Huddersfield Town's 1989–90 campaign was a fairly successful season, with the exception of Town's failure of reaching the play-offs, after they finished in 8th place, just 2 places and 4 points off the play-offs.

Squad at the start of the season

Review Following a disappointing first season back in the 3rd Division, many were wondering if Town were going to mount any serious promotion challenge, and if Craig Maskell was going to carry on his goalscoring form from the previous season. Town did start the season brightly and only lost two of their first 13 league games.

The middle part of the season saw Town carry on their good start to the season and during the Christmas/New Year season, they won 6 out of 8 and by February, Town reached 5th place, with a play-off place at least seeming to be the minimum requirement for Town's season. However, from February onwards, Town's promotion dreams took a major downward spiral into nothingness.

Among the notable records set by Town at the end of the season was an unwanted streak of five consecutive home league defeats between 3 March and 3 April. In April, Bury defeated Town 6–0 at Gigg Lane, exactly 12 months after Town had beaten them 6–0 at the same ground. On a positive note, Craig Maskell became only the third Town player to score four goals in an away match during a 5–1 win at Cardiff City, matching the achievement of Charlie Wilson and George Brown. (This record was later surpassed by Jordan Rhodes, who scored five goals in Town’s 6–0 win over Wycombe Wanderers in the 2011–12 season.)

Squad at the end of the season

Results

Division Three DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendancePosition19 August 1989Swansea CityH1–0Cecere5,7756th26 August 1989WalsallA3–2Wilson, Smith, Onuora4,1733rd2 September 1989Bolton WanderersH1–1O'Regan7,8724th9 September 1989Preston North EndA3–3Smith, Hutchings, Wilson5,8225th16 September 1989BrentfordH1–0Smith5,5783rd22 September 1989Tranmere RoversA0–47,3754th26 September 1989FulhamA0–04,4458th30 September 1989Leyton OrientH2–0Cecere (2, 1 pen)5,2587th7 October 1989Cardiff CityH2–3Marsden, O'Regan5,8359th14 October 1989ReadingA0–03,95010th17 October 1989Wigan AthleticH2–0Maskell, Smith5,1197th21 October 1989Birmingham CityA1–0Smith7,9516th28 October 1989Shrewsbury TownH1–1Bent6,0016th1 November 1989Bristol RoversA2–2Cecere, Smith6,4676th4 November 1989Chester CityA1–2Wilson2,6609th11 November 1989Northampton TownH2–2Smith, Mitchell4,9739th25 November 1989Notts CountyH1–2Short (og)5,41610th2 December 1989Mansfield TownA2–1Wilson, Hutchings2,9669th16 December 1989Rotherham UnitedA0–06,67310th26 December 1989BuryH2–1Maskell, O'Connell8,4838th30 December 1989Bristol CityH2–1Smith, Maskell7,6815th1 January 1990BlackpoolA2–2Hutchings, Onuora5,0976th13 January 1990WalsallH1–0Marsden5,8566th21 January 1990Swansea CityA3–1Wilson, Hutchings (2)4,4885th3 February 1990Tranmere RoversH1–0Onuora7,0053rd10 February 1990BrentfordA1–2Wilson6,7744th17 February 1990Mansfield TownH1–0Maskell5,4414th24 February 1990Notts CountyA0–17,6327th3 March 1990Crewe AlexandraH0–15,9337th6 March 1990Leyton OrientA0–13,0407th10 March 1990FulhamH0–14,7808th13 March 1990Crewe AlexandraA0–34,3848th17 March 1990Cardiff CityA5–1Maskell (4), O'Regan2,6288th20 March 1990ReadingH0–14,5888th24 March 1990Wigan AthleticA2–1Byrne, Maskell3,1678th31 March 1990Birmingham CityH1–2Withe5,8379th3 April 1990Preston North EndH0–24,3819th7 April 1990Shrewsbury TownA3–3Byrne, Maskell (2, 1 pen)2,8679th10 April 1990Bristol RoversH1–1Kelly 4,3599th14 April 1990BlackpoolH2–2Byrne, Maskell (pen) 4,8459th16 April 1990BuryA0–6 4,62110th21 April 1990Rotherham UnitedH2–1Edwards (2)4,9638th24 April 1990Bristol CityA1–1Duggan17,7918th28 April 1990Northampton TownA0–12,3888th1 May 1990Bolton WanderersA2–2Edwards, Maskell8,5508th5 May 1990Chester CityH4–1Byrne, Maskell, Edwards, Reeves (og)3,5148th

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance18 November 1989Round 1Hartlepool UnitedA2–0Cecere (2, 1 pen)3,1609 December 1989Round 2ChesterfieldA2–0Cecere (pen), Maskell6,6876 January 1990Round 3Grimsby TownH3–1Smith, Maskell, Lever (og)9,90127 January 1990Round 4Crystal PalaceA0–412,920

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance22 August 1989Round 1 1st LegDoncaster RoversH1–1Onuora3,98329 August 1989Round 1 2nd LegDoncaster RoversA2–1Wilson (2)3,985 Huddersfield won 3–2 on aggregate.20 September 1989Round 2 1st LegNottingham ForestA1–1O'Doherty18,9763 October 1989Round 2 2nd LegNottingham ForestH3 – 3 (aet: 90 mins: 3 – 3)Maskell (2), Cecere13,262 4–4 on aggregate. Town lost on away goals rule.

Associate Members' Cup

DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF – AScorersAttendance7 November 1989Preliminary Round Group 5Doncaster RoversH2–2Smith, Maskell1,71412 December 1989Preliminary Round Group 5Grimsby TownA3–3Onuora, Maskell (pen), Duggan9919 January 1990Round 1Rotherham UnitedA0–33,519

Appearances and goals NameNationalityPositionLeagueFA CupLeague CupAssociate Members' CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsJunior BentMF6 (1)10010108 (1)1Aidy BoothroydDF9 (1)00000009 (1)0Ian BrayDF13 (1)020001016 (1)0Mick ByrneFW17 (2)400000017 (2)4Mike CecereFW22 (1)43 (1)3411030 (2)8Simon CharltonDF1 (2)00000001 (2)0Kevin DonovanMF1000000010Andy DugganDF151000021172Keith EdwardsMF6 (4)40000006 (4)4Steve HardwickGK210104010270Chris HutchingsDF465404030575John KellyMF9 (1)10000009 (1)1Dudley LewisDF280304020370Peter MaguireFW0 (3)00000000 (3)0Chris MarsdenMF29 (3)2403 (1)03039 (4)2Lee MartinGK250300020300Craig MaskellFW40 (1)1542423251 (1)21Andy MayMF40 (1)030203048 (1)0Graham MitchellDF35 (2)1402 (1)01042 (3)1Brendan O'ConnellFW111000000111Ken O'DohertyDF17 (1)010411023 (1)1Iffy OnuoraFW3 (17)32 (1)00 (3)11 (1)16 (22)5Kieran O'ReganMF31 (6)33 (1)02 (1)02 (1)038 (9)3Mark SmithFW39 (5)741303149 (5)9Simon TrevittDF70003000100Robert WilsonMF27 (1)630423037 (1)8Peter WitheFW8 (4)10 (1)0200 (1)010 (6)1

References