Huddersfield Town F.C.
 |
|||
| Full name | Huddersfield Town Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Terriers | ||
| Founded | 1908 | ||
| Ground | Galpharm Stadium Huddersfield (Capacity: 24,500) |
||
| Chairman | Dean Hoyle | ||
| Manager | Lee Clark | ||
| League | League One | ||
| 2009–10 | League One, 6th | ||
| All-time top scorer | George Brown (159) | ||
|
|||
 Current season |
|||
Huddersfield Town Football Club (pronounced /ˈhʌdərzfiːld ˈtaʊn/) is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One. Their manager is Lee Clark, who signed a contract to be manager on 11 December 2008 and took charge on 15 December.
In 1926, they became the first English team to win three successive league titles – a feat which only three other clubs have been able to match. They also won the FA Cup in 1922 and have been runners-up on 4 other occasions. On 2 February 2005, the name of the club was changed from Huddersfield Town Association Football Club to Huddersfield Town Football Club.
Nicknamed The Terriers, their mascot is Terry the Terrier. The club traditionally plays in a blue and white vertically striped shirt with white shorts. Their main rivals are Leeds United, Bradford City and Barnsley, and less fierce rivalries also exist with Oldham Athletic, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday. The club has developed a reputation as having a strong academy, a notion backed up by the present squad which contains a number of academy products.
The side plays its home games at the Galpharm Stadium, a ground shared with rugby league side Huddersfield Giants. The ground was originally named The Alfred McAlpine Stadium (after the construction company involved in its creation) due to a 10-year sponsorship agreement. In 1994, this stadium replaced Leeds Road which was Huddersfield's home since their founding in 1908.
Their chairman is local businessman Dean Hoyle, who took over from previous chairman Ken Davy on June 3, 2009.
History
Early years
In 1910, just three years after being founded, Huddersfield entered the Football League for the first time. In November 1919 a fund-raising campaign was needed to avoid a move to Leeds. Citizens of Huddersfield were asked to buy shares in the club for £1 each, and the club staved off the proposed merger. Remarkably, the team went on to reach the 1920 FA Cup Final and win promotion to Division One.
In 1926, they became the first English team to win three successive league titles – a feat which only three other clubs have been able to match. They also won the FA Cup in 1922 and have been runners-up on 4 other occasions. On 2 February 2005, the name of the club was changed from Huddersfield Town Association Football Club to Huddersfield Town Football Club.
The Horton era
Huddersfield finished 8th in the 1995–96 season and the closed season saw the departure of the hugely successful strike partnership of Andy Booth and Ronnie Jepson, whose goals had been vital to Huddersfield's success in the previous two seasons. Booth left for Premiership Sheffield Wednesday in a club record £2.7m deal while Jepson left to 2nd Division Bury on a free transfer. Horton invested the money in the prolific Bristol Rovers striker Marcus Stewart (for a club record £1.2m), Barnsley's Andy Payton (£350,000) and Blackpool defender Andy Morrison (£500,000).
Following such an outlay, much was expected of the Terriers in the 1996–97 season but, despite a bright start from Stewart, Horton was unable to improve on the team's consistently poor away form that had ended the side's playoff bid the previous year. Long-term injuries to Stewart and Morrison did little to help things and, with the previously strong home form becoming increasingly patchy, the Terriers struggled at the wrong end of the table. It was perhaps the least celebrated summer signing Payton who notched an impressive tally of 20 goals and helped staved off the threat of relegation as the side scrambled to 20th.
'The Great Escape'
After a closed season of little activity in the transfer market, Town started the 1997–98 season disastrously and, after some questionable signings and tactical decisions, Horton was sacked in October 1997 as the club lay at the foot of Division One.
36-year-old former Huddersfield, Bradford City and Newcastle United central defender Peter Jackson was drafted in as Horton's replacement and turned the club's fortunes around drastically. He immediately installed the experienced former Wales manager Terry Yorath as his assistant. Given a generous transfer budget by the Board, Jackson captured experienced pros such as former Welsh internationals Barry Horne and David Phillips in addition to powerful local-born striker Wayne Allison from Division 1 rivals Swindon Town. He also managed to rejuvenate players like Marcus Stewart and, particularly, the previously inconsistent Paul Dalton to the extent that the club finished a respectable 16th in the final table.
The Rubery takeover
Huddersfield did even better in the 1998–99 season. Jackson recruited winger Ben Thornley (a popular loan signing under Horton) from Manchester United and in September, they beat Tranmere Rovers to top the early Division 1 table, thanks chiefly to the goalscoring prowess of Stewart and Allison. The team attracted the attention of local businessman Barry Rubery and, after protracted takeover talks, he took over the running of the club promising significant investment as the club sought Premiership status. The takeover rumours had a negative effect on the side and they fell away from the promotion race despite Jackson investing in the likes of Craig Armstrong and Jamie Vincent and they never looked likely to reach the Play-Offs; finishing 10th in the final table. Jackson was hoping to mount a promotion challenge the following season, but he was suddenly sacked after the end of the season and replaced by former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce, whose first season in management with Sheffield United had brought little success. Peter Jackson declined the role of academy director.
The best Town side in 30 years
Rubery and managing director Ian Ayre talked up the side's chances of promotion the following year pointing to the acquisition of the high-profile Steve Bruce as a clear indication of their ambition. More serious investment brought the likes of Clyde Wijnhard, Chris Lucketti, Giorgos Donis, Scott Sellars, Kenny Irons, Ken Monkou and Dean Gorré to the club. The Terriers tore up the Division for the first few months playing attractive attacking football in the 7–1 annihilation of Crystal Palace, plus notable wins over rivals Ipswich Town, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. The side even scored a famous 1–0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup and were widely considered to be 'the best Town side in 30 years'.
At the turn of the year, with the side suffering a blip in form, manager Bruce accepted the BBC's offer to cover previous club Manchester United's involvement in the much-derided FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil. With Town's form suffering, his popularity with the club's supporters plummeted. In addition to this, promotion rivals Ipswich bid for leading scorer Marcus Stewart. To the astonishment of everyone, the club accepted and Stewart condemned his old side to defeat in their meeting at Portman Road a few weeks later. Stewart's replacement, the capable but injury-prone Martin Smith signed from Sheffield United and, though he proved a more-than-useful replacement, the malaise around the club had set in, his striker partner Wijnhard had become a profligate shadow of his early season self and the Terriers collapsed, missing the Play-Offs altogether after a final-day 0–3 hammering at Fulham. Despite missing out on automatic promotion, Ipswich gained promotion through the Play-Offs with Terriers old boy Stewart playing a critical role with his goals in the Play-Off games.
The rot sets in
The optimism that had surrounded the club just a year earlier had completely dissipated and manager Bruce's ability to turn the tide was seriously in doubt given the side's finish to the previous season. After some less than inspiring signings, among them Kevin Gallen and more feeble displays, Bruce was unsurprisingly sacked in November 2000 after a terrible start to the season had seen Huddersfield slip into the drop zone. Lou Macari, the former Stoke City, Birmingham City, West Ham United and Celtic manager, took the reins and made some shrewd signings on a limited budget. Particularly noteworthy was the loan signing of Zimbabwean striker Peter Ndlovu whose form initiated a revival that brought Macari the Manager of the Month award for December 2000 and helped push the Terriers out of the bottom three.
However, Town's old manager Warnock (Crystal Palace) snapped Ndlovu up before a permanent deal could be agreed. Despite this major setback, Macari turned the side into a rugged, disciplined outfit and, aided by the best efforts of emerging talent Delroy Facey and the return of fan favourite Andy Booth after an injury-ravaged spell at Sheffield Wednesday, Town put themselves in with an excellent chance of survival with only two games of the season to play. However, a sudden and unexpected last week rally from both Crystal Palace and Portsmouth, and a return of just 1 point from the final two games against Wimbledon and Birmingham City, saw the Terriers relegated to Division 2.
Macari and Wadsworth
Macari remained in charge for the 2001–02 season. At the start of the season he sold Chris Lucketti to Preston North End in a £750,000 deal, after 76 appearances for Town. Macari promoted the then 18-year old Nathan Clarke to the first team, who would go on to be a mainstay at the heart of the Terriers defence. As the top six challenge faded, he made a canny loan signing, gifted young striker Leon Knight (from Chelsea). Knight's combination of pace, trickery and his eye for goal saw him bag 17 goals in only half a season and form an effective partnership with the returning crowd favourite Andy Booth. However, Knight received a red card during a league game with near neighbours Oldham Athletic and ended up missing the Play-Offs he had been largely responsible for getting the team to. Without him, Town battled well but lacked a cutting edge and ended up being defeated by Brentford at the semi-final stage.
Macari's contract was not renewed that summer. His successor was Mick Wadsworth, a manager whose last notable success was with Carlisle United some eight years earlier. The justification for the appointment was that Wadsworth was a more progressive manager than the defensive-minded Macari and was recommended by highly-respected Bobby Robson. Wadsworth attempted to play a neat passing game with a flexible 4–3–3 formation but his lone striker system failed to offer any real threat to opposition defences and, allied to a leaky defence and a lightweight midfield, Town were again in real trouble. With the club sinking into administration and unable to pay its players, Wadsworth was sacked in March as Huddersfield floundered near the foot of Division Two. Interim manager Mel Machin, despite the best efforts of Martin Smith (17 goals) and a slight improvement from one of the least memorable Huddersfield Town sides of recent years, was unable to save Huddersfield from the drop into Division Three so in 2003, the Club was relegated to the basement division for only the second time in their history and for the first time in more than 20 years.
Administration and Revival
Peter Jackson began his second spell as Huddersfield manager in the summer of 2003 as the Terriers came out of administration under the new ownership of Ken Davy. He again wasted no time in installing Yorath as his assistant. With only eight players turning up to his first training session, and star player Martin Smith defecting to Northampton Town, many supporters would have been happy to see the side consolidate and not slip any further down the league. But some shrewd signings (including Rob Edwards, Tony Carss, Efe Sodje, Steve Yates and goalkeeper Ian Gray), the emergence of a talented group of youngsters, and the prolific form of the previously ineffective Jon Stead made Town among the early pace-setters for the Division. As winter approached, Jackson's young side became more inconsistent and seemed to be fading but a change of formation tightened up the defence. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was brought in as the side found a new resilience and the ability to grind out narrow victories. Stead's form saw an offer from Sunderland, that was rejected, but he was snapped up by Premiership Blackburn Rovers for around £1.2m in January and was replaced by Polish U21 striker Paweł Abbott who had been unable to establish himself at Preston North End.
Though Abbott was initially not quite as prolific as Stead, the side kept their good run going and with one game left were on the verge of sealing the third automatic promotion spot. Needing to match Torquay United if they won their final game, Town went to Cheltenham Town, and after leading 1–0, disaster struck when Abbott received the ball just inside his own half and, inexplicably, ran back towards Town's goal and horrendously underhit a backpass that allowed the Robins to equalise with just 15 minutes of the game left. This, together with Torquay's win at Southend United, condemned the Terriers to a Play-Off spot, by virtue of an inferior goal difference.
The Play-off semi-final saw Town escape two bruising encounters with Lincoln City with goals from Danny Schofield and Rob Edwards staving off a spirited Lincoln fightback in the second leg. In the final Town rode their luck against a Mansfield Town side who had hit three in each league meeting of the sides. Just before the end of normal time the Stags netted but the linesman controversially ruled that the initiating cross had gone out over the by-line. A penalty shoot-out saw Town home and out of Division Three at the first attempt, securing their place in the newly-named League One.
The Young Guns start to shine
At the start of the 2004–05 season, the stadium was renamed the Galpharm Stadium, to reflect the sponsorship of this local healthcare company.[1] The 2004–05 season proved a rollercoaster for Jackson's young side with impressive early season victories away at eventual champions Luton Town and at home over runners-up Hull City but also included two derby defeats against Bradford City. However, a disastrous mid-season spell of form (including seven successive away league defeats and having Efe Sodje stripped of the captaincy after his red card against Blackpool in the LDV Vans Trophy) saw the side slump and in real danger of a relegation battle before the shrewd loan signing of striker Luke Beckett.
Beckett's goals halted the slide and injected Jackson's young side with the confidence that led them to a formidable late run of form (9 wins and 1 draw from 10 matches) that saw them miss out on the final Play-Off spot by a single point, despite Beckett departing to join local rivals Oldham Athletic before the transfer deadline. During the season, many graduates from Town's own academy started to cement first-team places, such as Andy Holdsworth, David Mirfin, Nathan Clarke, Tom Clarke, Adnan Ahmed and Michael Collins.
Further progress
Before the start of the season 2005–06, the club launched the controversial 'Young Guns' campaign. The players, manager Peter Jackson, assistant manager Terry Yorath, and coach Martyn Booty posed for the 2006 calendar in cowboy outfits.[2] Six of the younger players featured on the cover of the corporate hospitality brochure. Basing the cover around the 'Young Guns' theme was widely considered to be a mistake and caused the booklet to be adversely linked with the film Brokeback Mountain.
Despite losing to Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season, Huddersfield started the 2005–06 season brightly and were top of the table by mid-October. During the season they got the chance to show their pedigree by playing at Blackburn Rovers in the Carling Cup, which they lost 3–1.
Then they had a big money-spinning FA Cup match at Chelsea in January. They showed superb spirit to only lose 2–1, but many predicted it could be the turning point in Town's season, as they hadn't won a game since being drawn against them, a month earlier.
Gerry Murphy won the Football League's Contribution to Football award on 5 March 2006 selected by listeners of BBC Radio Five Live's Sport on Five.[3][4]
With the season heading towards its climax, Town had to prepare for the play-offs after a disappointing April, which saw them lose out on automatic promotion to the Championship. The goals of Paweł Abbott, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Andy Booth, Danny Schofield and Sheffield Wednesday loan signing David Graham helped Town to have the joint-second best scoring record in the division behind Swansea City.
Huddersfield beat Barnsley 1–0 at Barnsley in the play-off semi-final first leg but lost 1–3 (2–3 on aggregate) in the return.
A backward step
Following the narrow play-off defeat in May 2006 to neighbours Barnsley, the 2006–07 season started with high hopes that this would be the year that Huddersfield Town would make the step up to the Championship. Peter Jackson showed his confidence by extending his contract until May 2009. Notwithstanding the arrival of Luke Beckett departures, including Junior Mendes, exceeded arrivals.
The team made a sound start, with an encouraging home draw with much fancied Nottingham Forest, and they peaked at 5th on 21 October 2006. Some of the results in that period flattered the performances and the wheels came off in the next game with a 3–0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Despite an offer of cash from the Board, Peter Jackson declined to take any players on loan and the team spiralled downwards. Elimination, at home, in the first round of all three cup competitions did nothing to lift the gloom and on 5 January, in the televised encounter at Yeovil Town, the team played perhaps the worst 45 minutes of football in recent seasons to go 3–0 down at half-time (the game finished 3–1).
Around the January transfer window, Paweł Abbott and Danny Adams left, with Jackson indicating that Martin McIntosh and Mark Hudson would not play for the Club again, while Andy Taylor joined from Blackburn Rovers on loan until 5 April 2007, and Frank Sinclair joined from Burnley for the rest of the season. Also signed on a loan deal, on 23 February, was Barnsley striker Paul Hayes who played four games before his return.
A 5–1 thrashing at Nottingham Forest, on 3 March, led directly to the departure of Peter Jackson on 6 March 2007, according to a Board statement, "due to our form and the inability to attract key players".[5]
Academy Director Gerry Murphy was appointed caretaker manager, one of whose first acts was to bring Martin McIntosh and Mark Hudson back into the reckoning, and Huddersfield went unbeaten in the first five games with Murphy in charge until they lost 2–0 at home to Blackpool on 9 April 2007, his last game as manager.
On 4 April 2007, a press conference was scheduled to announce the appointment of Charlton Athletic's assistant manager Phil Parkinson as the new manager. However he telephoned the Club, just over an hour before the press conference was due to begin, to reveal that he was staying with Charlton Athletic.[6] Andy Ritchie was then appointed Huddersfield Town manager on 11 April 2007 on a two year contract.[7]
On 17 April, it was announced that Huddersfield Town's sponsors, Yorkshire Building Society and kit suppliers Admiral would be replaced. The new kit supplier was Huddersfield based Mitre and the new sponsors were Gibraltar based gambling outfit CasinoRed.com, who were given a contract for 12 months with an option to extend for a further two years.[8]
Also on 17 April, Gerry Murphy, was promoted to a new position as Director of Football Development where he would be in overall control of scouting as well as his existing duties as Academy Director.[8]
On 5 May, it was announced that six of Town's second-year scholars were offered professional contracts. They were Joe Skarz (who had already signed his), Luke Malcher, Simon Eastwood, James Berrett, Mitchell Bailey, and Lucas Akins, who had already been offered a new professional contract. Fellow youngster Alex Hallam was released.
Ritchie was in charge for the final four matches of the season with the team collecting seven points out of 12. The team finished the season in 15th position with 49 points, 16 points below the play-off places but 12 points above the relegation positions.
Although they managed to beat Premier League side Birmingham City in the FA Cup third round,[9] Huddersfield's league form during 2007–08 was inconsistent, leading to the departure of manager Andy Ritchie by 'mutual consent' towards the end of the season.[10] Derby County assistant manager Stan Ternent was appointed as Ritchie's replacement. Ternent left the club in November of the 2008–09 season however, and was replaced by Lee Clark, who led the team to a ninth place finish, missing out on the play-offs.
Agonisingly missing out
After the end of the centenary season, Dean Hoyle made wholesale changes at the club. As well as the retirement of Andy Booth, Clark released Jon Worthington, Malvin Kamara, Dominik Werling, Daniel Broadbent, Dan Codman. Danny Cadamarteri and Andy Holdsworth both rejected new deals and subsequently left the club. Cadamarteri joined Scottish Premier League side Dundee United, then a week later, ex-captain Worthington joined fellow League One side Oldham Athletic. On July 16, young striker Tom Denton joined Football League Two side Cheltenham Town on a six-month loan deal. He returned to the club on November 10, 2 months earlier than anticipated. On July 22, midfielder Ian Craney and striker Phil Jevons joined League Two side Morecambe on season-long loans. Unfortunately, an injury cut short half of Craney's season, and he returned to the Galpharm on April 20. The following day, his contract at the club was terminated. Also that day, Keigan Parker and Andy Holdsworth joined Oldham Athletic, following Jon Worthington. On July 25, young goalkeeper Simon Eastwood joined Bradford City on loan until the end of the year. He returned to the Galpharm on December 31. On August 4, Eastwood was joined at Bradford by Michael Flynn after terminating his contract at the Galpharm. Kamara joined Conference National side Barrow on September 25. On December 14, young defender Spencer Harris moved to Northern Premier League Division One North side Curzon Ashton on a month's loan. On January 1, 2010, midfielder Jim Goodwin joined Oldham Athletic on a month's loan, which was extended to the end of the season on February 1. On January 7, defender Andy Butler joined Championship side Blackpool on loan until the end of the season. On January 13, goalkeeper Matt Glennon terminated his contract with the Terriers, so he could join Bradford City on a permanent deal. On January 21, left-back Joe Skarz joined League Two side Shrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the season. The following day, 2 of the team's youngsters, Jack Hunt & Leigh Franks were sent on loan to Conference National side Grays Athletic and Conference North side Fleetwood Town respectively. On January 27, Lionel Ainsworth joined fellow League One side Brentford on a month's loan, which was extended to the end of the season on February 1. On February 1, Tom Denton and Lewis Nightingale joined Northern Premier League Division One North side Wakefield on one-month loans. On March 17, young defender Spencer Harris was released from his contract, then signed for Ossett Town. On May 17, 2010, former captain Chris Lucketti left the club.
On May 29, Clark made his first signing of the summer, by bringing in Tranmere Rovers captain Antony Kay on a free transfer. On June 12, Clark signed defender Peter Clarke on a free transfer from Southend United. On June 18, Coventry City striker Robbie Simpson was signed for £300,000 on a three-year deal. On June 30, Lee Peltier was signed from Yeovil Town on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. On July 3, young striker Theo Robinson was signed from Football League Championship side Watford for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal. On July 31, Ipswich Town striker Jordan Rhodes joined the Terriers on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee. On August 14, Clark signed Manchester United and England U-19 midfielder Danny Drinkwater on a season-long loan from Old Trafford. On January 19, Birmingham City defender Krystian Pearce joined on an original emergency loan, to be made into a permanent deal. On January 22, Lee Clark bolstered his defensive options further with the loan signing of Preston North End's Neal Trotman. On January 28, Clark made a double signing, Australian international Dean Heffernan signed until the end of the season from A-League side Central Coast Mariners and young striker Nathan Eccleston signed on a month's loan from Liverpool. On February 18, after impressing on a trial, young midfielder Taser Hassan signed a contract with the Terriers until the end of the season.
Town finished in 6th place, meaning that they played Millwall in the play-offs. After a goalless first leg at the Galpharm, Huddersfield lost the second leg 2-0 at The New Den, meaning that they stay in League One for another season.
Season 2010–11
After the near miss in the play-offs, many think that Huddersfield Town will be one of the favourites for promotion this season. Just a week after the defeat to Millwall, manager Lee Clark made his first signing of the season, buying Scotland U-21 midfielder Scott Arfield on an undisclosed fee from recently relegated Scottish Premier League side Falkirk. On the same day, Clark released Dean Heffernan, who returned to Australia to honour his contract with Melbourne Heart, Robbie Williams, who joined Stockport County on August 6, Lewis Nightingale, Taser Hassan and Phil Jevons, who joined Morecambe on a permanent basis on July 3.
On June 2, Icelandic international Joey Guðjónsson signed on a 2-year contract from recently relegated Premier League side Burnley. Two days later, Scottish international left-back Gary Naysmith signed for the Terriers after rejecting a new contract at Sheffield United. On the same day, goalkeeper Simon Eastwood left the club to join newly-promoted Football League Two side Oxford United. On June 17, goalkeeper Ian Bennett was signed on a free transfer from Sheffield United. On June 22, striker Tom Denton left the club by mutual consent. The following day, defender Andy Butler also had his contract paid up and left the club. On June 29, left-back Joe Skarz signed for Football League Two side Bury for an undisclosed fee. The following day, winger Lee Croft joined the Terriers on a 6-month loan deal from Derby County. On July 1, defender Jamie McCombe, whose brother John, played for Town in the not too distant past, joined the Terriers for an undisclosed fee from Bristol City. The following day, after failing to reach a new deal, Krystian Pearce left the club after playing just 45 minutes for the Terriers. He eventually joined Notts County. On July 6, midfielder James Berrett left the club to join fellow League One side Carlisle United on a free transfer. Later that day, midfielder Michael Collins joined Football League Championship side Scunthorpe United for an undisclosed fee. On July 14, young Irish winger Graham Carey signed on a 6-month loan from Scottish Premier League runners-up Celtic. On July 21, striker Joe Garner signed on a 6-month loan from Nottingham Forest. On July 28, two of Town's youngsters, Jack Hunt and Leigh Franks, were sent out on 6-month loans to Chesterfield and Oxford United respectively. On August 5, midfielder Damien Johnson was signed on a season-long loan from League One rivals Plymouth Argyle. The following day, striker Robbie Simpson joined Brentford on a season-long loan. On August 25, striker Alan Lee joined the club for an undisclosed fee from Crystal Palace.
On June 16, Town were drawn away to Carlisle United in the first round of the Carling Cup. The following day, the new fixtures were released, with Town's first league game being against Football League Two champions Notts County on August 7.
2008 Centenary
The summer of 2008 saw the centenary of the formation of Huddersfield Town. A number of events, to mark this occasion, took place.
Season ticket offer
After seeing the scheme by neighbours Bradford City to sell season tickets at a discounted rate in order to bring more fans in, Chairman Ken Davy and newly appointed chairman-elect Dean Hoyle agreed to a special offer for season tickets for the new season. Adult tickets in the Antich Stand and Fantastic Media Stand were just £100 and tickets in the Direct Golf Stand were no higher than £175 for adults. Town sold 16,123 tickets during the offer, more than twice the amount sold during the previous season. It also beat the previous record of 14,170 set during the 1970–71 season, which was Town's first season back in the old First Division.
Centenary game
A match against Arsenal for the Herbert Chapman Trophy was played at the Galpharm Stadium on 6 August 2008. The game was televised by Arsenal TV. The match finished 2–1 to Arsenal. Huddersfield took the lead on 75 minutes through Ireland U-21 international James Berrett. Arsenal equalised on 79 minutes through Sanchez Watt, before scoring the winner on 87 minutes through Nacer Barazite. The match was watched by a crowd of 19,044, the highest attendance for a pre-season match at the Galpharm Stadium and the highest since Argentinian side Independiente played against Town at Leeds Road in 1954, where a crowd of 20,042 saw that match.[11]
Centenary kit
A special gold away kit was commissioned by Mitre. There was a special launch night at the Galpharm Stadium on 19 June 2008 for season ticket holders only. Players Matt Glennon, Malvin Kamara and Michael Collins made an appearance.
Publications
'The Fans' Favourites'
The Fans' Favourites is a book by Alisdair Straughan published, late 2006, to commemorate the centenary. The book lists the 100 Huddersfield Town players voted by the fans as their favourite players.
Volumes I & II of History
As part of the centenary, two books about the club's history were released as 2 big volumes.
'99 Years And Counting'
Volume I was called "99 Years And Counting" (Stats and Stories). It was published on 3 November 2007. Illustrated, it contains full statistics for every Town match from 1908 to 2007. The authors were Alan Hodgson, Ian Thomas, Gwen Thomas and John Ward.
'All That's Worth Knowing'
Volume Two, "All That's Worth Knowing" (Facts & Photos), is a written account of the club's history. Its publication date was due to be toward of 2008, but it wasn't released until April 13, 2009.
Crest and colours
The club crest is based on the coat of arms of Huddersfield. The club main colours (blue and white) are evident throughout the badge both in the foliage and in the shield, in the form of stripes. Two Yorkshire white roses and Castle Hill form part of the history of the club and the area. The terrier sits proudly on top of the crest with a ball on a blanket of blue and white stripes. The badge was designed and launched for the start of the 1970–71 season and replaced the former badge that was the Huddersfield coat of arms. The Terriers was introduced to the badge shortly after "The Terriers" was adopted as the nickname and mascot of the club. Town first used a badge on their shirts for the 1920 FA Cup Final based on the local Huddersfield Corporation Coat of Arms and it appeared again with a Yorkshire rose appearing with in for the 1922 FA Cup Final and again for the finals of 1928, 1930 and 1938. The next badge did not feature until the 1966–67 season, when the simple "HTFC" donned the Town's all blue shirts. When the club adopted the nickname "The Terriers" for the 1969–70 season, the blue and white stripes returned and with it a red terrier with the words "The Terriers" appearing on the famous Town shirts. After relegation to the Fourth Division, Town returned to all blue shirts and the return of simply "HTFC" and this lasted from 1975-1977. Stripes returned from the 1977–78 season and the red Terrier returned to the shirt for the 1978–79 season. In 1980, Town adopted what remains their badge today based on the coat of arms of Huddersfield. This is both the club crest and playing shirt badge and is held in high esteem by Town fans. In 2000, Town changed badge to a circular design, but that was never popular and following a change of board, returned to the heraldic-style crest. The badge was further redeveloped with a small but significant adaptation in February 2005. The club took the decision to remove "A.F.C." from the text leaving only the wording 'Huddersfield Town'. The current board said that this was in keeping with the time and to make merchandise easier to produce and to make slicker looking promotional material.
It is widely regarded that the blue and white stripes of Huddersfield Town are globally recognised, but before they even wore the famous shirt they had spent over 5 years debating over what colour the kit should be. It ranged from salmon pink to plain white or all-blue to white with blue yoke. Eventually in 1913, they first pulled on the famous jersey. They stuck with the same principal design until 1966, when Scot Tom Johnston introduced all blue shirts. They lasted three years. Town returned to the stipes just in time for their promotion to the big time. Then in 1975, Johnston returned and with him, so did the all-blue kit. This time they only lasted two seasons. They have worn blue and white stripes ever since.
Popular chants
'Smile a While' was originally sung on the terrace in the 1920s when the original version was a popular song. At the time Huddersfield Town were one of the most successful football clubs in England. However, though 'Smile A While' has been sung down the years, it is no longer the main chant/song as in the past.[12] In recent years "Those Were The Days My Friend" (to the tune of the song of the same name by Mary Hopkin) has been popular in times of success and is played after each goal that Huddersfield scores.[12]
The south section of the Antich Stand (nearest the away support) is known as the 'Singing Section'. This group of fans provide particularly vociferous support for the team. This section is sometimes 'all ticket' when the rest of the Antich Stand is not.
In the early days of the Galpharm Stadium there was a band occupying the top row of the Fantastic Media Stand, the stand opposite the away stand (The Pink Link Stand). They disbanded following a dispute with the club over the concessions they received in return for their services.
Sponsors
Main club sponsors
The main club sponsors also have the right to have their identity on the shirts.
| Years | Sponsor |
|---|---|
| 1984–1985 | Central Mirfield |
| 1985–1987 | Daihatsu |
| 1987–1989 | Greenall's |
| 1991–1993 | Gola |
| 1993–1994 | Pulse (Home) Vileda (Away) |
| 1994–1995 | Pulse (Home) Panasonic 3DO (Away) |
| 1995–2001 | Panasonic |
| 2001–2005 | Prime Time Recruitment |
| 2005–2007 | Yorkshire Building Society |
| 2007–2009 | CasinoRed |
| 2009–2010 | Yorkshire Air Ambulance (Home) Radian B (Away) |
| 2010– | Kirklees College (Home) Radian B (Away) |
Kit suppliers
| Years | Sponsor |
|---|---|
| 1975–1979 | Bukta |
| 1979–1982 | Barralan |
| 1982–1986 | Bukta |
| 1987–1989 | Matchwinner |
| 1989–1990 | Beaver |
| 1990–1992 | Gola |
| 1993–1997 | Super League |
| 1997–1999 | Pony |
| 1999–2001 | Mitre |
| 2001–2002 | Bloggs |
| 2002–2003 | VOI |
| 2003–2007 | Admiral |
| 2007–present | Mitre |
Managers
Players
Full and u-21 internationals
Players with a * next to their name gained caps while at Huddersfield Town.
|
|
|
Current squad
- As of 16 November 2010.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Academy
Huddersfield Town F.C. Reserves and Academy
Under 18's Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Player Of The Year (Hargreaves Memorial Trophy)
|
|
.svg.png){kind=small}
League history
- Division 2: 1910–11 - 1919–20
- Division 1: 1920–21 - 1951–52
- Division 2: 1952–53
- Division 1: 1953–54 - 1955–56
- Division 2: 1956–57 - 1969–70
- Division 1: 1970–71 - 1971–72
- Division 2: 1972–73
- Division 3: 1973–74 - 1974–75
- Division 4: 1975–76 - 1979–80
- Division 3: 1980–81 - 1982–83
- Division 2: 1983–84 - 1987–88
- Division 3: 1988–89 - 1991–92
- Division 2 (Third Tier): 1992–93 - 1994–95
- Division 1 (Second Tier): 1995–96 - 2000–01
- Division 2 (Third Tier): 2001–02 - 2002–03
- Division 3 (Fourth Tier): 2003–04
- League One (Third Tier): 2004–05 - present
Honours
League
- Champions: 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26
- Runners-up: 1926–27, 1927–28, 1933–34
- Third-place: 1922–23, 1935–36, 1953–54
Second Division
- Champions: 1969–70
- Runners-up: 1919–20, 1952–53
Third Division
- Promoted: 1982–83
- Play-offs Winners: 1995
- Play-offs Semi-finalists: 1992, 2002, 2006, 2010
Fourth Division
- Champions: 1979–80
- Play-offs Winners: 2004
Cup
- Winners: 1922
- Runners-up: 1920, 1928, 1930, 1938
- Semi-finalists: 1929, 1939
- Semi-finalists: 1968
- Winners: 1922
- Never played: 1924 (Newcastle United), 1925 (Sheffield United), 1926 (Bolton Wanderers).
- Runners-up: 1994
Yorkshire Electricity Cup
- Winners: 1994–95
Management team & staff
- Correct as of 19 August 2009[13]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Dean Hoyle |
| Manager | Lee Clark |
| Assistant Manager | Terry McDermott |
| First Team Coach | Derek Fazackerley |
| Performance Coach | Steve Black |
| U-18 Coach | Graham Mitchell |
| Assistant Academy Coach | Graham Yates |
| Goalkeeper Coach | John Vaughan |
| Striker Coach | Andrew Cole |
| Physiotherapist | Dave Buckby |
| Caretaker Physiotherapist | Alex Moreno |
| Assistant Physiotherapist | Adam Hirst |
| Development Coach | Paul Stephenson |
| Academy Coach | Tony Carss |
| Kit Manager | Andrew Brook |
| Football in the Community Officer | Paul France |
| Fitness Coach | Andy Kiwomya |
| Chief Scout | Brian Young |
| Schoolboys Coach | Chris Howarth |
| Education & Welfare Officer | Karen Crosland |
| Commercial Director | Sean Jarvis |
Source:
References
- "Huddersfield Town - 75 years on - A History of Huddersfield Town" by George S. Binns
- "Huddersfield Town - A Complete Record 1910-1990" ISBN 090796964X
- "Huddersfield Town - Champions of England 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26" by Jim Brown (published in 2003 by Desert Island Books)
Notes
- ↑ "Galpharm Healthcare". http://www.galpharm.co.uk/index.htm.
- ↑ Club ridiculed over Brokeback Mountain calendar, Marc Shoffman, Pink News, 22 February 2006
- ↑ "Football League Awards - Jagielka Named Championship Player Of The Year", Tony Leighton, FourFourTwo
- ↑ "Shortlists Announced For Football League Awards", The Football League
- ↑ "Huddersfield sack manager Jackson". BBC Sport. 2007-03-06. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/6422635.stm. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
- ↑ "Parkinson in Huddersfield U-turn". BBC Sport. 2007-04-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/6525135.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
- ↑ "Ritchie named Huddersfield boss". BBC Sport. 2007-04-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/6538535.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Terriers gamble on new shirt deal", TeamTalk, 18 April 2007
- ↑ "Huddersfield 2–1 Birmingham", BBC Sport, 5 January 2008
- ↑ "Ritchie leaves Huddersfield post". BBC News. 2008-04-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/7324208.stm. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ↑ "Game with Gunners for Centenary Showpiece", HTFC official site, 2 July 2007
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Huddersfield Town Songs and Chants", SoccerJokes.com
- ↑ "Who's Who at Huddersfield Town". Huddersfield Town official website. http://www.htafc.com/page/Contacts/0,,10312~1062823,00.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
External links
| Preceded by Tottenham Hotspur F.C. |
FA Cup Winners 1922 |
Succeeded by Bolton Wanderers F.C. |
| Preceded by Tottenham Hotspur F.C. |
FA Charity Shield Winners 1922 |
Succeeded by Professionals XI |
| Preceded by Liverpool F.C. |
English Football League 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 |
Succeeded by Newcastle United F.C. |
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||