Huddersfield Town's 2001–02 campaign was their first competitive campaign in the third tier since the 1994–95 season. Huddersfield finished 6th that season, before losing in the play-offs to 3rd place Brentford, who Town beat in the play-off semi-finals in the 1994–95 season.

Squad at the start of the season

Review 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. Huddersfield had a good start to the season, with the exception of the Worthington Cup loss to Rochdale. They continued a steady progress up the table and Lou Macari was on course to send Town back up to Division 1.

As the top six challenge faded, he made a canny loan signing, gifted young striker Leon Knight (from Chelsea). He scored 16 league goals in 31 appearances and also became the only loan player to date to win the Player of the Year award. 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.

The season also saw a good campaign in the LDV Vans Trophy. After beating Halifax Town, Wrexham, Scunthorpe United and Hull City, Town played Blackpool in a 2-leg Northern Area Final. After losing the first leg 3–1 at Bloomfield Road, Town took a 2–0 lead in the reverse at the McAlpine Stadium, the match went to extra time, but their party was spoiled by Martin Bullock's golden goal.

So, Town looked on course for automatic promotion until a run of 4 games without a win in late March and early April, only the play-offs seemed to be likely to give the promotion that Town craved. They eventually finished 6th, six behind 2nd placed Reading.

The Play-off semi-final saw Town play 3rd placed Brentford. After the first leg ended 0–0 at the McAlpine, Andy Booth gave Town an early lead in the second leg at Griffin Park, before Darren Powell and Lloyd Owusu gave Brentford their 2–1 win.

Squad at the end of the season

Results Division Two DateOpponentsHome/AwayResult F – AScorersAttendanceLeague position11 August 2001BournemouthH1–0Irons 10,1377th18 August 2001ReadingA0–111,91512th25 August 2001BuryH2–0Schofield [82, 88]8,6848th27 August 2001Peterborough UnitedA2–1Booth , Beech 5,2534th2 September 2001Wycombe WanderersH2–1Thorrington , Brown [70 (og)]9,7411st8 September 2001Stoke CityA1–1Schofield 13,3193rd15 September 2001BlackpoolH2–4Clarke , Thorrington 10,6916th18 September 2001Wigan AthleticA0–15,7177th22 September 2001Cardiff CityA2–1Mattis , Schofield 12,2806th25 September 2001ChesterfieldH0–09,3995th29 September 2001Bristol CityH1–0Thorrington 10,6523rd7 October 2001Queens Park RangersA2–3Hay , Ben Askar [90 (og)]10,6687th13 October 2001Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–2Irons 10,7279th20 October 2001Tranmere RoversA0–18,63212th23 October 2001Northampton TownA3–0Booth [30, 45, 70]5,9267th27 October 2001WrexhamH5–1Thorrington [29 (pen)], Holland , Knight [64, 66], Booth 9,8886th3 November 2001Oldham AthleticA1–1Schofield 8,85910th9 November 2001Notts CountyH2–2Jenkins , Knight 10,1686th20 November 2001BrentfordH1–1Knight 8,5186th24 November 2001Port ValeA1–1Knight 5,0267th1 December 2001Cambridge UnitedH2–1Hay , Booth 9,5137th22 December 2001Colchester UnitedA3–3Booth [40, 61], Schofield 3,54310th26 December 2001Peterborough UnitedH3–1Thorrington [34, 52], Irons 11,4468th29 December 2001Stoke CityH0–016,0419th12 January 2002ReadingH0–110,77511th15 January 2002BuryA0–03,4629th19 January 2002BournemouthA3–2Booth , Hay , Knight 5,3079th22 January 2002Colchester UnitedH2–1Schofield [5, 25]7,1799th26 January 2002Queens Park RangersH1–0Booth 9,4336th2 February 2002Bristol CityA1–1Knight 10,6437th5 February 2002Swindon TownA1–0Hay 5,0945th9 February 2002Tranmere RoversH2–1Armstrong , Wijnhard 15,7845th16 February 2002Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–114,0456th23 February 2002BlackpoolA2–1Knight [70, 90]8,9816th2 March 2002Wigan AthleticH0–012,8447th5 March 2002ChesterfieldA1–1Knight 4,7407th9 March 2002Swindon TownH2–0Irons , Knight 9,5696th12 March 2002Wycombe WanderersA4–2Knight [28, 90], Gray , Irons 5,5465th16 March 2002Cambridge UnitedA1–0Knight 3,7285th23 March 2002Northampton TownH2–0Knight [27, 33]10,7835th30 March 2002WrexhamA1–1Facey 4,4485th1 April 2002Oldham AthleticH0–014,3435th6 April 2002BrentfordA0–37,3936th9 April 2002Cardiff CityH2–2Irons [79 (pen)], Hay 11,6606th13 April 2002Port ValeH2–1Facey , Booth 12,2706th20 April 2002Notts CountyA1–2Irons [83 (pen)]15,6186th

Division 2 Play-offs DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResult F – AScorersAttendance28 April 2002Semi-Final 1st LegBrentfordH0–016,5231 May 2002Semi-Final 2nd LegBrentfordA1–2Booth 11,191 Huddersfield lost 2–1 on aggregate.

FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResult F – AScorersAttendance17 November 2001Round 1Gravesend & NorthfleetH2–1Moses , Knight 6,1128 December 2001Round 2Mansfield TownA0–46,836

Worthington Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResult F – AScorersAttendance21 August 2001Round 1RochdaleH0–13,995

LDV Vans Trophy DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResult F – AScorersAttendanceNotes16 October 2001Round 1 NorthHalifax TownH0–0 (aet: 90 mins: 0–0)3,570  Penalties Hay Thorrington Clarke Irons 4–3 ? ? ? Stoneman: Margetson saved Smith: over crossbar 30 October 2001Round 2 NorthWrexhamA1–0Holland 1,7254 December 2001Quarter-Final NorthScunthorpe UnitedH4–1Schofield [23, 65], Hay , Booth 3,5878 January 2002Semi-Final NorthHull CityA1–0Booth 7,24829 January 2002Final First Leg NorthBlackpoolA1–3Schofield 4,57312 February 2002Final Second Leg NorthBlackpoolH2–1 (Golden goal aet: 90 mins: 2–0)Wijnhard [5 (pen)], Schofield 7,736Huddersfield lost 4–3 on aggregate

Appearances and goals Squad No.NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupFootball League TrophyPlay-offsTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals2Steve JenkinsDF401101040104713Gareth EvansDF350001030204104Craig ArmstrongMF7 (4)100101 (1)0009 (5)15Chris LuckettiDF2000000000208Kenny IronsMF34 (7)72010502044 (7)711Clyde WijnhardFW2 (11)100001 (1)1003 (12)212Kevin GrayDF4412010602055113Martyn MargetsonGK4602010602057016Delroy FaceyFW11 (2)20000002013 (2)217Simon BaldryMF3 (1)00 (1)0001 (1)0004 (3)018Chris HayFW19 (12)50 (1)0102 (2)10 (2)022 (17)620Thomas HearyDF21 (11)02010602032 (11)021Jon DysonDF00100000001022Chris BeechMF6 (3)1001000007 (3)123Chris HollandMF35 (2)120105 (1)12045 (3)224Danny SchofieldMF39 (1)82000640047 (1)1226Adie MosesDF13 (4)01100301018 (4)129John ThorringtonMF29 (2)6000 (1)0102032 (3)630Leon KnightFW311621004000371731Paul MacariFW0 (6)0000 (1)00 (2)0000 (9)032Andy BoothFW30 (6)112010522140 (6)1433Dwayne MattisMF21 (8)1200 (1)0300026 (9)134Michael SeniorMF0000000 (1)0000 (1)036Nathan ClarkeDF3611000400041137Damien DelaneyDF1 (1)0000000001 (1)038Jerel IfilDF1 (1)0000000203 (1)0

References