Looking back at the Terriers’ opening day home wins at the John Smith’s Stadium
- Town’s opening day wins at the John Smith’s Stadium
- Victories over Brentford and Bournemouth feature
- Terriers to kick-off 2020/21 league campaign with visit of Norwich City
With Norwich City at home first up in the 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship fixture schedule for Huddersfield Town, htafc.com has taken back at some of Town’s most memorable opening day matches at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The Terriers have kicked-off the league season with victory on home soil four times since the Stadium was opened back in 1994.
Carlos Corberán’s side will be hoping to make that five when the Canaries make the trip up to West Yorkshire on the weekend of 12 September 2020.
Ahead of that league opener, here’s a look back at Town’s four opening day triumphs at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Huddersfield Town 2-1 Brentford – 06/08/2016
Town’s most recent opening day victory on home soil came back in 2016 as the Terriers got the promotion-winning season off to the perfect start with three points against the Bees.
All three goals came in the second half, with Elias Kachunga getting Town up and running with a header to open the scoring on 50 minutes.
After Brentford’s Nico Yannaris drew the visitors level with just over 15 minutes left to play, on-loan midfielder Kasey Palmer made his mark on his Town debut, firing the Terriers back in-front with a goal that was enough to secure three opening day Championship points in West Yorkshire.
Huddersfield Town 1-0 Yeovil Town – 11/08/2007
Back in 2007, Andy Ritchie’s Town side got their 2007/08 League 1 campaign off to a winning start with a home win against Yeovil Town.
In a closely fought opening day encounter, it was Luke Beckett’s early goal that proved to be decisive for the Terriers.
The forward nodded home the game’s only goal from less than six yards out to the delight of the majority of the 9,876 inside the John Smith’s Stadium.
Huddersfield Town 1-0 AFC Bournemouth – 11/08/2001
The Terriers first opening day win following the turn of the century came when AFC Bournemouth were the visitors to West Yorkshire for the first game of the 2001/02 Division Two campaign.
Following relegation in the previous, Lou Macari’s Town side began their quest to get back into English football’s third tier with three points from their opening fixture against the Cherries.
Midfielder Kenny Irons got the all-important goal, volleying home from the edge of the penalty area to kick-off Town’s season with an opening day win on home soil.
Huddersfield Town 2-0 Charlton Athletic – 17/08/1996
Town’s first ever opening day win at the John Smith’s Stadium came in the Stadium’s third season, with victory over Charlton Athletic in the first game of the 1996/97 campaign.
Having started their season at Blackpool and Oldham Athletic in the first two seasons since the Stadium opened its doors, the Terriers finally got the opportunity to kick-off the season in-front of the home fans at the new ground in 1996, and did so in winning fashion.
Darren Bullock and Andy Morrison found the net either side of half-time to ensure Town would start the new Division One season with victory over the Addicks.
