Managed by Bill Shankly, the Terriers made history for all of the wrong reasons
THE GAME’S GONE
Such was the lack of interest in Charlton’s clash with Huddersfield on December 21, 1957, BBC programme Sports Special decided at the last minute to scrap their scheduled coverage of the Second Division tie.
Freezing cold, soaking wet and with Christmas on the doorstep, fewer than 13,000 supporters made the trip to The Valley. They were rewarded, while the Beeb and fair-weather fans would come to regret their snub. “The match turned out to be the most thrilling game in the history of the Football League,” lamented Kenneth Wolthenholme, the man originally chosen to commentate for Sports Special. “What a game to miss!”
The fuse was lit when Charlton defender Derek Ufton dislocated his shoulder in the 21st minute and had to be taken to hospital. Substitutions were still eight years away, and so Huddersfield were handed an early numerical advantage. Terriers gaffer Bill Shankly, two years before taking his career-defining post at Liverpool, told his players to go for the throat and Town were 2-0 up at the break.
Addicks manager Jimmy Trotter had a plan of his own. He ordered his star winger, Johnny Summers, to change his boots – “They were on the verge of falling apart,” he said later – before switching him to centre-forward. The move provided a short-term bounce as Summers halved the deficit, but by the 62nd minute Charlton trailed 5-1. Trotter opted for one final throw of the dice: “Things had not been coming off for Summers so I moved him [again]. I switched him to outside-left – his last chance to make good.”
Make good Summers did. He hit four goals in 17 minutes, with strike pa
