Huddersfield Town's 1972–73 campaign saw Town get relegated for a consecutive season, which saw them drop into the 3rd Division for the first time in their history. Despite the 17 goals of new signing Alan Gowling from Manchester United, Town were relegated by goal average from Cardiff City, who were beaten by Town to the 1st Division title in 1924.
Squad at the start of the season
Review Following the relegation of Town from 1st Division at the end of the previous season, Town's three most experienced players, Trevor Cherry, Roy Ellam and Frank Worthington all left for pastures new, but the money received from their transfers was used to sign the experience of Alan Gowling from Manchester United and Graham Pugh from Sheffield Wednesday. However, a rise back up to Division 1 had a bad start, with Town drawing most of their opening matches and not making any realistic ground on any of the promotion chasing teams such as Burnley and Queens Park Rangers.
Town had only 7 wins in the league by the end of the season, with Town needing to win the last game of the season at home to Portsmouth to have any chance of Town avoiding the unthinkable drop to Division 3. Town beat Pompey 2–0 thanks to goals from Mick Fairclough and new signing Phil Summerill gave Town the needed win, but they had to wait on other results to go their way. Cardiff City got their needed result from their game in hand, which relegated Town on goal average. It was revenge on Town, who pipped Cardiff to the 1st Division title in 1924. They finished 21st with 33 points, getting relegated to Division 3 with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Squad at the end of the season
Results Division Two DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendancePosition12 August 1972BlackpoolH1–0Krzywicki12,8401st19 August 1972Aston VillaA0–234,84315th26 August 1972Carlisle UnitedH1–1D. Smith9,48313th30 August 1972PortsmouthA2–1Gowling (2)16,4198th2 September 1972Luton TownA1–4Gowling8,13313th9 September 1972Oxford UnitedH2–0D. Smith (2)7,3569th16 September 1972FulhamA1–1D. Smith7,0719th19 September 1972Swindon TownH1–1Lawson7,99210th23 September 1972SunderlandH1–1Chapman10,14510th27 September 1972Sheffield WednesdayA2–3Gowling, Chapman22,18511th30 September 1972Bristol CityA0–012,40611th7 October 1972Nottingham ForestA1–1Gowling7,93113th14 October 1972Brighton & Hove AlbionH0–27,93515th21 October 1972MiddlesbroughA1–2Dungworth9,90715th28 October 1972OrientH1–1Gowling (pen)6,23215th4 November 1972Sheffield UnitedH1–0Gowling12,80614th11 November 1972Swindon TownA1–1Gowling9,67313th14 November 1972Bristol CityH0–15,69214th18 November 1972Cardiff CityH2–1Pugh, Krzywicki5,88613th25 November 1972MillwallA0–19,11216th2 December 1972Preston North EndH0–06,90014th23 December 1972Hull CityH1–3Gowling6,82717th30 December 1972Aston VillaH1–1Gowling9,71918th6 January 1973Carlisle UnitedA0–06,98618th20 January 1973Luton TownH1–2Hutt3,87119th27 January 1973Oxford UnitedA0–28,10720th3 February 1973BurnleyA1–2Gowling (pen)14,58920th6 February 1973Queens Park RangersA1–3Gowling13,53920th10 February 1973FulhamH1–0Saunders6,46920th17 February 1973BlackpoolA1–1Hoy8,59318th3 March 1973Nottingham ForestH1–1Summerill7,47321st6 March 1973Queens Park RangersH2–2Summerill, S. Smith8,62718th10 March 1973Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–2Gowling10,05320th17 March 1973MiddlesbroughH1–1Gowling (pen)7,19320th24 March 1973OrientA1–3Gowling5,49720th31 March 1973MillwallH1–0Gowling5,55120th7 April 1973Preston North EndA0–07,89620th10 April 1973SunderlandA0–332,25120th14 April 1973BurnleyH0–213,68920th21 April 1973Cardiff CityA1–4Gowling12,37921st23 April 1973Hull CityA0–07,48021st28 April 1973PortsmouthH2–0Fairclough, Summerill8,99320th Town dropped to 21st after Cardiff City's last game, which was at a later date.
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance13 January 1973Round 3Carlisle UnitedA2–2Fairclough (2)9,55716 January 1973Round 3 ReplayCarlisle UnitedH0–113,555
Football League Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance6 September 1972Round 2Tottenham HotspurA1–2Pugh21,422
Appearances and goals NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMike BarryMF1702000190Les ChapmanMF2220010232Dennis ClarkeDF3102000330Terry DolanMF21 (2)0201024 (2)0John DungworthFW13 (3)1000013 (3)1Mick FaircloughFW14 (6)1221017 (6)3Paul GarnerDF20000020Alan GowlingFW421720104517Bobby HoyMF1912000211Geoff HuttDF3512010381Alan JonesDF80000080Dick KrzywickiMF8 (1)200008 (1)2Jimmy LawsonMF2212010251Dave LyonDF2001010220Brian MarshallDF30000030Grahame McGiffordDF0 (1)000000 (1)0Jimmy NicholsonMF2600010270Gary PierceGK1300010140Terry PooleGK2202000240Graham PughMF3710011382John SaundersDF2011000211Dave SmithMF18 (4)4201021 (4)4Paul SmithMF0 (1)000000 (1)0Steve SmithMF29 (1)1000029 (1)1Phil SummerillFW13 (3)3000013 (3)3Chris WoodGK70000070
References