Jon Stead named Huddersfield Town assistant as Martin Drury takes charge | OneFootball

Jon Stead has been appointed assistant coach at Huddersfield Town after Martin Drury was confirmed as the club’s permanent head coach following the League One season.

According to Sunderland Echo, Stead will join Drury’s backroom team, extending his return to his hometown club after linking up with the first-team staff earlier this year. He had been working at Town following Liam Manning’s appointment in January 2026 and will remain in place under Drury.

The 43-year-old had a brief spell at Sunderland after arriving from Blackburn Rovers in 2005. He made 40 appearances, scoring twice, netting at Everton in April 2006 then at Southend United in August 2006.

He left for Sheffield United in January 2007 after a loan at Derby County. His career also included Ipswich Town, Bristol City, Notts County, Harrogate Town and two spells with Huddersfield. An academy graduate, he debuted in 2002 and struck 18 goals in 2003-04 to earn a move to Blackburn.

Stead retired in 2021 after more than 700 senior games and 165 goals. He has since held assistant roles with Hartford Athletic, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Barnsley and Bristol Rovers before returning to Huddersfield. Former Sunderland man Lynden Gooch is still on the books at the League One club and will work under Stead next season should he remain at the club this summer.

Source: Sunderland Echo