Town’s youngsters win Northern League title
Huddersfield Town’s Under-21 side finished the 2013/14 campaign as Professional Development League 2 North league winners.
As the first of a series of end of season reviews, htafc.com has today reviewed a successful season for the Under-21s development squad.
After opening their competitive fixtures with a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest – where the development players had chances to win despite goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson being sent off – the Under-21s, led by Senior Professional Development Coach Steve Eyre, embarked upon a run of 13 straight wins in the division, spanning from the beginning of September to mid-March 2014.
That winning run had already secured top spot in the Northern table ahead of the first League defeat of the season; a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United on 18 March. Despite that, Town still finished the season 10 points clear of second placed Crewe Alexandra.
Unfortunately the Terriers could not get further than the semi-final stage of the season-ending Play-Offs, falling to a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of southern section runners-up QPR, with former England striker Andy Johnson netting a brace for Rangers as an overage player.
Rangers went on to lose the final at Loftus Road against Crewe.
The Under-21 league allows clubs to field three overage players, plus one overage ‘keeper, and Town used this rule to give important run-outs to the likes of Adam Clayton, Danny Ward, Joel Lynch, Ian Bennett, Paul Dixon, Anthony Gerrard and Oscar Gobern throughout the campaign. As part of his development, Jake Carroll was also a regular member of the side as an overage player.
However, a core of fully-fledged Under-21 development players formed the crux of the team throughout the season. Captain Jordan Sinnott made the most appearances, with his 15 starts coming in midfield and at right back, whereas the likes of Matt Crooks, Lloyd Allinson, Daniel Carr, Duane Holmes and Paul Mullin all making over 10 appearances.
Several Under-18 scholars like William Boyle, Joe Wilkinson, Philip Billing, Ben Holmes, Jake Charles and Flo Bojaj also made their first appearances at Under-21 level this term.
Most importantly, it’s really encouraging to report that members of the squad have progressed onto the pitch in the Championship; notably Tommy Smith and Duane Holmes alongside the likes of Harry Bunn, Daniel Carr and Philip Billing.
At a time when the Elite Player Performance Plan and the development of players is under scrutiny from FA Chairman Greg Dyke and the FA Commission, pathways from the Under-18s to Under-21 and the First Team are a key part of the Club’s plans.
Striker Carr finished as the team’s top scorer with 10 goals in as many starts, but as injury disrupted the second half of his season Harry Bunn stepped up to net 8 goals in 11 appearances to continue the momentum.
At the conclusion of the season, Chris Atkinson and Paul Mullin have been released from the Club.
htafc.com can confirm today that Harry Bunn and Matt Crooks will be offered new contracts at Huddersfield Town alongside fellow Under-21 squad member Ed Wilczynski. The rest of the Under-21 development squad – the likes of Sinnott, Allinson, Carr, Joe Wright and Sondre Tronstad – are all under contract.
FINAL U21 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 2 NORTH TABLE:
| | | HOME | AWAY | | |
POS | TEAM | P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
1 | Huddersfield Town | 18 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +20 | 42 |
2 | Crewe Alexandra | 18 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 11 | +18 | 32 |
3 | Sheffield United | 18 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | +6 | 32 |
4 | Birmingham City | 18 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 26 |
5 | Derby County | 18 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 14 | +3 | 25 |
6 | Leeds United | 18 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 18 | -4 | 23 |
7 | Barnsley | 18 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 19 | -4 | 20 |
8 | Nottingham Forest | 18 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 20 | -5 | 20 |
9 | Sheffield Wednesday | 18 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 24 | -17 | 15 |
10 | Coventry City | 18 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 18 | -17 | 8 |
FINAL APPEARANCES AND SCORERS:
NAME | POSITION | STARTS | SUB | GOALS |
Lloyd Allinson | Goalkeeper | 11 | | |
Ben Atkinson | Midfielder | | 4 | |
Chris Atkinson | Midfielder | 2 | | 1 |
Ian Bennett * | Goalkeeper | 5 | | |
Philip Billing | Midfielder | 2 | 4 | |
Flo Bojaj | Striker | 1 | 2 | 1 |
William Boyle | Defender | 2 | 6 | |
Harry Bunn | Striker | 11 | | 8 |
James Burke | Defender | 9 | 1 | |
Daniel Carr | Striker | 10 | 1 | 10 |
Bradley Carroll | Defender | | 1 | |
Jake Carroll * | Defender | 11 | | |
Jake Charles | Midfielder | 2 | 6 | 1 |
Adam Clayton * | Midfielder | 2 | | |
Matt Crooks | Midfielder | 12 | | 1 |
Paul Dixon * | Defender | 2 | | |
Anthony Gerrard * | Defender | 2 | | |
Oscar Gobern * | Midfielder | 2 | | |
Ben Holmes | Midfielder | | 4 | |
Duane Holmes | Midfielder | 11 | | 3 |
Dale Hopson | Midfielder | 9 | | |
Fraser Horsfall | Defender | 1 | 1 | |
Max Leonard | Striker | 6 | 1 | |
Joe Lolley | Striker | 6 | | |
Cristian Lopez * | Striker | 9 | | 6 |
Joel Lynch * | Defender | 2 | | |
Robbie McIntyre | Defender | 2 | 2 | |
Paul Mullin | Striker | 12 | 7 | 3 |
Nathaniel Pells | Defender | 1 | | |
Liam Ridehalgh | Defender | 1 | | |
Anton Robinson * | Midfielder | 6 | | 1 |
Sean Scannell * | Midfielder | 1 | | 1 |
Jordan Sinnott | Midfielder | 15 | | 6 |
Tommy Smith | Defender | 9 | | |
Keith Southern * | Midfielder | 4 | | |
Jimmy Spencer | Striker | 1 | | |
Mikey Starkey | Defender | | 1 | |
Jonathan Stead * | Striker | 2 | | 2 |
Sondre Tronstad | Midfielder | 7 | 1 | |
Murray Wallace | Defender | 9 | | |
Danny Ward * | Midfielder | 1 | | |
Ed Wilczynski | Goalkeeper | 4 | 1 | |
Joe Wilkinson | Defender | 2 | 6 | |
Calum Woods * | Defender | 4 | | |
Joe Wright | Defender | 9 | 2 | |
* Indicates overage player
Next up on Monday is a review of Town's Under-18 season!