Football Season Review

Huddersfield should have been promoted but their season ended in huge disappointment as they were beaten 3-0 by Peterborough in the play-off final at Old Trafford. The Terriers were in an around the top three all year and ended the season with a 25-match unbeaten run in the league, but still missed out on 2nd place by five points to Southampton. The Saints were winning games when Huddersfield were picking up too many draws, but if there was any justice then the club would have been promoted anyway. However, the Posh, who finished eight points behind them in the league, sealed victory with three late goals after a very even 80 minutes, and the final scoreline was indeed very harsh on Huddersfield. Lee Clark flitted between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 over the season and opted for the latter in the play-off final, with Benik Afobe up front alone. That decision backfired and Arsenal starlet Afobe had a poor game. Jordan Rhodes was left on the bench despite hitting 16 goals in just 28 league starts, and he was not brought on until after his side was 2-0 down. Clark was under major pressure to succeed this season after heavy expenditure over the past two campaigns. He is likely to be given another season, but there can be no doubt that he is unlikely to remain as manager if the Terriers are not pushing for the title. Peter Clarke scooped the player-of-the-season award for a second season running, and the Terriers’ defence has usually been very solid with him at its heart. Clark, who will next term be entering his 3rd full year as boss, has not relied on signings alone and the club’s youth policy has continued to pay dividends, with the likes of Jack Hunt, Liam Ridehalgh, Tom Clarke and Alex Smithies breaking into the first team either this year or last, although the latter three suffered with injuries this season. Indeed it is difficult to pinpoint where things failed this term, and perhaps they were just unlucky to face excellent Brighton and Southampton teams in the same year.

Player of the Season: Peter Clarke