Huddersfield Town's 1962–63 campaign was an impressive season for the Town. They finished 6th in Division 2, just 4 points off Chelsea, who took the second promotion spot to Division 1. They finished their campaign on the same points as Leeds United.
Squad at the start of the season
Review After the success of the previous season, Town under Eddie Boot were hoping to mount yet another promotion push to Division 1. An impressive start to the season saw Town unbeaten in their first 13 league games of the season. This run was ended by a home defeat from Southampton on 27 October. A mixed November and December saw Town lose ground, but an amazingly cold snap during the winter would see the team out of action for 3 months at Leeds Road. During that time, Town played only 3 away league games and an FA Cup game at Manchester United. Town would have to play their last 20 games in months.
It was a tall order and Town's impressive start to the season slowly evaporated. Too many draws and losses during the period saw Town lose ground with the leading pack of Stoke City, Chelsea and Sunderland. A win over Leeds United in May, gave Town a faint hope of promotion, but 2 defeats to Portsmouth and Cardiff City saw Town finish down in 6th place with 48 points.
Squad at the end of the season
Results Division Two DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendancePosition18 August 1962Derby CountyH3–3O'Grady, Stokes, Barrowclough (og)10,6608th21 August 1962WalsallA1–1Stokes13,5058th25 August 1962MiddlesbroughA5–0Stokes (2), Jones (og), Wilson, McHale18,4704th29 August 1962WalsallH4–0Massie (2), O'Grady, White12,3101st1 September 1962Leeds UnitedH1–1White34,9466th5 September 1962Norwich CityA3–2O'Grady (3)28,7941st8 September 1962Cardiff CityH1–0White17,5731st12 September 1962Norwich CityH0–013,2851st15 September 1962PortsmouthA1–1Stokes18,4101st22 September 1962Preston North EndH1–0White17,5941st29 September 1962Plymouth ArgyleA1–1Stokes20,1251st6 October 1962Swansea TownA2–1White, Stokes11,0241st13 October 1962ChelseaH1–0Stokes23,9361st27 October 1962SouthamptonH2–3Massie, White15,5892nd2 November 1962Scunthorpe UnitedA2–2Balderstone (2)8,9081st10 November 1962BuryH0–117,2145th17 November 1962Rotherham UnitedA2–0Stokes, McHale11,5895th24 November 1962Charlton AthleticH2–0White (pen), Dinsdale12,4353rd1 December 1962Stoke CityA1–2Stokes29,8565th8 December 1962SunderlandH0–321,2605th15 December 1962Derby CountyA1–2O'Grady9,0767th29 December 1962Grimsby TownA1–1McHale9,8147th2 March 1963ChelseaA2–1O'Grady, White32,4279th9 March 1963Luton TownH2–0Stokes, Kelly (og)10,2797th16 March 1963Luton TownA2–3Balderstone, O'Grady5,5079th20 March 1963SouthamptonA1–3Stokes11,95710th23 March 1963Scunthorpe UnitedH2–0Stokes, White11,00210th30 March 1963BuryA1–1White7,7687th1 April 1963Plymouth ArgyleH4–2Stokes (2), Massie (2)8,4525th6 April 1963Rotherham UnitedH1–0Stokes14,0156th12 April 1963Newcastle UnitedA1–1O'Grady49,6726th13 April 1963Charlton AthleticA0–113,0087th16 April 1963Newcastle UnitedH2–1Coddington (pen), McHale22,0226th20 April 1963Stoke CityH3–3White, Stokes (2)27,7796th24 April 1963Grimsby TownH0–014,2816th27 April 1963SunderlandA1–1O'Grady37,0986th29 April 1963MiddlesbroughH0–014,0004th4 May 1963Preston North EndA0–211,7706th6 May 1963Swansea TownH4–1Bettany, White, McHale, Gilliver7,9646th11 May 1963Leeds UnitedA1–0McHale28,5014th13 May 1963PortsmouthH1–3White12,8544th18 May 1963Cardiff CityA0–38,7745th Town didn't drop to 6th until Leeds United played their matches at a later date.
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance4 March 1963Round 3Manchester UnitedA0–547,703
Football League Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance26 September 1962Round 2Bradford (Park Avenue)A1–3Balderstone6,931
Appearances and goals NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsDenis AtkinsDF4101010430Chris BalderstoneMF1730011184John BettanyMF2011010221John CoddingtonDF2610000261Ollie ConmyMF20001030Peter DinsdaleDF4211011441Harry FearnleyGK10000010Allan GilliverFW31001041Stewart HoldenMF10001020Ray HoltDF00001010Les MassieFW3351000345John McCannMF10000010Kevin McHaleMF3761000386John MilnerMF20001030Michael O'GradyMF411010004210Bob ParkerDF50101070John RudgeMF10000010Pat SawardMF1900000190Derek StokesFW351810003618Ken TaylorDF2101000220Len WhiteFW401310004113Ray WilsonDF3310000331Ray WoodGK4101010430
References