# 1972–73 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1972–73 campaign saw Town get relegated for a consecutive season, which saw them drop into the 3rd Division for the first time in their history. Despite the 17 goals of new signing Alan Gowling from Manchester United, Town were relegated by goal average from Cardiff City, who were beaten by Town to the 1st Division title in 1924.

## 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 | Gary Pierce |
| -- | GK | ENG | Terry Poole |
| -- | GK | ENG | Chris Wood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dennis Clarke |
| -- | DF | ENG | Geoff Hutt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Alan Jones |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Lyon |
| -- | DF | ENG | Brian Marshall |
| -- | DF | ENG | Grahame McGifford |
| -- | 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 | Graham Pugh |
| -- | MF | ENG | Steve Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Dungworth |
| -- | FW | IRL | Mick Fairclough |
| -- | FW | ENG | Alan Gowling |
| -- | FW | WAL | Dick Krzywicki |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Lawson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dave Smith |

## Review

Following the relegation of Town from 1st Division at the end of the previous season, Town's three most experienced players, Trevor Cherry, Roy Ellam and Frank Worthington all left for pastures new, but the money received from their transfers was used to sign the experience of Alan Gowling from Manchester United and Graham Pugh from Sheffield Wednesday. However, a rise back up to Division 1 had a bad start, with Town drawing most of their opening matches and not making any realistic ground on any of the promotion chasing teams such as Burnley and Queens Park Rangers.
Town had only 7 wins in the league by the end of the season, with Town needing to win the last game of the season at home to Portsmouth to have any chance of Town avoiding the unthinkable drop to Division 3. Town beat Pompey 2–0 thanks to goals from Mick Fairclough and new signing Phil Summerill gave Town the needed win, but they had to wait on other results to go their way. Cardiff City got their needed result from their game in hand, which relegated Town on goal average. It was revenge on Town, who pipped Cardiff to the 1st Division title in 1924. They finished 21st with 33 points, getting relegated to Division 3 with Brighton & Hove Albion.

## 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 | Gary Pierce |
| -- | GK | ENG | Terry Poole |
| -- | GK | ENG | Chris Wood |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dennis Clarke |
| -- | DF | ENG | Paul Garner |
| -- | DF | ENG | Geoff Hutt |
| -- | DF | ENG | Alan Jones |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Lyon |
| -- | DF | ENG | Brian Marshall |
| -- | DF | ENG | Grahame McGifford |
| -- | DF | ENG | John Saunders |
| -- | 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 | Graham Pugh |
| -- | MF | ENG | Paul Smith |
| -- | MF | ENG | Steve Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | John Dungworth |
| -- | FW | IRL | Mick Fairclough |
| -- | FW | ENG | Alan Gowling |
| -- | FW | WAL | Dick Krzywicki |
| -- | FW | ENG | Jimmy Lawson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Dave Smith |
| -- | FW | ENG | Phil Summerill |

## Results
### Division Two

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 12 August 1972 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | Krzywicki | 12,840 | 1st |
| 19 August 1972 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | | 34,843 | 15th |
| 26 August 1972 | Carlisle United | H | 1–1 | D. Smith | 9,483 | 13th |
| 30 August 1972 | Portsmouth | A | 2–1 | Gowling (2) | 16,419 | 8th |
| 2 September 1972 | Luton Town | A | 1–4 | Gowling | 8,133 | 13th |
| 9 September 1972 | Oxford United | H | 2–0 | D. Smith (2) | 7,356 | 9th |
| 16 September 1972 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | D. Smith | 7,071 | 9th |
| 19 September 1972 | Swindon Town | H | 1–1 | Lawson | 7,992 | 10th |
| 23 September 1972 | Sunderland | H | 1–1 | Chapman | 10,145 | 10th |
| 27 September 1972 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–3 | Gowling, Chapman | 22,185 | 11th |
| 30 September 1972 | Bristol City | A | 0–0 | | 12,406 | 11th |
| 7 October 1972 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | Gowling | 7,931 | 13th |
| 14 October 1972 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 0–2 | | 7,935 | 15th |
| 21 October 1972 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 | Dungworth | 9,907 | 15th |
| 28 October 1972 | Orient | H | 1–1 | Gowling (pen) | 6,232 | 15th |
| 4 November 1972 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | Gowling | 12,806 | 14th |
| 11 November 1972 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | Gowling | 9,673 | 13th |
| 14 November 1972 | Bristol City | H | 0–1 | | 5,692 | 14th |
| 18 November 1972 | Cardiff City | H | 2–1 | Pugh, Krzywicki | 5,886 | 13th |
| 25 November 1972 | Millwall | A | 0–1 | | 9,112 | 16th |
| 2 December 1972 | Preston North End | H | 0–0 | | 6,900 | 14th |
| 23 December 1972 | Hull City | H | 1–3 | Gowling | 6,827 | 17th |
| 30 December 1972 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | Gowling | 9,719 | 18th |
| 6 January 1973 | Carlisle United | A | 0–0 | | 6,986 | 18th |
| 20 January 1973 | Luton Town | H | 1–2 | Hutt | 3,871 | 19th |
| 27 January 1973 | Oxford United | A | 0–2 | | 8,107 | 20th |
| 3 February 1973 | Burnley | A | 1–2 | Gowling (pen) | 14,589 | 20th |
| 6 February 1973 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–3 | Gowling | 13,539 | 20th |
| 10 February 1973 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | Saunders | 6,469 | 20th |
| 17 February 1973 | Blackpool | A | 1–1 | Hoy | 8,593 | 18th |
| 3 March 1973 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | Summerill | 7,473 | 21st |
| 6 March 1973 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–2 | Summerill, S. Smith | 8,627 | 18th |
| 10 March 1973 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–2 | Gowling | 10,053 | 20th |
| 17 March 1973 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–1 | Gowling (pen) | 7,193 | 20th |
| 24 March 1973 | Orient | A | 1–3 | Gowling | 5,497 | 20th |
| 31 March 1973 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | Gowling | 5,551 | 20th |
| 7 April 1973 | Preston North End | A | 0–0 | | 7,896 | 20th |
| 10 April 1973 | Sunderland | A | 0–3 | | 32,251 | 20th |
| 14 April 1973 | Burnley | H | 0–2 | | 13,689 | 20th |
| 21 April 1973 | Cardiff City | A | 1–4 | Gowling | 12,379 | 21st |
| 23 April 1973 | Hull City | A | 0–0 | | 7,480 | 21st |
| 28 April 1973 | Portsmouth | H | 2–0 | Fairclough, Summerill | 8,993 | 20th Town dropped to 21st after Cardiff City's last game, which was at a later date. |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 13 January 1973 | Round 3 | Carlisle United | A | 2–2 | Fairclough (2) | 9,557 |
| 16 January 1973 | Round 3 Replay | Carlisle United | H | 0–1 | | 13,555 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 6 September 1972 | Round 2 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–2 | Pugh | 21,422 |

## 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 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Les Chapman | England | MF | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 2 |
| Dennis Clarke | England | DF | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| Terry Dolan | England | MF | 21 (2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 (2) | 0 |
| John Dungworth | England | FW | 13 (3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 (3) | 1 |
| Mick Fairclough | Republic of Ireland | FW | 14 (6) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 17 (6) | 3 |
| Paul Garner | England | DF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Alan Gowling | England | FW | 42 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 17 |
| Bobby Hoy | England | MF | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Geoff Hutt | England | DF | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| Alan Jones | England | DF | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Dick Krzywicki | Wales | MF | 8 (1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 (1) | 2 |
| Jimmy Lawson | England | MF | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Dave Lyon | England | DF | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Brian Marshall | England | DF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Grahame McGifford | England | DF | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Jimmy Nicholson | Northern Ireland | MF | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Gary Pierce | England | GK | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Terry Poole | England | GK | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Graham Pugh | England | MF | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 2 |
| John Saunders | England | DF | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Dave Smith | England | MF | 18 (4) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 (4) | 4 |
| Paul Smith | England | MF | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Steve Smith | England | MF | 29 (1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 (1) | 1 |
| Phil Summerill | England | FW | 13 (3) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 (3) | 3 |
| Chris Wood | England | GK | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |