Huddersfield Town's 1954–55 campaign saw Town make a brilliant start in their second season back in the 1st Division. However, a disappointing mid-season ended their chance of improving on their 3rd-place finish the previous season. They eventually finished down in 12th place with 41 points, 7 points behind second placed Wolverhampton Wanderers. This was also the last season in which the leading goalscorer in Division 1 came from the club, when Jimmy Glazzard scored 32 goals.
| 1954–55 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Dick Parker | |
| Manager | Andy Beattie | |
| Football League First Division | 12th | |
| FA Cup | Quarter-finals (knocked out by Newcastle United) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Jimmy Glazzard (26) All: Jimmy Glazzard (32) | |
| Highest home attendance | 54,960 vs Newcastle United (12 March 1955) | |
| Lowest home attendance | 5,287 vs Aston Villa (23 February 1955) | |
| Biggest win | 3–0 vs Sheffield Wednesday (13 September 1954) | |
| Biggest defeat | 0–4 vs Preston North End (5 March 1955) 0–4 vs Everton (23 March 1955) | |
|
| ||
Squad at the start of the season
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Review
editAfter losing their first 3 matches, Town went on an impressive run of just 1 defeat in 12 matches, which included wins over Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portsmouth, the teams who would eventually be the top 3 at the end of the season. Other interesting results during the season were a 5–3 win over Arsenal at Highbury and a 6–4 defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
Jimmy Glazzard's 32 goals made him the top scorer in Division 1, but a depressing spell between mid-December and early April which saw Town fail to register a win in the league saw Town drop out of the top 5 of the table. However, Town's form in the FA Cup didn't reflect their league form, as they reached the 6th round for the first time since the 1938–39 season, before losing to Newcastle United in a replay at St James' Park. In the league they finished 12th with 41 points.
Squad at the end of the season
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Results
edit| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away |
Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 August 1954 | Blackpool | H | 1–3 | Metcalfe (pen) | 35,793 | 18th |
| 25 August 1954 | Portsmouth | A | 2–4 | Pickett (og), Watson | 35,873 | 18th |
| 28 August 1954 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–2 | Burrell | 22,422 | 21st |
| 30 August 1954 | Portsmouth | H | 2–1 | Watson, Metcalfe | 22,688 | 18th |
| 4 September 1954 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | Metcalfe, Cavanagh | 28,726 | 14th |
| 6 September 1954 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–4 | Glazzard | 25,825 | 18th |
| 11 September 1954 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | Watson | 21,840 | 17th |
| 13 September 1954 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 3–0 | Metcalfe (pen), Glazzard (2) | 20,570 | 12th |
| 18 September 1954 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | Cavanagh | 45,648 | 13th |
| 25 September 1954 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | Burrell, Cavanagh | 30,861 | 12th |
| 2 October 1954 | Aston Villa | A | 0–0 | 20,435 | 13th | |
| 9 October 1954 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | Cavanagh | 29,556 | 11th |
| 16 October 1954 | Leicester City | A | 3–1 | Burrell, Glazzard, Cavanagh | 30,491 | 10th |
| 23 October 1954 | Everton | H | 2–1 | Watson, Glazzard | 27,390 | 7th |
| 30 October 1954 | Manchester City | A | 4–2 | Glazzard (3), Watson | 34,246 | 4th |
| 6 November 1954 | Sheffield United | H | 1–2 | Glazzard | 20,664 | 6th |
| 13 November 1954 | Arsenal | A | 5–3 | McGarry, Watson, Glazzard (2), Metcalfe | 42,950 | 4th |
| 20 November 1954 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–3 | Glazzard, Watson, Quested | 28,372 | 5th |
| 27 November 1954 | Newcastle United | A | 2–2 | Watson, Burrell | 36,409 | 4th |
| 4 December 1954 | Burnley | H | 0–1 | 17,392 | 7th | |
| 11 December 1954 | Preston North End | A | 3–2 | Glazzard, Forbes (og), Cavanagh | 23,774 | 5th |
| 18 December 1954 | Blackpool | A | 1–1 | Glazzard | 17,579 | 6th |
| 25 December 1954 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | Burrell | 39,900 | 6th |
| 27 December 1954 | Sunderland | H | 1–1 | Metcalfe (pen) | 47,450 | 6th |
| 1 January 1955 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–0 | 26,996 | 7th | |
| 5 February 1955 | Manchester United | H | 1–3 | Glazzard | 31,408 | 9th |
| 12 February 1955 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 4–6 | Glazzard (3), Frear | 30,666 | 10th |
| 23 February 1955 | Aston Villa | H | 1–2 | Glazzard | 5,287 | 10th |
| 26 February 1955 | Chelsea | A | 1–4 | Burrell | 35,786 | 11th |
| 5 March 1955 | Preston North End | H | 0–4 | 24,929 | 15th | |
| 19 March 1955 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 31,065 | 17th | |
| 23 March 1955 | Everton | A | 0–4 | 15,561 | 17th | |
| 26 March 1955 | Sheffield United | A | 2–2 | Glazzard, Coldwell (og) | 11,951 | 18th |
| 2 April 1955 | Arsenal | H | 0–1 | 22,853 | 18th | |
| 9 April 1955 | Burnley | A | 1–1 | Glazzard | 22,214 | 20th |
| 11 April 1955 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | Hopkins (og) | 23,332 | 20th |
| 12 April 1955 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | Frear | 23,580 | 16th |
| 16 April 1955 | Newcastle United | H | 2–0 | Glazzard (2) | 21,913 | 14th |
| 23 April 1955 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–2 | Glazzard | 18,661 | 17th |
| 27 April 1955 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 16,184 | 17th | |
| 30 April 1955 | Leicester City | H | 3–1 | Glazzard, Watson (2) | 16,498 | 16th |
| 2 May 1955 | Cardiff City | H | 2–0 | Glazzard, Watson | 10,476 | 12th |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away |
Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 January 1955 | Round 3 | Coventry City | H | 3–3 | Glazzard (2), Watson | 31,576 |
| 13 January 1955 | Round 3 Replay | Coventry City | A | 2 – 1 (aet: 90 mins: 1–1) | Glazzard, Watson | 23,716 |
| 29 January 1955 | Round 4 | Torquay United | A | 1–0 | Glazzard | 21,908 |
| 19 February 1955 | Round 5 | Liverpool | A | 2–0 | Hobson, Glazzard | 57,115 |
| 12 March 1955 | Round 6 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | Glazzard | 54,960 |
| 16 March 1955 | Round 6 Replay | Newcastle United | A | 0 – 2 (aet: 90 mins: 0–0) | 52,380 |
Appearances and goals
edit| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Battye |  England |
DF | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Gerry Burrell |  Northern Ireland |
MF | 36 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 6 |
| Tommy Cavanagh | England |
FW | 24 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 6 |
| Jack Connor | England |
DF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Willie Davie |  Scotland |
FW | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Bryan Frear | England |
FW | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Brian Gibson | England |
DF | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jimmy Glazzard | England |
FW | 42 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 32 |
| Albert Hobson | England |
MF | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| Laurie Kelly | England |
DF | 41 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| Don McEvoy | England |
DF | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Bill McGarry | England |
DF | 32 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| Vic Metcalfe | England |
MF | 35 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 6 |
| Len Quested | England |
DF | 42 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 48 | 1 |
| Roy Shiner | England |
FW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ron Simpson | England |
FW | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Ron Staniforth | England |
DF | 28 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| Ken Taylor | England |
DF | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| Jimmy Watson | Scotland |
MF | 42 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 48 | 13 |
| Jack Wheeler | England |
GK | 42 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 48 | 0 |