Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town AFC is a football club formed in 1908 from West Yorkshire. The town was the birthplace of Rugby League in 1891, perhaps explaining for the relatively late introduction of a senior football club to the town. A new ground at Leeds Road was quickly developed.

In 1909 Town joined the Midland League and then the Football League a season later. The 1919-20 season saw Huddersfield promoted to the top flight as well as reaching the FA Cup Final, where they were defeated 1-0 by Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. 

All this just a year after the club were nearly moved to Elland Road to replace the defunct Leeds City club because of poor crowds. Fans had to raise funds to reform the club.

In 1921-22 Town lifted the famous trophy as Preston North End were seen off 1-0 at the same venue with a Billy Smith penalty under manager Herbert Chapman who had previously been in charge at rivals Leeds City until they were disbanded owing to financial irregularities.

By now Herbert Chapman had been installed as team manager. He led Town to the League title in 1923-24 and 1924-25 before leaving to join Arsenal during  the following campaign. However, Huddersfield still completed their hat trick under Cecil Potter.

Huddersfield were runners up three times in the FA Cup in a short period in Wembley finals. In 1927-28 Blackburn Rovers won 3-1 with Jack Chaplin in charge of the side and Alex Jackson scoring the consolation goal. 

Clem Stephenson was appointed as manager before Arsenal were the victors with a 2-0 margin in 1929-30 and then Town went down 1-0 to Preston North End after extra time in the 1937-38 final.

Leeds Road was extended to cope with growing support for the club after the War to see the side managed by George Stephenson, as Town remained in Division One until 1951-52, when they were relegated. 

However, they regained their top tier status at the first attempt with Scotsman Andy Beattie as manager. Their spell only lasted three seasons before they went down again in 1955-56 after Bill Shankly had taken over as manager of a team that included the future World Cup winner Ray Wilson. 

Shankly nurtured the start of the career of Denis Law before leaving for Liverpool in 1959. Law was sold to Manchester City in 1961, which paid for floodlights to be installed at Leeds Road.

Eddie Boot took over from Shankly. Tom Johnston was appointed in October 1964  before Ian Greaves replaced him in June 1968 introducing young local talent as Town returned to Division One in 1969-70, with an exciting side including Frank Worthington and Trevor Cherry. 

‘The Terriers’ were relegated in 1971-72 at the start of a terrible decade for the club. Town went down again in 1972-73 and were relegated to Division Four in 1974-75, becoming the first League champions to find themselves in the bottom tier of English football.

Bobby Collins, and then Johnston in a second spell took charge of the side before the arrival of  Mick Buxton in August 1978, who oversaw a gradual improvement. The 1979-80 season saw the team lift the Division Four title to begin the fightback.

In 1982-83 Town fought their way back to Division Two with Mark Lillis the terrace hero. Remarkably Buxton was dismissed in December 1986 for failing to reach Division One. Town were relegated once again at the end of the 1987-88 season under the stewardship of Malcolm Macdonald.

Eoin Hand became manager until 1992 to be replaced by Ian Ross who took the side to the play offs in 1991-92, where they lost out to Peterborough United in the semi final. In April 1994 Town played their last ever game at Leeds Road against Blackpool before moving a few hundred yards to the newly built Alfred McAlpine Stadium, which was to be shared with Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Club. 

The same season saw The Terriers reach Wembley for the first time since 1938 for the Football League Trophy Final with Neil Warnock in charge of the side. The game ended with Swansea City winning on penalties, despite the best efforts of local hero Andy Booth.

They went one better in 1994-95 after seeing off Brentford by defeating Bristol Rovers 2-1 in the play-off final with goals from Booth and Chris Billy to finally register a win at Wembley. Brian Horton and then Peter Jackson both had a couple of seasons at the helm, followed by one under Steve Bruce.

Town remained in the newly titled second tiered Division One until 2001 when they were relegated once more by which time Lou Macari was manager. In their first season back in the third tier, Town missed out in the play-off semi-finals to Brentford

Worse was to follow with relegation to Division Three in 2002-03. The latest boss Mel Machin was sacked following that disappointment, with Peter Jackson returning. Town won the 2003-04 play-off final against Mansfield Town on penalties at the Millennium Stadium following a 0-0 draw after earlier defeating Lincoln City to make an immediate return to the third tier. 

The McAlpine was renamed The Galpharm Stadium in a new sponsorship deal at the same time. In 2005-06 Barnsley defeated Town in the semi finals of the play offs, with Jackson being replaced by Lee Clark. Local businessman and lifelong fan Dean Hoyle bought the club in 2009.

Clark put a good side together, although they lost once more in the play off semi finals in 2009-10, this time to Millwall. The team continued to improve and went one step further in 2010-11. Their long winning run was ended by Peterborough United in the Old Trafford showpiece after defeating AFC Bournemouth.

Clark was controversially sacked in February 2012, with Simon Grayson coming in to replace him. The goals of Jordan Rhodes in an unaltered squad took Town to Wembley after defeating Milton Keynes Dons where they eventually beat Sheffield United 8-7 on penalties in the play-off final in May 2012.

Grayson was dismissed in Town’s first season back in the second tier in January 2013 to be replaced by Mark Robins. Robins was surprisingly dismissed after just one game of the 2014-15 season, with former Charlton boss Chris Powell arriving in September 2014. He led the side to a sixteenth place finish.

Powell lasted until November 2015, when he was dismissed harshly in the view of many Town fans. Former USA international and Borussia Dortmund coach David Wagner was appointed as head coach at the rebranded John Smith's Stadium.

Wagner spent his first few months assessing the side before bringing in a plethora of new players; with many coming in on loan from Premier League clubs. He took the team to the play-offs in the 2016-17 season.

Sheffield Wednesday were defeated in the semi-final before Huddersfield beat Reading at Wembley, with both ties going to penalties; as Town returned to the top flight of English football for the first time since 1972. 

Wagner's team managed to stay up upon their return with a sixteenth place finish as Steve Mounié led the scoring chart. Town were relegated in 2018-19 with Wagner departing in the second half of the season. Jan Siewart took over until August 2019.

With the side in trouble Danny Cowley was appointed as manager after Hoyle sold the club to businessman Phil Hodgkinson. Cowley led the team to survival but was replaced in July 2020 by Leeds United assistant coach Carlos Corberán.

Corberán’s side, captained by Jonathan Hogg finished third in 2021-22 defeating Luton Town before losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in the final at Wembley. There then followed upheaval and several managerial changes over the new few years as Town looked to maintain their second-tier status.

Danny Schofield took charge of team affairs in June 2022 who lasted until September of that year when Mark Fotheringham was appointed. Neil Warnock returned in February, once again to save a team from relegation as form improved dramatically.

In June 2023 owner Dean Hoyle who had returned in 2020 wiped off up to £40 million of debt to keep the club out of administration before he sold it to American investor Kevin M. Nagle. Warnock departed in September 2023 to be replaced by Darren Moore.

The move failed with Andre Breitenreiter becoming new Town manager in February 2024, with Town being relegated a few months later.

Huddersfield Town AFC will play in EFL League One in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Bradford City 4 Hull City 2 (Saturday 14th September 1985) Division Two (att: 4,930)

Click here to read about my first visit to Leeds Road while Bradford City were in temporary residence.

Huddersfield Town 2 Hull City 1 (Saturday 25th February 1986) Division Two (att: 4,418)

We returned on the coach later in the season for the Tigers clash with Town. Once again we were placed on the open end. David Cork and Terry Curran scored the goals for the hosts with Garreth Roberts netting for the Tigers.

Huddersfield Town 0 Hull City 2 (Tuesday 20th October 1987) Division Two (att: 8,033)

Again the coach took the strain on a freezing cold evening. Thankfully Huddersfield had placed us in The Cowshed, which allowed us to create an excellent atmosphere as City put in a superb performance.

Les Thompson and Garry Parker did their best to warm us with the City goals. Sadly on returning to the coach we found that the heating at broken, meaning us all travelling in coats and hats as ice formed on the inside of the windows!

Huddersfield Town 0 Scarborough 2 (Saturday 13th August 1989) Yorkshire & Humberside Cup (att: 2,143)

Boro were buzzing after a debut League season, and with Neil Warnock’s new signings. Things were certainly looking up.

The Gas Club in Scarborough had decided to spend some of its wealth on purchasing a mini bus. It looked like a great investment and bonus for our regular Boro travelling party. How little we knew!

Everything went to plan as we arrived in good time on a lovely day and stopped for a couple of beers at a pub on the way into town. We parked behind the Main Stand, which was handy as that was the only part of the ground open on the day.

Boro put in a masterful display as Gary Brook and and an own goal sealed the victory. While we were happy, we were also mindful that the locals were not especially appreciative of what they were witnessing. I was not massively impressed by some Boro fans baiting them.

At full time we stuck together and got to the bus, but it was clear that we were about to have problems. We told our driver Kev Phillips to drive through, no matter what got in the way. We got to the junction of Bradley Mills Road and Leeds Road with gangs running down the road with missiles on seeing that we were stuck at the traffic lights. 

We shouted for him to go, but being the polite bloke he is, he didn’t disobey the traffic cop. Within seconds, half of our bus windows had been put through.

We had to follow the police back to their station to offer statements before travelling to the Autoglass depot near to Elland Road in Leeds to have our new windows fitted. We stopped briefly for a much needed beer on the way home, but we were a quiet party on the ride home.

The mini bus was eventually sold for scrap after an underwhelming spell at the club. It broke down at the Charity Shield at Wembley just a week later, leaving some of the same fellas who’d been on the Huddersfield trip needing to pay for a train home.

Huddersfield Town 1 Scarborough 2 (Tuesday 21st February 1989) Football League Trophy Northern Section Quarter Final (att: 4,665)

We once again travelled by mini bus, but thankfully a large contingent of Seadogs travelled to the game, meaning that we were placed on the open end.

Boro had a good team once again, while Town were struggling. Goals from Steve Adams and Gary Brook sent us home happy as Martin Russell tore the visitors apart with a masterful display with Craig Maskell netting for the Terriers.

However, the highlight of the evening involved a Boro fan originally from Huddersfield who’d taken his own mini bus earlier in the day for a good drink. Amongst their throng was an inflatable doll, who was dressed in full Boro kit. 

There was much jollity, although the stewards were getting a bit bored when our fan cavorted with his friend, tripped up down the terraces and had to be carted off to hospital to have his ankle put in pot!

REM Concert (Tuesday 25th July 1995)

The Alfred McAlpine Stadium was still pretty new so when a company in Scarborough advertised a trip to the gig, a few of us who drank in the Gas Club decided to go.

We set off just before lunch and arrived around 2pm, allowing us plenty of time in a pub over the road from the stadium on a beautiful afternoon. We headed to the stadium around 5pm to catch the end of Echobelly and then The Beautiful South who stood in for Oasis, who had withdrawn a day earlier after yet another row between the Gallagher brothers.

The stadium was three sided at the time of the concert. The Riverside Stand was a two tier construction, with boxes dividing the levels. It contained the players facilities and directors box. Opposite was the Kilner Bank Stand. This was a singe tier of seats with the TV gantry hanging from the roof. 

To the left was the North Stand. Again this was a single tier of steep seating, which was allocated to visiting fans on a match day. Each stand was semi circular with large white piping above the roofs, which met in the corners forming the base to the floodlight pylons.

We took up seats in the Kilner Bank Stand, although I also had a wander on the pitch. The facilities on the concourse were very good.

REM played an excellent set, with Michael Stipe gaining local popularity by donning a Hudersfield Town shirt at the end of the gig. We got home in the early hours after an enjoyable but very long day out.

Huddersfield Town 0 Reading 1 (Saturday 14^th December 2013) Football League Championship (att: 13,572)

I was slowly closing in on completing the ninety two League grounds, and found myself with a random Saturday off from my annual leave. My old pal Martin Kaye, a Town fan told me to get in touch when I was going to visit. He kindly booked the tickets, while I booked my travel.

My body was aching after a long Friday night out taking plenty of stick from a  couple of Aussie mates over The Ashes when I arrived at St Pancras. The Megabus journey took me by train to East Midlands Parkway before a coach transferred me to Huddersfield Bus Station at around 12.45.

Kado was awaiting my arrival in The Head of Steam, and after a quick pint we moved on to the excellent Sportsman, which was voted the towns CAMRA pub of the year three times on the bounce. Sadly the George Hotel, where the game of rugby league was formed was closed as it was changing management. 

We then continued to The Gas Club where it cost £1 day membership to enter the large function room, which reminded me in many ways of the old Scarborough establishment. After a couple of pints we walked the ten minutes to the stadium.

Kado enjoying his day out!

Our seats were for downstairs in the Riverside Stand and cost £24. An excellent programme set me back a further £3. To our left was the South Stand, which had been added since my previous visit. 

It was the tallest of all four stands with a steep upper tier and a temporary seating deck at the front that could be removed for events such as concerts. Again it was of a semi circular shape to match up with the other three stands.

Our view was good and we had plenty of legroom owing to the relatively low attendance. Looking across to the stand opposite, with the trees behind it added to the driveway up to the stadium belonged more to a continental venue rather than an industrial northern town.

The game was tight. Reading looked impressive going forward. The Russian Pavel Pogrebnyak was excellent as he used his strength. Town got into some decent positions but their final ball and crossing left a little to be desired, much to the annoyance of the bloke behind us. 

I had never heard anyone slate his own team as much as this guy. The slightest error was pounced upon. I nearly choked on my meat and potato pie at one point, as I was desperately trying not to laugh at his outbursts.

Pogrebnyak set up Billy Sharp to nod home after thirty two minutes to the joy of the 495 travelling Royals fans. I offered the opinion that I could see the game ending 1-1 as we took shelter on the concourse.

Town gave it a go in the second period, but were badly missing the firepower of the injured James Vaughan. Reading looked dangerous on the break but it didn’t look to be Town’s day when Martin Paterson had a shot that hit the foot of the post. 

Our moaner blamed the forward. He cleared off ten minutes before full time, no doubt to complain if his tea wasn’t up to scratch. He had the persona of Ripping Yarns ‘Golden Graham’ of Barnstoneworth United.

At full time we managed to get back to the stunning old railway station and catch the 5.17 train to Leeds, where we relaxed and watched some of the Hull City v Stoke City match. My train back was booked for 7.05 so Martin joined me until he alighted for home at Doncaster.

The train back to London was a real human zoo including an eclectic mixture of fans of different clubs. Some very obnoxious Royals fans who seemed to think they followed a big club all of a sudden, were being extremely rude to an innocent polite middle aged Swindon fan. 

I listened to a nice older Reading fan chat to that rarest of things, a polite and interesting Leeds fan who once owned Mildenhall Speedway team. Three noisy drunk slappers got on at Newark to spoil the serenity, so I scarpered and sat by some delightful Orient fans, including just about the perfect family. 

I mused to myself that the filming of a live TV reality show on trains heading back after football would surely make far more interesting; if scary viewing than the guff they currently commission?

It had been yet another case of a top day out marred by a poor football game, although the stadium really was one of my favourites.


The images of Leeds Road have been taken from the pages of  the internet as I failed to take my camera with me on my visits.