |
| 29 January 1974 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–0 | Lawson | 5,204 | 5th |
| 2 February 1974 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–2 | Gowling | 7,188 | 6th |
| 16 February 1974 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | Summerill | 7,299 | 10th |
| 23 February 1974 | Rochdale | H | 5–0 | Lawson (2), Gowling (2), Summerill | 5,679 | 7th |
| 2 March 1974 | Halifax Town | A | 0–0 | | 8,126 | 7th |
| 8 March 1974 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–2 | Gowling | 13,543 | 7th |
| 16 March 1974 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–0 | | 4,702 | 7th |
| 20 March 1974 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–0 | Gray | 4,473 | 7th |
| 23 March 1974 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–1 | Gowling (2) | 12,444 | 7th |
| 27 March 1974 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–1 | | 6,671 | 7th |
| 30 March 1974 | Southend United | H | 0–1 | | 4,453 | 7th |
| 2 April 1974 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–0 | Gowling (2) | 3,142 | 7th |
| 6 April 1974 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 0–3 | | 1,675 | 7th |
| 12 April 1974 | York City | A | 1–2 | Dolan | 10,189 | 8th |
| 13 April 1974 | Hereford United | H | 0–0 | | 4,148 | 9th |
| 16 April 1974 | York City | H | 0–1 | | 7,737 | 11th |
| 20 April 1974 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–6 | | 16,466 | 13th |
| 24 April 1974 | Wrexham | H | 2–1 | Dolan, Summerill | 2,522 | 13th |
| 27 April 1974 | Southport | H | 3–1 | Summerill, Dolan, Gowling | 3,320 | 9th |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F — A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 24 November 1973 | Round 1 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–0 | Newton (2) | 9,557 |
| 15 December 1973 | Round 2 | Chester | A | 2–3 | Saunders, Gowling | 3,296 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F — A | Scorers | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 29 August 1973 | Round 1 | York City | A | 0–1 | | 6,497 |

## 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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Les Chapman | England | MF | 31 (2) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 (2) | 1 |
| Dennis Clarke | England | DF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Terry Dolan | England | MF | 43 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 8 |
| John Dungworth | England | FW | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 |
| Mick Fairclough | Republic of Ireland | FW | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Franny Firth | England | FW | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Martin Fowler | England | MF | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Paul Garner | England | DF | 43 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
| Alan Gowling | England | FW | 45 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 25 |
| Terry Gray | England | FW | 9 (4) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 (4) | 1 |
| Peter Hart | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bobby Hoy | England | MF | 26 (1) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 (1) | 3 |
| Geoff Hutt | England | DF | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Dick Krzywicki | Wales | MF | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 |
| Jimmy Lawson | England | MF | 31 (1) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 31 (2) | 7 |
| Dave Lyon | England | DF | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 |
| Brian Marshall | England | DF | 24 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 (2) | 0 |
| Grahame McGifford | England | DF | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Bob Mountain | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bob Newton | England | FW | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Jimmy Nicholson | Northern Ireland | MF | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 |
| Terry Poole | England | GK | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| Graham Pugh | England | MF | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| John Saunders | England | DF | 43 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 1 |
| Dave Smith | England | MF | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 |
| Paul Smith | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Steve Smith | England | MF | 41 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 3 |
| Phil Summerill | England | FW | 29 (1) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 (1) | 7 |
| Dick Taylor | England | GK | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
