MARK ROBINS
Manager
Huddersfield Town appointed Mark Robins as First Team Manager on a rolling contract on 14 February 2013.
The 43 year-old joined the Club from Coventry City and took charge of the team for the first time in the FA Cup Fifth Round game at home to Wigan Athletic live on ITV1.
Lancashire-born Robins won many accolades as a striker during his 20 year playing career including a European Cup Winners’ Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, an FA Cup, a League Cup and the Charity Shield. Starting at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, he made 71 appearances for the Red Devils before leaving for Norwich City in 1992 in search of regular first team football. During his time at Old Trafford he also earned six England Under-21 caps.
He subsequently played regularly for the Canaries and then Leicester City in the Premier League before loan spells abroad with Danish side FC Copenhagen, Spanish team CD Ourense and Greek outfit Panionios.
Mark returned to England and enjoyed spells at Manchester City, Walsall, Rotherham United, Bristol City, Sheffield Wednesday and Burton Albion before hanging up his boots in 2005.
Having previously served as Assistant Manager to Alan Knill at Rotherham, Mark’s managerial career began as Caretaker at Millmoor in March 2007. He moved the Millers off the foot of the League 1 table and to survival in his first few months before going into establish Rotherham as a promotion contender over the next two seasons – despite a 17 point deduction in one campaign.
Robins took over at Championship Barnsley in 2009 and repeated his feats at Rotherham, leading the Tykes out of relegation danger in his first season and helping to consolidate their status in the second tier the following season.
He left Oakwell at the end of the 2010/11 season and worked as a consultant for the Premier League during the creation of the Elite Player Performance Plan – the new structure for youth and Under-21 football in England – before being appointed Coventry City manager in September 2012.
Robins’ Sky Blues have won an impressive 52% of their games during his five month tenure, which has propelled Coventry up to eighth in the table.
STEVE TAYLOR
First Team Coach
Huddersfield Town appointed Steve Taylor First Team Coach on the same day Mark Robins joined as Manager.
Steve has previously worked alongside Robins at Rotherham United, Barnsley and Coventry City.
Taylor's career in coaching began as a 20 year-old after his playing days at Derby County were cut short by injury. He subsequently joined the coaching staff at the Derby Academy before switching to the role of Assistant Manager to the First Team during George Burley’s tenure as manager at Pride Park.
Steve then linked up with Robins for the first time at Rotherham before joining him at Barnsley and Coventry City.
DARREN ROBINSON
Head of Performance
Darren Robinson joined the Club as Head of Performance on a non-contract basis in mid-February 2013.
Having started his career at Loughborough University, Darren has also worked for the FA and in Rugby League before becoming the youngest person to complete their UEFA Pro License at just 34 years old.
After a spell in China under Howard Wilkinson in Shanghai, Darren returned to England to join Coventry City in 2005 before subsequent work on the coaching staff at Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Hull City before working under new Town Manager Mark Robins at Coventry City.
Darren joined Town’s existing fitness and conditioning staff, working together to further develop the Club’s Sports Science department.
TOM LITTLE
First Team Fitness Coach
Tom Little joined the Club as Fitness Coach in June 2011 and is tasked with ensuring the players are at peak physical fitness.
Tom - or Dr Tom Little PHD MSc BSc Dip CSCS to give him his full title - brings a wealth of Premier League and Football League experience with him.
He has a doctorate in fitness and has previously worked at Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic. He is responsible for all aspects of the first team squad's physical condition, including - but not limited to - the physical side of day to day training and the players' nutrition.
PAUL CRICHTON
First Team Goalkeeping Coach
Town appointed Paul Crichton as its new first team Goalkeeping Coach in July 2012.
The Pontefract-born 43 year-old moves across the county from Sheffield United to join Simon Grayson's first team staff ahead of the new Championship season.
Crichton has a wealth of knowledge, having played almost 500 competitive games as a goalkeeper throughout his 24 year playing career. He first moved into coaching in 2005, working as a Goalkeeping Coach at Gillingham. He has since filled the same role at Cambridge United, Kings Lynn and Brighton & Hove Albion before joining Norwich City under Bryan Gunn in February 2009.
Crichton departed Carrow Road a year later and soon took up the same role with the Blades, but now moves to West Yorkshire as Town get ready for the impending Championship campaign.
Over the years Crichton has coached likes of Scottish international goalie David Marshall, Welsh international 'keeper Jason Brown, long-serving Brighton stopper Michel Kuipers and promising Sheffield United 'keeper George Long.
JAMES HAYCOCK
First Team Physiotherapist
James Haycock became Town's new First Team Physio in July 2012, joining the Terriers from npower League 1 outfit Hartlepool United - where he fulfilled a similar role since February 2006.
Previously he worked in the Newcastle United Academy for over four years; with the England Futsal team and with athletes from a variety of sports at the English Institute of Sport.
Haycock has a degree in Physiotherapy as well as a Master's degree in Manipulative Therapy, making him a specialist in the treatment of joint and soft tissue problems. This year he expects to complete a second Master's degree in Sports Medicine.
CHRIS SENIOR
First Team Masseur
Masseur Chris Senior rejoined Town in July 2012 but was well known to supporters; Huddersfield-born, he came through the Club's Academy as a striker before leaving in 2003. He subsequently played for the likes of Wakefield, Scarborough, Halifax Town, Altrincham, Alfreton Town, Darlington and most recently Guiseley.
He has now hung up his boots to concentrate on his off the field role at Town having previously combined playing with a part-time masseuse role, first at Sheffield United and then at Town during early 2012.
CHRIS MARKHAM
First Team Performance Analyst
Emley-born Performance Analyst Chris Markham joined Town's backroom staff in October 2009, working on a voluntary basis before eventually on a full time contract.
Possessing a Master's Degree in Sports and Exercise Psychology from the University of Central Lancashire, he works with state of the art Prozone technology to provide statistics for the First Team Coaching Staff.
STEVE EYRE
Senior Professional Development Coach
Huddersfield Town appointed Steve Eyre as the Club's Senior Professional Development Coach in April 2012.
Eyre works closely with Academy Manager Mark Lillis and First Team Manager Mark Robins and takes a leading role with the younger professionals emerging from the Huddersfield Town Academy following their scholarships; the players nominally defined as the 'Development Squad'.
As part of his role, he will also take charge of the Club's Development matches. Steve establishes development programmes for each player with clear milestones and objectives, including day to day coaching programmes for the group and complimenting individual training and coaching sessions, which will fall outside the usual coaching hours. He also monitors and manage Town's emerging players who are out on loan at other clubs as they continue their development.
Salford-born Steve is well known and highly respected in football circles for his extensive work in the youth system at Manchester City.
Having stopped playing at just 19 years old after time as a player at Burnley and Wigan he worked his way up the ladder to become City's youth team manager, leading his young players to five League titles and two FA Youth Cup finals - winning one in 2008. Steve's final role at the Etihad Stadium was as leader of their 'Elite Development Squad' and in total he worked in City' youth ranks for 21 years, overseeing the development of players such as Micah Richards, Daniel Sturridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
More recently he took over as manager of npower League 1 side Rochdale in the summer, but he departed Spotland in mid-December.
MARK LILLIS
Academy Manager
Huddersfield Town appointed Mark Lillis as the Club's new Academy Manager in December 2011.
Mark, 51, was already well known to Town supporters; he was named in the 2008 'Fans' Favourites' book for his spell as a player under Mick Buxton between 1977 and 1985, during which he made 242 appearances for the Terriers and scored 63 goals.
During his playing days at Leeds Road his philosophy of hard work, commitment and toughness became his trademark and he now brings that approach to Town's young players.
The appointment of a Development Coach has helped bridge the gap between under-18 football and the senior squad Mark's experience of working in first team setups such as the Northern Ireland international squad, Derby County, Macclesfield Town, Morecambe and Stockport County will help bring the first team and Academy even closer.
Before joining Town he had been working at the Visionpro institute in La Manga, Spain; an institute that aims to hone the skills of young Spanish, Hungarian and English players who have been released by top clubs. Previously Mark has also worked in the Academy system for the FA Premier League - a position he held for six years.