Huddersfield Town's 2009–10 campaign was the club's first full season under the chairmanship of Dean Hoyle, with manager Lee Clark in his first full season in charge of the team. They finished in 6th place, before losing to Millwall in the play-offs.
Squad at the start of the season
Review After the end of the centenary season, Dean Hoyle made wholesale changes at the club. As well as the retirement of Andy Booth, Clark released Jon Worthington, Malvin Kamara, Dominik Werling, Daniel Broadbent, Dan Codman. Danny Cadamarteri and Andy Holdsworth both rejected new deals and subsequently left the club. Cadamarteri joined Scottish Premier League side Dundee United, then a week later, ex-captain Worthington joined fellow League One side Oldham Athletic. On 16 July, young striker Tom Denton joined Football League Two side Cheltenham Town on a six-month loan deal. He returned to the club on 10 November, two months earlier than anticipated. On 22 July, midfielder Ian Craney and striker Phil Jevons joined League Two side Morecambe on season-long loans. Unfortunately, an injury cut short half of Craney's season, and he returned to the Galpharm on 20 April. The following day, his contract at the club was terminated. Also that day, Keigan Parker and Andy Holdsworth joined Oldham Athletic, following Jon Worthington. On 25 July, young goalkeeper Simon Eastwood joined Bradford City on loan until the end of the year. He returned to the Galpharm on 31 December. On 4 August, Eastwood was joined at Bradford by Michael Flynn after terminating his contract at the Galpharm. Kamara joined Conference National side Barrow on 25 September. On 14 December, young defender Spencer Harris moved to Northern Premier League Division One North side Curzon Ashton on a month's loan. On 1 January 2010, midfielder Jim Goodwin joined Oldham Athletic on a month's loan, which was extended to the end of the season on 1 February. On 7 January, defender Andy Butler joined Championship side Blackpool on loan until the end of the season. On 13 January, goalkeeper Matt Glennon terminated his contract with the Terriers, so he could join Bradford City on a permanent deal. On 21 January, left-back Joe Skarz joined League Two side Shrewsbury Town on loan until the end of the season. The following day, 2 of the team's youngsters, Jack Hunt & Leigh Franks were sent on loan to Conference National side Grays Athletic and Conference North side Fleetwood Town respectively. On 27 January, Lionel Ainsworth joined fellow League One side Brentford on a month's loan, which was extended to the end of the season on 1 February. On 1 February, Tom Denton and Lewis Nightingale joined Northern Premier League Division One North side Wakefield on one-month loans. On 17 March, young defender Spencer Harris was released from his contract, then signed for Ossett Town. On 17 May 2010, former captain Chris Lucketti left the club.
On 29 May, Clark made his first signing of the summer, by bringing in Tranmere Rovers captain Antony Kay on a free transfer. On 12 June, Clark signed defender Peter Clarke on a free transfer from Southend United. On 18 June, Coventry City striker Robbie Simpson was signed for £300,000 on a three-year deal. On 30 June, Lee Peltier was signed from Yeovil Town on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. On 3 July, young striker Theo Robinson was signed from Football League Championship side Watford for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal. On 31 July, Ipswich Town striker Jordan Rhodes joined the Terriers on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee. On 14 August, Clark signed Manchester United and England U-19 midfielder Danny Drinkwater on a season-long loan from Old Trafford. On 19 January, Birmingham City defender Krystian Pearce joined on an original emergency loan, to be made into a permanent deal. On 22 January, Lee Clark bolstered his defensive options further with the loan signing of Preston North End's Neal Trotman. On 28 January, Clark made a double signing, Australian international Dean Heffernan signed until the end of the season from A-League side Central Coast Mariners and young striker Nathan Eccleston signed on a month's loan from Liverpool. On 18 February, after impressing on a trial, young midfielder Taser Hassan signed a contract with the Terriers until the end of the season.
Town finished in 6th place, meaning that they played Millwall in the play-offs. After a goalless first leg at the Galpharm, Huddersfield lost the second leg 2–0 at The New Den, meaning that they stay in League One for another season.
Squad at the end of the season
Players in and out In DatePlayerPrevious clubCost29 May Antony KayTranmere RoversFree12 June Peter ClarkeSouthend UnitedFree18 June Robbie SimpsonCoventry City£300,00030 June Lee PeltierYeovil TownUndisclosed Fee3 July Theo RobinsonWatfordUndisclosed Fee31 July Jordan RhodesIpswich TownUndisclosed Fee14 August Danny DrinkwaterManchester UnitedLoan10 November Tom DentonCheltenham TownLoan Return31 December Simon EastwoodBradford CityLoan Return19 January Krystian PearceBirmingham CityUndisclosed Fee22 January Neal TrotmanPreston North EndLoan28 January Dean HeffernanCentral Coast MarinersUndisclosed Fee28 January Nathan EcclestonLiverpoolLoan15 February Spencer HarrisCurzon AshtonLoan Return18 February Taser HassanUnattachedFree 23 February Jack HuntGrays AthleticLoan Return23 February Leigh FranksFleetwood TownLoan Return12 March Lewis NightingaleWakefieldLoan Return20 April Ian CraneyMorecambeLoan Return29 April Lionel AinsworthBrentfordLoan Return11 May Jim GoodwinOldham AthleticLoan Return11 May Joe SkarzShrewsbury TownLoan Return
Out DatePlayerNew ClubCost22 May Danny CadamarteriDundee UnitedFree26 May Jon WorthingtonOldham AthleticFree16 July Tom DentonCheltenham TownLoan22 July Ian CraneyMorecambeLoan22 July Phil JevonsMorecambeLoan22 July Andy HoldsworthOldham AthleticFree22 July Keigan ParkerOldham AthleticFree25 July Simon EastwoodBradford CityLoan4 August Michael FlynnBradford CityFree25 September Malvin KamaraBarrowFree14 December Spencer HarrisCurzon AshtonLoan1 January Jim GoodwinOldham AthleticLoan7 January Andy ButlerBlackpoolLoan13 January Matt GlennonBradford CityFree21 January Joe SkarzShrewsbury TownLoan22 January Jack HuntGrays AthleticLoan22 January Leigh FranksFleetwood TownLoan27 January Lionel AinsworthBrentfordLoan1 February Tom DentonWakefieldLoan1 February Lewis NightingaleWakefieldLoan12 March Lewis NightingaleSalford CityLoan17 March Spencer HarrisOssett TownFree21 April Ian CraneyFleetwood TownFree17 May Chris LuckettiReleasedFree20 May Danny DrinkwaterManchester UnitedLoan Return20 May Nathan EcclestonLiverpoolLoan Return20 May Neal TrotmanPreston North EndLoan Return21 May Dean HeffernanMelbourne HeartEnd of Contract
Final league table
Results Pre-season matches DateCompetitionOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance11 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyGatesheadA2–2Simpson , Jevons 75611 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyWakefieldA1–0Denton 68415 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyCorby TownA4–1Robinson [10, 12, 68], Novak 47517 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyA.F.C. EmleyA6–0Jevons [15, 25, 55], Flynn , Parker , Franks ?18 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyMorecambeA3–0Robinson [2, 44, 54]1,01821 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyNewcastle UnitedH0–19,69122 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyBradford Park AvenueA4–0Ainsworth [16, 35], Novak , Hunt ?25 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyCoventry CityH0–03,88628 July 2009Pre-season FriendlyMacclesfield TownA3–0Pilkington , Collins , Simpson [84 pen]?1 August 2009Pre-season FriendlyWrexhamA3–1Robinson , Novak , Roberts 1,303
Football League One DateOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendancePosition8 August 2009Southend UnitedA2–2Pilkington , Rhodes 8,0599th15 August 2009SouthamptonH3–1Rhodes [50, 68], Kay 12,4494th18 August 2009Brighton & Hove AlbionH7–1Kay , P. Clarke , Novak [43 (pen)], Roberts , Drinkwater , Robinson [73, 90]11,2694th22 August 2009Bristol RoversA0–16,9527th29 August 2009Yeovil TownH2–1Robinson , Collins 12,6464th5 September 2009Milton Keynes DonsA3–2Rhodes , Robinson , Kay 9,7723rd12 September 2009BrentfordH0–012,0204th19 September 2009MillwallA1–3Rhodes 8,5026th26 September 2009Stockport CountyH0–014,9216th29 September 2009WalsallA1–2Robinson 3,4196th3 October 2009Colchester UnitedA0–15,1549th10 October 2009Exeter CityH4–0Novak , Rhodes [44, 49, 52]13,4388th17 October 2009Charlton AthleticA1–2Pilkington 16,9918th24 October 2009Leyton OrientH4–0Roberts , N. Clarke , Collins , Rhodes 13,3967th1 November 2009Oldham AthleticA1–0Williams 8,5696th14 November 2009Wycombe WanderersH6–0P. Clarke [21, 63], Roberts , Pilkington , Duberry [82 (og)], Robinson [84 (pen)]14,8696th21 November 2009Hartlepool UnitedH2–1Hartley [56 (og)], Williams 14,8363rd24 November 2009Swindon TownA1–2Novak 6,6305th1 December 2009Tranmere RoversH3–3Novak , Collins , Kay 13,5095th5 December 2009Leeds UnitedA2–2Novak , Rhodes 36,7235th12 December 2009GillinghamH2–1Novak , Rhodes 13,8445th19 December 2009Norwich CityA0–325,0045th28 December 2009Milton Keynes DonsH1–0Pilkington 16,0865th16 January 2010Southend UnitedH2–1Rhodes [44, 63]14,2005th19 January 2010Bristol RoversH0–012,6246th30 January 2010Yeovil TownA1–0Eccleston 4,1107th6 February 2010Carlisle UnitedH1–1Pilkington 14,1327th9 February 2010Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–04,7117th13 February 2010Swindon TownH2–2P. Clarke , Kay 14,6107th16 February 2010Carlisle UnitedA2–1Novak , Rhodes 5,2367th20 February 2010Hartlepool UnitedA2–0Roberts [15 (pen)], Trotman 4,4526th23 February 2010Tranmere RoversA2–0Novak [8, 48]5,7936th27 February 2010Leeds UnitedH2–2Pilkington , Roberts 21,7646th2 March 2010SouthamptonA0–519,8216th6 March 2010GillinghamA0–25,3887th13 March 2010Norwich CityH1–3Trotman 17,9597th20 March 2010Leyton OrientA2–0Rhodes , Robinson 4,1197th27 March 2010Charlton AthleticH1–1Rhodes 14,4597th3 April 2010Wycombe WanderersA2–1Rhodes , Robinson 5,2886th6 April 2010Oldham AthleticH2–0Robinson [38, 90]14,5616th10 April 2010BrentfordA0–35,2096th13 April 2010WalsallH4–3Robinson [22 (pen)], Rhodes , Kay , Novak 14,3966th16 April 2010MillwallH1–0P. Clarke 16,0506th24 April 2010Stockport CountyA6–0Pilkington , Robinson , Rhodes , Drinkwater , Roberts , Novak [90 (pen)]6,8876th1 May 2010Colchester UnitedH2–1Robinson [17 (pen)], Novak 19,7506th8 May 2010Exeter CityA1–2Roberts 8,3836th
Football League play-offs DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance15 May 2010Semi-Final 1st LegMillwallH0–014,65418 May 2010Semi-Final 2nd LegMillwallA0–215,463 Millwall won 2–0 on aggregate.
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance6 November 2009Round 1Dagenham & RedbridgeH6–1Williams , Roberts [21, 72], Novak [24, 56], Rhodes 5,85828 November 2009Round 2Port ValeA1–0N. Clarke 5,3112 January 2010Round 3West Bromwich AlbionH0–213,472
Football League Cup DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance11 August 2009Round 1Stockport CountyH3–1Rhodes [45, 48], Robinson 5,12026 August 2009Round 2Newcastle UnitedA3–4Robinson [37, 39 (pen)], Rhodes 23,815
Football League Trophy DateRoundOpponentsHome/AwayResultF–AScorersAttendance1 September 2009Round 1 North EastRotherham UnitedA2–1P. Clarke , Simpson 2,2466 October 2009Round 2 North EastChesterfieldA3–3Pilkington [65, 90], N. Clarke 3,003 Chesterfield won 4 – 2 on penalties
Penalties Lowry Lester Gray McDermott 4 – 2 Pilkington: over crossbar Williams Goodwin: Lee saved Kay
Appearances & goals