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

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Huddersfield Town
1979–80 season
ChairmanEngland Keith Longbottom
ManagerEngland Mick Buxton
Football League Fourth Division1st (promoted)
FA CupFirst round
(knocked out by Darlington)
Football League CupSecond round
(knocked out by Grimsby Town)
Top goalscorerLeague: Ian Robins (25)
All: Ian Robins (27)
Highest home attendance17,233 vs Walsall (12 April 1980)
Lowest home attendance2,944 vs Crewe Alexandra (11 August 1979)
Biggest win6–0 vs Northwich Victoria (25 November 1979)
Biggest defeat1–4 vs Grimsby Town (4 September 1979)
1–4 vs Portsmouth (23 February 1980)

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

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

Review

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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

[edit]

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

Results

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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
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
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

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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