1982–83 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season explained

Season:1982–83
League Result:3rd (promoted)
Cup1 Result:Third round
Cup2 Result:Fourth round
League Topscorer:Mark Lillis (20)
Season Topscorer:Mark Lillis (20)
Highest Attendance:18,438 vs Bradford City (1 January 1983)
Lowest Attendance:4,282 vs Walsall (11 September 1982)
Largest Win:6–0 vs Orient (28 September 1982)
Largest Loss:0–3 vs Millwall (2 October 1982)
Nextseason:1983–84

Huddersfield Town's 1982–83 campaign was one of Town's most successful seasons in their recent history. Under the leadership of Mick Buxton, Town managed to secure their second promotion in 4 seasons, following their promotion from the Fourth Division in the 1979-80 season. This is also the only season in Town's history to date, in which they were unbeaten at home all season. They finished 3rd, behind Portsmouth and Cardiff City.

Review

Town had failed to get the good start to the season that they wanted by failing to win any of their first 5 league games. Following that start Mick Buxton made an inspired signing, the Liverpool striker Colin Russell. He scored two goals on his debut in Town's 2-0 win over Oxford United, which was followed by a 6-0 thrashing of Orient. Then, following a 3-game mini-blip, Town went on a run of 7 wins in a row. During that run, Mark Lillis scored 9 goals in 4 games, including 4 against Cardiff City.

As that run was winding down, Town also managed a sensational 1-0 win at Leeds United in the League Cup third round, in which David Cowling scored the famous header that knocked Town's rivals. They also gave a good thrashing to their other rivals Bradford City on New Year's Day, by beating them 6-3, in which Brian Stanton scored 4 times. Town's home form along with the goalscoring abilities of Mark Lillis, Colin Russell and Brian Stanton gave Town their only season in their history in which they didn't lose a single home game in any competition.

Town continued their run of good form for most of the remainder of the season and promotion was secured by beating promotion rivals Newport County at Leeds Road, which saw Town get promoted to Division 2 along with Portsmouth & Cardiff City.

Results

Division Three

DateOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F - A
ScorersAttendancePosition
28 August 1982Exeter CityH1 - 1M. Cox5,16811th
4 September 1982WrexhamA1 - 1Bater (og)3,92518th
7 September 1982Sheffield UnitedA0 - 216,64120th
11 September 1982WalsallH2 - 2Lillis, Doyle4,28221st
18 September 1982Newport CountyA1 - 2Stanton3,53622nd
25 September 1982Oxford UnitedH2 - 0Russell (2)4,95817th
28 September 1982OrientH6 - 0Russell, Lillis, Pugh, Sutton, Stanton (2)6,67114th
2 October 1982MillwallA0 - 33,00418th
9 October 1982PortsmouthH1 - 1Brown6,24315th
16 October 1982Preston North EndA0 - 05,57015th
19 October 1982Southend UnitedH2 - 1Russell, Brown (pen)4,75014th
23 October 1982Cardiff CityH4 - 0Lillis (4)6,12112th
30 October 1982GillinghamA3 - 1Lillis (2), Cowling5,9198th
2 November 1982Doncaster RoversH3 - 0Lillis (2), Russell6,8487th
6 November 1982BournemouthA1 - 0Lillis5,1946th
13 November 1982BrentfordH2 - 0Russell (2)10,0345th
27 November 1982Bristol RoversH3 - 1Pugh, Russell (2)8,2512nd
4 December 1982Plymouth ArgyleA1 - 2Wilson4,2274th
18 December 1982ReadingA1 - 1Stanton2,4686th
27 December 1982ChesterfieldH3 - 1Brown (pen), Lillis, Russell11,6035th
28 December 1982Lincoln CityA2 - 1Lillis, Hanvey11,8293rd
1 January 1983Bradford CityH6 - 3Brown (pen), Stanton (4), Wilson18,4383rd
3 January 1983Wigan AthleticA0 - 27,7244th
15 January 1983Exeter CityA4 - 3Lillis, Wilson, Stanton, Cowling2,8823rd
22 January 1983Sheffield UnitedH0 - 015,7693rd
29 January 1983WalsallA0 - 23,9225th
5 February 1983Oxford UnitedA1 - 1Brown4,9755th
12 February 1983MillwallH5 - 1Lillis, Russell (2), Hanvey, Wilson8,1115th
14 February 1983Southend UnitedA1 - 0Lillis2,2624th
22 February 1983PortsmouthA2 - 3Russell, Brown (pen)18,6154th
26 February 1983Preston North EndH1 - 1Cowling8,5624th
1 March 1983Doncaster RoversA4 - 0Cowling, Lillis, Russell, Stanton6,0783rd
12 March 1983GillinghamH3 - 2Doyle, Brown (pen), Burke8,2643rd
15 March 1983Cardiff CityA1 - 1Cowling10,3793rd
19 March 1983BournemouthH0 - 08,6303rd
26 March 1983BrentfordA0 - 16,2774th
29 March 1983WrexhamH4 - 1Lillis, Cowling, Hanvey, Stanton9,5194th
2 April 1983Lincoln CityH1 - 1Sutton13,0285th
4 April 1983ChesterfieldA1 - 0Lillis6,7293rd
9 April 1983Plymouth ArgyleH2 - 0Hanvey, Brown (pen)9,2772nd
16 April 1983OrientA3 - 1Wilson, Stanton, Lillis3,4981st
23 April 1983ReadingH3 - 1Stanton, Russell, Brown (pen)10,8851st
30 April 1983Bristol RoversA0 - 18,9193rd
7 May 1983Newport CountyH1 - 0Cowling16,5093rd
10 May 1983Wigan AthleticH1 - 1Russell11,0933rd
14 May 1983Bradford CityA1 - 3Wilson10,3753rd

FA Cup

See main article: 1982–83 FA Cup.

DateRoundOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F - A
ScorersAttendance
20 November 1982Round 1MossleyH1–0Brown7,599
11 December 1982Round 2AltrinchamA1–0Stanton5,800
8 January 1983Round 3ChelseaH1–1Stanton17,064
12 January 1983Round 3 ReplayChelseaA0–214,417

League Cup

See main article: 1982–83 Football League Cup.

DateRoundOpponentsHome/
Away
Result
F - A
ScorersAttendance
30 August 1982Round 1 1st LegDoncaster RoversH1–1Brown4,430
14 September 1982Round 1 2nd LegDoncaster RoversA1–0Brown4,690
  • Huddersfield won 2-1 on aggregate.
5 October 1982Round 2 1st LegOxford UnitedH2–0Russell, Stanton4,362
27 October 1982Round 2 2nd LegOxford UnitedA0–14,982
  • Huddersfield won 2-1 on aggregate.
10 November 1982Round 3Leeds UnitedA1–0Cowling24,215
30 November 1982Round 4ArsenalA0–117,742

Appearances and goals

NameNationPositionLeague AppsLeague GoalsFA Cup AppsFA Cup GoalsLeague Cup AppsLeague Cup GoalsTotal AppsTotal Goals
Terry AustinFW30001040
Malcolm BrownDF46941615611
David BurkeDF4414050531
David CowlingMF4174051568
Brian CoxGK4504060550
Maurice CoxMF3 (1)100104 (1)1
Steve DoyleMF41 (1)2405050 (1)2
Roy GreenwoodDF400 (1)0206 (1)0
Keith HanveyDF4343050514
Tim HotteFW1 (1)000001 (1)0
Mick LaverickMF20000020
Mark LillisMF462040605620
Keith MasonGK10000010
Daral PughMF9 (18)20 (1)0009 (19)2
Colin RussellFW411640414917
Brian StantonMF40 (4)13426250 (4)17
Kevin StonehouseFW50000050
Dave SuttonDF4124060512
Peter ValentineDF50102080
Phil WilsonMF4564060556