Hammill Joins Huddersfield On Loan

Adam Hammill has tonight signed on loan until January for Huddersfield Town. The winger joins from Wolverhampton Wanderers after emerging as a major target for Grayson just yesterday. Hammill has been placed on the transfer list by his current club but the terriers have only managed to secure his signature until the next transfer window opens in January.

The deal means that Hammill is eligible to play for Huddersfield Town against Ipswich tomorrow & is expected to make his debut for The Yorkshire Club with Scannell possibly being left out due to injury.

Grayson Speaks Out About Rhodes' Departure

Simon Grayson has today more or less seen his number one striker & most valued asset taken away from him in a deal worth in the region of £8m. That man is of course Jordan Rhodes but the gaffer spoke out openly about the situation and stressed how the clubs ambitions have not changed;

"Obviously everyone at the Club is disappointed to see Jordan leave, but this happens all the time in football no matter the Club or league you are in. You cannot realistically keep players at a Club against their will and Jordan made it clear to us that he wanted to talk to Blackburn Rovers, but as we have said all along a transfer would only happen on our terms and this is exactly the case."

"I would like to thank Jordan for all he has done for this Club. He’s been an absolute joy to work with every day; he’s always looking to improve and all the speculation surrounding him this year has not affected his professionalism for a second. He has achieved some unbelievable things here and played a massive part as Huddersfield Town has moved forward."

"It’s a shame he won’t be part of the next stage of our Championship journey but that’s life and we move on quickly in football. We have been planning behind the scenes for the eventuality that Jordan would leave for a long time now, even though we hoped it wouldn’t happen, and we know our options. We have developed a good squad of players here and our targets for this season and beyond have not changed just because Jordan is departing. There is no lack of ambition at this Club, that’s for sure, as we have shown and will show over the coming weeks, months and years.  Buying and selling is an integral part of that."

The Rhodes deal is set to break the clubs record fee but is still to go through its final stages before Rhodes officially becomes a Blackburn Rovers player. Expect this to happen tomorrow morning as the striker did indeed have his medical at Rovers today. We wish him all the best in the next stage of his career.

Spencer Extends Contract

Jimmy Spencer has today agreed to extend his contract at Huddersfield Town for an extra year. The striker has often been loaned out to various other clubs but with a decent pre-season he has managed to catch the eye of the manager, Simon Grayson. Spencer made his first competitive appearance for Huddersfield at the start of the season against Preston in the Capital One Cup & was one of the better players.

Grayson expressed how happy he was to be able to negotiate a contract with Jimmy;

"Jimmy has done well on loan over the last couple of years and gained experience of what first-team football is like. His attitude and performances over pre-season have impressed us, hence why he has been involved at the start of the season. I am delighted that he has got a new contract and he is a player that we will be working with closely with over the next few years to make him a better all-round player."

Spencer vowed to continue to fight for his spot in the Starting XI as well as being delighted to have sorted a small part of his future out;

"The new deal gives me reassurance about my future; I wanted to stay at Huddersfield Town and I am delighted that a longer deal has been sorted. I have enjoyed pre-season and I am delighted that I have been involved in the manager's plans for the opening few games."





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Lynch Savouring Goal & Victory

Joel Lynch netted first for the terriers on Saturday and gave his team the lead against Burnley with a headed effort that was deemed across the line by the linesman. The big defender celebrated with the Town faithful and admitted that he is still savouring that moment two days later;

"The lads were brilliant and I thought it was a really good team performance against Burnley, exactly what the gaffer wanted us to produce. We are really happy with the three points and I never thought we looked like letting the game slip."

"Our team shape was good, James Vaughan made an excellent debut and gave us that 'out' option for a pass and we were good all over the pitch, with Jordan scoring an excellent second goal to give us that extra leeway. There is pressure, because we know we have to win, but I just feel so relaxed out on the pitch and I'm really enjoying my football because we work so hard and we have a lot of energy in the team."

"We have made a really good start to the campaign – playing well in all three matches so far – and I think we are going to do well because we are only just settling in. All the lads are playing well now, but once we get used to playing Championship football in 10 or 15 games time we will really get into it and play our best football, so I'm really happy about the way things are going."

"I've scored before from set-pieces and corners and I spoke to Ollie before the game about the area I wanted him to cross it to, and he delivered it perfectly. I got a good contact on it and, having watched the video, it looked like it went over the line to me, so I'm very happy with that."




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Clayton: 'Onwards & Upwards'

Adam Clayton says the terriers have met their target which was set for them in the first three games and that was to get a win. Huddersfield Town picked up all three points against Burnley on Saturday after an impressive performance saw them come out 2-0 winners. Clayton was interviewed after the match by the official website and this is what he had to say;

"Yeah, we’re buzzing now. Our aim was to get a win in our first three games and now we’ve done it. I think the new lads now know what the Championship is going to bring and that is a good victory to get; Burnley are a very good team who pass it very well and have some good players, so it’s a good result. We’ve played against three very good teams in the League and I think we’ve acquitted ourselves very well, so it’s been good so far. If you can get the first goal in a Championship game, more often than not you will win the game. It was nice to top it off and get the next one to take a bit of pressure off – that was a nice feeling."

Along with the victory came Huddersfield's first clean sheet in The Championship which is something The Yorkshire Club need to repeat regularly to compete in this league;

"I’m sure Smithies will be happy with that! Onwards and upwards now; perhaps we can rattle off another couple of wins and see where that takes us.”

Adam Clayton is one of Grayson's summer signings along with numerous others but the versatile midfielder stated that the whole squad is getting along fine regardless of some tough opening fixtures;

"We’ve had three games together now, but even in the first against Cardiff I thought our team shape was very good and we passed the ball well against a very good side. Nottingham Forest is another good side – you could see that against Bolton last night – and again today we did well. That only bodes well for the future. It’s brilliant here. I enjoy playing football and I’m thoroughly enjoying the way we are playing and passing it at the moment. We’re a tight nit group and the day to day training is brilliant."

Clayton fired off a fair few shots of his own on Saturday with the majority being blocked by diving Burnley bodies but he was pleased to see Rhodes getting on the scoresheet for the second game running;

"I was already off celebrating when I saw the ball drop to him! When it drops to Jordan you have no doubt about him hitting the back of the net."

Clayton also played for the first time with new loanee James Vaughan who he thinks is going to be a very valuable asset to the terriers this season;

"James is a very good addition to the squad. His pedigree speaks for itself, playing for Everton and Norwich in the Premier League; he’s a very good player. You could see how brilliant his work rate is today and it would be nice to get him his first goal as quickly as possible, because if he is scoring goals with Jordan we’ll have quite a good strike-force."

"I’m looking forward to the Ipswich game, but not necessarily the drive there! It will be another good game in a good atmosphere and it will give our team more experience of Championship football. If we can go there and put another good performance in, like we did at Cardiff, we can push on again when we get back to our Stadium."

Grayson Praises Team Effort

Simon Grayson watched his Huddersfield side record their first win in The Championship for eleven years today as they beat Burnley 2-0 at The John Smiths Stadium. All three points were picked up by the terriers in an entertaining game which saw Joel Lynch & Jordan Rhodes getting themselves on the scoresheet. Grayson praised the entire team for the victory in his post match comments;

"I am delighted with the victory. We scored a couple of good goals and kept a clean sheet – I thought right from the first whistle we were at it today. We closed and pressurised Burnley all over the pitch and used the ball with a purpose when we had it. We created some good opportunities and when we were under pressure in the game we defended professionally. There is undoubted quality within our squad, but I thought our work ethic today was first class."

"We aren't going to get carried away because we are only three games in; but we have come up against three established teams and done well. The players showed a positive attitude and the supporters back us. We never let them have two minutes on the ball and that is what you have to do against the top teams."

Joel Lynch opened the terriers account with a headed effort from a Norwood corner which saw the ball declared over the line by the linesman;

"Some people may believe that Joel's effort wasn't over the line, but that doesn't worry me. We worked their keeper well today and also hit the bar. The link up play between James Vaughan and Jordan Rhodes was excellent at times, but it was an all-round team effort that contributed to the goals today."

"I thought 'Lynchy' was exceptional and James Vaughan, who came into the team at the expense of Lee Novak, offered us something different with his pace. I like Lee Novak and it was a tough decision not to play him but I though Vaughan complemented us very well – we have got good options all over the pitch."

Winger Sean Scannell limped off the field of play and his situation is still unknown admitted Grayson;

"Sean has pulled his hamstring and although we don't know the severity of the injury yet it looks likely that he will miss next weekend. It is a shame because he has worked hard since he arrived here and possess quality, but I thought when Danny Ward came on he did well. I looked at the bench today and was delighted with the strength in depth that we currently have."

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Grayson; We Like Being Underdogs

Simon Grayson let everyone know today that his side is happy to be considered as underdogs for the majority of games this season. Huddersfield clash with Burnley today in a match that will be hotly contested at The John Smiths Stadium but even after two impressive performances, the terriers go into the tie as second favourites.

Grayson also stated that The Yorkshire Club can compete against anyone at this level and aren't scared of any club;

"I don't think spirit in the camp has ever been a problem, even after we lost to that late goal against Cardiff, because the performance was very good. What's happened in the first two matches has shown the players they can compete against two teams I expect to be in the top reaches of the division. Forest have spent heavily and have some good players in their line-up, and Cardiff have done exactly the same after being in the play-offs the last three years – and we've competed very well against both of them."

"It just shows us as a team what we have to do to get results. We have to make sure we stay in games for as long as it takes because we do have match-winners, people who can get us something at any particular time."

Simon Grayson admitted that they were up against it in their last match against Nottingham Forest but stated that they could of been in a worse position if they chased after the game;

"If the other night, when Forest had a lot of possession of the ball, we had gone chasing it we could easily have been 2-0 or 3-0 down and the game would have been over. But we stuck in there, determined to stay in the contest and try and get a result no matter how long it took. That is testament to the fact the players have listened to what we want them to do, carried out their instructions and earned the break when we needed it."

Grayson is also happy with the squad he has including the latest arrival James Vaughan who signed on a season long loan yesterday;

"I think we have good players who are flexible. In the team and the squad we can play different systems to suit ourselves and, if we have to alter it to combat the opposition, we can do that as well. We can adapt, but the focus is always on what we are doing first and foremost. The thing is at this level, the opposition cause you more problems because they have better movement, rotation and flexibility."

"In League I, nine times out of 10 we had the better players and would just go out and win the games. It is different this year and everyone has to come to terms with that and realise that we are not always going to get a lot of possession. We will dominate at times because we have good players, but there will be other times both home and away when we come under the cosh and we have to make sure we stay in those games until we get the result we want to get."

Grayson reiterated the underdogs statement at the end of his pre-match interview but was also very keen in stating that they fear absolutely no-one;

"We will be underdogs for most of the games this season because there are only four other teams in the Championship who have not played in the Premier League. Every game we will be up against teams who are established in the Championship, teams with players who have played at the highest level while we are the newcomers, but we don't fear anyone. We respect our opposition, but we don't fear them and being the underdogs might just suit us because it's a different type of pressure."

"In League I, the pressure can build and the supporters can get anxious and edgy when they think you should be winning matches all the time – but it won't be that easy this year and, while we always try to win every game, people have to realise it's a different situation."

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Vaughan's First Huddersfield Town Interview

James Vaughan has joined The Yorkshire Club on a season long loan and gave an insight into why he has chosen the terriers instead of numerous other clubs. Vaughan was announced Town's latest signing this afternoon and will bolster Grayson's attacking options immediately for the clash against Burnley on Saturday;

"It has been a very quick turnaround but hopefully I will be involved in some way tomorrow. I am here to play first team football so the sooner the better really. I want to help the Club do well and on a personal front score some goals. I didn't want to go out on a short term deal; I have done that before and I didn't really want to do it again. With the loan being season long it gives me time to bed in, get to know the players and then hopefully push on earn a starting place and help the team progress."

Vaughan did feature heavily in Norwich City's pre-season campaign but the striker believes that his chances of first team football at the Canaries was very slim;

"When we returned for pre-season I knew pretty quickly that if I wanted to play first team football then I was going to have to make a move. Once the season started properly I wasn't involved too much and after speaking to the manager he said that it would probably be a good idea to have a look elsewhere for first team football."

"Huddersfield made it clear that they were interested in me and they did all they could to get the deal done as quickly as possible. I have a few friends who have played at the football club before and they had nothing but good words to say about it. It is a club that I feel is going in the right direction and I am looking forward to being a part of it."

James Vaughan did admit that these two friends were Lee Peltier & Anthony Pilkington who used to play for the terriers before moving onto different clubs respectively;

"I spoke to both of them and they both said that I would enjoy it up here and that it was a fantastic place to play football."




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Vaughan Joins Terriers On Season Long Loan

Simon Grayson has captured his latest signing in the form of James Vaughan from Norwich City. The vastly experienced striker has joined Huddersfield Town on a season long loan with possibly the option to permanently purchase him after this. Vaughan has been linked heavily with the terriers over the last 48 hours but its only today that the club has officially announced that the striker has signed.

Grayson was keen to state that Vaughan is a different kettle of fish compared to the other strikers at the club and praised both his commitment & work rate as reasons to why he has been brought into the squad;

"He is a different type of striker to the ones we currently have at the Club and crucially he has plenty of pace. He is a determined character with a high work rate and he is a player with something to prove. He has played at this level before and is comfortable at it, which is perfect for us."

"He has had some problems with injuries in the past but he has had a good pre-season behind him and comes to us fully fit. We have agreed a sensible deal with Norwich to protect us and I look forward to working with James over the coming months.

James Vaughan has had a successful past in football which includes playing for Everton in the UEFA Cup as well as featuring in an FA Cup final & the striker is sure to make his mark here at Huddersfield Town




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Grayson Does Not Need To Sell

Simon Grayson has today stated that he does not need to sell any players before bringing new faces into the squad. The rumours of James Vaughan circulated numerous sites again last night but the question was, do Huddersfield need to sell Rhodes before they buy?

Well Grayson answered that this morning when he spoke to the local newspaper;

"We have made a few calls privately, but we are working on trying to bring some players to the football club. Hopefully we will be able to conclude that business, but whether it will be before the weekend or whether it will have to wait until next week I just don’t know."

"I am happy with what I’ve got in the squad already, but we are looking to strengthen the squad because a little bit more competition for places in certain areas of the pitch will make us even stronger. Sometimes it’s not easy because you have to deal with agents and clubs want to keep hold of certain players for different reasons. That’s why you have to be patient and, hopefully, the ones we go after will eventually be concluded."

"We have a good squad here and the only way we will let players go out is to get first-team football, whether that’s permanent or on loan. We are not looking to get anybody out, but sometimes you have to be fair to one or two individuals if they have not been in the 18 this season, you have to give them the opportunity to get games."

The Huddersfield boss then gave us a quick update on Jordan Rhodes who, if reports are to be believed, may be playing for three different clubs next season;

"He was training this morning amid loads of speculation again. We have had this conversation many times, but our stance on him has never changed from a few weeks ago."

Norwood Looking Forward To Burnley Clash

Huddersfield Town will host Burnley at The John Smiths Stadium on Saturday and after picking up their first point in The Championship for eleven years the whole squad is buzzing. This is no different for young midfielder Oliver Norwood who has made a very impressive start for the terriers in pre-season & the first two matches of the season.

Norwood will go against not only his hometown club but also the club he has supported since a young lad and he is excited to do just that;

"Oh yes I’m a Burnley fan. I was brought up there, I still live there and it will be nice to play against them – really special for me. I played last year at Burnley when I was on loan with Coventry and set up the equalising goal, which was great."

"To be honest, I don’t even think who I’m playing against once I cross the white line, but it will be great if we can beat Burnley so I can have a bit of banter afterwards with my family and friends."

Norwood is confident that Huddersfield Town will be able to compete in this league but insisted that the entire squad must continue with what they are currently doing;

"We have to keep believing in ourselves and we’ll be fine. We’ve shown what we can do against two good sides and we have more than enough ability to do well."

Grayson Happy To Get A Point With Late Draw

Grayson is happy with the home draw

Simon Grayson gave his post match interview last night and was delighted to see his squad fight until the death to get their first point in The Championship. After going behind to a superb finish from Simon Cox the terriers looked all but out of the game until deep into stoppage time when they were rewarded with a penlty which Jordan Rhodes coolly slotted home. The manager had this to say about the whole game;

"You want to try and get as many points on the board as early as you can. We have had a really tough start to the season against Cardiff and Nottingham Forest – two teams that have realistic aspirations of getting into the Premier League. They caused us a number of problems tonight with their movement and passing and we will need to learn from that to help us improve over the course of the season. Despite their possession in the first half we had some good chances and even before they scored we missed a good opportunity when Oliver Norwood hit one over the bar. That is the Championship for you though."

"I am delighted with the way that we have competed over the last two matches and we will keep working hard on the training pitch to eradicate errors in our game going forward and in defence. I spoke to the players after the Cardiff game and told them that there will be occasions when we score late goals when we maybe don’t deserve anything out of the game. We have to learn quickly because the Championship is a new experience for a lot of our players. The players need to learn from the experiences of the last two games as do the fans because it won’t be like last year where we were the favorites a lot of the time."

"We showed good desire and continued to work until the end. Jack Hunt optimised that and showed good willingness to break into the box and up stepped Mr Cool to slot the ball home. I want to instil that type of determination into the players because I believe they have it – if the game had gone on for a couple more minutes we may have won. I am pleased with what we did tonight and against Cardiff on Friday."

Match Report: Huddersfield 1-1 Nottingham Forest

The first home game in The Championship proved to be a tough one for the terriers as they had to come back from behind to pick up a point against the very impressive Nottingham Forest. In what ended a thrilling match, Huddersfield celebrated a draw like it was a win after eleven long years of being outside the top two tiers of English football. The terriers were given a massive boost when Jordan Rhodes ended a lot of speculation by being named in the starting XI which was announced by Simon Grayson around half an hour before kick-off. Grayson set his men out in a basic 4-4-2 formation with the same selection of players as what face Cardiff City last Friday;

Town Starting XI; Smithies, Dixon, Lynch, Clarke (c), Hunt, Scannell, Southern, Norwood, Clayton, Rhodes, Novak.

Huddersfield were handed their first chance of the game as Oliver Norwood crossed for Lee Novak who's near post header was flicked over due to being pressurized from his Forest marker. Nottingham immediately started to pass the ball around and came very close to opening the scoring as the impressive looking McGugan struck the post with his long range effort. The midfielder was controlling things in the early stages of the game and featured in the next chance for Nottingham Forest just a few minutes later. Blackstock put Alex Smithies to the test twice withing quick succession but the young goalkeeper passed with flying colours with two decent saves.

Scannell was looking extremely focused and was regularly running past Brendan Moloney at right back for Forest and in the 21st minute he passed it to Clayton who chipped the ball over the defence into Novak's path. Novak made a beautiful contact with his first touch only to do exactly the opposite with his second as he shot over the bar. Simon Cox was staring to get involved in the game and he should of really given the visitors the lead but he failed to put his shot from five yards out past Smithies in the terriers goal. Smithies then had to pull off yet another amazing save to deny Adlene Guedioura from over thirty yards out.

Half an hour into the game the woodwork came to Huddersfield Towns rescue yet again. Dextor Blackstock had an effort cleared off the line by the terriers skipper, Peter Clarke, before his rebounded effort was deflected by Clayton onto the bar and over.

A tough first half test for Huddersfield.

Half Time: Huddersfield Town 0-0 Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest started the second half just as they finished the second and were nearly rewarded for their dominance in the 51st minute as Blackstock tried his luck again only to be denied by a typical Peter Clarke block. However, just a minute later it was Huddersfield Town who could of taken the lead as Norwood swung a corner into the box only for the ball to find Southern but he could only put his stabbed shot over the bar of Lee Camps goal.

 The game settled down for the next ten minutes as Huddersfield tried to stop the crisp passing of Forest by keeping hold of possession but they couldn't prevent Simon Cox from giving the visitors the lead in the 69th minute. McGugan had been having a quiet second half compared to the first 45 minutes but he provided Cox with a beautiful through ball and the highly rated striker finished superbly to send the travelling Forest fans into ecstasy.

Grayson stuck to his formation/tactics until making a last ditch attempt to give the terriers some sort of hope by making a double substitution by bringing on both Arfield & Ward. However, things didn't change and the terriers continued to fail to make any sort of opening as Nottingham Forest aimed to see out the game & ultimately all three points. Nottingham Forest started to become under immense pressure late on into the game but it looked like they were going to hold on to a deserved win as the game slipped into stoppage time.

Jack Hunt had spent most of the game being double-marked by Forest who obviously had done their research on the defender but he burst forward with the ball deep into stoppage time and was caught by an unfair challenge inside the box from Dan Harding. Penalty! Jordan Rhodes stepped up for the terriers and calmly slotted past the goalkeeper with the help of the inside of the post to send the home crowd wild. Just seconds after the restart the full time whistle was blown to end the game in a draw.

Rhodes celebrates in front of thousand of
Town fans

Full Time: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Rhodes Not Interested In Transfer Speculation

Jordan Rhodes bagged his first goal in The Championship yesterday when he slotted home a penalty in stoppage time to give the terriers their first point of the season and today he has made it pretty clear that he is focused on his football at Huddersfield Town.

The Scotland international has been at the forefront of all the transfer rumours this year & despite reports from national newspapers linking him to other clubs (especially Blackburn) in apparently 'done deals', Rhodes is still playing in blue & white stripes under Simon Grayson;

"I just try to let the speculation go over my head and get on with the job. It is quite easy when we have got matches to concentrate on, training, and the lads are around you. I don’t really pay much attention to the papers or television; I just try to live life as normal."

"This is a tremendous football club and I have got many friends here. We have a great changing room which makes it so much easier as well. Hopefully the new lads who have come in would agree with that because we have tried to make them all feel very welcome and it makes it much easier for everyone when the changing room is like that."

Rhodes was declared fit for the match last night despite being branded as 50/50 by Grayson on Monday. The manager praised his striker for the way he has handled everything over the past few months;

"Every player has his price but no one has come close to our valuation of Jordan. He declared himself fit and that shows the character of the lad. There would be many strikers who have had such speculation who probably wouldn’t have played. They would have downed tools thinking ‘I’ll go and get myself a move’, but Jordan was desperate to play."

"Our stance on him has never changed and he just gets on with the job. He won’t change if he’s a two bob player or ten million pound player – that’s how he is."

Jack Hunt States Terriers Have Set Their Own Standard

Its been four days since Jack Hunt kept Craig Bellamy in his back pocket when Huddersfield unfortunately came away from the Welsh capital with a loss but he has today stated that the club has set its own standard with their impressive football. Huddersfield Town sit near the bottle of The Championship table after one game but they are looking for all three points tonight against Nottingham Forest at The John Smiths Stadium;

"We went to Cardiff with a game plan and it worked for 90 minutes, sadly Cardiff got a little bit of luck in stoppage time and won the three points, which could have easily been ours. I want to do my best for the team and I thrive under the big occasion. I loved my Championship debut but was absolutely gutted by the result. We have set our standards for the season after the performance against Cardiff. At home the fans will expect us to attack more and that is something we will work on. The way we played at Cardiff worked very well and it is something we will try and replicate. At home we will try and attack more and hopefully we will kick things off with three points against Nottingham Forest."

Jack Hunt had to be equal to Bellamy all game on Friday and did exactly that as he kept the pacey winger/striker quiet for the majority of the match. Hunt expressed how much this meant to him in his pre-match interview;

"He was giving me a little bit of advice about how I could maybe improve my game and we were just having a general chat. He was a really nice guy and I can't speak highly enough of him. In my eyes Craig Bellamy is a player who could still do well in the Premier League and he has had a fantastic career so I thought it would be nice to get his shirt, it is something I will cherish. I showed him a lot of respect on the pitch but you have to be fearless. If I had shown him that I was afraid of his ability then he would have probably taken advantage of that – it was nice to keep him quiet."

Jack Hunt also indicated that he wants to not only keep players quiet defensively but also show his attacking attributes in The Championship in order to help the team out as much as possible;

"I scored three goals last season and I have a figure in my head of how many goals I want to score and assists I want to make. I have been practising shooting a lot with my left foot as a lot of defenders know that I like to go down the line on my right."

Dixon Ready To Make Home Debut

Paul Dixon is set to make his full home debut for the terriers tonight when they come up against Nottingham Forest at The John Smiths Stadium. Dixon featured in the losses against Preston & Cardiff but is ready to give his all in front of a bumper crowd tonight;

"We wanted to make a good start and now we've got the opportunity to kick on with these home games against Forest and Burnley. For lads like myself who have not played in the Championship before, it's a matter of learning lessons quickly and it's a great experience. I've settled in well at the club and in the area – Nick Colgan lives just down the road and he's really helped myself, my girlfriend and our son, so a big thank you to him – and I'm really looking forward to the whole season ahead. It is going to be great playing in front of our own fans."

"Their support so far has been fantastic and I know they'll create a great atmosphere for us against Forest. There are a lot of big clubs in this division, but hopefully we can repay the fans' faith by showing what we are all about."

Dixon has been impressive in pre-season and looked good against Cardiff on Friday so we expect him to be chosen in Grayson's starting XI tonight.




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Grayson Wanting Points On The Board

Simon Grayson was pleased with the performance against Cardiff City on Friday & has now stated that he wants to put the terriers first points on the board when they face Nottingham Forest this evening. Huddersfield are expecting a big crowd down at The John Smiths Stadium and Grayson is keen for all his players to give the fans what they want but admitted things will be difficult;

"I want the players to go out and enjoy their football and that is what they did against Cardiff. We do need points though and it would be brilliant to get three against Forest to set us up for the Burnley game on the weekend. The shape of the team was excellent and we limited Cardiff to very few opportunities. We knew we would have to let them have possession for large parts but when we got the ball we used it well and created some good chances. Football is a results business and I suppose I would prefer us to play poorly and win, but we can take a lot of heart from the game on Friday."

"Before we started the game people may have been slightly nervous and apprehensive about playing Cardiff, but hopefully the performance will have shown the belief that I have in the players to be competitive."

Although Grayson knows a strong crowd will be urging the players on tonight, he ultimately stated that it is up to his starting XI to create the atmosphere through their performance;

"We have to show desire and run hard and put tackles in to help lift the atmosphere. The supporters have to be realistic though and understand that it will be tough for us. Nottingham Forest have just spent £2m on Simon Cox and they have a number of players within their squad who have played in the Premier League. There will be periods in games where we won't have it our own way and the fans and players alike have to be patient."

Grayson has been a regular user of the 4-3-3 formation at Huddersfield and, even with the possibility of Rhodes being injured, he hinted that he may well set his team up in this formation;

"I think you can play selective, counter attacking football at any level home or away. People may be believe that you should always play two strikers upfront at home, but sometimes you need three in midfield to make sure that you don't get overrun. This season is not about us turning up and winning matches, we need to respect every team that we come up against. No disrespect to League 1 but we are up against far better teams and players this year where more of the focus will be on the other team rather than us. We have to focus on what we can do, but also the problems that they can cause us."

Grayson ended his pre-match interview by giving everyone an update on the fitness of the entire squad including his number one striker, Jordan Rhodes;

"Danny Ward trained on Monday morning so we will see how he is tomorrow. Oscar Gobern didn't train and Jordan Rhodes did a little bit of work with the physiotherapists. We don't know if Jordan will be fit yet, we will see how he reacts to the work that he did with the physios. We will leave it to the last minute and if there are any doubts then he won't play because I would rather him miss just one game rather than a couple of weeks."

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Match Report; Cardiff City 1-0 Huddersfield Town

The Cardiff City Stadium

Huddersfield Town travelled to the Welsh capital of Cardiff to take on the side which are tipped to be fighting for automatic promotion at the end of the season. The terriers have had a disappointing pre-season and earlier on in the week got knocked out of the Capital One Cup after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Preston North End. This tie opened up The Championship for what is set to be an amazing, yet tough season for all the teams involved.

The team selections were announced before kick off at The Cardiff City Stadium and this is how the terriers lined up;

4-3-3
Smithies, Dixon, Lynch, Clarke (c), Hunt, Norwood, Southern, Clayton, Scannell, Novak, Arfield.

Jordan Rhodes was not selected in the squad after being announced to be suffering from a Grade One torn hamstring which ruled him out of Huddersfield's first Championship match in eleven years.

Rhodes cancelled out of the opening tie due to
a grade on hamstring tear

The home side started the better and soon were on the attack in front of a large crowd. Don Cowie linked up well with Heidar Helguson and after a neat one two, Cowie tried his luck from the edge of the area but his shot was sent harmlessly wide of Smithies goal. However, the best chance of the entire first half came for the terriers early on after Novak slipped a defence splitting pass through to Scott Arfield who went one on one with the goalkeeper. Arfield took the ball into the area before driving a low curling shot at goal which was well stopped by Ben Marshall in the Cardiff goal. It was a chance which should of really been taken especially in The Championship.

Huddersfield Town started to grow in confidence as the half progressed and they looked calm and collected as Cardiff struggled to break down the well organised formation that Grayson's men were holding. Oliver Norwood threatened the home sides goal from 25 yards out after he teed up a half volley which was dipping into the top corner before Marshall brilliantly pushed it away. It was then Cardiff who created the next half chance through Jordan Mutch who attempted to break the deadlock with a shot from the edge of the area but he could only go close to the frustration of the home crowd. With just five minutes to go in the first half, Norwood and Clayton played some good football before Norwood sent in a another dipping shot which forced Marshall into a full stretch save.

The Town Faithful

Craig Bellamy had been kept quite by Jack Hunt all game but just one minute from time he nearly provided an assist for the opening goal. A free kick was won by the newly named 'Red Dragons' and Bellamy swung in a cross which was met by the head of Helguson but his header smashed the crossbar of Smithies goal. Both sides went in at half time deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half started exactly as predicted with Huddersfield continuing to hold a strong shape and pressing Cardiff players into making hurried passes that often were intercepted by clever defending from the terriers. Jack Hunt was at the forefront of the first meaningful chance in the second half. On the hour mark, the young right-back cut inside from the wing passing Andrew Taylor before smashing a fierce shot just over the bar. Immediately up the other end, Smithies spilled a relatively easy shot which resulted in a goal line scramble as Peter Clarke was forced to clear off the line. Just a few minutes later, Arfield had his second chance of the game to open the scoring after dragging it past his marker in the box only to touch it too heavily before getting his shot away.

Bellamy came to life just twenty minutes from time and he pushed past Clarke with ease before pulling his cross back into the path of McNaughton who was brilliantly denied by the ever agile Smithies. Arfield was in the thick of the action yet again for the terriers as he sent a curling effort goalwards only for Marshall to push it behind and deny the deadlock being broken by the terriers. Just a minute from time it was Cardiff who had the opportunity to take all three points but substitute Joe Mason could only shoot over the bar from just eight yards out.

As the game progressed into stoppage time the game did get its first goal and it was the Cardiff fans which were sent into ecstacy. Joe Mason managed to knock the ball down into the six yards area where captain Mark Hudson reacted quickly to smash home for the home side. A cruel ending for the Town side who looked strong all game to be sent home with nothing. A thoroughly enjoying game which Huddersfield shoud be proud of & can take a lot of positives from before taking on Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.

Hudson celebrates his late winner
for Cardiff City

Full Time: Cardiff City 1-0 Huddersfield Town

Mixed Emotions For Norwood

A good personal performance was dampened for Oliver Norwood as Cardiff stole a win at the death last night in the terriers opening tie in The Championship. The Yorkshire Club just couldn't hold onto a deserved point and were punished for not being clinical enough which left Norwood with mixed emotions about the game;

"That’s football isn’t it? We came here with a plan and we stuck to it – we kept our team shape. The pre-season friendly against Barcelona B stood us in good stead for this in terms of keeping our shape and working from the shape. We’ve had to put that work in; they are the basics of football. You have to get close to people and play when you get the ball and I think we showed tonight that when we have it, we can."

"The Gaffer has brought the squad together and the lads here are more than capable of playing at this level. We showed tonight that we are a match for anybody in this League because Cardiff are going to be up there; we believe we can be up there ourselves. That is the standard we have set ourselves and that is where we want to keep them throughout the season now. We’re disappointed, but we’ve got to keep believing in ourselves – you’d like to think that if we play like that we will win more than we lose. We need to put some chances away and score some goals, but it was a harsh lesson at the end."

Norwood sent a spectacular effort goal wards for the terriers in the first half and came close to giving Huddersfield the lead but unfortunately it just wasn't meant to be. Norwood heavily praised the Cardiff goalkeeper in his post-match interview;

"I thought he should have caught the first one, but on the second one I thought I’d done him! It was a good save and he went on to get ‘Man of the Match’, which just shows how well we played. I scored a few goals coming through the Manchester United Academy and I’ve scored in all my loans, so I want to add that to my game. I’m working hard at that in training and hopefully I can chip in with a few goals this year."

Norwood admitted that the whole squad were feeling pretty hard done by after suffering the defeat but he is already thinking of the game against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night;

"The lads are really down and disappointed in the changing room, but the great thing about football is that we can bounce back on Tuesday. We’re a confident bunch of lads. The momentum that lads from last year have brought due to promotion means there is a real buzz around the training ground. I think you can see that from the way we’ve gone about our business tonight and we’ll put this behind us now. We’ll take the positives, work on the negatives and bounce into Tuesday night. Every game is tough in this division – there are no easy games. I know that from playing for Coventry from 20 games last season. We’ve got some very good players in the dressing room though."

Norwood thanked the fans for travelling to the Welsh capital and stated a major part of himself playing football is to entertain the fans;

"That’s why you sign for a football club. I’ve seen how excited the fans get and you could see it tonight; albeit it was a smaller number, at times they out sang the Cardiff lot! We have a great set of enthusiastic fans and I think they’ll really be the ‘12th man’ at home, starting on Tuesday night."

Grayson; 'It Was Very Cruel'

The terriers were cruelly undone by a second half injury time strike from Cardiff City captain Mark Hudson which saw them lose 1-0 in their opening fixture of The Championship. Huddersfield Town were well on their way to picking up a well deserved point away in the Welsh capital but a last ditch attack by Cardiff sent the travelling faithful home with zero points.

Simon Grayson reflected on the hard work which his team put in against the promotion contenders but admitted that it was hard to lose in the manner which they did;

"It was very cruel. I think the players can look back on their performances with a lot of pride. We are all disappointed at the moment, but if we perform like that for the rest of the season we will do well. The players showed the right application and attitude and showed quality when they had the ball. Everything we worked on over the last few days to nullify Cardiff's attacking threat was implemented brilliant by the players. It shows how the match went with their keeper picking up the Man of the Match award." 

"We managed to frustrate them; they resorted to going long to Helguson which we dealt with well, we stopped them getting Peter Whittingham on the ball and I thought Jack Hunt played Craig Bellamy excellently well. We also counter attacked very quickly when we had the ball and created some very good chances – there keeper has made half a dozen good saves. We can be proud of how we played against a team who are one of the favourites for the Division."

Going into the match, the obvious threat for Cardiff City was their new signing Craig Bellamy but he had a somewhat disappointing performance which Grayson put down to his team & imparticular Jack Hunt;

"You have to stop the supply to him and also have a fantastic full-back who can handle playing against a top class player. Jack Hunt tonight matched him for speed and also pushed him back when we were attacking. Also, the other players in front of Jack did brilliantly to stop Bellamy getting the ball in the right places."

Oliver Norwood also impressed in the middle of the park alongside the experienced duo of Adam Clayton & Keith Southern. The ex-Manchester United reserve featured heavily in numerous Huddersfield attacks as well as having a few attempts at goal himself;

"You know what you going to get with him because of his background. He is comfortable on the ball, has a great attitude and he complemented the other two midfield players. Keith Southern showed his experience with his drive and tackles and Adam Clayton showed his passing range and calmness on the ball. They have all got good qualities and they stuck together as a unit tonight."

Simon Grayson also explained in full detail as to why Jordan Rhodes was not named in the squad against Cardiff & denied any sort of 'new' offer coming in for the Scottish international;

"Jordan has a hamstring strain. He came back from Scotland on the Thursday morning and after travelling down with us he felt that it was tight. He went for an MRI scan in Cardiff this afternoon and it showed that he had a Grade 1 tear, which will only leave him unavailable for five to seven days. It will be 50/50 whether he plays against Nottingham Forest but he should be ok for Burnley. We could have patched him up and thrown him out there but that would have risked him missing three to four weeks. There will be plenty of speculation as to why he didn't play, but believe me, he isn't going anywhere."

"Lee Novak did superb up top and Sean Scannell and Scott Arfield both came into the team and did excellently. Players have to be 100%, there is no point in risking them. Oscar Gobern and Danny Ward both picked up knocks against Preston and failed fitness tests this morning."

All in all, the post match comments from Simon Grayson shows how pleased he was with his teams performance tonight & this has been echoed by the fans even though tonight's game has ended with a defeat.

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Gerrard Aiming To Get Back To His True Form

Gerrard is confident he has made the right career
choice by joining the terriers

Huddersfield Towns latest recruit has come in the shape of experienced defender Anthony Gerrard from Cardiff City & he has stated his intent on getting first team football as well as getting back to his very best for the terriers;

"It was the same when I went on loan to Hull - the first game I played was against Cardiff. It’s quite ironic to be honest and I’m looking forward to it. I didn’t play enough games last season; I made 27 appearances, which is poor for me. I usually play 40-50 games per season, which I have been used to since I was 19. To go from playing regularly to being dropped for no particular reason was a bitter pill to swallow, so I knew I needed to change. I had made my mind up that I needed to leave a lot earlier than the end of the season. "

"I’m only interested in myself now and Huddersfield Town. I’m not going out there on Friday to prove a point to Cardiff; I will be going out to prove to myself that I was good enough to play in that Cardiff team. I want to establish myself as one of the best defenders in the League. A lot of people know what I am capable of and that’s why the Manager brought me here. Hopefully I can now get back to my true form."

Gerrard also has set his sights on challenging for promotion with his new club and will not settle for being anywhere near the relegation zone. The 26 year old expressed he wants to be part of a squad that can replicate the likes of Southampton who achieved back-to-back promotions into The Premiership;

"I expect this season to be very competitive. I haven’t joined the football club to be in a relegation battle or to suffer mid-table obscurity though - I want the team to be challenging for promotion. If you don’t strive to achieve in your career then you’ll end up going backwards."

"Norwich, Southampton and Blackpool have all previously made big impacts in the Championship after achieving promotion. We have nothing to be frightened of. The lads should take a lot of confidence with them from what they achieved last year. By all accounts, they should have gone up automatically, but to gain promotion through the Play-Offs is an even better buzz to be honest."

Grayson; 'It is going to be very tough'

Simon Grayson has given his pre-match comments for the opening Championship game which will see the terriers travel to the Welsh capital to play against Cardiff City. Grayson stated how much of a tough game it will be but one which his side are looking to get maximum points out of regardless of the obvious ability that is in the Cardiff squad;

"It is going to be very tough for us; there is no getting away from that fact. They have been around the Championship Play-Offs for the last two or three years now and they have showed their intentions again this season by signing Craig Bellamy. Cardiff will be looking at us as the new boys and will know that we will be up for the challenge. There is no pressure on us because everyone will be thinking it is a Cardiff home win, but we will go there and relish the opportunity."

"I am very excited about the game; there is a massive buzz about the town at the moment. The supporters have waited 11 years for the Club to get back into the Championship and they will be looking forward to watching us play against big teams in impressive stadiums."

As much as Bellamy is a huge threat for the terriers to face, Grayson has made some very promising signings too and is confident that he has done well in the current transfer window;

"It has been a short summer but a successful one; I have signed the players that I wanted to when I set out. All the players are match fit ready for the new season and we have built up a lot of enthusiasm – there is a real buzz that we can achieve something."

Huddersfield Town failed to progress into the second round of the Capital One Cup on Monday after being knocked out by Preston North End in the first round. Grayson was missing five players that game due to international call-ups including Jordan Rhodes who managed to get his first goal for Scotland against Australia;

"It is huge credit to him that he was picked in the starting line-up and then he did what he is best at doing, which is scoring goals. He had a few half opportunities that he made out of nothing and he took his goal very well - we are all delighted for him. He is a very low key, low maintenance lad who won't be getting big headed about his achievements; he will come into work as normal and get on with his job. His goal is a massive boost for him and the football club."

"Jordan has a got a big future in front of him and people will question whether he can make the step up from League 1 to the Championship, but I think he has got a natural ability to score at any level. He proved last night that he can score at international level, but he has got to work hard throughout the course of the season to score the goals for us and as a team we need to supply with him with the service."

"Training hasn't been ideal this week with the international games, as every manager will tell you. We will get a few players back today and then the rest Friday morning and that will be the earliest point when we get to do any team work. We had an eye on the players who played last night and they are all fit; Jordan only played an hour; Joel Lynch played the last 15 minutes of the Wales game; Ollie Norwood played the last ten of his match as did Sean Scannell the night before. It is good for them to be away on international duty and good from my point of view that they didn't play too much football."

Grayson also stated that everyone in the squad is fit to be picked for the game against Cardiff apart from Danny Ward who they are still monitoring after picking up a slight ankle injury against Preston on Monday night;

"Everyone is fit with the exception of Danny Ward who picked up a knock from the Preston game – he is a doubt but should be ok. Joel Lynch will meet us down in Cardiff today; Ollie is flying back home today and Jordan being the lad that he is drove home with his Dad last night and will travel down with us."

The manager also answered the question that all Town fans have been wanting to know and that is, 'Are we going to sign anyone else before the transfer window shuts?';

"We are still looking at one or two players and the one thing that I have always had is the backing of the Chairman. Every time I have asked to go for a player he has supported me; if I went to Dean and said to him that I felt we needed to strength a particular area then he would give me the backing."

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Grayson Excited With Championship Challenge Which Lies Ahead

Simon Grayson has an abundance of experience in the second tier of English football but has admitted he is still very much excited to be in The Championship with the terriers. Since gaining promotion he immediately started to re-shape the team to his own liking and has brought in equally experienced players at this level as well as those with a point to prove.

Pre-season hasn't been great for Huddersfield and they have only achieved one victory against Chesterfield and to add to this they crashed out of the Capital One Cup with a poor display away at Preston. However, Grayson is confident that they can make their mark on The Championship this year & stay well clear of the relegation zone;

"It's our first season back in the Championship for 11 years so if you can't get excited about that, I don't know what is going to get you excited. There's been a buzz among the players and a buzz around the town and the area since we went up and Friday is the day when everyone will realise 'this is now, this is the Championship"

"We are where we are and we've worked hard to achieve it – so let's enjoy it."

"I'm in a privileged position because I was wanted – and felt wanted – by a chairman in Dean Hoyle after I had been made unemployed, and I'm fortunate to be at a very passionate football club, one which is forward thinking and got a lot of ambition about it. Those ambitions are both on the pitch and off the pitch and, in those terms, I am fortunate because many other managers would love to be in my position. I have no intention of resting on my laurels, though, and I'm working hard to make sure we do well this season and push forward for many years to come."

"I love football and I love challenges. I had big challenges as manager at my previous two clubs and feel I handled those situations okay, and now this is a fresh challenge for me and one I'm certainly looking forward to. If you can't enjoy challenges as a football manager then you might as well go and find another line of work. We know what level we want to try and achieve this year and we will give it our best shot"

"Everyone will work hard in every game and we will have some good results and we'll have some bad results because it's the Championship. The Championship is very demanding, it's very even and it's very tough, but it's a challenge we know all about, it's one we are looking forward to and it's not one we are fearful of."

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Spencer Happy To Have Caught Managers Eye

Jimmy Spencer has progressed through the ranks at Huddersfield Town and made his first competitive appearance for the terriers against Preston North End yesterday. Regardless of the disappointing result, Spencer caught Simon Grayson's eye and was praised by the manager after the game.
Now the young forward is hoping he can play a big part in the Championship campaign for Huddersfield but admits it will be hard for him to get into the starting XI;
"My loan spells away were always with this day in mind. I always wanted to come back here – I really wanted to give it a go last season and see what happened, but it was necessary for me to go back out on loan. I did well last season and now I've got my chance. I'm grateful that the manager has given me the chance to show everyone what I can do tonight – hopefully I caught his eye. To get the reception I did from the Town fans when I came off means everything as well; I've waited a long time for this as I've been at the Club since eight years old."
Jimmy Spencer was one of the only positives which came out of the 2-0 loss against Preston North End and admitted that himself & the whole team/squad will have to improve if they are to give Cardiff a run for their money on Friday;
"I think all the lads are disappointed – we know that as a team and individually it wasn't good enough. We need to work on things – in particular we need to be brighter in the first half an hour of the game. We can't lay the blame though – we'll just keep working hard and it will come."
"We went to 4-4-2 and we got more of the ball, and used it better. It worked for me personally too, as I felt I played better having Lee Novak in and around me when the ball arrived. I don't mind playing up front alone – I like playing either. It is hard when things aren't going for you and you're up there alone with two centre halves on your back, but you just have to deal with that and get through it."
Huddersfield Town will open up The Championship against Cardiff City on Friday which will also be broadcasted live on Sky Sports and Spencer was eager to let us know that the squad can't wait to get going;
"We're raring to go at Cardiff now and perhaps we needed this kick up the backside. We know we didn't play our best tonight and we really have to focus ahead of the Championship. Cardiff are a good Championship side and the game will show what level we are at."


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Grayson Disappointed After Being Dumped Out Of The Capital One Cup

Huddersfield Town suffered another defeat yesterday as they crashed out of the Capital One Cup to an impressive Preston North End side. The game finished 2-0 after strikes in the first half from Wroe & King and the terriers never really threatened their opponents goal all game. Grayson expressed his frustration after the match;

"I am very disappointed. It was our first competitive game of the season and we are now out of the Capital One Cup – we picked a team that we felt could win. I am disappointed with a few individual performances tonight and the team as a collective. We will learn from every game and some of the new lads are still learning our way of football, but that is no excuse." 

"We warned the players what to expect; Preston get in your faces, make it difficult for you, leave their feet in and work you hard and we couldn't handle it. Once you give a team a two goal start it is very difficult to recover – it doesn't matter who you are playing. In the second-half we passed the ball with a purpose, but lacked enough determination to stop the opposition. It is frustrating that the players haven't put a marker down for the Cardiff game, but it will be more disappointing for them when they are not selected in the team on Friday. Everybody had an opportunity to stake a place in the Cardiff team tonight, but there weren't enough good performances."

"If we play like tonight in the Championship we won't do well. We are going to be playing against better players and we have to stand up and be counted. I have got a group of players who are exciting but they need to learn from each game – win, lose or draw."

Jimmy Spencer was given his first competitive start for Huddersfield and it was the 20 year old which impressed Grayson the most from last nights defeat. Spencer was later replaced by Alan Lee but the striker was immediately praised by the manager for his efforts;

"For a young boy I thought Jimmy lead the line superbly well on his own. We decided to give him an opportunity tonight and he didn't do himself any harm – his performance was one of the bright notes from today."

Ward was replaced by Arfield at half-time as the attacking winger suffered a slight knock on the ankle. Grayson is unsure if Ward will feature against Cardiff on Friday until the injury is looked at more closely and given time to heal;

"Danny took a knock but we were looking to make tactical changes at half-time to match them up. We will assess him over the next few days and see how he is ahead of Cardiff."

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Match Report: Preston North End 2-0 Huddersfield Town

The terriers traveled to Deepdale to play League One outfit Preston North End in the first round of the Capital One Cup and also the first competitive match for both teams. Huddersfield Town were forced to put out a somewhat weakened team due to numerous international call-ups including their main goalscorer Jordan Rhodes which gave way to Jimmy Spencer to make his first ever competitive appearance for the terriers. Grayson lined his team up with a 4-3-3 formation which included full debutants Clayton, Gerrard, Dixon & Keith Southern.

Preston started the better side and immediately threatened the visitors goal through Mousinho who tested Smithies with a low driven shot which the keeper could only push away. The rebound was pounced upon by King but he smashed his effort wide to the distress of the home fans. The home side forced a corner just five minutes later after a great cross from Laird has to be flicked wide by the Huddersfield skipper, Peter Clarke. The corner was immediately cleared by the terriers but Preston were looking very threatening as Huddersfield struggled to string together their passes.

It took nine minutes before Huddersfield created their first half chance of the game as Spencer flicked on a cross which saw Novak fire tamely at Stuckman in the Preston North End goal. Just a minute later the ever impressive Spencer tried to give the terriers the lead but Stuckman pushed his shot away before Gobern curled the rebound over from the edge of the area. Huddersfield continued to create chances and Clayton played a great ball to Novak who headed down into the path of Spencer but the striker couldn't make the goalkeeper work as he fired over the bar.

The game started to settle down and in the 24th minute good link up play by Spencer, Ward & Clayton gave Dixon a chance but he followed Spencers earlier effort and sent his shot over the bar to the delight of the home fans. Preston opened the scoring just before the half hour mark through Jack King. Alex Smithies failed to claim the ball in the area and his mistake led to a looping header from King nestling into the corner of the net to give the home side a well deserved lead.

Huddersfield tried to get back into the game but Novak couldnt keep an attack flowing after a poor touch from Lee Novak gave possession back to Preston. Things got worse for the visitors just five minutes from time as Preston doubled their lead through Wroe who only had to pass it into the net after a neat cross from Beardsley from the wing. Huddersfield needed half time to come quickly but just before the referee blew for the break they had a chance to bring one back. Clayton broke on the counter attack and pushed forward with the ball but he over hit his pass which would have seen Novak through on goal. Half time; Preston 2-0 Huddersfield.

Huddersfield started the second half brightly after switching to a more basic 4-4-2 formation with Arfield replacing Danny Ward at half time. Spencer skipped past his maker just minutes into the second forty-five before finding Southern with his cross but the midfield veteran can only fire over the bar. Preston then immediately started to press the terriers back into their own half as King linked well with Beardsley before the latter fired at goal to test Smithies who dealt with it comfortably.

Monakana wasn't as dangerous as what he was in the first half but he rifled in a shot at goal which skidded across the surface before just going past the upright of Smithies goal. Huddersfield went straight up the other end and created a chance of their own as they searched to get themselves back into the game. Arfield linked up well with Dixon before the left back crosses low but Stuckmann put an end to the attack by collecting well. They once again linked up well ten minutes before Dixon crossed but it was agonizingly taken away from Novak who was just inches away from converting it into the back of the net.

Gobern tamely fired at Stuckmann just minutes later after being given space due to clever play from Spencer, Arfield & Novak. The home side was under a bit of pressure now from Huddersfield but the visitors just couldn't provide the much needed final pass due to a solid Preston defence denying them any sort of real chance. Just 8 minutes from time David Amoo easily left both Dixon & Arfield for dead before drilling a low cross across the face of goal which was amazingly missed by various Preston players.

As time started to slowly tick away Huddersfield created their best chance of the game after a long ball was nodded down by Alan Lee into the path of Lee Novak who fired a shot which was cruelly deflected wide of the goal for a corner. The referee blew for full time minutes later as the terriers disappointingly crashed out in the first round of the Capital One Cup after a very poor performance.

Full time; Preston North End 2-0 Huddersfield Town

Dixon Ready To Step Up To English Football

Paul Dixon joined the terriers from Scottish side Dundee United in the current transfer window on a three year deal and he is ready to make his full debut for his new club against Preston North End in the Capital One Cup first round tonight.

The 25 year old left back can't wait to start playing his football south of the border and spoke to the Examiner about the challenge which lies ahead;

"It's always been an aim of mine to come and play in England and it's a big challenge for me. I'm very grateful to the manager and staff for bringing me here and hopefully I can repay their faith by starting games, playing well and helping the club achieve results. This is a step up for me, coming from the SPL to the Championship. I'm moving forward in my career, otherwise why would I have given up European football if I didn't think it was a step up?"

"And I'm really looking forward to the Preston and Cardiff games. People might say it's only the League Cup, but it's a competitive game and as a footballer you never want to lose. We want to win and we want to go through to the next round and do well."

A disappointing pre-season of football for the terriers saw them pick up just one victory and end with a loss against Barcelona B at The John Smiths Stadium. However, Dixon remained positive about the situation;

"Pre-season has been a bit up and down for us, but there have been a lot of positive signs to take into the season and we are all very positive."




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Smithies Ready To Progress In The Championship

The hero from Wembley spoke to the newspapers today stating that the terriers are ready to move on and progress in the second tier of English football but memories of promotions will last with the entire squad forever. Smithies is set to feature in Huddersfield Town's first competitive match of the season when they travel to Deepdale tonight in the first round of the Capital One Cup but the young goalkeeper was keen in telling all the fans about the positive spirit in the camp;

"We were having a laugh in training the other day because we were having a penalty shoot-out and I saved Jack Hunt's kick. I just said to him 'have you any idea how many times I've seen where you put your penalties? It's fair to say I've watched the DVD from Wembley a few times, but it's time to move on and try to progress ourselves in the Championship this season."

Smithies was asked if he would ever forget how himself and the club gained promotion from League One to which he replied;

"Probably not, because those are the memories you cherish and that's why you train so hard, because you want to have memories like that and, hopefully, there will be more to come."

Alex also went on to talk about tonights game against League One outfit Preston North End as well as speaking about how he is focused on the job required in The Championship;

"Being in the Championship at this stage is what the club deserves because the chairman has put so much time and money into it, and he deserves to get what he wants. Now it's the next step up and we know it's a big challenge, but we're all really excited. It's strange having a Cup game first, but we want to do well in every game we play and this is no different."

"Some people have said the League Cup has gone down in estimations in recent years, but we want to progress as far as we can and with it being our first game of the season, it's important. If we can win over at Preston then that will give us confidence to take into the Cardiff City game on Friday, because we know they are going to be very strong. Ultimately, we want to prove ourselves against them and everyone else in the division, because it's a fantastic fixture list and there isn't a bad game to be had."

"We're looking forward to it because the gaffer has brought in some new faces, they are all people who have already done what's necessary at this level and, hopefully, we will be able to compete as a Championship squad."

Nick Colgan and Ian Bennett are both vastly experienced goalkeepers that Smithies is currently beating to the number one position but he knows they will both be poised to take over at any stage if required to do so;

"We want competition for places, because it helps bring the best out of you. Those lads push you on and to know such good keepers are there makes you want to work and want to improve. I'll be doing my best to get the shirt for the first game of the season, but we know we've got strength in depth whoever gets the nod. My aim is to get the shirt and keep it for the rest of the season and, for the team, I think we've just got to be competitive, prove ourselves and see where that takes us."

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