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1948–49 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season

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Huddersfield Town
1948–49 season
ChairmanEngland Haydn Battye
ManagerEngland George Stephenson
Football League First Division20th
FA CupFourth round
(knocked out by Newport County)
Top goalscorerLeague: Peter Doherty (13)
All: Peter Doherty (14)
Highest home attendance41,322 vs Blackpool (27 December 1948)
Lowest home attendance15,401 vs Aston Villa (12 February 1949)
Biggest win5–0 vs Queens Park Rangers (15 January 1949)
Biggest defeat1–7 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (2 October 1948)

Huddersfield Town's 1948–49 campaign is referred to in Town folklore as the original "Great Escape" season (the second being the 1997–98 season), when Arnold Rodgers scored the goal that saw Town maintain their 1st Division status. His goal against Manchester City, with 10 minutes of the last match of the season remaining saw Town keep their status and relegate Preston North End and Sheffield United in the process.

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 Bob Hesford
-- GK England ENG Harry Mills
-- DF England ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF England ENG Tom Briggs
-- DF Republic of Ireland IRL Bill Hayes
-- DF England ENG George Hepplewhite
-- DF England ENG George Howe
-- DF England ENG Jack Percival
-- DF England ENG Alan Stewart
-- DF England ENG Henry Stewart
-- MF England ENG Albert Bateman
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF England ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW Ireland EIR Peter Doherty
-- FW England ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW England ENG Harold Hassall
-- FW England ENG Albert Nightingale
-- FW Scotland SCO Frank Reid
-- FW England ENG Arnold Rodgers
-- FW England ENG Conway Smith
-- FW England ENG John Tanner
-- FW England ENG Arthur Thompson
-- FW England ENG Alf Whittingham

Review

[edit]

Town's fortunes during the season didn't seem to improve on the previous season. Even the 14 goals from veteran Peter Doherty didn't seem to pull Town away from almost certain relegation. Relegation seemed to be certain for 2 out of Town, Preston North End and Sheffield United. With 10 minutes of Town's last match at home against Manchester City seemed to be heading down the trapdoor to Division 2.

But, an uncharacteristic error by legendary goalkeeper Frank Swift gave Arnold Rodgers the chance to score, which he did. Town won 1–0 which relegated Preston & Sheffield United and meant Town would live to fight another day.

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 Bob Hesford
-- GK England ENG Harry Mills
-- GK England ENG Jack Wheeler
-- DF England ENG Eddie Boot
-- DF England ENG Tom Briggs
-- DF Republic of Ireland IRL Bill Hayes
-- DF England ENG George Hepplewhite
-- DF England ENG George Howe
-- DF England ENG Donald Hunter
-- DF England ENG Jack Percival
-- DF England ENG Alan Stewart
-- DF England ENG Henry Stewart
-- DF England ENG Bill Whittaker
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF England ENG Albert Bateman
-- MF Denmark DEN Karl Aage Hansen
-- MF Ireland EIR Johnny McKenna
-- MF England ENG Vic Metcalfe
-- FW Ireland EIR Peter Doherty
-- FW England ENG Jimmy Glazzard
-- FW England ENG Harold Hassall
-- FW England ENG Albert Nightingale
-- FW Scotland SCO Frank Reid
-- FW England ENG Arnold Rodgers
-- FW England ENG Conway Smith
-- FW England ENG Arthur Thompson

Results

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Date Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance Position
21 August 1948 Arsenal H 1–1 Whittingham 30,620 7th
25 August 1948 Derby County A 1–4 Tanner 31,236 19th
28 August 1948 Charlton Athletic A 1–3 Smith 38,437 21st
1 September 1948 Derby County H 1–1 Doherty 24,182 20th
4 September 1948 Manchester United A 1–4 Doherty 57,714 21st
6 September 1948 Bolton Wanderers A 2–1 Hepplewhite, Metcalfe 25,332 18th
11 September 1948 Sheffield United H 0–0 21,088 19th
15 September 1948 Bolton Wanderers H 0–2 16,046 20th
18 September 1948 Aston Villa A 3–3 Doherty (2), Smith 44,523 20th
25 September 1948 Sunderland H 2–0 Smith, Nightingale 23,035 17th
2 October 1948 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–7 Nightingale 36,153 17th
9 October 1948 Stoke City H 1–3 Hassall 19,385 18th
16 October 1948 Burnley A 2–1 Metcalfe (2) 28,976 18th
23 October 1948 Preston North End H 0–2 20,819 19th
30 October 1948 Everton A 0–2 46,632 19th
6 November 1948 Chelsea H 3–4 Doherty (2, 1 pen), Nightingale 18,963 20th
13 November 1948 Birmingham City A 0–1 35,207 20th
20 November 1948 Middlesbrough H 0–0 16,413 22nd
27 November 1948 Newcastle United A 4–2 Nightingale, Doherty (3) 49,332 21st
4 December 1948 Portsmouth H 0–0 21,785 19th
11 December 1948 Manchester City A 1–3 Doherty 31,717 21st
18 December 1948 Arsenal A 0–3 40,000 22nd
25 December 1948 Blackpool A 0–0 29,244 21st
27 December 1948 Blackpool H 1–0 Boot 41,322 20th
1 January 1949 Charlton Athletic H 1–2 Smith 20,937 21st
22 January 1949 Sheffield United A 0–0 37,126 22nd
12 February 1949 Aston Villa H 0–1 15,401 22nd
19 February 1949 Sunderland A 1–0 Doherty (pen) 42,719 22nd
5 March 1949 Stoke City A 3–1 Hansen, McKenna, Doherty (pen) 15,595 22nd
12 March 1949 Burnley H 1–0 McKenna 23,136 20th
19 March 1949 Middlesbrough A 0–1 33,279 21st
26 March 1949 Newcastle United H 0–2 25,745 21st
2 April 1949 Chelsea A 0–5 48,136 22nd
6 April 1949 Manchester United H 2–1 Doherty (pen), Metcalfe 17,256 21st
9 April 1949 Birmingham City H 0–0 18,856 21st
15 April 1949 Liverpool A 1–0 Glazzard 47,319 19th
16 April 1949 Preston North End A 0–2 36,153 21st
18 April 1949 Liverpool H 0–4 22,158 22nd
23 April 1949 Everton H 1–1 McKenna 19,051 22nd
30 April 1949 Portsmouth A 0–2 37,042 22nd
5 May 1949 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 4–0 McKenna, Rodgers (2), Hansen 21,445 21st
7 May 1949 Manchester City H 1–0 Rodgers 27,507 20th
Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
8 January 1949 Round 3 Queens Park Rangers A 0 – 0 (aet: 90 mins: 0 – 0) 25,000
15 January 1949 Round 3 Replay Queens Park Rangers H 5–0 Glazzard (2), Nightingale, McKenna, Bateman 31,075
29 January 1949 Round 4 Newport County A 3 – 3 (aet: 90 mins: 3 – 3) Doherty, Glazzard (2) 22,500
5 February 1949 Round 4 Replay Newport County H 1–3 Metcalfe 34,183

Appearances and goals

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Name Nation Position League Apps League Goals FA Cup Apps FA Cup Goals Total Apps Total Goals
Albert Bateman  England MF 2 0 2 1 4 1
Eddie Boot  England DF 41 1 4 0 45 1
Tom Briggs  England DF 18 0 4 0 22 0
Peter Doherty  Ireland FW 26 13 2 1 28 14
Jimmy Glazzard  England FW 30 1 4 4 34 5
Karl Hansen  Denmark MF 15 2 0 0 15 2
Harold Hassall  England FW 3 1 0 0 3 1
Bill Hayes  Republic of Ireland DF 37 0 4 0 41 0
George Hepplewhite  England DF 39 1 4 0 43 1
George Howe  England DF 1 0 0 0 1 0
Donald Hunter  England DF 13 0 0 0 13 0
Johnny McKenna  Ireland MF 39 4 4 1 43 5
Vic Metcalfe  England MF 37 4 2 1 39 5
Harry Mills  England GK 26 0 0 0 26 0
Albert Nightingale  England MF 28 4 4 1 32 5
Frank Reid  Scotland FW 2 0 0 0 2 0
Arnold Rodgers  England FW 5 3 0 0 5 3
Conway Smith  England MF 16 4 0 0 16 4
Alan Stewart  England DF 5 0 0 0 5 0
Henry Stewart  England DF 23 0 0 0 23 0
John Tanner  England MF 1 1 0 0 1 1
Arthur Thompson  England FW 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jack Wheeler  England GK 16 0 4 0 20 0
Bill Whittaker  England DF 27 0 4 0 31 0
Alf Whittingham  England FW 11 1 0 0 11 1