It’s been absolutely ages since we’ve visited Huddersfield. Not since the halcyon days of the late-90s have Sunderland fans darkened the doors of the John Smith’s Stadium. Our last trip to this charming corner of Yorkshire was in 1998 and culminated in Kevin Ball and Marcus Stewart scoring for the respective teams, en route to us smashing the absolute shit out of the league.
Very much like Blackburn, I don’t know why this trip seems so appealing. There is the bonus that it’s not far to go, there are some delightful alehouses and there’s a good chance we’ll win because Huddersfield are terrible. So let’s get into it, eh?
How Do I Get There?
It’s a pretty straightforward drive to Huddersfield. Simply take the A19, A1(M) and M1 to junction 42 where you can join the M62. Follow this to junction 25 heading towards Huddersfield, jump on Leeds Road and you’ll see signs for the John Smith’s Stadium. There’s no parking at the ground for away fans but there’s plenty of spaces available in the town itself.
Sat nav losers: HD1 6PX
Huddersfield railway station is a convenient 20-minute stroll from the ground and on the way you can take in all the great pubs I’ll tell you about in just a little while.
What’s the Ground Like?
Before teams started building the exact same stadium as each other – looking at you Middlesbrough and Derby County – architects were a little more innovative with their stadium design. Built in 1994, the John Smith’s Stadium is one of the more unique ‘modern’ grounds in the country, akin to Bolton’s majestic Reebok Stadium.
The four domed, free-standing stands manage to keep the atmosphere in and the Huddersfield fans do make a good racket. Sunderland fans are in half of the South Stand which has its own dedicated entrance, so that’s nice.
Yer thirsty?
You know all those great pubs I promised you, well here they are!
Huddersfield is awash with excellent pubs whether you need refreshment close to the ground or if you’re ambling down from the train station. Directly at the train station you have the choice of either The Head of Steam or The King’s Head, the latter being a little cheaper and more cask ale heavy than the former.
If you have a little time on your hands then you can venture up to Willow Park Business Centre where you’ll find the excellent Magic Rock Brewing Co. Taproom while if you like your craft beer with a side of pretension then head to BrewDog Huddersfield on Zetland Street.
Alternatively, both the Plumbers Arms (Macauley Street) and The Rat & Ratchet (St John’s Road) are good options. There’s also a terrible bar next to the cinema outside the stadium.
What’s happening in Huddersfield?
After the match, get yourself down to The Parish on Queen Street where you can feast upon their cheap beer and punk music. Playing on Wednesday night is The Attack, some Orlando street punks that have shared stages with big hitters such as Misfits, Descendants and Cans & Megabus’ personal favourites Bad Religion in the past 18 months. And it’s only a fiver to get in!
