Huddersfield Town – John Smiths Stadium

A trip to the John Smiths Stadium was on the radar in my recent travels whilst supporting Sheffield United – a ground which proved to become my fourth trip.

The stadium was opened in 1994 and was one of a wave of new stadiums built during the mid-1990s. Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers, and Derby County (to name a few), all vacating their former homes for pastures new after the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough Disaster made it almost impossible for several clubs to remain in their stadiums and maintain the safety of supporters.

The Terriers left Leeds Road, situated a stone’s throw away from their new home, Kirklees Stadium, after 86 years. As per the majority of new stadiums, the ground has undergone several name changes through various sponsorship deals over the years. The new stadium, however, wasn’t completed and was a two-sided ground upon opening of the stadium, with the two touchline stands, the Riverbank, and Kilner Bank Stand, constructed. The South Stand was opened in December 1994 and remained a three-sided ground until 1998, when the North Stand (Panasonic Stand) was completed.

It is amazing to think that this ground has been around for almost three decades now, yet, is still considered a new stadium. Though not officially, the ground is ‘twined’ with the French club, Clermont Foot, who play at the Stade Gabriel Montpied ground. The main stand was designed by the same architect and supports the familiar banana-shaped roof which shapes each of the four stands at Huddersfield, and is supported by the white steel archway that supports the roof, which is matched only by Bolton's stadium.

Nestled in the hillside and amongst the woods, the Kirklees Stadium is situated in a great location in an easily accessible walk from the town's train station - almost a simple straight walk.

The journey was hardly difficult. The train isn't my usual method of travel to football matches but proved cost-effective on this occasion. Only two carriages were put on and it was standing room only from joining the train to landing at Huddersfield. After this, police frog-marched supporters to a designated pub, whether you wanted to drink or not, you were going!

The match itself was entertaining, though a disappointing performance from a Blades perspective. The Huddersfield faithful will have felt unfortunate not to have won the game after seeing a goal disallowed, assumingly, for a foul on the keeper. Replay’s show that an infringement was made on an attacking player and this caused the keeper, Wes Fodderingham to fall to the floor – the goal ought to have stood. United did have opportunities to win the game but was few and far between. The match ended 0-0.

Previous visits

My trip to the John Smiths Stadium on 12th February 2022 was my fourth visit to the stadium. As a Sheffield United supporter, my first visit was in August 1997. The game finished 0-0, and recall Gareth Taylor (unfairly) seeing a goal ruled out for offside.

In 2008, I made two trips across into West Yorkshire. In the summer, United played a friendly match, which I believe the Terriers won 1-0. A month later, the two sides were drawn together in the League Cup, with the Blades escaping with a dramatic 2-1 victory after quick fire goals in 82 and 83 minutes from Darius Henderson, and Kyle Naughton sealed an undeserved victory.

Matches Attended

1997/98 (30 Aug) - Huddersfield Town v Sheffield United

2008/09 (August) – Huddersfield Town v Sheffield United (Friendly)

2008/09 (27 Aug) - Huddersfield Town v Sheffield United (League Cup Round 2)

2021/22 (12 Feb) - Huddersfield Town v Sheffield United