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1978–79 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

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Huddersfield Town
1978–79 season
ChairmanEngland Keith Longbottom
ManagerScotland Tom Johnston (until 29 August 1978)
England Mick Buxton (from 31 October 1978)
Football League Fourth Division9th
FA CupFirst round
(knocked out by Doncaster Rovers)
Football League CupFirst round
(knocked out by Preston North End)
Top goalscorerLeague: Ian Robins (16)
All: Ian Robins (16)
Highest home attendance9,382 vs Barnsley (2 May 1979)
Lowest home attendance1,680 vs Torquay United (30 April 1979)
Biggest win3–0 vs Wimbledon (21 October 1978)
Biggest defeat0–3 vs Preston North End (12 August 1978)
0–3 vs Hereford United (25 April 1979)

Huddersfield Town's 1978-79 campaign was Town's penultimate season in their 5-year stint in the Football League's basement division. It also saw the arrival of Mick Buxton at the club, he would be Town's second longest manager in the club's history. After replacing Tom Johnston, Town gained a resurgence in their form and then finished in 9th place. It would be a precursor to Town's championship winning team the next 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
-- GK England ENG Dick Taylor
-- DF England ENG Jim Branagan
-- DF England ENG Malcolm Brown
-- DF England ENG Paul Gartland
-- DF England ENG Phil Sandercock
-- DF England ENG Dave Sutton
-- DF England ENG Chris Topping
-- MF England ENG Terry Armstrong
-- MF England ENG Paul Bielby
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF England ENG David Cowling
-- MF England ENG Keith Hanvey
-- MF England ENG Peter Hart
-- MF England ENG Ian Holmes
-- MF England ENG Keith Ripley
-- FW England ENG Peter Fletcher
-- FW England ENG Terry Gray
-- FW England ENG Peter Howey
-- FW England ENG Mark Lillis
-- FW Scotland SCO Frank McGrellis (on loan from Coventry City)

Review

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Following on from the previous season's disappointments and the early season's poor form, Tom Johnston resigned and following a spell as caretaker, Mick Buxton became the new manager and helped Town recover their form mainly from the signing from Bury and the conversion of Keith Hanvey from midfield to defence to partner Dave Sutton in the centre.

Town would finish the season in 9th place with just 47 points, but the following season would see Town return to Division 3 in style.

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 Alan Starling
-- GK England ENG Dick Taylor
-- DF England ENG Jim Branagan
-- DF England ENG Malcolm Brown
-- DF England ENG Paul Gartland
-- DF England ENG Keith Hanvey
-- DF England ENG Phil Sandercock
-- DF England ENG Dave Sutton
-- DF England ENG Chris Topping
-- MF England ENG Terry Armstrong
-- MF England ENG Paul Bielby
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF England ENG David Cowling
-- MF England ENG Peter Hart
-- MF England ENG Ian Holmes
-- MF England ENG Keith Ripley
-- FW England ENG Daryl Brook
-- FW England ENG Peter Fletcher
-- FW England ENG Terry Gray
-- FW England ENG Peter Howey
-- 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
19 August 1978 Crewe Alexandra H 0 - 0 2,838 13th
22 August 1978 Darlington A 0 - 1 2,549 18th
25 August 1978 Scunthorpe United A 1 - 3 Hanvey 3,200 19th
2 September 1978 Reading H 1 - 1 Bielby (pen) 2,951 21st
9 September 1978 Doncaster Rovers H 2 - 1 Hanvey, Bielby 4,038 16th
12 September 1978 Bournemouth A 0 - 2 2,416 18th
16 September 1978 Barnsley A 0 - 1 11,794 20th
23 September 1978 Northampton Town H 1 - 0 Holmes 3,320 17th
26 September 1978 Grimsby Town H 2 - 0 Brolly (og), Campbell (pen) 4,238 16th
29 September 1978 Stockport County A 1 - 3 Bielby (pen) 5,554 17th
7 October 1978 Wigan Athletic H 1 - 1 Bielby (pen) 5,150 16th
14 October 1978 Newport County A 1 - 2 Robins 3,624 22nd
17 October 1978 Hereford United H 2 - 3 Campbell (2) 2,565 22nd
21 October 1978 Wimbledon H 3 - 0 Robins (2), Bielby 3,374 18th
28 October 1978 Bradford City A 1 - 1 Fletcher 5,478 19th
4 November 1978 York City H 1 - 0 Sutton 3,696 16th
11 November 1978 Reading A 1 - 1 Robins 6,870 15th
18 November 1978 Scunthorpe United H 3 - 2 Topping, Gray, Fletcher 3,375 15th
2 December 1978 Aldershot H 0 - 0 3,138 13th
9 December 1978 Portsmouth A 0 - 1 11,615 15th
26 December 1978 Halifax Town H 2 - 0 Fletcher, Robins 5,341 16th
1 January 1979 Port Vale A 0 - 1 4,021 17th
3 February 1979 Grimsby Town A 1 - 2 Robins 4,921 17th
17 February 1979 Wigan Athletic A 1 - 2 Robins 7,420 18th
24 February 1979 Newport County H 0 - 1 3,361 20th
27 February 1979 Doncaster Rovers A 2 - 0 Holmes, Howey 3,419 18th
3 March 1979 Wimbledon A 1 - 2 Holmes 3,265 18th
6 March 1979 Northampton Town A 3 - 2 Holmes (2), Robins 1,823 18th
10 March 1979 Bradford City H 0 - 0 6,188 18th
13 March 1979 Bournemouth H 2 - 1 Fletcher, Armstrong 2,268 18th
24 March 1979 Darlington H 2 - 2 Robins (2) 2,862 18th
28 March 1979 Crewe Alexandra A 3 - 3 Fletcher (2), Holmes 1,382 18th
31 March 1979 Hartlepool United H 2 - 0 Robins, Holmes 2,420 16th
4 April 1979 Stockport County H 0 - 0 2,267 14th
7 April 1979 Aldershot A 0 - 1 4,215 16th
10 April 1979 Rochdale A 2 - 0 Fletcher, Robins 2,020 13th
14 April 1979 Halifax Town A 3 - 2 Fletcher (2), Holmes 4,027 12th
16 April 1979 Port Vale H 3 - 2 Robins, Fletcher, Holmes 3,236 10th
17 April 1979 Rochdale H 1 - 0 Fletcher 3,346 9th
21 April 1979 Torquay United A 1 - 2 Holmes 2,478 9th
25 April 1979 Hereford United A 0 - 3 2,635 11th
28 April 1979 Portsmouth H 2 - 0 Robins, Fletcher (pen) 2,895 10th
30 April 1979 Torquay United H 1 - 1 Hart 1,680 10th
2 May 1979 Barnsley H 1 - 0 Robins 9,382 9th
5 May 1979 Hartlepool United A 0 - 2 2,207 10th
19 May 1979 York City A 3 - 1 Holmes, Cowling, Robins 2,664 9th
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F - A
Scorers Attendance
25 November 1978 Round 1 Doncaster Rovers A 1 - 2 Fletcher 4,330
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F - A
Scorers Attendance
12 August 1978 Round 1 1st Leg Preston North End A 0 - 3 6,841
15 August 1978 Round 1 2nd Leg Preston North End H 2 - 2 Holmes, Ripley (pen) 3,435
  • Huddersfield lost 5-2 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
Terry Armstrong  England FW 15 (2) 1 0 0 0 0 15 (2) 1
Paul Bielby  England MF 29 (2) 5 1 0 0 0 30 (2) 5
Jim Branagan  England DF 13 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 13 (1) 0
Daryl Brook  England FW 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Malcolm Brown  England DF 42 0 1 0 2 0 45 0
Bobby Campbell  Northern Ireland FW 7 3 0 0 0 0 7 3
David Cowling  England MF 25 (1) 1 1 0 0 0 26 (1) 1
Peter Fletcher  England FW 31 (4) 12 0 (1) 1 2 0 33 (5) 13
Paul Gartland  England DF 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Terry Gray  England FW 22 (4) 1 1 0 0 0 23 (4) 1
Keith Hanvey  England DF 32 2 0 0 2 0 34 2
Peter Hart  England MF 46 1 1 0 2 0 49 1
Ian Holmes  England MF 31 (3) 11 0 0 2 1 33 (3) 12
Peter Howey  England MF 10 1 0 0 2 0 12 1
Mark Lillis  England MF 11 (1) 0 1 0 0 0 12 (1) 0
Frank McGrellis  Scotland FW 4 (1) 0 0 0 2 0 6 (1) 0
Keith Ripley  England MF 2 (3) 0 0 0 0 (1) 1 2 (4) 1
Ian Robins  England FW 37 (1) 16 1 0 0 0 38 (1) 16
Phil Sandercock  England DF 36 0 1 0 2 0 39 0
Tommy Smith  England FW 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0
Alan Starling  England GK 45 0 1 0 2 0 48 0
Dave Sutton  England DF 39 1 1 0 2 0 42 1
Dick Taylor  England GK 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Chris Topping  England DF 23 1 1 0 2 0 26 1