[Lord Snooty]

April 22:

Here's one for all fans of Neil Warnock. Town away at Shrewsbury on this date in 1995..........

Hope you enjoyed that. Let's go back now, back in time to 1911 and on this date, Town got their highest win so far. Highest in the league that is, we'd already beaten Heckmondwike 11-0 in the FA Cup the previous year.

This was our first season in the Football League and by the end of it, we'd reached our goal of mid table mediocrity by finishing 13th. The team were nicknamed the Babes and had a crazy goalkeeper playing the fourth of his five games for Town in this one at home to Birmingham. He was Dr Leigh Richmond Roose, one of the games mavericks, who I've written about before and who sadly died in battle on the Somme in 1916.

He was one of a few amateur players Town used in that season. Anyway, happier days for Roose, who was a doctor of bacteriology, as we won this game 7-1. Goals coming that day from a James Macauley hat trick, two from George Blackburn and one each for James Howie and Joe Jee.

Another big win. This one, on this date in 1922, was against Preston North End. It was the middle one of three games in three weeks against the Lillywhites, with a draw the week before and the FA Cup Final coming next week.

What a great boost for the final this was as we stuffed them 6-0 at Leeds Road. Two hat tricks for Town from Ernie Islip and Billy Smith.

One of our most recent Play Off winning heroes, Elias Kachunga has a birthday today. Born on this date in 1992, he's 30 today. He was injured and missed the game played on his 25th birthday in 2017, a 4-1 home defeat against Fulham.

It started off well when Chris Löwe opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 3rd minute. Scott Malone scored an equaliser for the Cottage Pies and it was all downhill from then on. Or was it?

No. We all left in a jolly, happy fans united way, all singing Leeds are falling apart again, as the Beeston Bums lost 2-1 at Burton Albion, dropping them down to 7th and out of the Play Off positions, with Fulham taking 6th place. That now meant that Town would qualify for the end of season lottery if we win at Molineux in midweek.

Anyway. Happy birthday, Elias. He plays for Bolton Wanderers these days.

[WakeyTerrier]

I'm still drying out from that trip to Shrewsbury

[Lord Snooty]

Aye that was the most ridiculous game ever. No way should it have gone ahead.

[Lord Snooty]

April 23:

We have another Town legend's birthday to mark today. Jimmy Glazzard was born on this date in Normanton in 1923. He work darn t' pit and played football for Altofts Colliery when Town signed him on for their Wartime League team in 1943. He made his league debut when footy made it's return in 1946, scoring in an opening day defeat at home to Blackpool.

His early appearances were in midfield but when he finally got regular games in his favoured position of centre forward, there was no stopping him. Sadly there was no stopping Town getting relegated in 1952 as Jimmy finished top scorer with 10.

His goals in the next season though, thirty in the league, powered Town back up to the First Division. That tally includes the four goals he famously scored in an 8-2 home win against Everton, the first of which gave us the iconic image below.

Back in Division One, he again top scored with 29, including hat tricks against Sheffield United and Aston Villa. Those 29 goals were only equaled by Johnny Nicholls of West Brom and so he was the last Town player to be the leading scorer in a First Division season. He was Town's leading scorer for five successive seasons before he left for Everton in 1956.

When he left, he was in second place in our all time goal scorers list with 154 goals, five behind George Brown. He did however, match George for league goals. They both have 142.

Gentleman Jim died in 1995, aged 72.

A more recent birthday was that of Zanka or Mathias Jørgensen to give him his Match Of The Day name. He's 32 today, having been born in Copenhagen in 1990.

He played for us in the Premier League, turning out in 63 games and is now back in the PL playing for Brentford. He did of course, represent Huddersfield Town when he played for Denmark in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

[Lord Snooty]

April 24:

Two Cup Finals on this date. Both ending in defeat though.

The first one was in 1920, the FA Cup Final. Town had just sealed promotion from Division Two and our opponents were the mighty Aston Villa, who had already won the Cup five times. However, current form had Town in the ascendancy with the team being on a fifteen match unbeaten run, in league and cup. Villa had only taken nine points from their previous twelve games.

This was the first Cup Final after the war and was also the first to be played at Stamford Bridge. Wembley didn't come into use until 1923.

Town had gone to Whitley Bay for their pre match training camp and goalkeeper Sandy Mutch and skipper Fred Bullock, had both overcome injury scares and were passed fit to play. However, bad news arrived via telegram from the FA Head Office on the day before the big match. That bad news was that star winger, Billy Smith would be suspended for getting sent off against Stoke, three weeks earlier. No such thing as an immediate ban back then. These things had to go through a mountain of red tape and obviously back then, as now, things stack up against the smaller clubs and so Smith was banned just in time to miss the biggest game, instead of a dead rubber next week. His ban lasted for the rest of the season and all he'd done was punch an opponent.

Anyway, one man's misfortune meant that another got his big break. That man was Ernie Islip, who came in to play left wing after only playing four games all season and whose great grandson and great great grandson, did the half time draw at the Barnsley game on Friday night.

As for the game itself, it started a tradition that still stands today as the Huddersfield Town way, that is for the match to be a boring scoreless draw that goes to extra time. This then was the first ever FA Cup Final to go to extra time, but it was Villa who snatched the winner in the first half of the extra thirty minutes.

It was a cross into the box from winger Arthur Dorrell, that appeared to miss everybody and go straight into the net. The referee's report though said that Billy Kirton had got the last touch. So Villa won the Cup for a sixth time and future Town captain and manager, Clem Stephenson, had his second winners medal.

Town were managed by Ambrose Langley and the line up was; Sandy Mutch, James Wood, Fred Bullock ©, Charlie Slade, Tom Wilson, Billy Watson, George Richardson, Frank Mann, Sammy Taylor, Jack Swann and Ernie Islip.

Fast forward now 74 years to this date in 1994 and Town are at Wembley for the Autoglass Trophy Final against Swansea City. This was the first season with Neil Warnock in charge and was Town's first match at Wembley since the 1938 FA Cup Final.

Town's route to the final started in a group stage in September with a win against Doncaster and a draw with Rotherham. The next round was at home to Preston and the game ended 0-0 after extra time. Town won it on penalties, in true Huddersfield Town fashion. That was followed by wins against Crewe at home, Stockport away and a two legged aggregate victory over Carlisle United in the Area Final.

This was Town's fourth visit to Wembley, but it was Swansea's first. Town had lost the previous three, against Blackburn, Arsenal and Preston. And this was the 11th Football League Trophy Final, which started out being known as the Associate Members Cup. It is of course now known mockingly as the PissPotPizza Trophy.

The Swans took an early lead in the match through Andy McFarlane in the 8th minute, but on the hour mark, Richard Logan sent a bullet header from a Phil Starbuck corner, into the net to equalise, thus becoming only the second Town player to score a goal at Wembley  and the first since Alex Jackson in the 1928 FA Cup Final.

And so, once again in true Huddersfield Town tradition, it went to extra time and penalties. We lost this one though. Graham Mitchell and Starbuck hit the woodwork, but then Tom Cowan sent a feeble shot, probably the worst penalty ever taken by a Town player, straight to the keeper, Roger Freestone, who just knelt down and picked it up.

John Cornforth, Kwame Ampadu and Steve Torpey had netted for the Swans and only Pat Scully had been on target for us and so Swansea won 3-1 on penalties and lifted the Football League Trophy.

We had a tremendous win away at Stockport County in 2010 as we were heading towards the League One Play Offs. It was a 6-0 win against opponents who were on their way down and soon after sadly, out of the league. They do appear to be on their way back though, twelve years later.

This win meant that we were securely into the Play Offs and Southampton in 7th couldn't catch us. It was played on a warm, sunny day with a carnival atmosphere and the six goals on the day came from six different players. Anthony Pilkington scored in the second minute against the team from which we had signed him in the previous season. Theo Robinson made it 2-0 at half time before Jordan Rhodes got his 23rd goal of the season in the 68th minute to make it 3-0. Danny Drinkwater made it 4-0 in the 85th, then two goals in added on time, one from Gary Roberts and a penalty from Lee Novak wrapped it all up at 6-0.

[Lord Snooty]

[Lord Snooty]

April 25:

On this date five years ago in 2017, Huddersfield Town qualified for the Championship Play Offs for the first time. That was by beating Wolves at Molineux 1-0 with a goal from Chelsea loanee Izzy Brown. We'd been involved in loads of Play Offs before, but this was our first at this league level. Let's hope our second go in a few weeks time goes as well.

This win had us seven points ahead of seventh placed Leeds Urinals, who were looking like certainties to make the Play Offs not so long back, but are now staring failure full in the face.

Unlike the present season, we couldn't still make it into an automatic spot, because Newcastle had just taken that final promotion place the night before. Nonetheless, Town manager David Wagner was very proud of what his team had achieved so far.

"You cannot imagine how big this achievement is. The journey marches on into the play-offs.

"I'm happy for the chairman and everyone at this football club. We've all worked so hard to make this happen.

"We will now make the right decisions in the next two games to keep everybody fresh for the play-offs. Today we celebrate.

"We got together at the end to show our unbelievable togetherness for the fans. I'm very happen for them."

Oh how the Blackburn fans loved that.    

We have a 55th birthday today, that of the winger from the first Peter Jackson era, Paul Dalton, who was born on this date in 1967, in Middlesbrough. He signed in 1995 from Plymouth and he was one of the first signings for Brian Horton, who had taken over at the start of the season following Neil Warnock, who had left for Plymouth. So one of Colin's first jobs was to ship Dalton out to his old club.

He was a popular figure, a fan's favourite at Home Park, his face is on one of the murals around the stadium. He soon became a favourite at Town as well, scoring his first goal against Port Vale in the League Cup and then two against Birmingham City, who had just come down from the Premier League.

His most famous goal though was the one he scored in the Great Escape season against Stoke City when their keeper was up for a corner in injury time and he made a breakaway, with Jacko chasing him up the touchline shouting at him to shoot.

[Lord Snooty]

April 26:

On this date in 1930, Huddersfield Town played their fourth FA Cup Final in ten years. Clem Stephenson had hung up his boots in the previous summer to take up the manager's job from Jack Chaplin and was up against his former manager in Herbert Chapman, the Arsenal manager.

Town were tenth in the First Division, but were still above the Gunners, who finished the season in 14th. They didn't win the first of their hat trick of league titles until the following season. Another thing they hadn't won was the FA Cup. They have now won it a record 14 times, but this one, against the all conquering Huddersfield Town, the team of the decade, was their first.

Town's Alex Jackson had scored nine goals so far in the journey to Wembley and was on course to score in every round if he scored in the final. Sadly he didn't. Our lads had beaten Sheffield Wednesday in the semis, whereas Arsenal had had to go to a replay to overcome second division Hull City.

In the build up to the game, we had drawn with Man Utd in midweek, Arsenal had had a cracker of a match against Leicester City at Filbert Street. They drew 6-6, which was then and still is, the highest score draw in the Football League, though it was equaled in the 60s by Charlton and Middlesbrough. Dave Halliday scored four in that match, but was deselected by Chapman in favour of Jack Lambert.

Both teams, for the first time ever, walked out onto the field of play together. It happens all the time now, but before this, teams would just saunter onto the pitch willy nilly. This was the first co-ordinated entry. Both teams were presented to King George V by the captains, Tom Parker of Arsenal and Town's Tom Wilson.

Play making lynch pin Alex James opened the scoring. He was fouled, but got up quickly, took the kick, playing a one two with 18 year old Cliff Bastin and he was in behind the Town defence before they knew it.

One nil to the Arse-a-nel at half time after Town had pressed forward relentlessly in search of an equaliser. Many reports have this match as one of the best ever. It certainly was one of the most famous because of what happened shortly before half time. That was when the German airship, the Graf Zeppelin flew over the stadium at an illegal height.

It cast a huge shadow over Wembley and all the 92,488 spectators took their eyes off the match to watch it go by. Reports say that it dipped it's nose in a sort of salute towards the King.

The second half was wave after wave of Town attacks, with multiple crosses coming in from Billy Smith, who was now at the veteran stage of his glittering career with the club. He set up great chances for Harry Raw, Bob Kelly and Harry Davies, but the Arsenal defence wouldn't creek and just as it looked like Town would surely get one eventually, the Gunners hit the Town with a classic breakaway when James found Lambert, who slipped past a couple of defenders to slot the ball past Hugh Turner and the Cup was on it's way to Highbury.

Town lined up as follows; Hugh Turner, Roy Goodall, Bon Spence, Jimmy Naylor, Tom Wilson ©, Austen Campbell, Alex Jackson, Bob Kelly, Harry Davies, Harry Raw and Billy Smith.

We've had a couple of big wins and a couple of big defeats on this date. Let's get the losses out of the way first. Last game on this day was in 2019 in the Premier League at Anfield against Liverpool. Manager Jan Siewert would've been hoping that his already relegated side could keep it tight early on and frustrate the rampant Reds, who would end the season in second place, one point behind Man City. That plan lasted fifteen seconds! Mo Salah robbed the ball off Jon Stankovic, laid it off to Naby Keita, who slotted the ball past Jonas Lössl and it was all downhill from then, with Liverpool winning 5-0.

And back in 2003, our relegation to the basement league was confirmed with a terrible 5-1 defeat at Port Vale. Jason Gavin, who was on loan from Middlesbrough, scored our goal.

Better news in 1980. Having secured promotion the week before, Town beat Torquay Utd 4-2 at Leeds Road. Goals came from Peter Fletcher, two for centre back Dave Sutton and one from Ian Robins. That, alongside a slip up from leaders Walsall, put us top of Division 4 and the 4th goal in this match took our season's tally to 99 with one more game to go, a home match with Hartlepool.

And in 1994, two days after our Autoglass Trophy Final match with Swansea at Wembley, our brave lads traveled to the Abbey Stadium to play Cambridge United. There was nowt at stake as we had by now secured mid table mediocrity, as had our opponents, but that didn't stop Neil Warnock moaning about having to play two days after such a momentous occasion.

Anyway, it was a high scoring match which Town won 5-4 with a hat trick from Phil Starbuck, one of them a penalty, after he had missed his spot kick in the shoot out at Wembley. Iain Dunn and Andy Booth got the other two goals.

[Lord Snooty]

April 27:

A bit quieter today after recent days of Cup Finals and Premier League matches and promotions.

We had a very good win down at Bristol City on this date in 2013. It was a 3-1 win with James Vaughan scoring a hat trick.

Mind those corner flags!!!

That, with one game to play, a home match against Barnsley, will surely see us safe and only a fatal set of circumstances with many results going against us, would see us relegated now.

The old enemy were back in town on this date in 1932. No not Leeds. Herbert Chapman and his Arsenal boys. I said wrongly yesterday that they won the first of their hat trick of league titles in 1931. That was their first title, but the hat trick started in 1933. In this season, 1931/32, they finished as runners up to Everton and Town finished 4th behind Sheffield Wednesday in 3rd.

Anyway, the Gunners beat us again, 2-1 this time, with Bob Kelly scoring our goal. They had beaten us in the FA Cup as well, two months earlier. That game had seen the record attendance at Leeds Road of 67,037. This one, played on a Wednesday teatime, had a crowd of 13,370.

[Lord Snooty]

April 28:

Lots happening today, let's start with a birthday. Steve Smith was born on this date in 1946, making him 76 today. Sadly, he's suffering with Alzheimer's Disease nowadays, so let's talk about happier times.

He was born in Huddersfield and is the only Huddersfield born man to manage Huddersfield Town, which he did between Mick Buxton getting sacked in Dec 86 and his resignation in the following October. Before that though, he played for the Town in all four divisions. He started out at the club as a 15 year old kid and made his first team debut in 1964 at home to Newcastle.

He only played 19 times in the 69/70 season, when the team won the 2nd Division championship, but it was he who scored the goal in the 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough, that clinched promotion. Manager Ian Greaves called him the perfect professional.

He did play more regularly in our two 1st Division seasons, missing only three games and scoring twice in our first game back up in 1970 when we beat Blackpool 3-0 at Leeds Road.

After that though, it was all downhill. Down, down down, to the 4th Division. He eventually left for Halifax Town in 1977, but returned as a coach a few years later after hanging up his boots. He got his boots down again off the hanger in 1981 when during an injury crisis he came out of retirement for one match, playing left back in an FA Cup game away at Workington.

His stint as Town manager wasn't very good, compared to the Buxton glory days and he quit the top job to go back to coaching the kids. But worse was to come after he resigned as the club went down to the 3rd Division. After he was sacked, alongside Jimmy Robson, in a cost cutting exercise, he went and worked for Bradford City and had another caretaker spell as manager there. He finished up back at Town as Head of Academy Recruitment.

In 2002, we had a Play Off semi final on this date. It was in the 3rd division, at that time calling itself the Nationwide Football League Division 2 Play Offs. The opponents were Brentford, who we had beaten in the 1995 Play Offs. Town, managed by Lou Macari, had finished 6th, with the Bees in 3rd, five points better off and so we played the home leg first.

We had a cracking forward line then with Andy Booth, Danny Schofield and a young lad on loan from Chelsea. Do all our play off campaigns have a lad on loan from Chelsea? Well this one didn't, because the young hot head, his name was Leon Knight, went and got himself sent off and suspended, so missing both legs. The match ended 0-0 and the second leg will take place at Griffin Park on the 1st of May.

On this date in 2018, we were fighting valiantly to keep our hard earned place in the Premier League. With four games still to go, Everton came to the John Smith's Stadium. Their team included the likes of Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott, but their fans were protesting about the manager, ex Town centre back Sam Allardyce. Apparently they weren't happy that Big Sam had them in a lowly 8th position in the Premier League. If it's not Leeds, I do hope these entitled twats get relegated this season.

Anyway, Cenk Tosun and Idrissa Gueye scored as the Toffenoses won 2-0, leaving Town just three points clear of the drop zone. And with no prospect of picking up any more points with Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal still to play, it wasn't looking too promising.

We had a great win in 1984 at home to Cardiff. It was our first season back in the 2nd Division after ten years in the lower leagues and we had reached our objective of mid table obscurity. This was a 4-0 win and the unusual thing occurring here was a hat trick for a centre back. That was Paul Jones, the ex Bolton player and father in law of a lass I used to work with. Two of his goals were penalties, but they all count, don't they.

Back in 1934, Huddersfield Town and Arsenal were once again rivals for the title. Town had former captain Clem Stephenson in the manager's hot seat, but Herbert Chapman, his old manager and the man who signed him for Town, was no longer manager of the Gunners. That's because he tragically died in January of this year and so Joe Shaw and George Allison were in a joint caretaker managing role. And they did it alright, completing the job of winning the hat trick of league titles.

They became champions on this day, despite Town winning on the day, we couldn't now catch them with only one more game left. On this day we beat Blackburn Rovers at Leeds Road in a high scoring match. It was a 5-3 win with former Wolves striker Billy Bottrill opening the scoring with his only goal for Town. Wing half Billy Carr then scored his only goal for the club, before Batley lad Jack Smith got on the score sheet. Welshman Jackie Williams then scored a couple to send the huge crowd home happy.

Huge crowd? This was a staggeringly low crowd. It's one of the mysteries about our club that I haven't worked out yet. I know times were hard and it was a midweek game, but we were second in the First Division. Why was the crowd for this game only 4,214?

Answers on a postcard please...........