The 2010–11 season was Huddersfield Town's seventh consecutive season in the third tier of English football. After losing to Millwall in the play-offs in the previous season, many hoped that Huddersfield would gain promotion to the Football League Championship. After finishing in third place with a club record of 87 points, Huddersfield lost the play-off final at Old Trafford, by 3–0 against Peterborough United, meaning that they would stay in League One for another season.
Squad at the start of the season
Review After the near miss in the play-offs, many think that Huddersfield Town would be one of the favourites for promotion that season. Just a week after the defeat to Millwall, manager Lee Clark made his first signing of the season, buying the Scotland U-21 midfielder Scott Arfield for an undisclosed fee from the 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 later joined Stockport County), Lewis Nightingale, Taser Hassan and Phil Jevons (who joined Morecambe on a permanent basis on 3 July).
On 2 June, the Icelandic international Joey Guðjónsson signed a 2-year contract from the recently relegated Premier League side Burnley. Two days later, the Scottish international left-back Gary Naysmith signed for Huddersfield after rejecting a new contract at Sheffield United. On the same day, goalkeeper Simon Eastwood left the club to join the newly promoted Football League Two side Oxford United. On 17 June, the goalkeeper Ian Bennett was signed on a free transfer from Sheffield United. On 22 June, the striker Tom Denton left the club by mutual consent. On the following day, the defender Andy Butler also had his contract paid up and left the club. On 29 June, the left-back Joe Skarz signed for the Football League Two side Bury for an undisclosed fee. The next day, the winger Lee Croft joined Huddersfield on a 6-month loan deal from Derby County. He returned to Derby on 3 January 2011. On 1 July, the defender Jamie McCombe, whose brother John, played for Huddersfield in the not too distant past, joined the Huddersfield for an undisclosed fee from Bristol City. The following day, after failing to reach a new deal, Krystian Pearce left the club after playing for just 45 minutes. He eventually joined Notts County. On 6 July, the midfielder James Berrett left the club to join the League One side Carlisle United on a free transfer. Later that day, the midfielder Michael Collins joined Football League Championship side Scunthorpe United for an undisclosed fee. On 14 July, the young Irish winger Graham Carey signed on a 6-month loan from the Scottish Premier League runners-up Celtic. He returned to Celtic on 13 January 2011, after Huddersfield failed to agree terms on an extension to his deal. On 21 July, the striker Joe Garner signed on a 6-month loan from Nottingham Forest. He returned there on 4 January 2011. On 28 July, two of Huddersfield's youngsters, Jack Hunt and Leigh Franks, were sent out on 6-month loans to Chesterfield and Oxford United respectively. On 5 August, the midfielder Damien Johnson was signed on a season-long loan from the League One rivals Plymouth Argyle. The following day, the striker Robbie Simpson joined Brentford on a season-long loan. On 25 August, the striker Alan Lee joined the club for an undisclosed fee from Crystal Palace. On 31 August, Jim Goodwin left the club by mutual consent. He joined the Scottish Premier League side Hamilton Academical on 6 September. On 8 September, Theo Robinson joined the Championship side Millwall on an emergency 3-month loan deal, but he returned in November, after an injury. He rejoined the club on a permanent deal on 13 January, for an undisclosed fee. On 15 October, Huddersfield brought in the experienced goalkeeper Nick Colgan on a one-month loan from the Conference National side Grimsby Town. He returned a month later, after making no appearances. On 21 January 2011, he signed for Huddersfield on a permanent deal, after being released by Grimsby. On 1 January 2011, as the transfer window reopened, Huddersfield signed the experienced Ireland international Kevin Kilbane on loan from Hull City for the rest of the season. On 10 January, Huddersfield signed Newcastle United's Hungarian international defender Tamás Kádár on loan. On 27 January, the Huddersfield stalwart Nathan Clarke joined the League One rivals Colchester United on loan. On 31 January, as the transfer window was about to shut, Danny Cadamarteri returned to Huddersfield on a short-term contract following his release by the Scottish Premier League side Dundee United. On 26 February, Huddersfield signed the left-back Stephen Jordan on an emergency one-month loan from Sheffield United, following injuries to Gary Naysmith and Liam Ridehalgh. On 15 March, a week after the injury that curtailed Anthony Pilkington's involvement in the season, Huddersfield increased its attacking options by bringing in the winger Danny Ward on loan from the Premier League side Bolton Wanderers for the rest of the season. Defensive options were bolstered by signing the centre-back Sean Morrison on loan from Reading on 23 March. Just as the transfer window shut, the young midfielder Aidan Chippendale was sent on loan to the Conference National side York City
On 16 June, Huddersfield was drawn away to Carlisle United in the first round of the Carling Cup. The following day, the new fixtures were released, with Huddersfield's first league game being against the Football League Two champions Notts County on 7 August.
Squad at the end of the season
Transfers In Date Pos. Name From Fee24 MayMF Scott Arfield FalkirkUndisclosed Fee2 JuneMF Joey Guðjónsson BurnleyFree4 JuneDF Gary Naysmith Sheffield UnitedFree17 JuneGK Ian Bennett Sheffield UnitedFree1 JulyDF Jamie McCombe Bristol CityUndisclosed25 AugustFW Alan Lee Crystal PalaceUndisclosed21 JanuaryGK Nick Colgan Grimsby TownFree31 JanuaryFW Danny Cadamarteri Dundee UnitedFree
Loans in Date Pos. Name From Expiry30 June MF Lee Croft Derby CountyJanuary 2011 14 JulyMF Graham Carey CelticJanuary 2011 21 July FW Joe Garner Nottingham ForestJanuary 2011 5 AugustMF Damien Johnson Plymouth ArgyleJune 201115 OctoberGK Nick Colgan Grimsby TownNovember 20102 NovemberFW Benik Afobe ArsenalDecember 20101 JanuaryMF Kevin Kilbane Hull CityMay 201110 JanuaryDF Tamás Kádár Newcastle UnitedFebruary 201113 JanuaryDF Jack Hunt ChesterfieldLoan Ended26 FebruaryDF Stephen Jordan Sheffield UnitedMarch 201115 MarchMF Danny Ward Bolton WanderersEnd Of Season23 MarchDF Sean Morrison ReadingEnd Of Season19 AprilMF Aidan Chippendale York CityRecalled
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee24 MayDF Dean Heffernan Melbourne HeartPre-signed agreement24 MayMF Taser HassanN/AReleased 24 MayMF Lewis Nightingale Bradford Park AvenueReleased4 JuneGK Simon Eastwood Oxford UnitedFree22 JuneFW Tom Denton WakefieldFree29 JuneDF Joe Skarz BuryUndisclosed3 JulyFW Phil Jevons MorecambeFree 6 JulyMF James Berrett Carlisle UnitedUndisclosed6 JuneMF Michael Collins Scunthorpe UnitedUndisclosed 26 JulyDF Krystian Pearce Notts CountyFree2 AugustMF Lionel Ainsworth Shrewsbury TownUndisclosed6 AugustDF Robbie Williams Stockport CountyFree6 SeptemberMF Jim Goodwin Hamilton AcademicalFree12 NovemberDF Andy Butler WalsallFree13 JanuaryFW Theo Robinson MillwallUndisclosed Fee
Loans out Date Pos. Name To Expiry13 JulyFW Jimmy Spencer MorecambeJanuary 201128 JulyDF Leigh Franks Oxford UnitedJanuary 201128 JulyDF Jack Hunt ChesterfieldJanuary 20116 AugustFW Robbie Simpson BrentfordJune 20118 SeptemberFW Theo Robinson MillwallDecember 201015 NovemberGK Nick Colgan Grimsby TownLoan Ended3 JanuaryMF Lee Croft Derby CountyLoan Ended 3 JanuaryFW Joe Garner Nottingham ForestLoan Ended13 JanuaryMF Graham Carey CelticLoan Ended27 JanuaryDF Nathan Clarke Colchester UnitedMay 201122 MarchDF Stephen Jordan Sheffield UnitedLoan Ended25 MarchMF Aidan Chippendale York CityMay 201119 AprilDF Sean Morrison ReadingRecalled
Final league table
Results Pre-season DateCompetitionOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance9 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyA.F.C. EmleyA5–0Simpson , Roberts , Ainsworth , Rhodes [67, 70]1,50014 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyBradford Park AvenueA3–0Rhodes , Arfield [58 (pen)], Robinson 52215 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyFrickley AthleticA0–141217 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyBuryA1–1Carey 1,70421 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyBlackburn RoversH1–0Guðjónsson 6,65124 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyBarnsleyA1–3Robinson 4,47831 July 2010Pre-season FriendlyScunthorpe UnitedA0–21,4844 August 2010Pre-season FriendlyFleetwood TownA0–1526
League One DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendancePosition7 August 2010Notts CountyA3–0Pilkington [32, 72], Rhodes 10,3421st14 August 2010Tranmere RoversH0–013,7073rd21 August 2010Peterborough UnitedA2–4Rhodes , Carey 6,64710th28 August 2010Charlton AthleticH3–1Rhodes , McCombe , Roberts 13,8586th4 September 2010A.F.C. BournemouthH2–2Kay , Roberts [48 (pen)]12,4268th11 September 2010Leyton OrientA2–1Arfield , Rhodes 3,9184th18 September 2010Yeovil TownH4–2Arfield , McCombe [66, 68], Roberts [75 (pen)]13,4791st25 September 2010Swindon TownA0–18,6524th28 September 2010RochdaleA0–36,1218th2 October 2010Bristol RoversH0–112,34411th9 October 2010Colchester UnitedA3–0Novak , Pilkington , Rhodes 4,2116th16 October 2010SouthamptonH2–0Pilkington , Guðjónsson 14,7695th23 October 2010Plymouth ArgyleA1–2Pilkington 7,0485th30 October 2010WalsallH1–0Pilkington 13,0622nd2 November 2010Sheffield WednesdayA2–0Carey , Pilkington 20,5402nd13 November 2010Oldham AthleticA0–17,7235th20 November 2010Exeter CityH0–113,1089th23 November 2010Milton Keynes DonsH4–1Kay , Roberts , Rhodes [47, 66]12,7735th11 December 2010Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–1Rhodes , McCombe 14,3983rd26 December 2010Hartlepool UnitedH0–114,8133rd28 December 2010SouthamptonA1–4Novak 24,4833rd1 January 2011Carlisle UnitedA2–2P. Clarke , Arfield 5,9046th3 January 2011Sheffield WednesdayH1–0Pilkington 17,0244th11 January 2011Plymouth ArgyleH3–2Árnason [18 (og)], Rhodes , P. Clarke 11,4624th15 January 2011WalsallA4–2Kilbane , McCombe , P. Clarke , Rhodes 3,8272nd22 January 2011Colchester UnitedH0–012,6893rd1 February 2011Carlisle UnitedH2–0Roberts [39, 45]11,5723rd5 February 2011Exeter CityA4–1Cadamarteri , Roberts , Pilkington , Kilbane 4,7863rd12 February 2011Oldham AthleticH0–016,1763rd19 February 2011A.F.C. BournemouthA1–1Cadamarteri 7,9233rd22 February 2011Dagenham & RedbridgeA1–1T. Clarke 2,3363rd26 February 2011Leyton OrientH2–2Rhodes , Novak 13,5273rd1 March 2011Hartlepool UnitedA1–0Pilkington 2,8573rd5 March 2011Yeovil TownA1–1Kay 3,6203rd8 March 2011RochdaleH2–1Afobe , Roberts 12,5313rd12 March 2011Bristol RoversA1–0 Rhodes 7,3802nd15 March 2011BrentfordA1–0P. Clarke 4,4022nd19 March 2011Swindon TownH0–0 13,9072nd27 March 2011Notts CountyH3–0Rhodes [36, 61], Roberts 13,6612nd2 April 2011Tranmere RoversA2–0Afobe , Novak 6,4382nd9 April 2011Peterborough UnitedH1–1Hunt 16,4313rd16 April 2011Charlton AthleticA1–0Guðjónsson 15,8793rd22 April 2011Milton Keynes DonsA3–1Arfield , Peltier , Cadamarteri 11,8572nd25 April 2011Dagenham & RedbridgeH2–1Rhodes [9, 32]14,0723rd30 April 2011Brighton & Hove AlbionA3–2Afobe [8, 61], Ward 8,4163rd7 May 2011BrentfordH4–4Ward [14, 15], Novak , Afobe 13,9773rd
Football League play-offs
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance6 November 2010Round 1Cambridge UnitedA0–03,12716 November 2010Round 1 ReplayCambridge UnitedH2–1Peltier , Roberts 3,76627 November 2010Round 2Macclesfield TownH6–0Rhodes , Pilkington , Afobe , McCombe , Kay , Roberts 4,9248 January 2011Round 3Dover AthleticH2–0Arfield , Roberts 7,89430 January 2011Round 4ArsenalA1–2Lee 59,375
Football League Cup