Huddersfield Town (A) Match Preview
The Game
Huddersfield Town v Argyle. John Smith's Stadium. Saturday, 13 January. 3pm. Sky Bet Championship.
The Opposition
Huddersfield were Argyle's first opponents of the 2023/24 season, losing the game, and scoring just one point from their first four games. They then won two in a row - against West Bromwich Albion and Rotherham United, before announcing that manager Neil Warnock would leave following his final game in charge, which they drew 2-2 with Stoke City.
Darren Moore then took over, and Huddersfield have won three of his 20 games in charge in all competitions.
The Gaffer
Darren Moore had a varied playing career, beginning with Torquay United and Doncaster Rovers in the lower divisions, but playing for many years in the second tier with the likes of Bradford City and Portsmouth, then playing in the Premier League with West Bromwich Albion. He also played Derby County, Barnsley and Burton Albion, at various levels.
Moore's first managerial job came at West Brom, with the Baggies well adrift in the Premier League. He very nearly kept them up, but West Brom succumbed to relegation to the Championship. With ten games remaining of the following season, Albion were fourth, but bizarrely sacked Moore at this point.
He would next appear at Doncaster, where two years of consistent performance caught the eye of Sheffield Wednesday, who persuaded Moore to make the short move to Hillsborough. With Wednesday, he could not avoid the drop soon after taking over, and took the Owls to the play-offs in his first full season in charge. That ended in defeat in the semi-finals against Sunderland, but the following season - 2022/23 - they would achieve an unlikely promotion via the play-offs, having been 4-0 down from the first leg of the play-off semi-final, then beating Barnsley 1-0 in the final, which virtually the final kick of the game.
Despite those heroics, he apparently could not come to terms on a new contract in the summer, and left the club. He joined Huddersfield in September.
The Squad
Huddersfield have added two players so far in the transfer window. Bojan Radulovic, a 24-year-old forward, has signed from HJK Helsinki. Born in Spain, but having represented Serbia at youth level, Radulovic has also played for Brighton and Hove Albion and AIK Stockholm. The Terriers have also added Alex Matos, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder from Chelsea, on loan.
In addition to these two additions, Huddersfield have recalled Northern Ireland international defender Brodie Spencer. Also 19, Spencer has spent the season so far playing for Motherwell on loan.
Leading goalscorer for Huddersfield - with seven goals - is Michal Helik (below). Despite topping Town's goalscoring charts, Helik is actually a central defender, with seven caps for Poland. He is in his second season with Huddersfield, having impressed during two seasons at Barnsley.
Earlier This Season
Morgan Whittaker scored six minutes into Argyle's season when he put the Pilgrims in front against Huddersfield on the opening day. Helik equalised just before half-time, but Argyle pulled away with goals from Ryan Hardie and Bali Mumba in the second period, to clinch the game 3-1.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will be wearing their green home kit for this game.
Tickets
Tickets for this game are now longer available. For information on collections, delivery and so forth, please click here.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s pre-match show, with Charlie Price and Aaron Cusack, will begin at 2pm, and is available to watch for free on YouTube. Commentary will be provided from the John Smith's Stadium by Nathan Albion and Lee Makel. International supporters can buy a match pass to watch the game, here.
