Huddersfield stay top after beating Wigan, but Ledson’s ban clouds the trip to Bradford
Wednesday 28 October 2026 · By Graham Pilsworth
Huddersfield Town sit top of League One after a 2–1 home win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday 24 October. There is no League One game tonight, and the leaders were idle on Tuesday while Stockport County lost 1–0 at Oxford United. That left Martin Drury’s side two points clear in the BBC table, last updated at 01:28 GMT on Wednesday.
Bronkhorst opened the scoring against Wigan on 34 minutes, with C. Humphreys credited with the assist, and Sanches Fernandes made it 2–1 ten minutes from time from a pass by Harness. Saydee pulled one back for Wigan in stoppage time. BBC Sport noted that Sanches Fernandes now has four goals in five games. Radulović missed the match with a hamstring problem.
The win followed a 4–1 victory over Peterborough United on 20 October and a 2–0 win at Plymouth Argyle three days earlier. Huddersfield have won seven of their 12 league games, drawn four and lost one, scoring 24 goals and conceding 11. Their goal difference of plus 13 is the best in the division. Their only league defeat came at Bromley in September, and the BBC form guide shows five games unbeaten since.
The top of the table is tight. Stockport are second on 23 points, and Oxford United, Bradford City and Plymouth are all on 22, so three clubs sit within a point of the automatic places. League One’s top two go up automatically, and third to sixth go into the play-offs. Huddersfield have 25 points, while Oxford have played only 11 games.
The Yorkshire Post reported on Tuesday that Drury has praised a strong opening to the season. According to that report, Huddersfield have won nine of their 15 games in all competitions, used 31 players and had 15 different scorers. Drury also collected the August Manager of the Month award. Those figures come from a single source, so they are worth treating with caution.
The next test is a big one. Huddersfield travel to fourth-placed Bradford City on Saturday 31 October, with kick-off at 12:30 GMT. Bradford have the meanest defence in the division, with only five goals conceded in 12 games, and the BBC form guide shows them unbeaten in six. They also reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, although tonight’s draw for that round has yet to be made.
Huddersfield will be without Ryan Ledson, who is suspended. The Yorkshire Post reports a three-match ban, which would also rule him out of the home game against Luton Town on Tuesday 3 November at 19:45 GMT, with the third match still to be confirmed. The same newspaper says Balker is fit but unlikely to start.
After Luton, Huddersfield host Exeter City in the FA Cup first round on Saturday 7 November at 15:00 GMT, then Liverpool Under-21s in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy on Tuesday 10 November at 19:00 GMT. A league trip to Wycombe Wanderers follows on Saturday 14 November.
Kirklees Stadium sits just north of Huddersfield town centre on Stadium Way (HD1 6PG). Opened in 1994 and shared with Huddersfield Giants rugby league, it holds 24,121 for football. Visiting supporters will almost always be placed in the South Stand, behind the southern goal. That end is a steep, covered single-tier bowl with a big screen at the back. On bigger fixtures the allocation can reach around 4,000; on others it is smaller and the stand is shared with home fans behind a segregation net.
The four stands are not identical. The West Stand (Riverside / Core) is the main two-tier stand along the touchline: dugouts, tunnel, hospitality and the ticket office sit on this side. Opposite it, built into Kilner Bank hill, is the large single-tier East Stand. Behind the northern goal is the two-tier North Stand, the noisy home end. The pitch runs north–south, so the goals sit directly in front of the North and South stands, as shown above. Corners of the ground are open, which can make it breezy even when the roofs keep you dry.
Away coaches usually drop in the lower level of the St Andrew’s Road car park. Follow steward directions and the blue signs. Visiting turnstiles are typically 17–20 on the South Stand. There is a steep slope up from the lower car park; there is also access from the upper level via a ramp and steps. Allow extra time if you have limited mobility. Wheelchair spaces for away fans are arranged through the clubs in advance; ambulant disabled supporters can often use the front row of the South Stand.
The stadium is about a mile from Huddersfield station. On foot, allow 20–25 minutes via Leeds Road or follow matchday signage. Local buses serve the Leeds Road corridor. If you drive, junction 24 of the M62 is the usual approach from the west and junction 25 from the east. Matchday parking around the ground fills early; official and overflow parks are signed from Stadium Way and St Andrew’s Road. Do not park on residential streets that are restricted on match days.
Inside, the South Stand concourse is compact but has food and drink outlets. Expect standard football fare and a modest choice of beer. Cash and cards are both useful; there is a cash machine by the leisure centre adjacent to the North Stand, not in the away end itself. Searches at the turnstiles are common. Bags should be small. Standing in seated areas is policed more tightly than at some older grounds, though the rake of the South Stand still gives a good view even when people in front are on their feet.
Views from the away end are generally excellent: the stand is close to the goal line and steep enough that you look over the row in front. You face the North Stand and have the main West Stand to your left and Kilner Bank to your right if you are looking towards the pitch. The open corners mean you will see plenty of sky and, on a clear day, the hillside behind the East Stand.
Pubs near the ground can be busy and some prefer home colours. Many travelling fans drink in town before walking up. After the match, trains back towards Leeds and Manchester are frequent but fill quickly; leave a little early if you have a tight connection. Stewards will point you back towards the coach park and the footbridge over the River Colne. Check the club and police advice for the specific fixture, because segregation and the exact away block can shift when demand is high.
Kirklees is a modern, award-winning 1990s bowl rather than a traditional terraced ground. It is easy to read once you have the compass in your head: river and main stand to the west, hill to the east, home end north, visitors south. Arrive early, follow the South Stand signs, and you will be behind the correct goal with a clear sight of the whole pitch.