# 1979–80 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1979–80 campaign is one of Town's most successful in their history, gaining promotion from the Division 4 title, the last season in which Town won the divisional title. They finished two points clear of Walsall. In Mick Buxton's first full season in charge, Town scored 101 league goals, the only season in which Town have scored more than 100 league goals in their entire history. This ended Town's five-year stint in the basement division. The only season after this that they were in the 4th tier was in the 2003–04 season.

## 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 | Alan Starling |
| -- | DF | ENG | Jim Branagan |
| -- | DF | ENG | Malcolm Brown |
| -- | DF | ENG | Keith Hanvey |
| -- | DF | ENG | Fred Robinson |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Sutton |
| -- | DF | ENG | Chris Topping |
| -- | MF | ENG | David Cowling |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Peter Hart |
| -- | MF | ENG | Ian Holmes |
| -- | MF | ENG | Mick Laverick |
| -- | FW | ENG | Peter Fletcher |
| -- | FW | ENG | Mark Lillis |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ian Robins |
| -- | FW | ENG | Tommy Smith |

## Review

With Mick Buxton at the helm for his first full season, many were thinking that after his team's good form in the previous season, that promotion to Division 3 was possible and a good start to the season didn't dampen spirits. In the first 12 games, Town won 10 of them including a 7–1 win against Port Vale. But after a run in November and December of 4 games without a win, manager Buxton brought in Steve Kindon from Burnley just before Christmas. It proved to be an inspired signing, he scored 14 goals in his 23 games for Town during the second half of the season.
However, Ian Robins topped the goalscoring charts for the whole 4th Division with 25 league goals. He and Malcolm Brown were put in the "Divisional Team of the Season". They guaranteed their promotion with a 2–1 win over Scunthorpe United with 3 matches to go. Amongst other big victories were 5–0 victories against Northampton Town, Stockport County, Halifax Town and a 5–1 win over Rochdale. The last game of the season against Hartlepool United also saw Town scored their 100th and 101st league goals of their season, the only time Town have reached triple figures in goals in their entire history. They finished 2 points clear of Walsall in 1st position. This is their last season as champions of any division.

## 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 | Andy Rankin |
| -- | GK | ENG | Alan Starling |
| -- | DF | ENG | Malcolm Brown |
| -- | DF | ENG | Keith Hanvey |
| -- | DF | ENG | Fred Robinson |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Sutton |
| -- | DF | ENG | Chris Topping |
| -- | MF | ENG | David Cowling |
| -- | MF | ENG | Peter Hart |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Ian Holmes |
| -- | MF | ENG | Mick Laverick |
| -- | MF | WAL | Bernard Purdie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Brian Stanton |
| -- | FW | ENG | Peter Fletcher |
| -- | FW | ENG | Steve Kindon |
| -- | FW | ENG | Mark Lillis |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ian Robins |
| -- | FW | ENG | Tommy Smith |

## Results
### Division Four

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 18 August 1979 | Aldershot | H | 2–0 | Robins, Hart | 3,313 | 5th |
| 22 August 1979 | Wigan Athletic | A | 2–1 | Holmes, Fletcher | 6,927 | 3rd |
| 25 August 1979 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 3–0 | Holmes (pen), Cowling, Robins | 5,232 | 3rd |
| 1 September 1979 | Lincoln City | A | 0–2 | | 4,272 | 5th |
| 8 September 1979 | Newport County | H | 2–1 | Fletcher, Robins | 3,134 | 3rd |
| 14 September 1979 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1–1 | Stanton | 2,564 | 3rd |
| 19 September 1979 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–1 | Robins, Brown, Fletcher | 2,104 | 4th |
| 22 September 1979 | Port Vale | H | 7–1 | Fletcher, Delgado (og), Hart (2), Robins (2), Stanton | 4,299 | 4th |
| 28 September 1979 | Stockport County | A | 2–1 | Laverick, Hart | 5,369 | 1st |
| 2 October 1979 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–0 | Robins, Robinson (pen), Fletcher | 5,788 | 2nd |
| 6 October 1979 | Peterborough United | A | 3–1 | Robins (2), Fletcher | 5,183 | 2nd |
| 9 October 1979 | Wigan Athletic | H | 4–0 | Stanton, Fletcher (2), Cowling | 7,871 | 1st |
| 13 October 1979 | Portsmouth | H | 1–3 | Fletcher | 16,540 | 2nd |
| 20 October 1979 | Bournemouth | A | 3–1 | Cowling, Fletcher, Laverick | 4,895 | 2nd |
| 23 October 1979 | Northampton Town | A | 2–4 | Cowling, Byatt (og) | 3,210 | 2nd |
| 27 October 1979 | York City | H | 2–2 | Cowling (2, 1 pen) | 7,547 | 1st |
| 3 November 1979 | Aldershot | A | 2–0 | Fletcher, Robins | 5,271 | 1st |
| 6 November 1979 | Northampton Town | H | 5–0 | Robins (2), Laverick, Cowling, Sutton | 6,552 | 1st |
| 10 November 1979 | Bradford City | A | 0–0 | | 10,509 | 1st |
| 17 November 1979 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–1 | Fletcher | 7,069 | 1st |
| 1 December 1979 | Hereford United | H | 0–1 | | 5,582 | 2nd |
| 8 December 1979 | Torquay United | A | 1–3 | Holmes | 4,044 | 3rd |
| 21 December 1979 | Rochdale | H | 5–1 | Sutton, Cowling, Fletcher, Brown, Robins | 4,550 | 3rd |
| 26 December 1979 | Halifax Town | A | 1–2 | Dunleavy (og) | 10,061 | 3rd |
| 29 December 1979 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 2–1 | Stanton, Kindon | 7,337 | 3rd |
| 1 January 1980 | Darlington | H | 2–1 | Hanvey, Robins | 9,898 | 2nd |
| 5 January 1980 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | Kindon | 7,639 | 2nd |
| 12 January 1980 | Lincoln City | H | 3–2 | Robins, Kindon (pen), Fletcher | 8,108 | 2nd |
| 18 January 1980 | Newport County | A | 2–2 | Sutton, Laverick | 4,851 | 1st |
| 26 January 1980 | Hartlepool United | A | 1–1 | Kindon | 5,919 | 2nd |
| 9 February 1980 | Port Vale | A | 1–1 | Cowling | 5,143 | 2nd |
| 16 February 1980 | Stockport County | H | 5–0 | Kindon, Stanton (3), Robins | 7,561 | 2nd |
| 23 February 1980 | Portsmouth | A | 1–4 | Kindon | 19,203 | 2nd |
| 1 March 1980 | Bournemouth | H | 2–0 | Robins, Hanvey | 7,740 | 2nd |
| 8 March 1980 | York City | A | 4–0 | Robins, Kindon (2), Cowling | 5,742 | 2nd |
| 15 March 1980 | Peterborough United | H | 0–0 | | 8,172 | 2nd |
| 22 March 1980 | Bradford City | H | 0–0 | | 14,875 | 2nd |
| 29 March 1980 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–0 | | 3,232 | 2nd |
| 1 April 1980 | Rochdale | A | 2–0 | Kindon (2) | 4,979 | 2nd |
| 5 April 1980 | Halifax Town | H | 5–0 | Robins (2), Kindon (2, 1 pen), Sutton | 10,580 | 2nd |
| 8 April 1980 | Darlington | A | 3–2 | Kindon (pen), Stanton, Craig (og) | 4,628 | 2nd |
| 12 April 1980 | Walsall | H | 1–1 | Stanton | 17,233 | 2nd |
| 15 April 1980 | Scunthorpe United | H | 2–1 | Robins (2) | 10,900 | 2nd |
| 19 April 1980 | Hereford United | A | 3–1 | Kindon, Fletcher (2) | 4,278 | 2nd |
| 26 April 1980 | Torquay United | H | 4–2 | Fletcher, Sutton (2), Robins | 11,067 | 1st |
| 3 May 1980 | Hartlepool United | H | 2–1 | Robins (2) | 16,807 | 1st |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 24 November 1979 | Round 1 | Darlington | A | 1–1 | Hart | 3,678 |
| 27 November 1979 | Round 1 Replay | Darlington | H | 0–1 | | 8,084 |

### Football League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 11 August 1979 | Round 1 1st Leg | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–1 | Brown, Sutton | 2,944 |
| 15 August 1979 | Round 1 2nd Leg | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–1 | Robins (2), Fletcher | 3,920 Huddersfield won 5–2 on aggregate. |
| 28 August 1979 | Round 2 1st Leg | Grimsby Town | A | 0–1 | | 7,803 |
| 4 September 1979 | Round 2 2nd Leg | Grimsby Town | H | 1–4 | Holmes (pen) | 5,550 Huddersfield lost 5–1 on aggregate. |

## 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 |
| Jim Branagan | England | DF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Malcolm Brown | England | DF | 46 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 52 | 3 |
| David Cowling | England | MF | 39 (1) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 44 (1) | 10 |
| Peter Fletcher | England | FW | 30 (8) | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 35 (8) | 18 |
| Keith Hanvey | England | DF | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 2 |
| Peter Hart | England | MF | 46 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 5 |
| Ian Holmes | England | MF | 6 (4) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 (4) | 4 |
| Steve Kindon | England | FW | 22 (1) | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 (1) | 14 |
| Mick Laverick | England | MF | 45 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 4 |
| Bernard Purdie | Wales | DF | 18 (4) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 (4) | 0 |
| Andy Rankin | England | GK | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Ian Robins | England | FW | 45 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 51 | 27 |
| Fred Robinson | England | DF | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| Tommy Smith | England | FW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brian Stanton | England | MF | 41 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 9 |
| Alan Starling | England | GK | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Dave Sutton | England | DF | 46 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 52 | 7 |
| Chris Topping | England | DF | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |