Huddersfield Town's 1980–81 campaign was very successful following on from the previous season's brilliant promotion from the Fourth Division. The team just missed out on earning back-to-back promotions, by finishing in 4th place, just 3 points behind 3rd-placed Charlton Athletic.
Squad at the start of the season
Review Following the successful promotion campaign from Division Four, many fans were hoping for a quick return to Division Two. After a shaky start, in which it took Town 5 games to win a match, but they started a charge up the Division 3 table, with a run of 5 straight wins between 30 September and mid-October. Then followed a mid-period of mediocrity, which led onto a run of 12 matches unbeaten including a win against Barnsley, watched by nearly 30,000 people.
After losing two games on the trot to Reading and Swindon Town, they went on a run of 6 matches unbeaten which included a 5–0 win against Exeter City. They then lost against Millwall, Burnley and Hull City ended Town's promotion hopes, despite beating both Portsmouth and Fulham at the end of the season to finish in 4th place.
Squad at the end of the season
Results
Division Three DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendancePosition16 August 1980ChesterfieldA1–2Kindon7,81917th19 August 1980Carlisle UnitedH1–1Robinson7,67417th23 August 1980BlackpoolH1–1Laverick9,49015th30 August 1980Rotherham UnitedA0–06,96116th6 September 1980ReadingH4–1Death (og), Kennedy (pen), Laverick, Stanton7,31212th13 September 1980BarnsleyA0–113,81916th16 September 1980GillinghamA0–05,09216th20 September 1980Sheffield UnitedH1–0Stanton14,72113th27 September 1980Swindon TownA0–15,85613th30 September 1980GillinghamH1–0Kindon7,71611th4 October 1980Colchester UnitedH2–0Kindon (pen), Brown8,4008th8 October 1980Oxford UnitedA2–0Robins, Cowling3,3736th11 October 1980Exeter CityA4–1Kindon (3), Stanton4,7694th18 October 1980Plymouth ArgyleH2–0Robins, Kennedy11,6552nd21 October 1980BurnleyH0–015,7413rd25 October 1980Newport CountyA2–3Kindon (2, 1 pen)6,4036th29 October 1980ChesterA2–0Kindon, Robins4,3313rd1 November 1980Charlton AthleticH0–111,3295th4 November 1980Oxford UnitedH2–0Kindon, Robins7,5434th8 November 1980MillwallA1–2Robins3,5296th11 November 1980Carlisle UnitedA1–1Kindon3,9986th15 November 1980ChesterfieldH2–0Kindon, Brown12,8285th29 November 1980BrentfordH3–0Robins, Kindon (pen), Stanton8,8714th6 December 1980FulhamA2–2Lillis, Stanton4,5135th20 December 1980PortsmouthH0–010,8696th26 December 1980WalsallA2–2Austin (2)5,9066th27 December 1980Hull CityH5–0Stanton, Austin, Cowling, Lillis, Robins13,2405th10 January 1981Newport CountyH4–1Stanton (2), Austin, Cowling9,0634th17 January 1981BrentfordA0–05,8304th24 January 1981Rotherham UnitedH1–0Stanton16,6874th31 January 1981BlackpoolA2–1Austin (2)9,4314th7 February 1981BarnsleyH1–0Cowling28,9013rd14 February 1981ReadingA1–2Lillis5,2903rd21 February 1981Swindon TownH0–210,6553rd28 February 1981Sheffield UnitedA2–2Kindon (2)14,4263rd7 March 1981Colchester UnitedA2–1Robins, Lillis3,6443rd17 March 1981Plymouth ArgyleA0–05,4332nd28 March 1981ChesterH0–011,1173rd4 April 1981Charlton AthleticA2–1Brown, Kindon8,8783rd7 April 1981Exeter CityH5–0Hanvey, Lillis (2), Stanton (2)12,0093rd11 April 1981MillwallH0–113,3534th14 April 1981BurnleyA2–4Kindon, Stanton11,0754th18 April 1981Hull CityA1–2Robins6,3284th21 April 1981WalsallH1–1Lillis9,4634th25 April 1981PortsmouthA2–1Austin (2)10,2384th2 May 1981FulhamH4–2Robins (2), Kindon, Sutton6,9654th
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance22 November 1980Round 1Northwich VictoriaA1–1Stanton6,68525 November 1980Round 1 ReplayNorthwich VictoriaH6–0Stanton (2), Robins (2), Hanvey, Laverick9,84913 December 1980Round 2Tranmere RoversA3–0Stanton, Robins (2)6,7633 January 1981Round 3Shrewsbury TownH0–314,712
Football League Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance9 August 1980Round 1 1st LegBlackburn RoversA0–08,67012 August 1980Round 1 2nd LegBlackburn RoversH1 – 1 (aet: 90 mins: 1 – 1)Kindon9,500 1–1 on aggregate. Huddersfield lost on away goals rule.
Appearances and goals NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsTerry AustinFW16 (2)8100017 (2)8Malcolm BrownDF4634020523David CowlingMF4344020494Bobby DavisonMF1 (1)000001 (1)0Neil Freeman (1st Spell)GK1000000100Neil Freeman (2nd Spell)GK80000080Keith HanveyDF4513120502Mick KennedyMF41 (1)2400 (2)045 (3)2Steve KindonFW37 (3)18402143 (3)19Mick LaverickMF2521 (1)12028 (1)3Mark LillisMF29 (5)73 (1)00032 (6)7Bernard PurdieDF8 (1)0002010 (1)0Andy RankinGK2804020340Ian RobinsFW37 (4)113 (1)42042 (5)15Fred RobinsonDF4214020481Brian StantonMF441244205016Dave SuttonDF3914020451Chris ToppingDF70100080
References