The ground had fallen into serious decline in the 1980s, The Main stand was closed in 1986 due to safety issues after the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985 and partly reopened in 1989,[1] a large chunk of the terrace side was condemned and never reopened, the supporters club building was demolished in 2009 after a fire.

[2] It also hosted an FA Cup semi final game between Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday in 1882.

The highest attendance at the stadium to watch a Huddersfield game was 32,912 against Wigan on 4 March 1950, although a Challenge Cup semi-final played 19 April 1947 attracted a crowd of 35,136.

[5] On 11 August 1943 an exhibition baseball game was staged between two teams of American soldiers which attracted 2,400 curious spectators.

In March 1973 the ground hosted its first John Player Trophy final, 10,102 spectators saw Leeds beat Salford 12–7.

[8] The ground hosted its last Challenge Cup semi final in April 1976 when St Helens narrowly beat Keighley 5–4 in front of a crowd of 9,829.

As well as beginning to improve the playing staff, the new owners also carried out a considerable amount of work on the Fartown stadium and by the end of the 1989–90 season significant progress was being made.

Huddersfield also faced Australia in the first game of their 1992 Rugby League World Cup final tour, losing 66–2 at the Leeds Road ground on 9 October 1992.