1971–72 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1971–72 campaign was Town's last season in the Football League's top division. They finished bottom of the table with only 25 points, the same as Nottingham Forest. Town won only 6 matches in the league all season and did not win any games from December to the end of the season. The only bright spark came in the FA Cup campaign which saw Town reach the 6th round, before losing to Birmingham City. Town only scored 6 away goals in 1972, and 2 of those were own goals. This would be the start of Town's slump which would see Town relegated to Division 4 in 1975, and they would not return to the top flight, by then the Premier League, until 2017.

Huddersfield Town

1971–72 season
Chairman	Frank Drabble
Manager	Ian Greaves
Division One	22nd (relegated)
FA Cup	Sixth Round
Football League Cup	Second Round
Top goalscorer	League: Jimmy Lawson (9) All: Jimmy Lawson (12)
Highest home attendance	33,458 vs Manchester United (9 October 1971)
Lowest home attendance	9,459 vs Nottingham Forest (26 October 1971)

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 David Lawson -- GK  ENG Gary Pierce -- GK  ENG Terry Poole -- DF  ENG Trevor Cherry -- DF  ENG Dennis Clarke -- DF  ENG Roy Ellam -- DF  ENG Geoff Hutt -- DF  ENG Alan Jones -- MF  WAL Mike Barry -- MF  ENG Les Chapman

No. Pos. Nation Player -- MF  ENG Terry Dolan -- MF  ENG Bobby Hoy -- MF  ENG Brian Mahoney -- MF  SCO Jimmy McGill -- MF  NIR Jimmy Nicholson -- MF  ENG Steve Smith -- FW  WAL Dick Krzywicki -- FW  ENG Jimmy Lawson -- FW  ENG Dave Smith -- FW  ENG Frank Worthington

Review

Following their first season back in Division 1 for 15 years, Town were hoping to try to reach the summit of English football. This season would be one of Town's worst in their history. Town were bottom of the table all season, with the exception of a small period in September. They had a run of 4 wins in 5 during that time including a 2–1 win over rivals Leeds United. Town's last league win on 27 November was a 2–1 win over Derby County, who would become champions at the end of the season.

Town never won another league game until the next season, but they put on an inspired run in the FA Cup. After beating Division 2 sides Burnley and Fulham, Town hosted West Ham United and put on a thrilling display culminating in a 4–2 win over the Hammers. They then lost to Birmingham City in the 6th round and were then promptly relegated to Division 2 with 25 points, the same as Nottingham Forest.

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 David Lawson -- GK  ENG Gary Pierce -- GK  ENG Terry Poole -- DF  ENG Trevor Cherry -- DF  ENG Dennis Clarke -- DF  ENG Roy Ellam -- DF  ENG Geoff Hutt -- DF  ENG Alan Jones -- MF  WAL Mike Barry -- MF  ENG Les Chapman

No. Pos. Nation Player -- MF  ENG Terry Dolan -- MF  ENG Bobby Hoy -- MF  NIR Jimmy Nicholson -- MF  ENG Steve Smith -- FW  EIR Mick Fairclough -- FW  WAL Dick Krzywicki -- FW  ENG Jimmy Lawson -- FW  ENG Dave Lyon -- FW  ENG Dave Smith -- FW  ENG Frank Worthington

Results

Division One

Date	Opponents	Home/ Away	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance	Position
14 August 1971	Leicester City	H	2–2	Worthington, Cherry	16,285	9th
17 August 1971	Arsenal	H	0–1		21,279	15th
21 August 1971	Tottenham Hotspur	A	1–4	J. Lawson	33,260	20th
25 August 1971	Newcastle United	A	0–0		40,880	19th
28 August 1971	Chelsea	H	1–2	Worthington	15,303	22nd
31 August 1971	Sheffield United	A	1–3	J. Lawson	35,007	22nd
4 September 1971	Southampton	A	2–1	Chapman, J. Lawson	17,372	21st
11 September 1971	West Bromwich Albion	H	1–0	Chapman	9,938	18th
18 September 1971	Stoke City	A	0–1		16,463	21st
25 September 1971	Leeds United	H	2–1	J. Lawson, Ellam	26,340	16th
2 October 1971	Nottingham Forest	A	2–1	Worthington, J. Lawson	15,693	14th
9 October 1971	Manchester United	H	0–3		33,458	16th
16 October 1971	Leicester City	A	0–2		22,412	18th
23 October 1971	Liverpool	A	0–2		41,627	18th
26 October 1971	Nottingham Forest	H	0–1		9,459	18th
30 October 1971	Manchester City	H	1–1	D. Smith	20,153	19th
6 November 1971	Coventry City	A	1–2	D. Smith	16,400	19th
13 November 1971	West Ham United	H	1–0	D. Smith	14,177	18th
20 November 1971	Ipswich Town	A	0–1		16,165	18th
27 November 1971	Derby County	H	2–1	Worthington, J. Lawson	15,329	17th
4 December 1971	Wolverhampton Wanderers	A	2–2	J. Lawson, Dolan	21,498	17th
11 December 1971	Crystal Palace	H	0–1		11,692	19th
18 December 1971	Southampton	H	0–2		10,436	19th
27 December 1971	Everton	A	2–2	Worthington, J. Lawson	41,088	19th
1 January 1972	Stoke City	H	0–0		12,655	19th
8 January 1972	Chelsea	A	2–2	Chapman, S. Smith	30,801	19th
22 January 1972	Arsenal	A	0–1		36,670	19th
29 January 1972	Newcastle United	H	0–0		12,829	19th
12 February 1972	Liverpool	H	0–1		18,702	20th
19 February 1972	Manchester City	A	0–1		36,421	21st
4 March 1972	West Ham United	A	0–3		18,481	21st
11 March 1972	Manchester United	A	0–2		53,581	21st
21 March 1972	Sheffield United	H	0–0		17,729	21st
25 March 1972	West Bromwich Albion	A	1–1	Robertson (og)	18,501	21st
28 March 1972	Tottenham Hotspur	H	1–1	J. Lawson	16,123	21st
1 April 1972	Everton	H	0–0		17,265	21st
5 April 1972	Leeds United	A	1–3	S. Smith	46,148	21st
8 April 1972	Ipswich Town	H	1–3	Hunter (og)	12,139	21st
11 April 1972	Coventry City	H	0–1		11,782	21st
15 April 1972	Derby County	A	0–3		31,414	21st
22 April 1972	Wolverhampton Wanderers	H	0–1		11,677	21st
29 April 1972	Crystal Palace	A	0–0		18,120	21st Town did not drop to 22nd until Nottingham Forest finished their matches at a later date.

FA Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	Home/ Away	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance
15 January 1972	Round 3	Burnley	A	1–0	Clarke	21,563
5 February 1972	Round 4	Fulham	H	3–0	Chapman, J. Lawson (2)	18,000
26 February 1972	Round 5	West Ham United	H	4–2	J. Lawson, Dolan, D. Smith, Worthington	27,080
18 March 1972	Round 6	Birmingham City	A	1–3	Cherry	52,500

Football League Cup

Date	Round	Opponents	Home/ Away	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance
7 September 1971	Round 2	Bolton Wanderers	H	0–2		10,131

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
Mike Barry	Wales	MF	2 (3)	0	0	0	0	0	2 (3)	0
Les Chapman	England	MF	38 (1)	3	4	1	1	0	43 (1)	4
Trevor Cherry	England	DF	42	1	4	1	1	0	46	2
Dennis Clarke	England	DF	41	0	3	1	1	0	45	1
Terry Dolan	England	MF	18 (2)	1	4	1	0	0	22 (2)	2
Roy Ellam	England	DF	42	1	4	0	1	0	47	1
Mick Fairclough	Republic of Ireland	FW	5 (3)	0	0 (1)	0	0	0	5 (4)	0
Bobby Hoy	England	MF	22	0	0	0	1	0	23	0
Geoff Hutt	England	DF	42	0	4	0	1	0	47	0
Alan Jones	England	DF	10 (2)	0	1 (1)	0	0	0	11 (3)	0
Dick Krzywicki	Wales	MF	10 (3)	0	1 (1)	0	0	0	11 (4)	0
David Lawson	England	GK	32	0	4	0	1	0	37	0
Jimmy Lawson	England	MF	40	9	4	3	1	0	45	12
Dave Lyon	England	DF	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Brian Mahoney	England	MF	4 (1)	0	1	0	0	0	5 (1)	0
Jimmy McGill	Scotland	MF	10 (1)	0	0	0	1	0	11 (1)	0
Jimmy Nicholson	Northern Ireland	MF	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Gary Pierce	England	GK	10	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
Dave Smith	England	MF	8 (2)	3	2	1	0	0	10 (2)	4
Steve Smith	England	MF	40	2	4	0	1	0	45	2
Frank Worthington	England	FW	39	5	4	1	1	0	44	6