HUDDERSFIELD TOWN IN EUROPE

THE ANGLO-ITALIAN TOURNAMENT

The Anglo-Italian Tournament was originally an experimental competition and was instigated for the end of the 1969/70 season.  Huddersfield Town, invited by the football League to enter in  1971, were placed in the first of three groups, each of which comprised four clubs (two from the Football league and two from the Italian league).  They were paired with Second Division club Swindon Town, Bologna and Sampdoria.  The competing English teams in each group played their foreign counterparts on a home and away basis with the most successful clubs from the two countries contesting the Final.  Apart from the nominal points system, every goal was worth a bonus point.

Giggi Peronace, who created a soccer sensation in May 1957 when he set up the deal which took John Charles from Leeds Utd to Juventus, acted as the liaison officer to the Italian Football League and was in charge of his country’s end of the tournament.

First Division Huddersfield Town’s inaugral match – preceeded  by a buffet at the George Hotel – was a home fixture with Sampdoria, who then lay fifth from the bottom of the Italian League, despite boasting Spanish and Italian World Cup stars, Luis Suarez and Giovanni Lodetti respectively.

1970-71

May 26 v Sampdoria (h) 2-0 (1-0)

Ellam, S. Smith, D. Lawson; A Jones, Clarke, Ellam, Cherry, S. Smith, D.B Smith, Worthington, Barry, J.J. Lawson, Hoy

Att: 10,003

May 29 v Bologna (h) 2-3 (0-1)

Cherry, D.B. Smith, D Lawson; A Jones, Clarke, S. Smith, Ellam, Cherry, Hoy, D.B. Smith, Worthington, Barry (Krzywicki), J.J. Lawson

Att: 9,707

June 1 v Sampdoria (a) 3-2 (0-1)

Chapman 2, Cherry, D. Lawson: A.Jones, Clarke, S.Smith, Ellam, Cherry, Hoy, D.B. Smith (L.Chapman), Worthington, Barry, J.J. Lawson

Att: 8,000

June 4 v Bologna (a) 0-1 (0-0)

D. Lawson: A.Jones, Clarke, S.Smith, Ellam, Cherry, Hoy, .Chapman, Worthington, Barry, J.J. Lawson

Att: 25,000

Huddersfield Town finished in fourth spot in the respective final tables, which ended as follows:

Note: Bologna lost 2-1 after extra-time to Blackpool in the final on 12 June 1971 at the Stadio Comunale.  Town chose to withdraw from the subsequent tournaments due to the lack of a summer break for their players and the wear and tear on the Leeds Road pitch.  Indeed, the tournament was wound up by the Italian Clubs on 26 June 1973.  they were mindful of the World Cup in West Germany some 12 months later.