Roll back years and relive Town’s glory 101 Club...
TOWN fans are being invited to roll back the years at the John Smith’s Stadium next week as part of the Huddersfield Literature Festival.
Terriers can re-live the club’s momentous 1979/80 campaign, which will be under the spotlight on Tuesday at Town’s home ground thanks to Huddersfield-born author Rob Stewart.
The former Moor End High School and Greenhead College student’s debut book, The 101 Club, documented all the stories behind that celebrated season – when Town scored 101 goals on their way to the old Fourth Division title.
And Terriers are being invited to attend a special event at the Fantastic Media Suite when Rob will reveal all about the story behind the book – and his own journey from the Walpole estate where he grew up to the Waterstone’s book store where Town greats launched The 101 Club.
Rob, a freelance journalist who spent ten years as a football reporter with the Daily Telegraph, said: “The 101 Club was a true labour of love for me and the day I saw the book on sale at the Town shop and Waterstone’s is right up there with seeing my team win promotion to the Premier League.
“It was a privilege to work with the Town legends who really lifted my hometown, which was down in the dumps, thanks to their exciting brand of football and I’m looking forward to telling the inside story of the book’s production.
“There’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to The 101 Club. I’m keen to shine a light on the local heroes and sharing all the good and not-so-good bits with Town fans as part of the Huddersfield Literature Festival, so Tuesday’s event will be very special me.”
Rob was among the Town fans in the Cowshed who were treated to a thrill-a-minute as Mick Buxton’s swashbuckling side timed their run to glory to perfection.
Two Ian Robins goals clinched a 2-1 win over Hartlepool at Town’s Leeds Road ground on May 3, 1980, to pip Walsall to the title on the last day of the season and cement the team’s place in club folklore.
They also indirectly paved the way for Town fans’ Premier League dreams to be realised as that team got Dean Hoyle hooked on the Terriers – rather than Leeds – as a schoolboy.
The Town chairman paid tribute to Buxton’s entertainers in a foreword to The 101 Club, which was published by Bradford-based Great Northern
Books.
As well as a series of never-seenbefore photos, the book features in-depth interviews with Buxton and every single one of the 16-man squad that played their way into the hearts of Town fans.
Plus, there are interviews with the players’ wives and behind-the-scenes personalities.
The book has won the seal of approval from Buxton and his former players. Buxton said: “It was a pleasure working with Rob on The 101 Club because the 1979/80 season was truly extraordinary and our story makes for fascinating reading.”
■ The 101 Club talk with Rob Stewart, takes place at the Fantastic Media Suite at John Smiths Stadium on Tuesday, March 26, at 7pm (£1.50-£3). Tickets and details about other events are available on the Huddersfield Literature Festival website huddlitfest. org.uk/product-category/huddersfieldliterature-festival.