Huddersfield Town's 1995–96 campaign was Town's first season in the second tier since the 1987–88 season. They finished in 8th place, just 8 points and 2 places below the play-offs.

The closed season saw the departure of the hugely successful strike partnership of Andy Booth and Ronnie Jepson, whose goals had been vital to Huddersfield's success in the previous two seasons. Booth left for Premier League club Sheffield Wednesday in a club record £2.7 million deal while Jepson left to 2nd Division Bury on a free transfer. Horton invested the money in the prolific Bristol Rovers striker Marcus Stewart (for a club record £1.2 million), Barnsley's Andy Payton (£350,000) and Blackpool defender Andy Morrison (£500,000).

Squad at the start of the season

Review Following Town's promotion the previous season, many were surprised that manager Neil Warnock resigned to become manager of Plymouth Argyle. A few days later, the ex-Manchester City and Oxford United manager Brian Horton was hired as his replacement. They had a bad start to the season, losing 3–0 to local rivals Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park, but they managed to recover with convincing wins against Watford, Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town soon set Town players and fans alight.

Town did have a good middle part of the season, going on a run of only 2 losses in 19 league games losing only to Port Vale and eventual champions Derby County. They also put on a good run in the FA Cup, which saw them reach the last 16 for the first time since the 1971–72 season. They eventually lost in a replay to Premier League side Wimbledon, having been seconds away from knocking them out in the original tie, only for Efan Ekoku to score a 93rd-minute equaliser for the Dons.

Town seemed to be on course for a play-off spot, but the end of the season saw Town lose 8 of their last 13 games, winning only 3 of them. They finished in 8th place, but a better end to the season might have seen Town get nearer to the play-offs for the Premier League.

Squad at the end of the season

Results Division One DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendancePosition12 August 1995Oldham AthleticA0–310,25924th19 August 1995WatfordH1–0Jepson10,55618th26 August 1995Tranmere RoversA1–3Cowan9,07219th30 August 1995Birmingham CityH4–2Dalton (2), Jepson, Bullock12,30511th2 September 1995Charlton AthleticA1–2Booth9,57012th9 September 1995Ipswich TownH2–1Collins, Sedgley (og)12,05710th12 September 1995BarnsleyH3–0Jepson, Collins, Booth14,6353rd16 September 1995Crystal PalaceA0–015,6455th24 September 1995Sheffield UnitedH1–2Jepson12,84010th30 September 1995West Bromwich AlbionA2–1Cowan, Booth15,9455th7 October 1995Port ValeH0–211,5599th14 October 1995ReadingA1–3Booth8,53414th21 October 1995SunderlandH1–1Booth16,05411th28 October 1995Southend UnitedA0–05,12813th4 November 1995Norwich CityH3–2Jepson, Jenkins, Dalton13,7479th11 November 1995PortsmouthA1–1Scully6,87611th18 November 1995MillwallA0–09,40212th21 November 1995Leicester CityH3–1Bullock (2), Dalton14,30010th25 November 1995Wolverhampton WanderersH2–1Booth, Dalton16,4238th2 December 1995Port ValeA0–17,70111th9 December 1995Sheffield UnitedA2–0Booth, Bullock12,12610th16 December 1995West Bromwich AlbionH4–1Turner, Jepson (2), Booth12,6644th23 December 1995Luton TownA2–2Booth, Makel7,0765th26 December 1995Derby CountyH0–117,8787th30 December 1995Stoke CityH1–1Prudhoe (og)15,0716th1 January 1996Grimsby TownA1–1Jepson (pen)7,5244th13 January 1996WatfordA1–0Bullock7,5682nd20 January 1996Oldham AthleticH0–013,0133rd3 February 1996Tranmere RoversH1–0Collins12,0413rd20 February 1996Charlton AthleticH2–2Booth, Rowe10,9514th24 February 1996Crystal PalaceH3–0Booth, Jepson (pen), Makel13,0414th2 March 1996Derby CountyA2–3Booth, Thornley17,0975th9 March 1996Luton TownH1–0Edwards11,9506th12 March 1996Birmingham CityA0–215,2966th16 March 1996Stoke CityA1–1Edwards13,1576th19 March 1996BarnsleyA0–310,6607th24 March 1996Grimsby TownH1–3Jepson12,0907th30 March 1996SunderlandA2–3Edwards, Booth20,1308th2 April 1996ReadingH3–1Edwards (2), Booth11,8286th6 April 1996Southend UnitedH3–1Jepson, Edwards, Booth11,5586th8 April 1996Norwich CityA0–213,0216th13 April 1996MillwallH3–0Jepson (pen), Edwards, Booth11,2066th20 April 1996Leicester CityA1–2Bullock17,6198th27 April 1996Wolverhampton WanderersA0–025,2908th1 May 1996Ipswich TownA1–2Thornley17,4738th5 May 1996PortsmouthH0–114,0918th

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance6 January 1996Round 3BlackpoolH2–1Jepson (2, 1 pen)12,4246 February 1996Round 4Peterborough UnitedH2–0Bullock, Booth11,62917 February 1996Round 5WimbledonH2–2Rowe, Cowan17,16728 February 1996Round 5 ReplayWimbledonA1–3Booth7,015

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance15 August 1995Round 1 1st LegPort ValeH1–2Dalton5,36322 August 1995Round 1 2nd LegPort ValeA3–1Bullock, Booth (2)4,380 Huddersfield won 4–3 on aggregate19 September 1995Round 2 1st LegBarnsleyH2–0Collins, Booth8,2643 October 1995Round 2 2nd LegBarnsleyA0–48,192 Huddersfield lost 4–2 on aggregate

Appearances and goals NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsSimon BaldryMF3 (11)0000 (1)03 (12)0Andy BoothFW431642435121Kenny BrownDF50000050Darren BullockMF4264141508Simon CollinsDF18 (12)31 (2)04123 (14)4Tom CowanDF4324140513Gary CrosbyMF0 (1)000101 (1)0Paul DaltonMF2953 (1)04136 (1)6Iain DunnFW3 (11)01 (1)01 (2)05 (14)0Lee DuxburyMF30001040Jon DysonDF15 (2)0002017 (2)0Rob EdwardsMF1370000137Steve FrancisGK4304030500Kevin GrayDF3804010430Steve JenkinsDF3114000351Ronnie JepsonFW40 (3)12223045 (3)14Richard LoganMF20000020Lee MakelMF3324000372Tony NormanGK30001040Paul ReidMF8 (5)0202012 (5)0Rodney RoweFW6 (8)13 (1)10 (1)09 (10)2Pat ScullyDF2510030281Lee SinnottDF3204040400Ben ThornleyMF1220000122Simon TrevittDF40002060Andy TurnerMF2 (3)100002 (3)1Mark WardFW7 (1)000007 (1)0Jon WhitneyDF3 (1)0000 (1)03 (2)0

References