# 1947–48 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1947–48 campaign was a dreadful season for Town under new manager George Stephenson, brother of Town legend Clem Stephenson. They would finish the season in 19th place in Division 1, but had to endure the humiliation of being knocked out of the FA Cup by Southern League side Colchester 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 | Don Clegg |
| -- | GK | ENG | Bob Hesford |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jeff Barker |
| -- | DF | ENG | Eddie Boot |
| -- | DF | ENG | Tom Briggs |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Green |
| -- | DF | IRL | Bill Hayes |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Hepplewhite |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Howe |
| -- | DF | ENG | Joe Lodge |
| -- | DF | ENG | Les Smith |
| -- | DF | ENG | Alan Stewart |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | DF | ENG | Albert Watson |
| -- | MF | ENG | Albert Bateman |
| -- | MF | ENG | George Hutchinson |
| -- | MF | ENG | Vic Metcalfe |
| -- | FW | EIR | Peter Doherty |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Glazzard |
| -- | FW | ENG | Billy Price |
| -- | FW | SCO | Frank Reid |
| -- | FW | ENG | Arnold Rodgers |
| -- | FW | ENG | Arthur Thompson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Alf Whittingham |

## Review

Following David Steele's resignation, George Stephenson, brother of Town legend Clem was appointed as the new manager at Leeds Road. The previous season's 20th-place finish needed to improve and Town made a bright start with 3 wins in the first 6 games, including a 5–1 win at Grimsby Town. A 5–1 win at Bolton Wanderers, the following month stopped a winless run of 6 matches, but Town only won 12 matches in the league all season and never won more than 2 matches in a row.
The main lowlight of a dreadful season, however, came in the FA Cup, when Town lost 1–0 to Southern League side Colchester United. It is still renowned as one of the most high-profile giant-killings in FA Cup history.

## 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 | Don Clegg |
| -- | GK | ENG | Ray Dring |
| -- | GK | ENG | Bob Hesford |
| -- | GK | ENG | Harry Mills |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jeff Barker |
| -- | DF | ENG | Eddie Boot |
| -- | DF | ENG | Tom Briggs |
| -- | DF | IRL | Bill Hayes |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Hepplewhite |
| -- | DF | ENG | George Howe |
| -- | DF | ENG | Joe Lodge |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jack Percival |
| -- | DF | ENG | Les Smith |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | DF | ENG | Alan Stewart |
| -- | DF | ENG | Albert Watson |
| -- | MF | ENG | Albert Bateman |
| -- | MF | ENG | Vic Metcalfe |
| -- | FW | EIR | Peter Doherty |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Glazzard |
| -- | FW | ENG | Albert Nightingale |
| -- | FW | SCO | Frank Reid |
| -- | FW | ENG | Arnold Rodgers |
| -- | FW | ENG | Conway Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Arthur Thompson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Alf Whittingham |

## Results
### Division One

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 23 August 1947 | Derby County | A | 0–0 | | 30,069 | 10th |
| 27 August 1947 | Blackpool | H | 2–0 | Whittingham (2) | 32,099 | 4th |
| 30 August 1947 | Portsmouth | H | 0–2 | | 25,415 | 12th |
| 1 September 1947 | Blackpool | A | 0–4 | | 29,555 | 15th |
| 6 September 1947 | Chelsea | H | 3–1 | Doherty, Metcalfe, Price | 24,837 | 13th |
| 10 September 1947 | Grimsby Town | H | 5–1 | Doherty (2), Green, Glazzard, Whittingham | 20,145 | 9th |
| 13 September 1947 | Everton | A | 1–1 | Metcalfe | 40,622 | 6th |
| 17 September 1947 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–3 | | 17,658 | 10th |
| 20 September 1947 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–1 | | 28,591 | 14th |
| 27 September 1947 | Aston Villa | A | 1–2 | Thompson | 36,000 | 16th |
| 4 October 1947 | Sunderland | H | 2–2 | Thompson, Metcalfe | 24,928 | 16th |
| 11 October 1947 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 5–1 | Doherty, Rodgers (3), Whittingham | 27,590 | 13th |
| 18 October 1947 | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | Ramsden (og) | 27,518 | 15th |
| 25 October 1947 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–1 | | 36,142 | 16th |
| 1 November 1947 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–1 | | 22,028 | 18th |
| 8 November 1947 | Manchester United | A | 4–4 | Glazzard, Doherty (2, 1 pen), Bateman | 59,772 | 18th |
| 15 November 1947 | Preston North End | H | 1–0 | Bateman | 27,506 | 15th |
| 22 November 1947 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 | | 47,514 | 17th |
| 29 November 1947 | Sheffield United | H | 2–1 | Whittingham, Doherty | 21,915 | 13th |
| 6 December 1947 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | Whittingham | 24,451 | 13th |
| 13 December 1947 | Burnley | H | 0–1 | | 36,375 | 16th |
| 20 December 1947 | Derby County | H | 2–1 | Doherty (2) | 27,752 | 13th |
| 26 December 1947 | Manchester City | A | 1–1 | Whittingham | 56,460 | 13th |
| 27 December 1947 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | Whittingham | 32,634 | 15th |
| 3 January 1948 | Portsmouth | A | 2–3 | Doherty (pen), Glazzard | 23,481 | 17th |
| 17 January 1948 | Chelsea | A | 4–2 | Bateman, Whittingham, Metcalfe, Glazzard | 41,908 | 15th |
| 7 February 1948 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–2 | Doherty | 35,875 | 15th |
| 14 February 1948 | Aston Villa | H | 0–1 | | 20,571 | 15th |
| 21 February 1948 | Sunderland | A | 0–2 | | 33,146 | 16th |
| 28 February 1948 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–2 | Bateman | 14,273 | 18th |
| 6 March 1948 | Liverpool | A | 0–4 | | 40,000 | 21st |
| 13 March 1948 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | Metcalfe, Nightingale | 23,588 | 18th |
| 20 March 1948 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–0 | | 29,837 | 18th |
| 26 March 1948 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–1 | Bateman, Glazzard | 28,795 | 16th |
| 27 March 1948 | Manchester United | H | 0–2 | | 38,266 | 18th |
| 29 March 1948 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–1 | Bateman | 19,928 | 17th |
| 3 April 1948 | Preston North End | A | 2–0 | Glazzard (2) | 27,648 | 17th |
| 10 April 1948 | Arsenal | H | 1–1 | Bateman | 38,110 | 18th |
| 17 April 1948 | Sheffield United | A | 1–0 | Doherty | 32,596 | 17th |
| 24 April 1948 | Stoke City | H | 0–0 | | 16,115 | 17th |
| 28 April 1948 | Everton | H | 1–3 | Glazzard | 13,905 | 17th |
| 1 May 1948 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | Doherty | 25,443 | 19th |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 10 January 1948 | Round 3 | Colchester United | A | 0–1 | | 17,000 |

## Appearances and goals

| Name | Nation | Position | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
| Jeff Barker | England | DF | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Albert Bateman | England | MF | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 7 |
| Eddie Boot | England | DF | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| Tom Briggs | England | DF | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Don Clegg | England | GK | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Peter Doherty | Ireland | FW | 38 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 13 |
| Ray Dring | England | GK | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jimmy Glazzard | England | FW | 34 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 8 |
| George Green | England | DF | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Bill Hayes | Republic of Ireland | DF | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| George Hepplewhite | England | DF | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Bob Hesford | England | GK | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| George Hutchinson | England | MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe Lodge | England | DF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vic Metcalfe | England | MF | 42 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 5 |
| Harry Mills | England | GK | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Albert Nightingale | England | MF | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Jack Percival | England | DF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Billy Price | England | FW | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Frank Reid | Scotland | FW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Arnold Rodgers | England | FW | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Conway Smith | England | MF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Les Smith | England | DF | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Alan Stewart | England | DF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Arthur Thompson | England | FW | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Albert Watson | England | DF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Alf Whittingham | England | FW | 41 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 9 |