# 1949–50 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1949–50 campaign saw Town finish in their highest position in Division 1 since their 3rd-place finish in the 1935–36 season. They finished in 15th place with just 37 points and most of the highlights of the season were of the negative sort with disappointing thrashings by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United, as well as a 6–0 drubbing by Sunderland in the FA Cup.

## 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 | Bob Hesford |
| -- | GK | ENG | Harry Mills |
| -- | GK | ENG | Jack Wheeler |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Battye |
| -- | DF | ENG | Eddie Boot |
| -- | DF | ENG | Tom Briggs |
| -- | DF | IRL | Bill Hayes |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Hepplewhite |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Howe |
| -- | DF | ENG | Donald Hunter |
| -- | DF | ENG | Lol Morgan |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jack Percival |
| -- | DF | ENG | Henry Stewart |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bill Whittaker |
| -- | MF | SCO | Ian Duthie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Joe Lynn |
| -- | MF | EIR | Johnny McKenna |
| -- | MF | ENG | Vic Metcalfe |
| -- | MF | ENG | Harry Yates |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ronnie Burke |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Glazzard |
| -- | FW | ENG | Harold Hassall |
| -- | FW | ENG | Albert Nightingale |
| -- | FW | ENG | Arnold Rodgers |
| -- | FW | ENG | Conway Smith |

## Review

After Arnold Rodgers' goal in the final match of the previous season, some were wondering how Town would cope in Division 1 as they headed into the 1950s. The season didn't start too well with Town only winning 1 of their first 10 matches, that being a 2–1 win over Charlton Athletic, but that run also included a 7–1 defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Town's form would never dramatically improve, which led Town to another relegation battle, but an improvement saw Town finish in the more respectable position of 15th place. This was also the season that Town played 2 matches at Elland Road, the home of rivals Leeds United, because of a fire at Leeds Road after the game against Manchester United.

## 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 | Bob Hesford |
| -- | GK | ENG | Harry Mills |
| -- | GK | ENG | Jack Wheeler |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Battye |
| -- | DF | ENG | Eddie Boot |
| -- | DF | EIR | Charlie Gallogly |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Hepplewhite |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Howe |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jack Howe |
| -- | DF | ENG | Donald Hunter |
| -- | DF | ENG | Don McEvoy |
| -- | DF | ENG | Lol Morgan |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jack Percival |
| -- | DF | ENG | Henry Stewart |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | DF | ENG | Bill Whittaker |
| -- | MF | SCO | Ian Duthie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Joe Lynn |
| -- | MF | EIR | Johnny McKenna |
| -- | MF | ENG | Vic Metcalfe |
| -- | MF | ENG | Ray Taylor |
| -- | MF | ENG | Harry Yates |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ronnie Burke |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Glazzard |
| -- | FW | ENG | Harold Hassall |
| -- | FW | ENG | Albert Nightingale |
| -- | FW | ENG | Conway Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jeff Taylor |

## Results
### Division One

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 20 August 1949 | Blackpool | A | 1–4 | Burke | 29,712 | 16th |
| 24 August 1949 | Fulham | H | 2–2 | Nightingale, Hassall | 21,805 | 17th |
| 27 August 1949 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–2 | Hassall, Burke | 22,711 | 19th |
| 31 August 1949 | Fulham | A | 1–4 | Hassall | 30,000 | 21st |
| 3 September 1949 | Everton | A | 0–3 | | 43,009 | 21st |
| 7 September 1949 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–1 | Burke, Glazzard | 15,489 | 21st |
| 10 September 1949 | Arsenal | H | 2–2 | Burke, Glazzard | 20,882 | 20th |
| 14 September 1949 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2–2 | Rodgers (2) | 18,821 | 18th |
| 17 September 1949 | Portsmouth | H | 0–1 | | 26,222 | 20th |
| 24 September 1949 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–7 | Metcalfe | 45,559 | 21st |
| 1 October 1949 | Aston Villa | H | 1–0 | Nightingale | 20,636 | 20th |
| 8 October 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–1 | McEvoy, Metcalfe | 31,048 | 15th |
| 15 October 1949 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | Glazzard | 22,872 | 13th |
| 22 October 1949 | Derby County | A | 2–4 | McEvoy, McKenna | 23,624 | 16th |
| 29 October 1949 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–1 | Glazzard | 22,461 | 16th |
| 5 November 1949 | Manchester United | A | 0–6 | | 40,295 | 16th |
| 12 November 1949 | Chelsea | H | 1–2 | J. Taylor | 12,565 | 18th |
| 19 November 1949 | Stoke City | A | 0–0 | | 22,473 | 18th |
| 26 November 1949 | Burnley | H | 1–2 | J. Taylor | 19,154 | 20th |
| 3 December 1949 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | J. Taylor | 33,951 | 19th |
| 10 December 1949 | Liverpool | H | 3–2 | J. Taylor, Metcalfe (pen), McKenna | 25,767 | 17th |
| 17 December 1949 | Blackpool | H | 0–1 | | 28,107 | 18th |
| 24 December 1949 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–3 | | 33,424 | 19th |
| 26 December 1949 | Manchester City | H | 1–0 | Burke | 29,989 | 16th |
| 27 December 1949 | Manchester City | A | 2–1 | Glazzard, Hassall | 45,000 | 16th |
| 31 December 1949 | Everton | H | 1–2 | Metcalfe (pen) | 24,277 | 16th |
| 14 January 1950 | Arsenal | A | 0–1 | | 46,815 | 17th |
| 21 January 1950 | Portsmouth | A | 0–4 | | 29,746 | 19th |
| 4 February 1950 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | Metcalfe | 16,736 | 18th |
| 18 February 1950 | Aston Villa | A | 1–2 | J. Taylor | 24,560 | 18th |
| 25 February 1950 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | Nightingale, J. Howe (pen) | 12,352 | 18th |
| 4 March 1950 | Birmingham City | A | 1–2 | Nightingale | 26,230 | 18th |
| 11 March 1950 | Stoke City | H | 4–0 | McKenna, J. Taylor (2), Nightingale | 18,702 | 17th |
| 18 March 1950 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | | 19,960 | 18th |
| 25 March 1950 | Manchester United | H | 3–1 | Crompton (og), Metcalfe (2, 1 pen) | 34,348 | 16th |
| 1 April 1950 | Chelsea | A | 1–3 | Nightingale | 32,064 | 18th |
| 7 April 1950 | Newcastle United | A | 0–0 | | 46,886 | 18th |
| 8 April 1950 | Derby County | H | 2–0 | J. Taylor (2) | 30,147 | 16th |
| 11 April 1950 | Newcastle United | H | 1–2 | Metcalfe | 37,766 | 17th |
| 15 April 1950 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–0 | | 28,240 | 17th |
| 22 April 1950 | Sunderland | H | 3–1 | J. Taylor, Metcalfe (2, 1 pen) | 31,743 | 15th |
| 3 May 1950 | Liverpool | A | 3–2 | J. Taylor, Nightingale, Metcalfe | 35,763 | 15th |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 7 January 1950 | Round 3 | Sunderland | A | 0–6 | | 55,097 |

## Appearances and goals

| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
| John Battye | England | DF | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Eddie Boot | England | DF | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Tom Briggs | England | DF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Ronnie Burke | England | FW | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
| Ian Duthie | Scotland | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Charlie Gallogly | Ireland | DF | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jimmy Glazzard | England | FW | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 |
| Harold Hassall | England | FW | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| Bill Hayes | Republic of Ireland | DF | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| George Hepplewhite | England | DF | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| Bob Hesford | England | GK | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| George Howe | England | DF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Jack Howe | England | DF | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Donald Hunter | England | DF | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Joe Lynn | England | MF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Don McEvoy | England | DF | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Johnny McKenna | Ireland | MF | 40 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| Vic Metcalfe | England | MF | 41 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 11 |
| Harry Mills | England | GK | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Lol Morgan | England | DF | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Albert Nightingale | England | MF | 39 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 7 |
| Jack Percival | England | DF | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Arnold Rodgers | England | FW | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Conway Smith | England | MF | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Henry Stewart | England | DF | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jeff Taylor | England | FW | 21 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 11 |
| Ray Taylor | England | MF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jack Wheeler | England | GK | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Bill Whittaker | England | DF | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Harry Yates | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |