[Lord Snooty]

December 24:

Not many games played on this date over the years, as the tendancy was to play back to back games on Christmas Day and Boxing Day back in the olden days. Then it became just Boxing Day with the Christmas Day fixture getting phased out in the 1950's. The last game on Christmas Eve for Huddersfield Town was in 1960, a 2-2 draw at Stoke City's Victoria Ground, with Mike O'Grady and Les Massie scoring for us.

The next to last game came on this date in 1956 and though people who were there probably didn't realise at the time, but they were witnessing the debut of one of the greatest players ever to grace the grass of not just Leeds Road but the entire footballing world.

Who dat? Why, Denis Law of course.

It was the first of fourteen seasons in the 2nd Division following relegation at the end of 55/56. Andy Beattie had resigned and his buddy, Bill Shankly had taken over. This was Bill's 8th match as manager, a trip to Meadow Lane to play Notts County and came on the back of four straight defeats.

Denis was the youngest player to play for the club at sixteen years and ten months old, only Peter Hart has debuted younger since. He came into the side to replace the 21 year old Les Massie. Laurie Kelly played at left back in place of Ray Wilson and Dave Hickson came in at centre forward ahead of Jimmy Watson.

It was the inside left, Ron Simpson who scored both of our goals in a 2-1 win that got Shankly's boys back to winning ways. And Denis got his first Town goal two days later when County came to Leeds Road for the return fixture on Boxing Day, in a 3-0 win.