Town’s Under-19s Coach discussed his time playing for the Terriers
- Danny Schofield revealed his favourite memories at Huddersfield Town
- Town’s U19 Coach explained his unusual route into professional football
- Former winger spoke to his gratitude to Peter Jackson
Danny Schofield recalled the moment he scored a penalty at the Millennium Stadium to help Huddersfield Town to promotion in 2004 and thanks former boss Peter Jackson for giving him a chance in professional football.
Schofield didn’t have the professional coaching available to him as a young aspiring footballer but worked hard at his local side to make sure he was noticed by league clubs.
At the age of 17, Danny was playing for Broadsworth Welfare who are now in the Doncaster and District League Senior League Division One, the 12th tier of English football.
The young driven Schofield was one of the most potent strikers in that league and he didn’t give up after being knocked back by other professional clubs as he knew he would eventually get his chance.
“To be honest it wasn’t a shock when I got my move to Huddersfield Town. I had been doing really well at Brodsworth Welfare and scoring a lot of goals,” said Schofield.
“I had been offered trials at Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe United but both were unsuccessful, before Huddersfield Town wanted to see me.
“I came initially on a two-week trial but it ended up being four weeks before Peter Jackson told me he wanted me at the Club and offered me a contract.
“I was at an age where I was too old to come through the Academy route so I was offered a contract as a first year professional.
“For an aspiring footballer I came into the professional game later than many others, but it was always my target to turn professional so when Huddersfield came along and offered me a deal I was delighted.”
After being signed by Peter Jackson as a first year professional, Schofield kept trying to impress and eventually got his breakthrough at the end of the 1999 season.
Huddersfield Town had already achieved a mid-table position in Division One and Schofield replaced the injured and favoured Marcus Stewart to make his debut.
“I spent the majority of my first season at the Club in the Reserve Team playing in almost all of their matches.
“I scored a lot of goals and I remember being told I had been selected in the First Team squad for Town’s last game of the 1998/99 season.
“Marcus Stewart was injured and I made my debut upfront against Crewe Alexandra. The match was a bit of a whirlwind but I really enjoyed it.
“The game itself finished 0-0, but I keep going back to chances I had in the game; I should’ve scored that day.”
However, after making his Huddersfield Town debut it wasn’t until three years later when Danny Schofield broke into the First Team.
“It was fantastic, at the time the Club were going through a transition,” explained Schofield.
“When Steve Bruce was Manager, the Board had given him money to bring new players in so us younger lads didn’t really get a chance.
“But when Lou Macari took over, I really enjoyed my football. We had some real highs and lows under him and I have some fond memories of playing for him.”
During his breakthrough season he adapted his playing style and position moving from a striker to a right winger following the introduction of Chelsea loanee Leon Knight.
“I actually started as a striker. I scored a lot of goals upfront for Brodsworth and played there for the Huddersfield Town Reserves as well.
“When Leon Knight, I made the transition to become a winger and played on both wings.
“We worked on my new position a lot in training but it didn’t take too long to get used to as when you’re a professional footballer you have to get used to playing in different ways and in different parts of the pitch.”
Led by Peter Jackson, in 2004 Town were promoted back to the third tier of English football after beating Mansfield Town in the Division Three Play-Off Final on penalties.
Schofield stepped up to covert a stop kick and looks back at it as one of his favourite times in a blue and white striped shirt.
“One of my most vivid memories is achieving promotion in 2004,” smiled Schofield.
“The final at the Millennium Stadium against Mansfield finished 0-0 and I still believe we should’ve won that game in normal time.
“I was playing in the number 10 role, which was my favourite position as it gave me a lot more creative freedom.
“The match went to penalties, I scored mine and thankfully we won the game.
“It was great to have the memory of promotion with Peter Jackson as well, the man who believed in me and brought me into professional football.”
