The good old days when Town rattled in five, six, or seven!
WITH Huddersfield Town’s current goalscoring problems, it is hard for many younger fans to recognise that at one time they would run in five, six and even seven.
Mick Buxton’s 101 Club of 1979-80, for instance, put five each past Northampton, Rochdale, Stockport and Halifax, in addition to rattling SEVEN past Port Vale.
The following season, after winning promotion, they hit fives against Hull City and Exeter City en route to finishing fourth and, while the following campaign, 1981-82, proved more of a struggle, Town still notched five-goal hauls against Swindon and Bristol City.
They also, memorably, put SIX past Reading at Leeds Road in a 6-1 win 37 years ago this week.
A crowd of only 6,022 was there to see the victory, in what was the first season of three points for a win.
Peter Fletcher, who finished the season as top scorer on 14 league and cup goals, netted twice against the men from Elm Park (in the days long before the Madejski Stadium).
Martin Hicks, a reliable promotion-winning defender with Reading, scored an own goal while Town’s other strikes came from Mark Lillis, David Cowling and Brian Stanton.
There were career-ending injuries in the campaign for goalkeepers Andy Rankin and Richard Taylor, along with left-back Fred Robinson and front men Fletcher and Steve Kindon, meaning that at one stage, the club’s chief scout - long-serving player Steve Smith - was called on to play in the FA Cup at Workington, five years after his last appearance on the teamsheet!
The result against
Reading was the biggest win of the season and Town eventually finished 17th, five places behind Reading.
Promoted from Division Three that season were champions Burnley, secondplaced Carlisle United and third-placed Fulham.
Relegated were Wimbledon, Swindon, Bristol City and Chester.
Town’s team against Reading was: Andy Rankin, Malcolm Brown, Bernard Purdie, Brian Stanton, Dave Sutton, Keith Hanvey, Mark Lillis, Mick Kennedy, Peter Fletcher, Terry Austin and Dave Cowling.