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1968–69 Northampton Town F.C. season

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Northampton Town
1968–69 season
ChairmanBob Brett
ManagerRon Flowers
StadiumCounty Ground
Division Three14th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: John Fairbrother (13)
All: John Fairbrother (14)
Highest home attendance15,161 vs Luton Town
Lowest home attendance4,406 vs Crewe Alexandra
Average home league attendance6,790

The 1968–69 season was Northampton Town's 72nd season in their history and their second successive season in the Third Division. Alongside competing in Division Three, the club also participated in the FA Cup and League Cup.

Players

[edit]
As of match played 29 April 1969.
Name Position Nat. Place of Birth Date of Birth (Age) Apps Goals Previous club Date signed Fee
Goalkeepers
Roger Barron GK England Northampton (1947-06-30)30 June 1947 (aged 21) 19 0 Apprentice July 1965 N/Ars
Gordon Morritt GK England Rotherham (1949-02-08)8 February 1949 (aged 20) 37 0 Doncaster Rovers August 1968
Defenders
John Clarke CB England Northampton (1945-10-23)23 October 1945 (aged 23) 36 0 Apprentice July 1965 N/A
Ray Fairfax FB England Smethwick (1941-11-14)14 November 1941 (aged 27) 48 0 West Bromwich Albion July 1968
John Mackin RB Scotland Bellshill (1943-11-18)18 November 1943 (aged 25) 112 13 Apprentice November 1963 N/A
Phil Neal U England Irchester (1951-02-20)20 February 1951 (aged 18) 22 4 Apprentice July 1968 N/A
Frank Rankmore CB Wales Cardiff (1939-07-21)21 July 1939 (aged 29) 38 5 Peterborough United August 1968 £12,000
John Roberts U Wales Abercynon (1946-09-11)11 September 1946 (aged 22) 67 13 Swansea Town November 1967 £13,000
Neil Townsend CB England Long Buckby (1950-02-01)1 February 1950 (aged 19) 21 0 Apprentice September 1968 N/A
Clive Walker LB England Watford (1945-10-24)24 October 1945 (aged 23) 80 1 Leicester City October 1966
Midfielders
John Byrne CM Scotland Cambuslang (1939-05-20)20 May 1939 (aged 29) 44 4 Peterborough United December 1967 £9,000
Graham Felton W England Cambridge (1949-03-01)1 March 1949 (aged 20) 60 2 Apprentice September 1966 N/A
Ron Flowers CM England Edlington (1934-07-28)28 July 1934 (aged 34) 67 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers August 1967
Peter Hawkins LW Wales Swansea (1951-11-09)9 November 1951 (aged 17) 7 1 Apprentice July 1968 N/A
Joe Kiernan CM Scotland Coatbridge (1942-10-22)22 October 1942 (aged 26) 209 10 Sunderland July 1963
Tommy Knox W Scotland Glasgow (1939-09-05)5 September 1939 (aged 29) 33 1 Mansfield Town November 1967
Barry Lines W England Bletchley (1942-05-16)16 May 1942 (aged 26) 281 50 Bletchley Town September 1960
John McGleish CM Scotland Airdrie (1951-12-18)18 December 1951 (aged 17) 0 0 Apprentice November 1968 N/A
Eric Weaver W Wales Rhymney (1943-07-01)1 July 1943 (aged 25) 50 9 Notts County December 1967
Forwards
Dennis Brown IF England Reading (1944-02-08)8 February 1944 (aged 25) 48 11 Swindon Town February 1967 £5,000 P/E[1]
John Fairbrother CF England Cricklewood (1941-02-12)12 February 1941 (aged 28) 53 19 Peterborough United February 1968
Bob Hatton CF England Kingston upon Hull (1947-04-10)10 April 1947 (aged 22) 36 8 Bolton Wanderers October 1968

Competitions

[edit]

Division Three

[edit]
Main article: 1968–69 Football League § Third Division

League table

[edit]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
19 Barrow 46 17 8 21 56 75 0.747 42
20 Gillingham 46 13 15 18 54 63 0.857 41
21 Northampton Town (R) 46 14 12 20 54 61 0.885 40 Relegation to 1969–70 Fourth Division
22 Hartlepool (R) 46 10 19 17 40 70 0.571 39
23 Crewe Alexandra (R) 46 13 9 24 52 76 0.684 35
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Results summary

[edit]
Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts W D L GF GA Pts W D L GF GA Pts
46 14 12 20 54 61 0.885 40 9 8 6 37 30 26 5 4 14 17 31 14

Last updated: 5 February 2024.
Source: [citation needed]

League position by match

[edit]
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAAHHHAAHHAHAAAHHAAHAA
ResultLDWLWDDDWWLWLDLWDLWDWLLLDWLWDDLWWWLWLLLDLLLLLD
Position202218191616151611911121212151212121111101012141411139111111109891010101212131415161921
Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

[edit]

  Win   Draw   Loss

16 August 1968 (1968-08-16) 1 Reading 1–0 Northampton Town Reading
19:30 BST Stadium: Elm Park
Attendance: 7,515
27 August 1968 (1968-08-27) 2 Northampton Town 1–1 Stockport County Northampton
19:30 BST o.g.' Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 9,622
31 August 1968 (1968-08-31) 3 Walsall 0–1 Northampton Town Walsall
19:30 BST B.Lines Stadium: Fellows Park
Attendance: 7,768
7 September 1968 (1968-09-07) 4 Northampton Town 1–3 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Northampton
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 7,812
10 September 1968 (1968-09-10) 5 Northampton Town 2–0 Watford Northampton
19:30 BST J.Roberts Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,824
14 September 1968 (1968-09-14) 6 Crewe Alexandra 2–2 Northampton Town Crewe
15:00 BST R.Flowers
J.Fairbrother 		Stadium: Gresty Road
Attendance: 5,386
17 September 1968 (1968-09-17) 7 Northampton Town 2–2 Bristol Rovers Northampton
19:30 BST J.Fairbrother
B.Lines 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 8,002
21 September 1968 (1968-09-21) 8 Northampton Town 0–0 Hartlepool United Northampton
15:00 BST Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,749
28 September 1968 (1968-09-28) 9 Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Northampton Town Plymouth
15:00 BST B.Lines Stadium: Home Park
Attendance: 10,505
5 October 1968 (1968-10-05) 10 Northampton Town 1–0 Rotherham United Northampton
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 8,602
7 October 1968 (1968-10-07) 11 Stockport County 1–0 Northampton Town Stockport
19:30 BST Stadium: Edgeley Park
Attendance: 7,979
19 October 1968 (1968-10-19) 12 Northampton Town 2–1 Tranmere Rovers Northampton
15:00 BST B.Hatton Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 7,359
26 October 1968 (1968-10-26) 13 Luton Town 2–1 Northampton Town Luton
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother Stadium: Kenilworth Road
Attendance: 17,818
2 November 1968 (1968-11-02) 14 Northampton Town 1–1 Torquay United Northampton
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 7,279
5 November 1968 (1968-11-05) 15 Northampton Town 0–1 Gillingham Northampton
19:30 BST Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,545
9 November 1968 (1968-11-09) 16 Mansfield Town 0–2 Northampton Town Mansfield
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother
J.Byrne 		Stadium: Field Mill
Attendance: 4,635
23 November 1968 (1968-11-23) 17 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Northampton Town Hove
15:00 BST F.Rankmore Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 6,813
26 November 1968 (1968-11-26) 18 Northampton Town 2–6 Swindon Town Northampton
19:30 BST J.Roberts 16'
B.Hatton 57'		 Report J.Smith 28'
D.Rogers 40', 82'
R.Smart 55'
D.Heath 56'
P.Noble 75'		 Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,827
Referee: Bill Castle
30 November 1968 (1968-11-30) 19 Northampton Town 3–1 Barnsley Northampton
15:00 BST F.Rankmore
R.Flowers
J.Fairbrother 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,195
9 December 1968 (1968-12-09) 20 Orient 0–0 Northampton Town Leyton, London
19:30 BST Stadium: Brisbane Road
Attendance: 3,240
Note: Fixture was previously postponed twice, first on October 12, 1968 and then on October 28, 1968.[2]
14 December 1968 (1968-12-14) 21 Northampton Town 4–1 Orient Northampton
15:00 BST C.Walker
F.Rankmore
J.Fairbrother
G.Felton 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,405
20 December 1968 (1968-12-20) 22 Tranmere Rovers 2–1 Northampton Town Birkenhead
19:30 BST F.Rankmore Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 4,502
28 December 1968 (1968-12-28) 23 Northampton Town 0–2 Luton Town Northampton
15:00 BST Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 15,161
11 January 1969 (1969-01-11) 24 Torquay United 2–0 Northampton Town Torquay
19:30 BST Stadium: Plainmoor
Attendance: 7,570
18 January 1969 (1969-01-18) 25 Northampton Town 0–0 Mansfield Town Northampton
15:00 BST Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,840
21 January 1969 (1969-01-21) 26 Rotherham United 0–1 Northampton Town Rotherham
19:30 BST E.Weaver Stadium: Millmoor
Attendance: 7,570
Note: Fixture was previously postponed on December 26, 1968.[2]
25 January 1969 (1969-01-25) 27 Gillingham 2–0 Northampton Town Gillingham
15:00 BST Stadium: Priestfield
Attendance: 4,532
28 January 1969 (1969-01-28) 28 Northampton Town 4–0 Barrow Northampton
19:30 BST E.Weaver
D.Brown
B.Hatton
P.Hawkins 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,375
22 February 1969 (1969-02-22) 29 Northampton Town 1–1 Oldham Athletic Northampton
15:00 BST B.Hatton Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,419
25 February 1969 (1969-02-25) 30 Northampton Town 1–1 Brighton & Hove Albion Northampton
15:00 BST E.Weaver Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 4,554
1 March 1969 (1969-03-01) 31 Swindon Town 1–0 Northampton Town Swindon
15:00 BST D.Rogers 62' Report Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 17,281
Referee: Brian Daniels
3 March 1969 (1969-03-03) 32 Barrow 0–2 Northampton Town Barrow-in-Furness
19:15 BST D.Brown
B.Hatton 		Stadium: Holker Street
Attendance: 2,919
8 March 1969 (1969-03-08) 33 Northampton Town 4–2 Reading Northampton
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother
J.Roberts 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,072
11 March 1969 (1969-03-11) 34 Northampton Town 1–0 Southport Northampton
19:30 BST P.Neal Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,534
14 March 1969 (1969-03-14) 35 Watford 3–0 Northampton Town Watford
19:30 BST Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 16,549
22 March 1969 (1969-03-22) 36 Northampton Town 3–1 Walsall Northampton
15:00 BST D.Brown
J.Roberts
P.Neal 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,763
26 March 1969 (1969-03-26) 37 Southport 2–0 Northampton Town Southport
19:30 BST Stadium: Haig Avenue
Attendance: 3,248
Note: Fixture was previously postponed on February 1, 1969.[2]
29 March 1969 (1969-03-29) 38 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 3–2 Northampton Town Bournemouth
19:30 BST P.Neal
B.Hatton 		Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 5,089
4 April 1969 (1969-04-04) 39 Bristol Rovers 2–1 Northampton Town Bristol
15:00 BST E.Weaver Stadium: Eastville Stadium
Attendance: 9,424
5 April 1969 (1969-04-05) 40 Northampton Town 1–1 Plymouth Argyle Northampton
15:00 BST J.Roberts Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 6,306
8 April 1969 (1969-04-08) 41 Northampton Town 3–4 Shrewsbury Town Northampton
19:30 BST F.Rankmore
J.Roberts
P.Neal 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 5,521
11 April 1969 (1969-04-11) 42 Hartlepool 3–0 Northampton Town Hartlepool
19:30 BST Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 3,729
16 April 1969 (1969-04-16) 43 Shrewsbury Town 1–0 Northampton Town Shrewsbury
19:30 BST Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 6,770
19 April 1969 (1969-04-19) 44 Northampton Town 0–1 Crewe Alexandra Northampton
15:00 BST Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 4,406
25 April 1969 (1969-04-25) 45 Barnsley 2–1 Northampton Town Barnsley
19:30 BST J.Fairbrother Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 7,640
29 April 1969 (1969-04-29) 46 Oldham Athletic 1–1 Northampton Town Oldham
19:30 BST o.g.' Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 2,073
Note: Fixture was previously abandoned on March 18, 1969 after 55 minutes due to bad weather with Northampton winning 1–0.[2]

FA Cup

[edit]
Main article: 1968–69 FA Cup
16 November 1968 (1968-11-16) First round Northampton Town 3–1 Margate Northampton
15:00 BST J.Fairbrother
J.Roberts 		Stadium: County Ground
Attendance: 7,672
7 December 1968 (1968-12-07) Second round Brighton & Hove Albion 1–2 Northampton Town Hove
15:00 BST B.Hatton
N.Townsend 		Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 8,839
4 January 1969 (1969-01-04) Third round Bolton Wanderers 2–1 Northampton Town Bolton
15:00 BST T.Knox Stadium: Burnden Park
Attendance: 12,632

League Cup

[edit]
Main article: 1968–69 Football League Cup
14 August 1968 (1968-08-14) First round Crewe Alexandra 1–1 Northampton Town Crewe
19:30 BST D.Brown Stadium: Gresty Road
Attendance: 5,105
21 August 1968 (1968-08-21) First round (r) Crewe Alexandra 1–0 Northampton Town Crewe
19:30 BST Stadium: Gresty Road
Attendance: 5,502

Appearances and goals

[edit]
Pos Player Division Three FA Cup League Cup Total
Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals Starts Sub Goals
GK Roger Barron 11 – – – – – 2 – – 13 – –
GK Gordon Morritt 34 – – 3 – – – – – 37 – –
DF John Clarke 29 – – 1 – – 2 – – 32 – –
DF Ray Fairfax 43 – – 3 – – 2 – – – – –
DF John Mackin 15 2 – 2 – – – – – 17 2 –
DF Phil Neal 21 – 4 1 – – – – – 22 – 4
DF Frank Rankmore 33 – 5 3 – – 2 – – 38 – 5
DF John Roberts 38 – 7 3 – 2 1 – – 42 – 9
DF Neil Townsend 18 2 – 1 – 1 – – – 19 2 1
DF Clive Walker 26 – 1 3 – – – – – 29 – 1
MF John Byrne 18 – 1 2 – – 2 – – 22 – 1
MF Graham Felton 24 – 1 1 – – – – – 25 – 1
MF Ron Flowers 21 1 2 1 – – 1 – – 23 1 2
MF Peter Hawkins 6 1 1 – – – – – – 6 1 1
MF Joe Kiernan 21 – – 1 – – – – – 22 – –
MF Barry Lines 20 2 3 1 – – – 1 – 21 3 3
MF Tommy Knox 12 2 – 1 – 1 2 – – 15 2 1
MF John McGleish – – – – – – – – – – – –
MF Eric Weaver 24 – 4 1 – – 2 – – 27 – 4
FW Dennis Brown 20 4 3 – – – 2 – 1 22 4 4
FW John Fairbrother 30 2 13 2 1 1 2 – – 34 3 14
FW Bob Hatton 29 4 7 3 – 1 – – – 32 4 8
Players who left before end of season:
GK Stuart Skeet 1 – – – – – – – – 1 – –

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Player Profile - Dennis Brown". www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "1968/69 Division 3". ntfcmemorabilia.weebly.com. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.

Books

  • Grande, Frank (1997). Northampton Town F.C.: The Official Centenary History. London: Yore Publications. ISBN 978-1874427674.
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