The John Smith’s Stadium, home of Huddersfield Town based in West Yorkshire and play their trade in the Championship. Nicknamed the “Terriers” after the Yorkshire Terrier originating in Huddersfield.
It’s been a strange few years for Huddersfield Town… Promoted to the Premier League in 2017 and coming back down in 2019 to losing the play-off final to Nottingham Forest last year and now in a relegation scrap! Neil Warnock has been called back into management once again but can he save the Terriers from terror?!
It’s a second attempt for me getting into this ground tonight after my last attempt ended up with me being turned away by the ticket office for their game against Sunderland earlier this season due to the club wanting to clamp down on away fans in the home end but tonight I have already purchased a ticket online! It will no longer be the closest ground I haven’t visited!
The short journey straight from work in Barnsley sees me parked up at Turnbridge WMC in good time! £4 for parking. Now for the short walk over to the ground.
Plenty of time to kill… Here comes a team bus. Norwich City are here and a big reception here for current manager David Wagner who took Huddersfield up into the Premier League back in 2017.
For now it’s in to the ground. £25 to watch this Championship tie! This time! Now for the longish wait for the game………………
The players are now all warmed up and walking out of the tunnel! Huddersfield in… Yellow and Red?! Interesting choice for a home match but it is the Terriers vs the Canaries! Who’s got it in them tonight?!
Kick Off! 2 minutes in and Huddersfield win the ball back in the Norwich half, it’s played to Jack Rudoni, he flicks it over the defender and he’ll get there in the box, he tries an extra touch… But the keeper gets to it… He should have shot there!
13 minutes now and Norwich play down the left, played to Kenny Mclean in the box on the left running in and he shoots… Just wide! Big opportunity there!
22 minutes on the clock and Norwich have it in the Huddersfield half with Ben Gibson and he shoots from 30 yards… Ooooooh! Tipped over! It is a corner, in it comes… Headed wide at the near post. Goal kick!
1 minute later and… Someone has thrown up behind me… Oh dear… I’m not taking a photo of that monstrosity! Now you don’t see that every day!
26th minute and Norwich play down the left, it’s crossed in, Gabriel Sara is there with the volley… And he finds the net!! Norwich have the lead! 0-1!
The travelling Norwich fans are in great spirits now!
On the ball City! Well they are on the ball quite a lot as the game goes on with Huddersfield letting them play… No more goals at half time with the score at 1-0 to Norwich and a chorus of boos from the home fans as the teams go down the tunnel…
Second half, 52 minutes gone and it’s a free kick for Huddersfield in a good position just outside the box, Martyn Waghorn steps up and shoots… Over!
65th minute and Huddersfield win the ball back in midfield and it’s played forward and comes for Waghorn out of the blue and he’s in, keeper comes but Waghorn goes for the lob… OH he’s hit the post… It’s gone in! It may be on Own Goal but I don’t think the Huddersfield fans care one bit!! 1-1!
79 minutes now and Norwich come forward, played to Teemu Pukki on the edge of the box who cuts onto his right and shoots… Deflected out for a corner, in comes the corner… Punched away.
88 minutes on the clock and Norwich have it on the edge of the box, Pukki plays it to Christos Tzolis in the box on the right who shoots… Saved! Corner, in it comes… It goes behind for another, in it comes again… Cleared by Huddersfield.
Into Stoppage Time now and both sets of fans are gong for it at each other now! A long ball played forward now by Norwich, Marquinhos has gone in dangerously there! Was that an elbow? Josh Ruffels is down! Referee goes into his back pocket… Marquinhos is off! Red Card! Didn’t get the best view of it myself from here but Ruffels does seem hurt there…
Play goes on… Huddersfield win a free kick from around 30 yards out in a crossing position, is there a sting in the tale here? It’s crossed in… All the way out… Woeful! The ball is hit forward by the keeper… Game over! The points are shared!
FT: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Norwich City
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 6/10 – Norwich fans best on the night for me whereas Huddersfield were disappointing to say the least… I did expect better of them but they did perk up after they equalised.
- The Ground: 10/10 – One of the best in the Football League! Love it! Very unique design, it’s just fabulous!
- Expense: 8/10 – £25 to get in, £4 for parking and a bit extra on food and drink, was it worth it? Nearly! Not the best of games but great to finally tick off this ground at long last!
- Overall Experience: 6/10 – It was alright in the end but I did expect better after seeing other fans experiences. Maybe I picked the wrong time to visit I suppose?
30/40