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

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.

Huddersfield Town
1978–79 season
Chairman Keith Longbottom
Manager Tom Johnston (until 29 August 1978)
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)

Squad at the start of the season

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  ENG Alan Starling
-- GK  ENG Dick Taylor
-- DF  ENG Jim Branagan
-- DF  ENG Malcolm Brown
-- DF  ENG Paul Gartland
-- DF  ENG Phil Sandercock
-- DF  ENG Dave Sutton
-- DF  ENG Chris Topping
-- MF  ENG Terry Armstrong
-- MF  ENG Paul Bielby
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF  ENG David Cowling
-- MF  ENG Keith Hanvey
-- MF  ENG Peter Hart
-- MF  ENG Ian Holmes
-- MF  ENG Keith Ripley
-- FW  ENG Peter Fletcher
-- FW  ENG Terry Gray
-- FW  ENG Peter Howey
-- FW  ENG Mark Lillis
-- FW  SCO Frank McGrellis (on loan from Coventry City)

Review

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

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  ENG Alan Starling
-- GK  ENG Dick Taylor
-- DF  ENG Jim Branagan
-- DF  ENG Malcolm Brown
-- DF  ENG Paul Gartland
-- DF  ENG Keith Hanvey
-- DF  ENG Phil Sandercock
-- DF  ENG Dave Sutton
-- DF  ENG Chris Topping
-- MF  ENG Terry Armstrong
-- MF  ENG Paul Bielby
No. Pos. Nation Player
-- MF  ENG David Cowling
-- MF  ENG Peter Hart
-- MF  ENG Ian Holmes
-- MF  ENG Keith Ripley
-- FW  ENG Daryl Brook
-- FW  ENG Peter Fletcher
-- FW  ENG Terry Gray
-- FW  ENG Peter Howey
-- FW  ENG Mark Lillis
-- FW  ENG Ian Robins
-- FW  ENG Tommy Smith

Results

Division Four

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

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F - A
Scorers Attendance
25 November 1978 Round 1 Doncaster Rovers A 1 - 2 Fletcher 4,330

Football League Cup

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

NameNationPositionLeague AppsLeague GoalsFA Cup AppsFA Cup GoalsLeague Cup AppsLeague Cup GoalsTotal AppsTotal Goals
Terry Armstrong EnglandFW15 (2)1000015 (2)1
Paul Bielby EnglandMF29 (2)5100030 (2)5
Jim Branagan EnglandDF13 (1)0000013 (1)0
Daryl Brook EnglandFW10000010
Malcolm Brown EnglandDF4201020450
Bobby Campbell Northern IrelandFW73000073
David Cowling EnglandMF25 (1)1100026 (1)1
Peter Fletcher EnglandFW31 (4)120 (1)12033 (5)13
Paul Gartland EnglandDF40000040
Terry Gray EnglandFW22 (4)1100023 (4)1
Keith Hanvey EnglandDF3220020342
Peter Hart EnglandMF4611020491
Ian Holmes EnglandMF31 (3)11002133 (3)12
Peter Howey EnglandMF1010020121
Mark Lillis EnglandMF11 (1)0100012 (1)0
Frank McGrellis ScotlandFW4 (1)000206 (1)0
Keith Ripley EnglandMF2 (3)0000 (1)12 (4)1
Ian Robins EnglandFW37 (1)16100038 (1)16
Phil Sandercock EnglandDF3601020390
Tommy Smith EnglandFW0 (1)000000 (1)0
Alan Starling EnglandGK4501020480
Dave Sutton EnglandDF3911020421
Dick Taylor EnglandGK10000010
Chris Topping EnglandDF2311020261
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