# 1981–82 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

Huddersfield Town's 1981–82 campaign was a disappointing season for Town following nearly earning back-to-back promotions the previous season. Town only finished in 17th place. They did however have a fairly good season in the FA Cup, reaching the fourth round.

## 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 | Andy Rankin |
| -- | GK | ENG | Dick Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Malcolm Brown |
| -- | DF | ENG | David Burke |
| -- | DF | ENG | Keith Hanvey |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Sutton |
| -- | DF | ENG | Peter Valentine |
| -- | MF | ENG | David Cowling |
| -- | MF | ENG | Mick Kennedy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | ENG | Mick Laverick |
| -- | MF | WAL | Bernard Purdie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Brian Stanton |
| -- | MF | ENG | Phil Wilson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Terry Austin |
| -- | FW | ENG | Peter Fletcher |
| -- | FW | ENG | Steve Kindon |
| -- | FW | ENG | Mark Lillis |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ian Robins |

## Review

Following the previous season's near miss, many fans were thinking that promotion would be just a formality for the season. The start, however, was very unsensational, with 4 draws and a loss in their first 5 league games. Their form did improve, but the season was mainly noted for the amount of career-ending injuries to Steve Kindon, Andy Rankin, Dick Taylor, Fred Robinson and Peter Fletcher. Even Steve Smith was called up for Town's FA Cup game against Workington.
Town's season seemed to be a battle against relegation back to Division 4, but results such as the thrashings of Reading by 6–1, Swindon Town by 5–1 and the 5–0 defeat of Bristol City, which seemed to guarantee Town's Division 3 status, near the end of May. Town finished with 57 points in the first season in which 3 points for a win was introduced, but a disappointing finishing position of 17th, would be a distant memory after next season's exploits.

## 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 | Brian Cox (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) |
| -- | GK | ENG | Andy Rankin |
| -- | GK | ENG | Dick Taylor |
| -- | DF | ENG | Malcolm Brown |
| -- | DF | ENG | David Burke |
| -- | DF | ENG | Keith Hanvey |
| -- | DF | ENG | Dave Sutton |
| -- | DF | ENG | Peter Valentine |
| -- | MF | ENG | David Cowling |
| -- | MF | ENG | Mick Kennedy |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| -- | MF | WAL | Bernard Purdie |
| -- | MF | ENG | Brian Stanton |
| -- | MF | ENG | Phil Wilson |
| -- | FW | ENG | Terry Austin |
| -- | FW | ENG | Peter Fletcher |
| -- | FW | ENG | Tim Hotte |
| -- | FW | ENG | Steve Kindon |
| -- | FW | ENG | Mark Lillis |
| -- | FW | ENG | Ian Robins |

## Results
### Division Three

| Date | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 29 August 1981 | Exeter City | H | 1–1 | Kindon | 8,647 | 13th |
| 5 September 1981 | Oxford United | A | 0–1 | | 3,976 | 19th |
| 12 September 1981 | Wimbledon | H | 1–1 | Fletcher | 7,326 | 21st |
| 19 September 1981 | Burnley | A | 0–0 | | 6,485 | 21st |
| 22 September 1981 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | Kennedy | 6,483 | 19th |
| 26 September 1981 | Southend United | H | 3–2 | Kindon (pen), Robins, Kennedy (pen) | 7,254 | 15th |
| 29 September 1981 | Chester | H | 1–2 | Robins | 7,747 | 18th |
| 3 October 1981 | Reading | A | 2–1 | Kindon (pen), Hicks (og) | 4,971 | 15th |
| 10 October 1981 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | Robins | 8,258 | 12th |
| 17 October 1981 | Gillingham | A | 2–3 | Weatherly (og), Hanvey | 4,432 | 16th |
| 20 October 1981 | Carlisle United | H | 2–1 | Burke, Cowling | 7,185 | 11th |
| 24 October 1981 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–3 | Lillis, Kennedy (pen) | 5,064 | 15th |
| 31 October 1981 | Millwall | H | 1–2 | Robins | 8,546 | 17th |
| 3 November 1981 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | | 6,847 | 18th |
| 6 November 1981 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 2–1 | Kennedy, Laverick | 11,319 | 15th |
| 14 November 1981 | Swindon Town | H | 3–0 | Laverick (2), Hanvey | 7,802 | 14th |
| 28 November 1981 | Portsmouth | A | 1–2 | Aizlewood (og) | 8,155 | 15th |
| 5 December 1981 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–0 | | 6,949 | 15th |
| 2 January 1982 | Brentford | A | 1–0 | Fletcher | 5,440 | 14th |
| 9 January 1982 | Oxford United | H | 2–0 | Cowling, Brown | 7,070 | 9th |
| 16 January 1982 | Bristol City | A | 0–0 | | 4,921 | 8th |
| 30 January 1982 | Burnley | H | 1–2 | Cowling | 10,629 | 12th |
| 6 February 1982 | Wimbledon | A | 0–2 | | 2,499 | 16th |
| 9 February 1982 | Preston North End | H | 2–3 | Fletcher (2) | 6,674 | 16th |
| 13 February 1982 | Reading | H | 6–1 | Fletcher (2), Lillis, Hicks (og), Cowling, Stanton | 6,022 | 13th |
| 16 February 1982 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | Austin | 3,362 | 14th |
| 20 February 1982 | Chester | A | 1–2 | Purdie | 3,120 | 15th |
| 27 February 1982 | Fulham | H | 2–2 | Austin, Stanton | 5,963 | 15th |
| 2 March 1982 | Lincoln City | H | 0–2 | | 5,874 | 15th |
| 6 March 1982 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | Robins, Fletcher | 5,338 | 15th |
| 9 March 1982 | Carlisle United | A | 2–2 | Robins, Lillis | 3,643 | 13th |
| 13 March 1982 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–2 | | 6,156 | 16th |
| 23 March 1982 | Chesterfield | H | 1–1 | Lillis | 6,721 | 17th |
| 27 March 1982 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–2 | Hanvey | 6,871 | 18th |
| 30 March 1982 | Newport County | H | 2–0 | Kennedy (pen), Hotte | 4,205 | 16th |
| 3 April 1982 | Swindon Town | A | 5–1 | Hanvey, Hotte (2), Cowling, Kennedy | 3,872 | 14th |
| 6 April 1982 | Millwall | A | 3–1 | Lillis, Cowling, Wilson | 3,507 | 12th |
| 10 April 1982 | Walsall | H | 2–1 | Cowling, Hotte | 6,572 | 12th |
| 12 April 1982 | Lincoln City | A | 0–2 | | 8,203 | 13th |
| 17 April 1982 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | Kennedy (pen) | 5,434 | 12th |
| 24 April 1982 | Portsmouth | H | 0–1 | | 5,658 | 13th |
| 1 May 1982 | Southend United | A | 0–4 | | 4,470 | 16th |
| 4 May 1982 | Bristol City | H | 5–0 | Boyle (og), Cowling, Robins, Stanton, Wilson | 3,468 | 14th |
| 8 May 1982 | Brentford | H | 1–1 | Valentine | 4,542 | 14th |
| 12 May 1982 | Exeter City | A | 0–1 | | 2,888 | 15th |
| 15 May 1982 | Newport County | A | 0–1 | | 4,169 | 16th |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 21 November 1981 | Round 1 | Workington | A | 1–1 | Brown | 3,101 |
| 24 November 1981 | Round 1 Replay | Workington | H | 5–0 | Robins, Lillis, Laverick (2), Brown | 7,305 |
| 12 December 1981 | Round 2 | Chesterfield | A | 1–0 | Cowling | 8,609 |
| 23 January 1982 | Round 3 | Carlisle United | A | 3–2 | Fletcher (3) | 6,345 |
| 26 January 1982 | Round 4 | Orient | H | 1–1 | Austin | 13,623 |
| 1 February 1982 | Round 4 Replay | Orient | A | 0–2 | | 6,478 |

### Milk Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 1 September 1981 | Round 1 1st Leg | Rochdale | H | 3–1 | Fletcher (2), Wilson | 6,713 |
| 15 September 1981 | Round 1 2nd Leg | Rochdale | A | 4–2 | Fletcher (2), Robins, Kindon | 3,735 Huddersfield won 7–3 on aggregate. |
| 6 October 1981 | Round 2 1st Leg | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 1–0 | Austin | 9,803 |
| 27 October 1981 | Round 2 2nd Leg | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–2 | | 14,192 Huddersfield lost 2–1 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 |
| Terry Austin | England | FW | 20 (1) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 (2) | 1 | 27 (3) | 4 |
| Graham Bell | England | MF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Malcolm Brown | England | DF | 46 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 3 |
| David Burke | England | DF | 41 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
| David Cowling | England | MF | 36 (2) | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 (1) | 0 | 43 (3) | 9 |
| Brian Cox | England | GK | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Peter Fletcher | England | FW | 22 (4) | 7 | 4 (1) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 29 (5) | 14 |
| Keith Hanvey | England | DF | 43 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 52 | 4 |
| Tim Hotte | England | FW | 13 (1) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 (1) | 4 |
| Mick Kennedy | England | MF | 39 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 47 | 7 |
| Steve Kindon | England | FW | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 4 |
| Mick Laverick | England | MF | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
| Mark Lillis | England | MF | 42 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 52 | 6 |
| Bernard Purdie | Wales | DF | 11 (4) | 1 | 2 (2) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15 (6) | 1 |
| Andy Rankin | England | GK | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Ian Robins | England | FW | 26 (6) | 7 | 3 (1) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 32 (7) | 9 |
| Steve Smith | England | DF | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brian Stanton | England | MF | 31 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 |
| Dave Sutton | England | DF | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Dick Taylor | England | GK | 13 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Peter Valentine | England | DF | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Phil Wilson | England | MF | 31 (3) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 36 (3) | 3 |