Huddersfield Town F.C. season 1999-2000

Infobox Football club season
club = Huddersfield Town

season = 1999-2000
manager = flagicon|ENG Steve Bruce
chairman = flagicon|ENG Ian Ayre
league = Division One
league result = 8th
cup1 = FA Cup
cup1 result = Third Round
cup2 = Worthington Cup
cup2 result = Fourth Round
league topscorer =
Clyde Wijnhard (15)
season topscorer =
Clyde Wijnhard (16)
highest attendance = 23,678 vs Liverpool (12 December 1999)
lowest attendance = 4,345 vs Scunthorpe United (24 August 1999)

Huddersfield Town's 1999-2000 campaign is widely regarded as one of Town's best seasons in recent history. Following the shock sacking of Peter Jackson at the end of the previous season, owner Barry Rubery hired the more "famous" Steve Bruce and Huddersfield finished 8th place that season, just 2 points outside the play-offs. This season also saw Town beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Worthington Cup. They also got their highest attendance figures at the McAlpine Stadium when Liverpool in the FA Cup.

quad at the start of the season

Review

After a mixed start to the season which saw them lose 3-1 to Queens Park Rangers, but then they beat recently relegated Premier League side Blackburn Rovers 3-2. They then recorded their best league result for 20 years by beating Crystal Palace 7-1. During October and November, Town won 6 games in a row, a best for 17 years. In early October, Town caused a big shock in the Worthington Cup by beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a legendary goal from Kenny Irons. They lost to fellow Premier League side Wimbledon in the next round.

By Christmas time, Town were top of the table, but the loss of key defenders Steve Jenkins, Chris Lucketti, Ken Monkou and David May (who only made one appearance for Town because of injury) all suffered injuries at the wrong time. A run of 2 wins in 13 games didn't help things much either. Also during that run star striker Marcus Stewart was surprisingly sold to fellow 1st Division side Ipswich Town for a record fee of £2.75million. Less than a month later, he scored Ipswich's winning goal in a 2-1 win between the sides at Portman Road. Town signed Sheffield United's striker Martin Smith. Following that dreadful run Town went on a run of 6 games unbeaten, which saw Town on the verge of a play-off place with 4 games left.

After losing 3-0 at home to fellow play-off contenders Bolton Wanderers, they beat relegated Port Vale, meaning Town would get a play-off spot by winning their last 2 games at home to Stockport County and away to Fulham at Craven Cottage, but instead they lost them 2-0 and 3-0 respectively. In the end, if they won either of those last 2 games they would have got a play-off place.

quad at the end of the season

Results

= Division One =