1965–66 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season explained

Season:1965–66
League Result:4th
Cup1 Result:Fifth round
Cup2 Result:Third round
League Topscorer:Allan Gilliver (18)
Season Topscorer:Allan Gilliver (18)
Highest Attendance:49,514 vs Sheffield Wednesday (5 March 1966)
Lowest Attendance:9,774 vs Preston North End (13 October 1965)
Largest Win:6–0 vs Middlesbrough (28 August 1965)
Largest Loss:1–4 vs Derby County (16 April 1966)
Nextseason:1966–67

Huddersfield Town's 1965–66 campaign was a fairly successful season for the Town. For a large amount of the season, Town were on the verge on promotion to Division 1. Town also managed to reach the 5th round of the FA Cup, before losing to Sheffield Wednesday. Town finished in 4th place, but a win in the final game against Coventry City, might have given the team promotion, but a 2–0 defeat left the door open for Southampton.

Review

Tom Johnston began his first full season in charge of Huddersfield Town in glorious mood. They won their first 3 games, which included a 6–0 win over Middlesbrough, where both Allan Gilliver and Les Massie scored hat-tricks. Gilliver actually scored 7 goals in his first 4 league games, which would lead him to a transfer to Blackburn Rovers at the end of the season. By Christmas, Town were at the summit of the 2nd Division, but a little drop in form saw them slowly go down the table.

A nice run in the FA Cup saw Town reach the 5th round, before they narrowly lost to Sheffield Wednesday. Town only won 2 of their last 10 matches, which saw them miss out on promotion by just 3 points from Southampton. This would be the closest that Town would get to Division 1 until their promotion in the 1969–70 season.

Results

Division Two

DateOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F–A
ScorersAttendancePosition
21 August 1965Leyton OrientA2–0Gilliver, Nicholson7,3811st
24 August 1965Ipswich TownH1–0Gilliver11,4481st
28 August 1965MiddlesbroughH6–0Gilliver (3), Massie (3)14,7721st
31 August 1965Ipswich TownA2–2Gilliver (2)14,2831st
4 September 1965Bristol CityA1–2Nicholson15,7082nd
7 September 1965Bolton WanderersH1–0McHale24,5321st
11 September 1965Crystal PalaceA1–2O'Grady16,6844th
15 September 1965Bolton WanderersA1–1Leighton16,6143rd
18 September 1965Preston North EndH2–1Leighton (2)18,1142nd
25 September 1965Charlton AthleticA2–0Massie, O'Grady14,6611st
2 October 1965Plymouth ArgyleH2–1McHale, Leighton16,7071st
9 October 1965Manchester CityH0–031,8761st
16 October 1965Rotherham UnitedA0–016,9391st
23 October 1965Wolverhampton WanderersH1–1Leighton19,1221st
30 October 1965Norwich CityA1–1Leighton16,4423rd
6 November 1965BuryH2–0Quigley, Weston17,2121st
13 November 1965SouthamptonA1–0Nicholson21,6601st
20 November 1965Derby CountyH1–3Weston14,3362nd
27 November 1965Cardiff CityA1–0Smith10,8981st
4 December 1965Carlisle UnitedH2–0Leighton (2 pens)15,5171st
11 December 1965Coventry CityA3–0Nicholson, Gilliver, McHale27,7351st
18 December 1965Rotherham UnitedH4–0McHale, Gilliver (2), Leighton (pen)17,8551st
28 December 1965Birmingham CityA1–2Leighton19,7501st
1 January 1966Manchester CityA0–247,1711st
8 January 1966SouthamptonH2–0Gilliver (2)17,9891st
15 January 1966Wolverhampton WanderersA1–2Weston28,6982nd
29 January 1966Leyton OrientH1–1Leighton16,0113rd
5 February 1966MiddlesbroughA3–1Massie (3)13,4852nd
19 February 1966Bristol CityH3–0Coddington (pen), Weston (2)18,5442nd
26 February 1966Crystal PalaceH1–1Sewell (og)17,3502nd
12 March 1966Preston North EndA1–1Gilliver17,7242nd
15 March 1966Birmingham CityH2–0Gilliver (2)19,1561st
19 March 1966Charlton AthleticH1–1Gilliver17,6692nd
25 March 1966Plymouth ArgyleA0–013,9021st
6 April 1966PortsmouthA1–2McHale13,9322nd
9 April 1966Norwich CityH0–013,9422nd
11 April 1966PortsmouthH2–0Gilliver, Veall18,4791st
16 April 1966Derby CountyA1–4Massie15,7932nd
19 April 1966BuryA4–0McHale (2), Gilliver, Weston12,7831st
23 April 1966Cardiff CityH1–1Carver (og)19,1381st
30 April 1966Carlisle UnitedA0–213,6882nd
7 May 1966Coventry CityH0–224,9974th

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F–A
ScorersAttendance
24 January 1966Round 3Hartlepools UnitedH3–1Quigley (2), Leighton24,505
12 February 1966Round 4Plymouth ArgyleA2–0Smith, Massie26,335
5 March 1966Round 5Sheffield WednesdayH1–2Smith49,514

Football League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F–A
ScorersAttendance
21 September 1965Round 2BuryA2–0McHale, O'Grady5,629
13 October 1965Round 3Preston North EndH0–19,774

Appearances and goals

NameNationPositionLeague AppsLeague GoalsFA Cup AppsFA Cup GoalsLeague Cup AppsLeague Cup GoalsTotal AppsTotal Goals
Denis AtkinsDF4203020470
Chris CattlinDF0 (1)000000 (1)0
John CoddingtonDF4013000431
Peter DinsdaleDF14 (1)0202018 (1)0
Allan GilliverFW271810002818
David JoyDF10000010
Billy LeggDF10000010
Tony LeightonFW271121203112
Billy LynnMF30000030
Les MassieFW2282110259
Kevin McHaleMF4073021458
Bob McNabDF4203020470
Mick MeaganDF31 (1)0202035 (1)0
Jimmy NicholsonMF4143020464
Michael O'GradyMF1220011133
John OldfieldGK4203020470
Johnny QuigleyMF4112210443
Steve SmithMF14 (3)1221017 (3)3
Derek StokesFW00002020
Ray VeallMF1111000121
Don WestonFW11 (2)6100012 (2)6