1957–58 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season explained

Season:1957–58
League Result:9th
Cup1 Result:Third round
League Topscorer:Les Massie (12)
Season Topscorer:Les Massie (13)
Highest Attendance:21,662 vs Barnsley (9 November 1957)
Lowest Attendance:5,971 vs Bristol City (19 February 1958)
Largest Win:3–0 vs Doncaster Rovers (31 August 1957)
3–0 vs Ipswich Town (12 October 1957)
3–0 vs Notts County (18 January 1958)
Largest Loss:0–5 vs Barnsley (21 August 1957)
Nextseason:1958–59

Huddersfield Town's 1957–58 campaign was a fairly mediocre season for the Town under Bill Shankly, taking charge for his first full season at Leeds Road. The season will be best remembered for the match against Charlton Athletic at The Valley on 21 December 1957. The match finished 7–6 to Charlton, after Charlton had only ten men for the majority of the match and the fact that with 27 minutes remaining, Town were leading 5–1 before losing the match. This remains the only match in professional football where a team has scored 6 goals and went on to lose the match.

Review

In Bill Shankly's first full season in charge, the team experienced a mixture of results, ultimately finishing the season in 9th place with 44 points, 12 points behind 2nd placed Blackburn Rovers. The season also saw Vic Metcalfe make his last appearance in a Town shirt in March against Sheffield United.

A significant highlight of the season was the match against Charlton Athletic at The Valley on 21 December 1957. Despite playing with only ten men for the majority of the match, Charlton claimed a 7-6 victory. Notably, with only 27 minutes remaining, Town were leading 5–1 before they went on to lose the match. This remains the only match in professional football, where a team has scored 6 goals and still lost. Incredibly, Town and Charlton played each other 4 times that season, and 24 goals were scored in those matches.

Results

Division Two

DateOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F – A
ScorersAttendancePosition
24 August 1957Charlton AthleticH3–3Bain, Simpson, Taylor16,92111th
28 August 1957LiverpoolA1–1Massie41,44711th
31 August 1957Doncaster RoversA3–0Massie (2), Simpson14,6317th
4 September 1957LiverpoolH2–1Howard (2)16,6144th
7 September 1957Rotherham UnitedH1–3Bain20,4149th
11 September 1957Cardiff CityA0–110,07312th
14 September 1957Notts CountyA1–1Bain15,58412th
18 September 1957Cardiff CityH1–1Baker (og)9,82111th
21 September 1957Grimsby TownA1–4Hepton14,38014th
28 September 1957Stoke CityH1–0Connor12,46711th
5 October 1957Bristol CityA3–1Wilson, Massie, Bain21,34110th
12 October 1957Ipswich TownH3–0Deacon (og), McHale, Bain15,2768th
19 October 1957Blackburn RoversA1–1Massie20,6067th
26 October 1957Sheffield UnitedH1–1Cockerill17,1497th
2 November 1957West Ham UnitedA2–5Connor, Cockerill21,52510th
9 November 1957BarnsleyH0–521,66211th
16 November 1957FulhamA1–2Bain18,24312th
23 November 1957Swansea TownH2–2Simpson, McGarry12,86013th
30 November 1957Derby CountyA4–2Law (2, 1 pen), Massie, Simpson20,56612th
7 December 1957Bristol RoversH0–011,02812th
14 December 1957Lincoln CityA1–1Law8,47311th
21 December 1957Charlton AthleticA6–7Massie, Bain (2), McGarry (pen), Ledger, Howard12,53513th
25 December 1957MiddlesbroughH1–0Massie16,28111th
26 December 1957MiddlesbroughA1–0Ledger22,96410th
28 December 1957Doncaster RoversH2–2Ledger, Howard16,68211th
11 January 1958Rotherham UnitedA1–1Connor8,83312th
18 January 1958Notts CountyH3–0Simpson, France, McGarry9,17310th
1 February 1958Grimsby TownH1–0Simpson14,3338th
8 February 1958Stoke CityA1–1Simpson16,4899th
19 February 1958Bristol CityH0–05,9718th
22 February 1958Swansea TownA1–1Law13,4007th
5 March 1958Blackburn RoversH2–1McGarry, Massie6,4315th
8 March 1958Sheffield UnitedA2–3Law, McGarry (pen)19,8348th
15 March 1958West Ham UnitedH3–1Ledger (2), Simpson19,0937th
22 March 1958BarnsleyA3–2Massie, McHale, Simpson16,5497th
29 March 1958FulhamH0–319,2158th
4 April 1958Leyton OrientA1–3Massie16,8408th
5 April 1958Ipswich TownA0–415,71210th
8 April 1958Leyton OrientH2–0Massie, McGarry14,8869th
12 April 1958Derby CountyH0–012,4419th
19 April 1958Bristol RoversA1–1Low16,1857th
26 April 1958Lincoln CityH0–18,4649th

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F – A
ScorersAttendance
4 January 1958Round 3Charlton AthleticH2–2Law, Massie20,223
8 January 1958Round 3 ReplayCharlton AthleticA0–126,637

Appearances and goals

NameNationPositionLeague AppsLeague GoalsFA Cup AppsFA Cup GoalsTotal AppsTotal Goals
Alex BainFW19810208
John BattyeDF100010
Ron CockerillDF19100191
John CoddingtonDF300030
Jack ConnorDF31320333
Tony ConwellDF31100311
Harry FearnleyGK300030
Tony FranceFW410041
Brian GibsonDF19020210
Stan HeptonMF510051
Stan HowardMF13410144
Sandy KennonGK39020410
Denis LawMF18521206
Bob LedgerMF21510225
Gordon LowDF510051
Les MassieFW3912214113
Bill McGarryDF34620366
Kevin McHaleMF23210242
Vic MetcalfeMF23000230
Ron SimpsonFW41920439
Ken TaylorDF40120421
Ray WilsonDF31120331