The 1969/1970 season

Coming from our feature writer.

AND so to that season 1969-1970 ... part one of a very special Five part series!

The second season with the managerial duo of Ian Greaves and Henry Cockburn in charge, or rather Greavsie in charge with Mr Cockburn his more than able First Lieutenant.

Just as lack of goals and away victories had been the major area for improvement following the first campaign under the former Red Devil teammates, the Boss quickly set about addressing this problem during the close season.

Upon commencement of pre-season training one of the initial tasks Mr Greaves embarked upon was to 'talk' to the players. He quietly and convincingly set out to explain that playing away from Huddersfield was little different from Leeds Road. All matches were played on grass; with similar sized pitches, goals at each end and the rules of the game just the same. Indeed other than distance involved and in some cases the 'roar of the crowd' there was little change between home and away!

Therefore there was absolutely no reason not to do as well on opponent's territory as at home.

His second task was to address the goal-scoring problem, which he did by writing out a cheque for £5,000.00 payable to Aston Villa Football Club for the services of one Brian Greenhalgh.

Oh that it would be so simple for Mr Greaves and his young side. Though Town's new number nine was a more than accomplished leader of the line and well capable of hitting the net it wasn't to work out for him at Leeds Road. He played few games and scored even fewer so who was to score the goals that hopefully would lead us into the First Division?

A couple of years previous an eighteen year old had made his league debut for Town at Selhurst Park. During the following season 1967-68, he made more of an impression scoring his first senior goal in the Football League Cup run that took us to the Semi-finals, when notching the first in the 4th round home tie against West Ham. Not long after he got his first league goal in a 1-0 win also on home soil, London opponents again, QPR. Good enough progress for Tom Johnston to hand him his first full professional contract just weeks into the season.

When the Scot left and the former Busby Babe took over it became a time for the Shelf born youngster to continue learning his trade back in the Reserves, working on his skills, technique and above all building himself up.

It certainly did the trick for despite the signing of Brian Greenhalgh, the now 20year old went up to Manager Ian Greaves and said 'Boss, give me a chance and I'll score you 20 goals'!! Never short of confidence in his own ability or that he would go to the very top of his profession Frank Worthington was to be as good as his word.

In a team dominated by youth, the average age being 22, making it the youngest in the division, and with seven players who were to play in every game Mr Greaves and his staff had little motivating to do as the big kick-off approached. The fact was the entire club could hardly wait for that journey down to Oxford and the start of the 1969-1970 season.

We hope you have enjoyed our "Those Were The Days" articles, and find them an interesting look at some special memories of Town through the years. Memories that will not, and can not be forgotten - and memories only our beloved Town could have created