In the first part of Huddersfield Town’s Dean Hoyle we looked at Dean Hoyle’s takeover of the club, his initial dealings with the club and how he effected change. We also took a quick look to the progress made under his first season in charge of the club.
In this second part we’ll look at. How Lee Clark came so close yet so far to winning the play-offs. Grayson’s rise and fall in a flash in the pan moment and 10 minutes from Relegation.
We start though where we finished the first part off. With the disappointing end to the 2009/10 season, Clark and Dean Hoyle wanted to try and go one step further by trying to get an automatic spot.
2010/11 season
Town again went out big to attract good enough quality to get them out of league one. With players bought, sold and let go the team was very different from the previous season. Ian Bennet joined from Sheffield United, a well-respected goalkeeper and one Town fans would take to their hearts. His best performance and probably most memorable was at Scunthorpe United where he saved 2 penalties. He is now Town’s academy goalkeeping coach. Also brought in was Jamie McCombe to sure up the backline. There were also acquisitions brought in upfront with long time target Alan Lee bought from Crystal Palace for £350,000.
Another player who had racked up the appearances left the club, Nathan Clarke Had made 300 appearances over a 10 year spell with Town. A local lad who gave his all for the team.
Other players to join the club were Kevin Kilbane, Joe Garner and Danny Ward who would sign on a permanent deal at the end of the season. Benik Afobe a 17 year old promising talent from Arsenal’s academy also joined on loan.
The season was an excellent one for Town who finished in 3rd position with a club record 87 points. Both Brighton who were eventual league winners and Southampton who were runners up went on incredible runs as Town faulted at the end, to mean they’d have to go through the playoffs again.
The team were to face Bournemouth in the playoffs, a side which were of young and hungry talent, it included the likes of Danny Ings and Anton Robinson. Town drew 1-1 away and then played in front of a packed John Smiths Stadium (then called the Galpharm Stadium). This game is considered by many to be one of the best played in front of a crowd at the ground, and in the company of one of the best atmospheres ever witnessed at the stadium. The final score was 3-3 which meant 4-4 on aggregate over two legs. The game went to penalties with Anthony Kay striking the final blow in that incredible game. Town were off to Old Trafford for the playoff final.
Old Trafford was a site to behold, Town packed out half the stadium with 33,000 blue and white faithful cheering on the team. Dean Hoyle had created the moment to be extra special by arranging for blue and white T shirts on every seat in the Town end, to give the crowd a look of blue and white stripes replicating the kit. The fans were prepared and all that was needed was the players to do the business. The teams were selected and for Town a surprise was in store. Jordan Rhodes was on the bench with Benik Afobe leading the line in a 451 formation. Star man Anthony Pilkington was out but the fans still believed they had the best team. The ingredients created suggested Town should have won that day but for the club from Cambridgeshire that would break blue and white hearts. Peterborough United went out 3-0 winners, scoring three goals in quick succession in the second half. The tears started and Town were all but down on their knees at the end. A site of absolute joy at the beginning turned to despair as the game drew to a close.
2011/12 season
After losing the playoff final in 2010/11 season. The club embarked on another league campaign in league one. Not a lot of players left the cub over the summer of 2011 and a core squad was kept together. This was added to by Danny Ward’s signature on a permanent basis for £700.000 from Bolton. Oscar Gobern joined from Southampton. Right back Callum Woods was also brought in. Experienced midfielders Tommy Miller and Damien Johnson signed, Johnson already with Town the previous year. Miller’s being a permanent, Johnson’s a loan deal.
Town’s record breaking run ended on 27th November 2011. It broke Nottingham Forest’s previous record of 42 league games unbeaten, Town achieved 43. During the run Town won 25, drew 18. Charlton Athletic ended the run.
Due to the amount of draws and then a devastating loss to Sheffield United a promotion rival. Lee Clark’s time ended at the club, after a memorable three years he’d taken the club forward. Buying and selling some of the best talent in the clubs history. Clark and Hoyle had changed the face of Huddersfield Town for good, Clark managed 150 games for Town. After wide and unworthy criticism of the decision. Hoyle decided to make a quick decision by bringing in experienced manager Simon Grayson. Grayson himself was surprised at the decision as he had only just recently been sacked from local rivals Leeds United.
Grayson guided the club to the playoffs once more. With a two legged affair against MK Dons, Town knew they had to complete the job this time. A 2-0 away win at MK meant Town were in a healthy position for the home leg. Town however lost 2-1 but still went to the final due to winning 3-2 on aggregate. Town again were involved in the playoff final. However this time it was to be at Wembley stadium, somewhere Town hadn’t visited since the mid-90s. 25,000 Town fans made their way to London to see Town beat Sheffield United in a dower final. 0-0 after a 120 minutes of football meant it went to penalties. An incredible shootout ensued with it ending in Alex Smithies local boy and Town goalkeeper scoring the winning penalty. After Smithies scored it was down to the Sheffield United goalkeeper to miss and he dully did to send Town back to the championship. After 11 years out of the second tier they finally were back to face teams like Leeds United, Wolves and Blackburn Rovers.
2012/13 season
With all the excitement of a new league for Town fans to look forward to the summer of 2012 was a busy one. As the 2012/13 season got underway. Town had a serious decision to make as Jordan Rhodes was itching for a move. Blackburn Rovers stepped in and paid £8 million, this is a Town record fee for any player sold, and was a football league record before Ross McCormack was sold for £11m from Leeds United to Fulham. With Rhodes sold and having left the club in the history books, the fans got a tad nervous about who was going to be brought in. As before under Clark’s rein, Hoyle once again backed his manager with funds. James Vaughan joined on loan from Norwich City, he would later sign on a permanent deal. Sean Scannel joined for £500,000 from Crystal Palace and Adam Clayton was brought in from Leeds for a similar amount. Other players to join were Joel Lynch from Forest, Paul Dixon from Dundee United and Oliver Norwood was bought from Manchester United a dynamic and potentially very good midfielder. Jermaine Beckford was brought in on loan with other players also joining. Grayson had changed the squad totally around as the one that came up could not have survived.
The season started well and after the first quarter of games Town were sat 6th a very impressive start to the season. However things dropped off dramatically in the second half of the season. After 12 games without a win, Grayson was sacked. The next manager to come in would have a lot to do, he would have a creaking and out of confidence squad to rebuild and reinvigorate. Mark Robins who had managed Rotherham United and Barnsley had saved both clubs from relegation from the championship and so Town fans were settled in the board’s decision. He had come from a desperate situation at Coventry City and was now stepping in to a stable one behind the scenes at Town. On the pitch however things were going downhill and fast. His very first game he lost to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup 4-1 and then a disastrous result at Nottingham Forest made the fans nervous. A big result on New Year’s Day to Leicester didn’t help things at all. However come May time Town had acquired themselves just enough points. They went into the final day against Barnsley just needing a point and hoping others didn’t win.
A game that will be remembered by all that attended, as Town were 10 minutes from relegation. An old foe in Peterborough United was also in the mix. If Peterborough won and Town lost plus other results not going Town’s way the club would be relegated.
The game was balanced at 2-2 between Town and Barnsley and so the Barnsley goalkeeper held the ball for ages. There was and is nothing in the rule book to say he was breaking the rules. The final whistle blew at the John Smiths Stadium. Then every player, fan, coach and backroom staff made sure they were near a radio or TV as the result came through from Palace. It turned out that Palace had scored in the dying seconds to relegate Peterborough. Cries of Yorkshire were shouted and Town and Barnsley fans were celebrating and congratulating each other on their survival. Mark Robins had achieved his objective and had created thousands of memories for that day a day no one will ever forget.
Part Three Will consider the
Mark Robins, Championship ups and downs.
Powell- The obvious choice, so far so good.
Hoyle- Off the field, why he should stay for years to come.
All the stats, figures and facts in this article were taken from Huddersfield Town’s official site.