[Lord Snooty]

August 6:

Town entertained Brentford on this date in 2016. It was the opening day of the Play Off promotion winning season and it was a fantastic game of football.

David Wagner had been busy in the transfer market, getting his business done early and so in this game he gave debuts to goalkeeper Danny Ward, record signing Christopher Schindler, Chris Löwe, Elias Kachunga, Jack Payne and on loan Aussie Aaron Mooy.

And it was very clear from the start that Mooy was class, setting up chances for Payne and Rajiv van La Parra. But it was goal less at half time. After the break, Kachunga struck the first Town goal of the season, heading home from a Tommy Smith centre.

Nico Yennaris went and equalised though for Brentford, who had played the last game of the last season here and won 5-1. Only Smith, van La Parra and skipper Mark Hudson survived from that team and it was RvLP who had a big part in the winner. Straight after the equaliser, Wagner brought off the impressive Payne and on came another debutant, Kasey Palmer.

A great through ball by Joe Lolley sent Rajiv through on goal. He brushed off the first defender, took the ball around another, got his shot in but the keeper stopped it. The rebound fell to the 19 year old Chelsea boy Palmer, who was following in, took the ball around the keeper and fired into the net to send the crowd wild.

Not just the crowd. The manager went wild as well, running down the touchline to give the lad a big hug.

Eleven minutes plus whatever the ref adds on to survive. Wagz brought another debutant on in Ivan Paurevic and it was job done and the first victory wave in front of the Cowshed of the season.

Was it the first ever victory wave or had we been doing it previously? I can't remember.

Eight years earlier, on this date in 2008, we played Arsenal at the MacAlpharm. It was the start of our centenary season and the club had arranged a match with our old rivals, the team who had stolen our most successful manager, Herbert Chapman. That was of course, the Arsenal and they came up here to contest the Herbert Chapman Trophy.

A crowd of 19,044 turned up for what was basically a pre season friendly. Arsène Wenger picked a youthful team, including Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere.

It was one of our kids that opened the scoring though, young James Berrett. But it was the Gunners who won it with late goals from subs Sanchez Watt and Nacer Barazite.

One of the players from the terrific twenties that wasn't signed by Chapman, was goalkeeper Hugh Turner, who joined Town a couple of seasons after he'd left. He was born in Wigan on this date in 1904 and was 22 when he signed for Jack Chaplin in 1926. He was another who'd been working darn t'pit before signing for us, playing for Felling Colliery in Darlington before joining Darlo in Div 3(N). Then it was up to Gateshead, playing in the Northern Alliance for High Fell, which is where he was spotted by Town's scouts.

He shared the goalie gloves with Billy Mercer and England's number 1, Ted Taylor, who left to join Everton in December. Hugh missed the 1928 FA Cup Final when Mercer got the nod ahead of him. But a couple of seasons later, Hugh was the regular keeper and so when Town made it to Wembley again, he played in goal against Chapman's Arsenal. Like Mercer though, it was only a runners up medal he received. His goalie shirt from that match is on display in the National Football Museum in Manchester.

That was part of three seasons in a row when he played every game in each competition, which was just league and FA Cup back then. He played in 181 consecutive games before injury allowed George Thorpe a few games.

At the end of 30/31 he got his two caps for England. He played in the Stade Colombes in Paris, but was beaten five times as the French ran out 5-2 winners. But then a couple of days later he played in goal in Brussels and despite Belgium scoring first, England won 4-1.

He then went another couple of seasons playing in every game and by the time he left to join Fulham in 1937, he'd played a total of 394 matches for the club. That had him stood in 4th place in our all time appearances chart, but he's down to 7th now, having been overtaken by Vic Metcalfe, Malcolm Brown and Andy Booth.

After one season as a Cottager, the war started and Hugh decided to retire. He did however, come back and play a couple of games for Town in the Wartime League in 1940. He survived the war, living to be 92 when he died in 1996. Before that though in 1992, he was guest of honour at the home game against Peterborough, which was our 3,000th Football League game.

Another birthday today. It's David Burke, our left back for most of the 80s, who was born in Liverpool on this date in 1960, making him 62 today and three weeks younger than me.

He was signed by Mick Buxton from Bolton at the start of the 81/82 season after injury had forced Fred Robinson to retire. He played 49 games in that first season, scoring his first goal in a home win against Carlisle. The season after, he played 53 games as Town won promotion from Division Three and was part of the famous team that beat Leeds away in the League Cup.

Only 50 games in the next season, but his season after that was curtailed when he had his leg broken in a match at Leeds Road against Fulham. That happened right in front of where I was stood and the sound of the crack was sickening. His team mate Sam Allardyce, chased the offending Fulham player and decked him with a punch square in the face. Both of them got sent off.

He missed the entire season in 85/86, but returned for the next one, but wasn't the same player. Before his leg break he was a fantastic, attacking left wing back, who could actually do the defensive side as well. He struggled on his come back and eventually left to join Crystal Palace. Steve Coppell seeing beyond the injury and having faith in him.

He had Ian Wright and Mark Bright as team mates there, as well as Jeff Hopkins, the Fulham player who's reckless tackle had broken his leg. They won promotion via the Play Offs in 1989 and so David played in the top flight at last. He was also a member of the squad that got to the 1990 FA Cup Final, but didn't get a game at Wembley.

After that, he went back to Bolton and then joined up again with Big Sam who had just been made manager of Blackpool. Two years by the sea and then he hung up his boots. And according to the book Where Are They Now by Lee Morris, he's now working in a bank in Warrington.

Sadly, we finish with an obituary. William Bartlett, who played in our first ever Football League game at the start of the 1910/11 season, died on this date in 1939. He signed from The Wednesday after playing almost 200 games for them and scored his first Town goal in the second ever FL game at the new Leeds Road stadium. That was the winning goal in a 3-2 win over Leeds City.

He was born in Newcastle, but after two seasons at Town, he moved to Ireland and played for Linfield, staying in Belfast for the rest of his life. After finishing playing he worked for the Belfast Corporation Surveyor's Department, but also as a scout for Blackburn Rovers.

He died after a short illness, aged 61, but must've been a popular bloke as his funeral was, according to his Wikipedia page; "held at Belfast City Cemetery, where a large attendance came to pay their respects, including representatives of Linfield F.C., the Irish Football Association, Irish Football League, and the Belfast Corporation."

[Lord Snooty]

August 7:

On this date in 2010, Town got off to a cracking start to the 10/11 season with a brilliant 3-0 win away at Notts County. A perfect start to a season that would end in disaster at Old Trafford.

But let's not dwell on that. We had just failed one Play Off campaign by wussing out at Millwall, so we were hoping for an automatic spot this time. Lee Clark was still boss and he had been busy in the transfer market and gave debuts in this game to Scott Arfield, Joey Guðjónsson, Gary Naysmith and Jamie McCombe. Another debutant was Joe Garner, who could've walked to the match, having signed on loan from Nottingham Forest.

County had Lee Hughes in their line up, who had not been out of jail long for causing death by dangerous driving, and he naturally got lots of abuse from the Town fans in a crowd of 10,342. At least half of that figure were ours.

Garner was outstanding in this match, causing havoc amongst the County defence, but it proved to be his best match in a Town shirt. His loan lasted til the end of the year but he never scored in 19 games for us, which is odd because he's scored tons of goals wherever else he's been. Anyway, he was on fire in this one and Town were two up at half time with goals from Anthony Pilkington and Jordan Rhodes.

Pilks got another one in the second half and 3-0 was how it finished.

On this date in 2004, we had our first game back in League One following our Play Off penalty shoot out victory in Cardiff against Mansfield. It was an away day at Stockport County and another one where at least half the crowd were from Town. That was an attendance of 7,473 and we had just one debutant in this one and that was Junior Mendes who we knicked from the Stags.

The Terriers took the lead just before half time with Tony Carss on target. However, County had goal machine Luke Beckett in their team and he equalised soon after the break and by the 68th minute were were behind. Manager Peter Jackson went for broke, taking off defender Efe Sodje and bringing on Pawel Abbott. Old reliable Andy Booth equalised three minutes from time, but we didn't settle for the draw because in injury time, Pav powered home the winner to send us potty.

Gong back a bit further, Jacko had been sacked by brainless Barry Rubery, who brought in broken nosed burke, Steve Bruce to replace him. He'd spent a pot load of dosh bringing in old has been Scott Sellars, flying Greek winger Georgios Donis and Leeds reject Clyde Wijnhard.

And what a load of old rubbish they were on this date in 1999 as we got the Bruce era off to a pathetic start down at QPR. We were 2-0 down by the time Clyde managed to pull one back, but it was such an underwhelming performance and Rangers got another to make it 3-1.

Let's just hope this isn't the shape of things to come in the next few weeks.

And finally, a happy birthday to Birmingham's Juninho Bacuna. He's 25 today, having been born on this date in 1997 and almost scored the goal of the century against us on Friday night.

[Lord Snooty]

August 8:

On this date in 2009, Lee Clark took his Town team down to Roots Hall to play Southend United. It was the first ever Pedal For Pounds charity bike ride and participants included chairman Dean Hoyle, legend Andy Booth and Radio Leeds' Paul Ogden. They raised over fifty grand.

We weren't that energetic, so drove down. 

Got there and parked up just as the cyclists were turning up at the ground and gave them all a good rousing cheer. There were loads of Town fans there, but after this one, they always go the other direction so that they get the acclaim when they get to the John Smith's Stadium.

Anyway, Boothy appreciated our applause. And we appreciate what you all did as well, Boothy lad.

“When Dean came up with the idea I thought it was fantastic and just showed what our football club is all about. I remember the first ride very well. It was difficult as it was such a long way and it was the first one we had done so it was all new to everyone.

“I’ll never forget that moment we got to Southend and there were hundreds of fans cheering us on and clapping us, that to me was a special moment. To see all those fans stood outside congratulating us was just brilliant.”

So the match itself started like the players had just cycled over two hundred miles, with Sarfend going 2-0 up. Clarky had been busy in the summer and gave debuts to Lee Peltier, Anthony Kay, Theo Robinson, Robbie Simpson and Peter Clarke who was playing his first Town game against the team we signed him from and was a legend at.

He'd just won their Player of the Season award and had earlier scored a late equaliser for them in an FA Cup match at Chelsea. He would, of course, soon become a Town legend.

Two nil down after 56 minutes, Clark made substitutions. First off was the ineffectual Simpson, with an 18 year old lad signed from Ipswich coming on for his debut. That boy was Jordan Rhodes. Two minutes later Clark took Robinson off and brought on Lee Novak. This was his debut as well, although he had signed from Gateshead in January, he had gone back there on loan for the rest of that season. He'd earlier in the week, made a name for himself by punching a Newcastle player at the end of the last pre season match.

Town pulled one back in the 71st minute through Anthony Pilkington and then Novak set up Rhodes for the first of his 91 (so far) Town goals. It was a frantic finish to the game as we went for the winner, which wasn't helped by Michael Collins getting sent off. But a point was better than nowt, which was what we looked like going home with for most of the game.

[HerefordBull]

Good to see the "Pedal for Pounds" bike ride still continues with 140 Terriers completing a tough course in May this year.................though I see Andy Booth comments on it now rather than pushing the pedals.

Will we see you in lycra next year Snoots?

Well done, a truly great event.

[Lord Snooty]

Absolutely no chance whatsoever of me getting back on a pushbike. Those days have pedaled off into the sunset.

[Lord Snooty]

August 9:

On this date in 1969, the season got under way for 69/70, a season that would end with Town, managed by Ian Greaves, winning the Division Two title.

We started on this day with a trip to the Manor Ground to play Oxford United. They had won the 3rd Division title a couple of seasons earlier and this was only our second ever visit there after they were elected into the Football League in 1962. They were managed by Gerry Summers for the first time, following Ron Saunders, who had left to manage Norwich. Their captain back in those days was Ron Atkinson, who would later become a flamboyant and controversial manager and tv pundit.

But this was our time and we won this game 2-1 with Trevor Cherry and Colin Dobson scoring the goals. We won the next two games as well and were never out of the top six all season.

From a great opening to a season, to possibly the worst. On this date in 2014, Town welcomed AFC Bournemouth to the McAlpharm Stadium and we were one down within the first twenty seconds of the new season. That was scored by Marc Pugh, who had played in their Play Off defeat against us just three years earlier.

Town manager Mark Robins had gone with Joel Lynch at centre back, but strangely left Murray Wallace on the bench, preferring to play midfielder Matt Crooks alongside him, for his debut.

Robins had tried in the summer to persuade Callum Wilson, who he had with him at Coventry, to join us. He declined and instead went to Bournemouth, who had Eddie Howe back in charge after his brief stint at Burnley. And it was Wilson who made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute.

They were all over us and we were lucky it was only two at half time. It was three though not long after the break, with Yann Kermorgant scoring. Robins responded by subbing Radoslaw Majewski, who was playing his first match on loan from Nottingham Florist. The stadium rang with boooooooooos! The poor lad thought we were booing him, but it was for Robins taking off the only player who showed like he was worth his place on the pitch.

Wilson then made it 4-0 just after the hour and thankfully, they declared.

The team were booed off at the final whistle and not long after Robins walked out of the stadium without a job. Had he been sacked or did he resign? Who knows? Who cares? The dopey prick was gone and Mark Lillis will be in as caretaker for the next few games.

What a situation to be in!

[Lord Snooty]

August 10:

The Steve Bruce era at Huddersfield Town hadn't got off to a great start with a dismal display at QPR. However, on this date in 1999, his second match in charge produced a victory.

Not just a victory, but a League Cup first round first leg victory, away at Scunthorpe United's Glanford Park. It was the first stage of an unusually decent run in the EFL Cup, which at this time was called the Worthington Cup. We made it to the Fourth Round, which we haven't done since and was the first time since 82/83. But more on that as the year progresses.

Bruce made a few changes after the Loftus Road debacle, bringing in a few players who had served the club well and would do for many years long after the fat headed fool had fecked off. In came Jon Dyson, Rob Edwards and Ben Thornley, with 19 year old Danny Schofield getting a place on the bench. Also on the bench was Wayne Allison and he was called into the action sooner than expected in the 36th minute when Craig Armstrong went off injured.

A positive move from Bruce which gave us an awesome threesome up front with Marcus Stewart and Clyde Wijnhard alongside the Chief. That positivity was proven right five minutes later when Chris Lucketti gave us the lead against a Scunny side which included ex Town midfielder Richard Logan and current Town coach Paul Harsley.

Allison's sub appearance turned out to be a bit costly for him, eventually. Shortly after this game, he was transferred to Tranmere Rovers, who were also in the Second Division back then, for three hundred grand. They got to the League Cup Final that season (losing 2-1 at Wembley against Leicester) and poor old Wayne was cup tied because of this sub app and therefore not allowed to play at Wembley.

Chris Beech scored a second goal for the Terriers in the 80th minute and so Town went through to play, errm, hold on, there's a second leg to play yet. That will be in two weeks time back at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, with Town 2-0 up.

[HerefordBull]

Hope you don't mind me mentioning Snoots, but on this day 12 years ago Adam Stansfield died aged just 31.

He began his career at Plymouth before moving to Hereford United in 2004 and was part of the team that got us back to the Football League.

In 2006 he moved to Exeter City where I watched him a few times at St James Park when I lived there. In March 2010 after complaining of stomach issues he was diagnosed with colon cancer and despite an operation he died in the August. A foundation was set up in his name to raise awareness of this cancer and to help young people attain their dreams of playing football.

Just shows you how fragile life can be.

[Lord Snooty]

Don't mind at all, HB. Cancer's horrible. We've just had a family bereavement of the same thing.

[Lord Snooty]

August 11:

Legendary Scottish football manager Andy Beattie, was born on this date in 1913. He was born in Kintore in Aberdeenshire, a town that has just recently passed a motion to name a street after him. I've had a look on Google Maps, it's not been named as such yet.

As a player, he started his working life as a quarryman working for Inverurie Loco Works, but then was scouted by Preston North End and signed professionally for them. His playing career was seriously curtailed by the war, but before that all kicked off, he played for PNE, alongside Bill Shankly, in the 1938 FA Cup Final against Town.

He then managed Barrow and Stockport, but was appointed manager of Huddersfield Town in 1952, just before we got relegated for the very first time. No problem though, he got us straight back up there and got us to our highest league placing since 1936, when we finished 3rd in 1953/54.

At the same time as that, he was managing the Scotland national team as well, becoming their first ever manager, taking them to the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland. That was a disaster, which I wrote about earlier in the year.

After three seasons in Division One, we got relegated again and Andy resigned, leaving Shankly in charge, his old team mate who he'd brought in as first team coach. Before he'd resigned though, he had been back up to Aberdeen and unearthed a rough diamond, which once polished up became Denis Law, the greatest footballer on the planet.

When he left Leeds Road, he went back to Preston and ran a Post Office, but got fed up with that and went back to football, managing small clubs like Carlisle, Plymouth and Nottingham Florist.

It was in Nottingham that he died in 1983, aged 70.

On this day in 2018, we started our second Premier League season with a home game with Chelsea. And following an excellent pre season, expectations amongst the fans had reached ridiculous levels. We had had draws against Dynamo Dresden and Darmstadt, followed by wins against Lyon, Bologna and RB Leipzig. We were obviously going to do well in next season's Champions League. 

David Wagner had also been busy in the transfer market. Florent Hadergjonaj, Ramadan Sobhi, Juninho Bacuna, Erik Durm and Adama Diakhaby had all signed on. Terence Kongolo, who was on loan last season, had signed from Monaco for a club record fee of around 17 million pounds. We had a new keeper, Ben Hamer. And in the last couple of days, Wagner had pulled off a brilliant looking signing on loan, the skilful speedy Belgian winger on loan from Montpellier, Isaac Mbenza, who's YouTube clips made him look like Pele/Messi/Ronaldo all rolled into one.

When the line ups were announced, we were surprised to see Hamer in goal, in preference to Jonas Lossl, who'd been away at the World Cup in the summer. The rest was as expected though with Flo at right wing back and Chris Lowe on the left. A back three of Kongolo, Zanka and Christopher Schindler. Midfielders were Jonathan Hogg, Aaron Mooy and Phillip Billing, with Alex Pritchard and big Steve Mounie up top.

Bring it on!

Two nil down at half time. What the hell happened there? We'd started brightly, Pritchard had a good shot saved, Mounie had a shot just over the bar, but then with what was their first foray into our box, they scored through that little toss pot N'Golo Kanté.

Undeterred, Town won a corner. Mrs Jorgensen's lad won the header and big Steve then headed it against the post. So close. But then just before half time, the most ridiculous and spectacular dive from Marcos Alonso somehow fooled Chris Kavanagh and his guide dog and he awarded a penalty. Jorginho scored it.

So at half time, Wagner brings on the scourge of Stamford Bridge, Laurent Depoitre from the bench to replace wee Alex. Willy Caballero, who wasn't even on the pitch, shat himself! 

It was another disappointing half though as the Town players visibly wilted under the pressure, the fans deflated and despite Billing hitting the woodwork with a header, it was Pedro who gave Chelsea another goal and a 3-0 win.

Massive over expectancy all around and the first of many meltdowns on social media.

Next up? Man City away.