1968–69 Northampton Town F.C. season

Northampton Town
1968–69 season
Chairman	Bob Brett
Manager	Ron Flowers
Stadium	County Ground
Division Three	14th
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	First round
Top goalscorer	League: John Fairbrother (13); All: John Fairbrother (14)
Highest home attendance	15,161 vs Luton Town
Lowest home attendance	4,406 vs Crewe Alexandra
Average home league attendance	6,790

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

As of match played 29 April 1969.

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

Competitions

Division Three

League table

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

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:

League position by match

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
Ground	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	A	A
Result	L	D	W	L	W	D	D	D	W	W	L	W	L	D	L	W	D	L	W	D	W	L	L	L	D	W	L	W	D	D	L	W	W	W	L	W	L	L	L	D	L	L	L	L	L	D
Position	20	22	18	19	16	16	15	16	11	9	11	12	12	12	15	12	12	12	11	11	10	10	12	14	14	11	13	9	11	11	11	10	9	8	9	10	10	10	12	12	13	14	15	16	19	21

Source: 11v11.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

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

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

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

Pos	Player	Division Three			FA Cup			League Cup			Total
Pos	Player	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

"Player Profile - Dennis Brown". www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
"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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[1] "Player Profile - Dennis Brown". www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2020.

[postponed_games-2] "1968/69 Division 3". ntfcmemorabilia.weebly.com. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.