What To Expect From Bristol City

Bristol City come to visit The John Smiths Stadium on Saturday and as always we went in search for one of the opponents fans to give us an insight into what to expect from them. So step forward Jess Ashton, a loyal City fan who has stuck with the club through both thick & thin. Bristol City seems to run through her blood and this is what she is expecting from her side come the weekend;

"We haven't exactly been on the greatest run recently, with no wins in 7, Huddersfield Town will almost definitely be the favourites to take all 3
points. Our last win here was back in 2003 with a 2-1 victory when Danny
Wilson was still in charge, with the last few meetings between the sides
ending in draws."

"Our current squad is full of talent, with Albert Adomah down the wing as
well as Steven Davies and Sam Baldock up front, we have the almost perfect
attacking force except we can't say the same for our defence. That's been
our downfall recently and I'm sure Huddersfield will be out to take
advantage of this, seeing as we haven't kept a clean sheet all season I'd
take a 0-0 draw right now. But we seem to be shipping and scoring goals for
fun so I'd expect at least 2 goals in this match, whether they're for or
against us I don't know."

"We have a lot to prove on Saturday and it is a pretty big match for both
sides, us because we need to the 3 points desperately to get our season back on track but Huddersfield as well in order to keep up with the pace of
Cardiff and Leicester."

"Derek McInnnes got appointed in October last year and his first job was to stop us from being relegated; which he did. When he was appointed not a lot
of us had heard of him before with him previously managing St. Johnstone as
well as having a playing career within the English leagues, most prolifically with West Bromwich Albion. He promised at the end of last season that we wouldn't be in a relegation dog fight ever again whilst he was still in charge, now whether this year is a repeat of the last few seasons or not we're all still yet to find out."

"We had a great start to our
home form this season compared to the last, winning both our back-to-back
home games over Crystal Palace and Cardiff City (which was particularly
enjoyable) as well as scoring 8 goals in those two games but only conceding
3. After those victories we all thought 'right we can go for promotion' but
that push never really happened, so far we've only won 3 games this season
with the third coming over relegation favourites Peterborough, and even then
we couldn't keep a clean sheet."

"Hopefully on Saturday we'll be able to start afresh and kick start our
season so I'm going for a 2-1 win, with Steven Davies and Ryan Taylor
getting the goals! COYR!"

Thankyou Jess for giving us an insight into what to expect from Bristol City on Saturday. It sure will be an entertaining game as we welcome back former Huddersfield Town striker Jon Stead!

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Dixon In Contention For Starting Place

Paul Dixon is all set to make his return to the starting line-up for Huddersfield Town when the terriers clash against Bristol City at The John Smiths Stadium on Saturday. Dixon has unfortunately been edged out of his left back place in the team by a resilient Calum Woods but with Jack Hunt serving his first match ban this weekend, Woods is expected to switch to right back to allow Dixon to take up his usual role.

Dixon was however brought off in the U21 match against Leicester City due to receiving a slight knock which Grayson didn't want to become worse. He only lasted 14 minutes in that game but is looking to get a full ninety under his belt on Saturday. Grayson gave fans an update on the Scottish internationals situation earlier today;

"Paul took a bang to the knee during the Under 21 game, but taking him off was more of a precaution than anything else. Normally, he would have tried to run it off, but given Jack's suspension, we didn't want to take any needless risks. He's responded well to treatment and should be able to train as normal for the remainder of this week."

"Joel Lynch can play left-back, but we included him there at Millwall for a specific tactical reason, and Paul will certainly come into contention on Saturday. And Anthony Gerrard is back in training already, so he will also be available."

Huddersfield will be going in search for a first win in three games after losing their previous two away games to both Peterborough & Millwall.





Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Match Report: Millwall 4-0 Huddersfield Town

The New Den Played Host To The Terriers

Huddersfield Town were sent packing against Millwall in South London as they suffered their heaviest defeat of the campaign so far. Simon Grayson described his teams performance as a learning curve but that will not escape the fact that the bubble has finally burst for the high flying West Yorkshire side. Going into the game the terriers were sitting just outside the play-offs spot and coming off a midweek away defeat against Peterborough it seemed like the players were destined to get the club back on winning ways. However, Town fans were immediately left slightly worried as James Vaughan was excluded from the starting line-up and the bench due to a slight thigh strain.

Town's Team: Smithies, Lynch, Gerrard, Clarke, Hunt, Clayton, Southern, Ward, Hammill, Beckford, Novak.

Huddersfield Town started the game the better of the two sides and withing sixty seconds they were threatening the visitors goal mouth. Danny Ward's low cross was found by striker Lee Novak but he could only hook his shot over the bar of Forde's goal to the relief of the home fans. Beckford looked to be Town's target man and the on loan Leicester City player was receiving the full attention of the home crowd already.

Millwall managed to get their first shot on goal after some neat football down the left wing ended up with the ball being knocked down to Trotters feet on the edge of the area. Trotter swiveled on the ball before releasing a wild effort that only found the upper tier of The new Den stadium. Moments later, Henry's bizarre cross come shot caused Alex Smithies problems and the young goalkeeper was forced into making a save and conceding a corner.

With just over fifteen minutes on the clock, Wood who had scored twice midweek against Birmingham City for The Lions, sent a powerful shot towards the terriers goal that sizzled just wide of Smithies left hand upright. Huddersfield were looking the better team as both defences remained sturdy to keep the game at a stalemate.

The stalemate was broken on the 28th minute and it was the home side that took the lead. Darius Henderson was named by ourselves as Millwall's key player and it was the tall striker that provided the assist for the goal as he turned neatly on the edge of the box before crossing to Wood who easily managed to poke home past Smithies. Huddersfield should well of got themselves back on level terms just seconds after the restart as a cross was knocked into the path of Keith Southern by Jermaine Beckford but the midfielder showed exactly why he hasn't scored this season as he blazed his shot well over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

Half time was fast approaching and Huddersfield looked keen to get an equalizer before heading into the tunnel and they nearly managed to do so as Hammill delivered an excellent cross into the box from the right hand side which was expertly brought down by Beckford but he fired wide of the near post.

Half Time: Millwall 1-0 Huddersfield

Huddersfield Town started the second half as they had done the first at The New Den. Jermaine Beckford had looked the visitors main goal threat all game and it was him who ended up setting up Novak to unleash a shot on goal but Millwall's Jimmy Abdou managed to produce an amazing last second block to avoid the goalkeeper doing any work. Danny Ward then crossed for the visitors a few minutes later and the ball nearly nestled into the bottom corner as it came off Lions defender Mark Beevers. Luckily for Millwall it went out for a corner instead of an own goal.

As an hour of play passed, the terriers seemed to collapse as they were caught superbly by a speedy counter attack from Millwall. Henry lead The Lions attack before slipping the ball into the path of Wood who finished well past Smithies to get his second of the game and double the home sides lead.

Simon Grayson knew his side needed to get back into the game before it was too late and he illustrated this by bringing on both Dixon & Scannell to install some pace into his team. However, it didn't work as Millwall came close to getting their third of the game as Henry's in-swinging corner found Lowry but he could only volley off target. It wasn't too long before the terriers were picking the ball back up out of their net as Henry put the game beyond Grayson's men.

Wood was involved in the third goal yet again for The Lions and with Lynch down he took advantage of Huddersfield by squaring the ball across the face of goal for Henry who rifled his shot home to the roar of the home fans. Heading into the final ten minutes of the game, Darius Henderson had the opportunity to get himself onto the score sheet as he dribbled past Smithies before shooting across the face of the goal to the relief of the Town fans.

Huddersfield Town were then reduced to ten men as insult was added to injury. Jack Hunt was given a straight red card by the referee for direct abusive language to the official in charge. Hunt's sending off wasn't the end of Town's misery as a fourth goal was added to Millwall's total. Trotter picked up the ball on the edge of the area before fainting a shot to take it past two Huddersfield players & then curling it into the far corner past the diving Smithies.

Full Time: Millwall 4-0 Huddersfield Town

Lynch Wanting To Move On Quickly

Lynch Started At Left Back For Town

Joel Lynch returned to the starting lineup for Huddersfield Town as the terriers fell victim to a Millwall drubbing. Lynch expressed his frustration but has urged the team to move on from this result and look to put things back on track in their next game against Bristol City on Saturday. Lynch took up the left back position for the game against Millwall and although they lost by four clear goals, he didn't think it was a justified scoreline to be leaving South London with;

"Obviously it was good to get back in the team on a personal note, but that is a bad result,” said Joel. “The lads are gutted because everyone in the changing room cares – coaching staff and players – and we've let ourselves down in the way we played. We did alright at points in the game, particularly at the start, but individually we've let ourselves down through losses of concentration and as a team we didn't play well enough from our shape. I don’t think it was a 4-0 battering, but at the end of the day that’s the result that people will read in the newspapers."

Lynch has bags of Championship experience and this is one of the key reasons as to why he was brought in by Grayson in the summer. Lynch called upon this experience to explain that no matter what position teams are in this league, anyone can beat anyone on their day; 

"Anyone can beat anyone else in the Championship. During my career I've lost to some bad teams and there is no way that Millwall are a better team than us, but we've let ourselves down today. The quicker we move on from it the better; we need to get back on the training ground and work towards the next game and playing confidently. It’s one of those days and teams have them throughout the season. The quicker you can forget about them and get back to winning ways, the better. Hopefully today’s result will be forgotten about come the end of the season when we’re towards the top of the league. We have to move on as there is nothing we can do about it now and it’s a long season with a lot more games, so we have to keep going."

 As already stated, Lynch took up the left back position as Grayson opted for both Clarke & Gerrard to be at the heart of the terriers defence today. Lynch gave his opinion on playing in the left back position after the game; 

"I've played there quite a bit. I’m quite a tall, lanky lad and it’s quite hard to get up and down the wing but I’m quite comfortable playing there and I always do my best. Whatever position the Gaffer asks me to play, I don’t mind. I’m really happy to be playing in the team."

Grayson Describes Performance As Undisciplined

Simon Grayson could only watch from the sidelines as his Huddersfield side were dealt their second away defeat in under a week by Millwall. The terriers crumbled after an hour of play at The New Den and conceded three goals before the referee called an end to the game to the delight of the home fans. Grayson gave his post match interview to the official website shortly after full time;

"People will look at it from the outside and think that we got a right beating, but up until the 60th minute we were well in the game and arguably the better team. However, there is one word that sums us up today and that was undisciplined. We were ok for an hour, but then we got caught on the counter and completely lost our shape. We had too many players who didn't play from the shape and we got caught too easily on too many occasions." 

"We need to learn from the situations that occurred today; the players need to show better man-management. We were too open and didn't make the correct decisions. The younger players need to learn from this experience; we have been too easy to beat over the last two games. Today is a massive learning curve for the players; they now know what they have to do when they come to a place like Millwall. Despite that, we did make it look quite easy for the first hour, but the second goal killed us."

To add insult to injury, Jack Hunt was sent off late on in the game with a straight red for what looked like dissent. However, Grayson updated fans as to the real reason the right back was sent off;

"He got sent off for foul and abusive language, which he has apologised for. It is another case of indiscipline. We have got a young squad, who are willing. The players didn't give up the ghost, but I think our naivety got the better of us."

"Millwall is an experienced team at this level and they have players who can hurt you. If you aren't disciplined every time you step out onto the pitch then you will get punished. We had looked solid defensively ahead of our last two away games, but a lack of discipline has cost us seven goals in the last two games."

Grayson put to bed any fans asking for further players to be brought in just because of two disappointing results and stated that the team will start to prepare for Bristol City next week;

"We will work with the players on the training ground; there is no point in bringing new players in because the current group has shown how good they can be. They have got us to where we are in the division and I have got a lot of faith in them; they just have to understand what I want from them a little bit more."

A surprise to the starting line-up before the game was that Vaughan was not included and wasn't on the bench either. Grayson updated fans as to why this was the case;

"He has a slight thigh strain, which is why he went off on Tuesday night. He was touch and go and he won't be a major doubt for the Bristol City game; we didn't want to run the risk."

Huddersfield will be looking to put things right next week against Bristol City at The John Smiths Stadium. For now though, the terriers sit in eighth position in the league just one point off the play-offs.

Smithies Ready To Bounce Back

Alex Smithies was beaten three times in Huddersfield Town's last outing against Peterborough. Now, the young 22 year old goalkeeper is ready to bounce back and show that the terriers can travel to tough away grounds and come away with vital points. Smithies is just one of the handful of players still at Huddersfield Town from the last time they faced Millwall at The Den and he knows all about the hostile nature of the place;

"We're going to have setbacks along the way, but we know we are a far better side than we showed at Peterborough."

"It's all about how you bounce back from a defeat, and we believe we can go to Millwall and put things right. Last time we went there, we had quite a young side and our inexperience showed through, but we're a different proposition now."

"I'll get pelters, but I don't take it personally. The Millwall fans really get behind their side, but our supporters have been fantastic home and away and I know they'll be making some noise as well. I've learned to shut out the background noise and focus on the game, and we're going there well prepared and in good spirits."





Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Pre Match Analysis: Millwall

Key Player: Darius Henderson
Darius Henderson signed from Sheffield Utd in June 2011 & he was an instant hit becoming Millwall's top scorer last season, even after missing a quarter through injury. He is a target man. Powerful and strong he will win the majority of high balls and although he is not the fastest player, he is able to perform some decent trickery. With six goals already this campaign, Henderson is one of the first players on the team sheet and the terriers will have to keep an eye on him at all times.


Last Time Out: Millwall 3-3 Birmingham (23/10/12) 


Last Time We Met: Millwall 2-0 Huddersfield (2009/10 League 1 Play-Off Semi-Final) 


Biggest League Victory This Season: Millwall 3-1 Middlesbrough (01/09/12)


Biggest League Loss This Season: Hull 4-1 Millwall (15/09/12)


Top Goalscorer: Darius Henderson (6) 


Most Assists: Andrew Keogh (5) 


Form: LDDWDD <--most recent 


Score Prediction: Millwall 2-2 Huddersfield (Beckford & Hammill)






Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

What To Expect From Millwall

Huddersfield will travel to The Den to take on Millwall on Saturday in a game which both sides will want to take maximum points from. The last time Huddersfield travelled to South London is under the reign of Lee Clark which ended any promotion hopes for yet another season as they lost two nil. We managed to get hold of a Millwall football fansite, Total Millwall, to see what awaits the terriers on Saturday;

"Millwall were originally founded in East London in 1885 but had to move south of the water in 1910. Their new home was Bermondsey and settled down with our infamous The Den. Known to many for being a lively and hostile ground. In 1993 we moved a short distance to The New Den. The first ground to have all the recommendations from the Hillsbrough Report and Millwall were the first London league club to move grounds. The ground is situated in an industrial site away from urban life."
"There are several 'proper' pubs around the ground that I'm sure you'll appreciate. No swanky pubs for Millwall fans thank you! The ground is split into four sections. This allows the ground to dry quicker if needed as well as segregating home and away fans. Away fans have the whole North Stand to themselves. Each stand has a plethora of refurbished food and drinks stands supplying luxurious food and drink to those willing to pay for it!! Be warned, a bottle of Peckham's finest water does cost £2!"
"Our glossy friendly programmes are sold in and out of the ground and costs £3. It gives you insight to our club and the great work we do within the community that'll make you ask the question: what are the media on about?!"
"Don't worry about us. We are RAF but friendly...as long as you don't think you're billy big boots! We enjoy banter and always welcome the away fans. Inside the ground, however, you will be met by a lively and passionate crowd. We are a proper club with proper fans who drink beer and pies rather than flavoured water and prawn sandwiches!"
"You will enjoy the game, but hopefully you'll go home upset with the result!!"
"Be warned Beckford and Grayson will receive abuse after their comment about Millwall when they were at Leeds!!"

Thanks to Total Millwall for the insight into their club as well as what to expect from them on Saturday.



Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Grayson Eyes Up Millwall Challenge

Simon Grayson has given his verdict on Huddersfield Town's next opponents, Millwall. The terriers will travel to The Den on Saturday to face the lions in a match which both teams will be wanting to win. Huddersfield are coming off the back of a disappointing away loss against Peterborough whereas Millwall are looking to put behind the midweek humiliation of losing a three goal lead in front of a home crowd against . Grayson had this to say about his opponents;

"Millwall will be a totally different game at the weekend. They are a tough team; Kenny sets his team up to play in a certain way and it will be a very different challenge than Peterborough played in a different manner."
 
"We know that the Den is a difficult place to go to and they are a strong, powerful team so we have to cope with everything they will throw at us. We'll go there with a game-plan to try and keep their team quiet."

"This is what the Championship is all about. You have to be able to play in front of 6,000 fans on a Tuesday night and in front of bigger, more boisterous crowds on a Saturday. They have some good players and that is really all we have to focus on."

"The other night they were 3-0 up and they will be hugely disappointed that they drew the game 3-3, so we have to concentrate on their strengths and weaknesses to get a result down there. What we have to do is implement our game a little bit better on Saturday than we did on Tuesday."




Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Grayson Frustrated About Performance

Simon Grayson expressed his frustration at how his side performed in the 3-1 defeat against Peterborough United on Tuesday. The terriers were in high hopes of getting something at London Road after coming off with an impressive victory over Wolves at the weekend but things didn't go to plan. Grayson blamed his entire team as well as himself for the outcome of the match in his post match interview;

"We lost too many battles, both collectively as a team and in too many individual performances. Over the course of 90 minutes Peterborough deserved the victory. We showed some of our good side at the weekend by getting in the opposition's faces, making it difficult and playing from the shape of the team but tonight we played too slowly both with and without the ball. We didn't close people down enough, pass it with a purpose and we over-elaborated at times; we made a lot of bad decisions. At this level, you will get punished by everybody when you do that."

"An example of our poor decision-making came in the second half. We had Adam Hammill and Sean Scannell up front, who are around 5' 9" tall, and we're throwing big balls forward towards their three big centre halves. That's an example of our decision making. This was a really tough game for us. We were hyped up at the weekend but we had to be better and harder to beat as a team than we were today."

"Peterborough played a formation that we didn't really get to grips with, but our players weren't taking responsibility by getting close enough to people or by communicating to other players around the pitch to help them out. George Boyd's second goal was a great one. He has great vision and he's capable of doing that. He caused us a few problems getting into little areas and pockets, but we contributed to our own downfall. On the first goal the ball was dead for over 30 seconds and yet we still switched off and don't mark the centre forward!"

"Maybe I should have changed the team, but having just won the game against Wolves I wanted to give the same players the opportunity to get another victory. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We had an opportunity to get back into the game at 3-1 and I thought we might just get on the front foot a little bit, but we didn't pass it with a purpose or get to grips with individuals."

"We knew at half-time that if we got the next one to make it 2-1 we had a real opportunity against a team that has been struggling at home. I didn't make changes to give the lads the opportunity to take on board what we said at half time, but once we conceded we had to take decisions to try and get us back into the game. It's hugely frustrating for everybody, including the big following we had here tonight. If you are going to do anything in the Championship throughout the course of the season the good and great teams come to places like London Road and grind a result out. We were too easy to play against tonight; we weren't solid enough as a team or win enough individual battles, whereas at the weekend we won every single one."

"You can't reach the standards we set against Wolves every week, but we want to get as close as possible as often as possible to be successful. We have to learn from nights like tonight and we will, because as I have said many times we have good lads that want to work hard. I'm not going to make drastic decisions tonight and we'll analyse the game. It'll be a different game at Millwall; it's a difficult place to go, but it's down to the individuals as well & they have to think about what they have to do to warrant a place at the weekend." 

"I've just said to the players that we have to learn from tonight and we should be frustrated and disappointed, because we aim for high standards every time we train and play. We got nowhere near that tonight."

Strong words from the manager but understandably so as Huddersfield drop to sixth place in The Championship with a loss against the bottom of the league. However, no game is easy in this league and the lads have a chance to put things right on Saturday against Millwall.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Match Report: Peterborough United 3-1 Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield were brought back down to earth by Peterborough United after an abysmal display from the terriers saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat at London Road. The game is one which many Town fans had looked upon as somewhat of a revenge match for what The Posh did to Huddersfield Town at Old Trafford but the final result left yet another sour taste in the mouths of the away following.

Grayson kept the same starting XI that pulled off a stunning display against Wolves at the weekend with the addition of Hammill being named on the bench;

Town's Team: Smithies, Woods, Gerrard, Clarke, Hunt, Ward, Norwood, Southern, Clayton, Beckford, Vaughan.

Town's Bench: Bennett, Dixon, Lynch, Hammill, Scannell, Robinson, Novak.

Huddersfield Town started off the game as the better side and were being cheered on by a very good following of away fans that were making themselves heard at London Road. Beckford & Vaughan were immediately into the thick of the action as they looked to threaten the back three which The Posh had set up. However, it was Peterborough who created the first real meaningful chance of the game. Lee Tomlin played the ball to on loan Saido Berahino who from the edge of the box blasted over Smithies bar with a powerful shot.

George Boyd had already been singled out as Peterborough's key player and he was living up to his reputation. His early cross was met by the head of Mark Little but Smithies didn't have much to do as it was directed straight down the young goalkeepers throat. The Posh were threatening and they got a deserved goal with less than 15 minutes on the clock. A debatable free kick was taken quickly by Peterborough as Grant McCann fed Tomlin in who dragged a defender with him before slipping the ball into the feet of Boyd. George skipped past a Jack Hunt challenge and fired past Smithies from a tight angle.

George Boyd shortly after gave the home side a remarkable two goal lead as well as netting his second of the game. Boyd picked up on a loose ball just inside the terriers half before looking up and seeing Smithies well off his line. The Posh player didn't need a second invitation as he volleyed a shot over Smithies head and into the back of the net. Peterborough fans couldn't believe their eyes but they were nearly brought back down to Earth with a speculative effort from Jermaine Beckford. The on loan striker attempted to replicate Boyd as he went for an audacious lob from inside his own half but it was watched over the bar by Posh goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik.

Peterborough were in full swing now and running rampant as they sensed the chance to take the game beyond Huddersfield Town. Peter Clarke had to be on his best to block Berahino's shot which looked goalbound. Beckford wasted an opportunity at the other hand as he chose to lash an effort over the bar instead of crossing into the danger area. The terriers needed the half time interval to come quick and they were lucky to get in with just a two goal defecit. Grant McCann received a ball from a fellow Posh player and sent a shot sailing towards goal from 25 yards out. Smithies scrambled across his goal as the shot whistled just inches wide of the post.

Half Time: Peterborough United 2-0 Huddersfield Town

The terriers immediately went in search for a goal to bring them back into the game in the second half but instead they found themselves picking up the ball from their net yet again as Peterborough made it three nil. Boyd was yet again given way too much space to work with in the middle of the park and after his initial shot had been blocked, he chipped to the back post where Kgosi Ntlhe was waiting to head home past Alex Smithies.

Grayson expressed his frustration at his teams performance by immediately bringing on two fresh faces onto the pitch. Hammill & Dixon came on to replace Woods & Ward and the substitutions paid dividends straight away as Hammill got the terriers back into the game.

The on loan winger scored with his second shot since coming on as he cut inside from the flank before skipping past a defender and smashing a low drive into the far corner of the goal from twenty yards out. The away fans were back in full voice now and Norwood had a chance to threaten the home sides goal once again but his free-kick was hit too tamely to cause any sort of threat. Huddersfield knew the comeback was on as Beckford was tripped on the edghe of the penalty area for yet another free kick. Up stepped Oliver Norwood but this time his curling effort could only clip the top of the wall and sail over the bar.

Peterborough were starting to hold on to their two goal lead as the away side pushed forward and the terriers were nearly caught on the counter attack but Berahino could only prod wide at the near post. Boyd then came close to getting his hat-trick and if it wasn't for a brilliant block by Peter Clarke he could well of got it.

Time was running out for Huddersfield and The Posh could well of sealed the game in the 72nd minute. James Vaughan made a mess of a back pass that gifted Berahino with a one on one opportunity but Smithies denied the young striker brilliantly by diving down at his feet to save Vaughan's blushes. Grayson once again reacted straight away by bringing on Scannell for Vaughan in an attempt to scrape back a comeback & salvage something from the game.

The game was now wide open but Peterborough were holding firm as they denied the terriers any sort of real chance in the penalty area. Dixon was forced to shoot from range but it was a horrible effort that seemed to suck the life out of Huddersfield Town as it went high & wide. Boyd was still playing some lovely football and he was gifted another shooting opportunity when Norwood slipped on the wet grass but Smithies was up to the test.

Five minutes of injury time came to an end when Gerrard headed a Hammill free-kick over the bar.

Full time: Peterborough United 3-1 Huddersfield Town

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Fighting Talk From Hunt

Jack Hunt has spoken out ahead of tonight's clash between Huddersfield Town & Peterborough United and stated that he would love to beat The Posh tonight by six goal to none. The young defender is one of the remaining players left from the side which lost to Peterborough at Old Trafford two season ago which kept the terriers in League One for another year. Now, with both teams in The Championship, Hunt is looking for some sort of revenge at London Road;

"Things have moved on since we last played Peterborough, but the lads who were there at Old Trafford will certainly want to do well tonight. They deserved their win on the day, but we were hurt from it. From my point of view, I hope we beat them 6-0, but of course, we'll take any kind of victory."

Jack Hunt has excelled in the second tier of English football since the terriers achieved promotion last season and he grabbed his first assist of this campaign on Saturday against Wolves. His cross was met by the head of James Vaughan to give Huddersfield the lead and Hunt is confident that the clubs current strike partnership has plenty of goals in them;

"We've got strikers who are a real handful at this level. You know with them you've always got a chance in games. It's like when Jordan Rhodes was here, you know that if you get the ball into the box then more often than not they'll score."

"James said before the game that I should stop running at people and just get the ball into the box. Last season I seemed to earn a few penalties by going forward, but I'm always happy to get the crosses in and I was glad this one led to a goal. Then Adam Clayton put a great ball in for Jermaine to get a cracker, and we all know what he's capable of doing."

"Neither James nor Jermaine were first choice at their clubs but they are proving a few wrong."

Hunt is set to make his 86th appearance for Huddersfield Town tonight at London Road and with the determination to pick up a victory he is sure going to be a handful for Peterborough.





Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

What To Expect From Peterborough United

Tuesday night will see the terriers travel to London Road to take on struggling Peterborough United. The Posh are sitting in the relegation zone after a dreadful start to the season whereas Huddersfield could go top if they manage to get all three points and other results go their way. We got the low down on what to expect from Peterborough United from Craig Lyons (@mrcraiglyons) who follows The Posh both home & away.

"I 'believe' this is a match that both sets of fans probably looked for 1st or at least second when the fixtures were announced. It is probably fair to say that Terriers fans dislike Posh with a passion, a lot more than we despise Huddersfield.

Both teams have had vastly different starts to this campaign, Huddersfield have started very similar to the way Posh did last season, after our promotion. We were only one win away from going top of the Championship (against dirty Leeds), very similar to the position Huddersfield find themselves in on Tuesday night.

If you look at the history books, when Peterborough play Huddersfield in any game where we really have to win, we usually (well, always!) do. Our record in big games against the Terriers, must fill their fans with dread, the thought of losing to little old Peterborough, the bottom of the table Peterborough, is certainly the thing of nightmares for you lot.

Of late Peterborough have been vastly improved, compared to our 1st 7 games. But at home we are yet to register a win, or even a solitary point. What better time to get our first 3 than on Tuesday. Darren Ferguson has changed the formation recently from his loved diamond, to a 5-3-2 or a 3-5-2 in some Posh fans eyes. And it has improved our possession and goal statistics slightly. Fergie Jnr has also not been afraid to drop his favoured players i.e. Tomlin, Boyd, Frecklington and Huddersfield's most loved player Gabi Zakuani.

We have not been steam rollered by any team this season, that includes Burnley who beat us 5-2, which was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests. We have struggled to have any star players this season, but George Boyd has showed some signs of returning to the form of past seasons, and in Bobby Olejnik, we have at last found a demanding consistent goalkeeper. 2 of our 3 centre halves, Brisley and Knight-Percival are very in-experienced at Championship, or in fact any level, but have not really let us down, and especially of late have both been superb.

The addition of Kane Ferdinand and the return from injury of Tommy Rowe has added much needed energy to our side.
I expect another goal fest between the two sides, a sending off or 2 and the first 3 points for Posh at home. 

Enjoy your trip, but not the journey home!"

So Craig is confident that Peterborough United can get their home form back on track with a win & all three points when the terriers visit London Road on Tuesday night. Thanks for the article Craig & please let us know what you think by commenting in the box below!

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Pre Match Analysis: Peterborough

Key Player: George Boyd
When he plays well, so do Posh. Our creative influence and assist maker, on his day, no full backs in the Championship can cope with him, but he has been used more centrally this season and last, which has seen his influence on games being restricted. A much better player with the ball at his feet in wide positions. Give him space and he WILL score.


Last Time Out: Watford 1 Peterborough 0  (20/10/12) 


Last Time We Met: Huddersfield 0 - Peterborough 3 (2010/11 League 1 play-off final) 


Biggest League Victory This Season: Hull City 1-3 Peterborough (29/09/12) 


Biggest League Loss This Season: Burnley 5-2 Peterborough (15/09/12) 


Top Goalscorer: Lee Tomlin (4) 


Most Assists: Lee Tomlin & George Boyd (3) 


Form: LLLLWWLL<--most recent 


Score Prediction: Peterborough 1-3 Huddersfield (Beckford (2), Vaughan)







Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Hunt: 'We stood the test well'

Jack Hunt was once again a vital player in the Huddersfield Town team on Saturday as the terriers got their home form back on track with an impressive 2-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The youngster has caught the attention of a lot of Championship fans this season and he continued to make his presence known with a stunning assist to allow Vaughan to give the terriers the opening goal;

"That was a massive result today. After two disappointing home results against Watford and Leicester we wanted to bounce back. The tempo wasn't right against Watford or Leicester, although in the majority of games this season it has been. I thought we started the game extremely well, we could have had four or five at half-time. Wolves are a massive team & one of the favourites for the League and we're delighted to get the three points."

"Everyone knows that I got a lot of assists from crosses last season and this season I seem to have switched to winning penalties! I'm delighted to get off the mark with an assist from a cross now too."

A very good performance by Town in the first half meant they were in for a tough test in the second as Wolves looked for a way back into the game. The visitors managed a scrappy goal through Ebanks-Blake before piling on the pressure, trying to force the equaliser. It looked likely that they would get one as they hit the post from a corner but Town were resilient in defence and held on to all three points to the delight of Hunt;

"We stood the test well in the second half. I think their goal had a touch of luck about it; I thought I'd stopped the cross, but he squeezed it through my legs and then Ebanks-Blake has hit it against Pete before it went in. I don't think you'll see too many like that this season. After that they had a couple of moments, as they will do when they're chucking bodies forward, but we did really well and withstood the pressure."

Huddersfield Town were watched against Wolves by a bumper crowd of over eighteen thousand and Hunt praised the support of the fans even after conceding in the second half;

"The crowd were like a 12th man today; they really got us going. They really got behind us and stayed with us when we conceded, so it's great we could get the result for them as well."

Jack Hunt finished off his post match interview by looking ahead to Tuesday nights opponents, Peterborough United. The Posh left a sour taste in the mouths of the terriers two years ago when they forced Huddersfield Town to stay in League One by beating them in the play-off final at Old Trafford 3-0. Hunt was one of the players in that game and he is ready to get one back over them for that day;

"Peterborough are having a bad time at the moment, but I think going there on Tuesday night will be an even tougher game than today. We need to go there and impose ourselves upon them, hopefully we will do that. Perhaps we owe them one!"

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Grayson Full Of Praise For Terriers

Simon Grayson couldn't hide his pure delight of watching his team pick up a home victory against tough opposition in Wolves on Saturday. The manager claimed it was one of the best team performances in his entire managerial career as the terriers struck two first half goals before holding on to all three points towards the end of the game. He heaped the praise on his team in his post match interview;

"It was probably one of the best performances that I have had from a team as a manager. The players intensity, desire and quality on the ball against tough opposition was superb, they are a credit to themselves. We put them under heavy pressure in the first half and if we had come in five goals up, I don't think anyone could have had any complaints."

"Wolves had nothing to lose in the second-half and after they got the goal they put us on the back foot. We were out on our feet in the last ten minutes because of the effort that we had put in, but we held on firm. We won the game courtesy of our first half display and our desire to keep them out in the final ten minutes."

The strike partnership of Vaughan & Beckford ensured that both the strikers got their names on the scoresheet with two tremendous team goals which Grayson was keen to talk about; 

"Both goals were fantastically created and finished. Jack Hunt's cross was a superb piece of skill and James Vaughan provided the finish. For the second one, Adam Clayton cleared the ball, picked up the second ball and then produced a fantastic cross, which saw Jermaine produce a sublime finish."

Grayson was jumping with delight when Beckford netted with a truly stunning piece of skill in the first half and Simon put this down to the passion he has for the game;

"I am an extremely passionate person and when my team produces what they did in the first half, it is only right that you show some emotion. You have to enjoy the good moments because there are dark days in football. I love it when my team plays like they did today."

Huddersfield were pegged back by an Ebanks-Blake goal in the second half which saw them start to defend deep and hold in towards the end of the game. In this time, Grayson changed the formation of his team numerous times and he explained why he had done so;

"Oliver Norwood had played in Portugal during the week, so we wanted to freshen things up in midfield. When they scored we wanted to be more solid so we went 4-5-1 and replaced the unbelievable James Vaughan for Lynch, to see the game out. Sometimes that doesn't always work but you do whatever you can to try and win the game. Calum Woods had a bit of cramp which saw Paul Dixon come on."

Joel Lynch came on as a second half substitute but Grayson reiterated that the defender is still a few games away from reaching full fitness;

"He is still a bit away from being 100% fit. We have got a development game at Barnsley on Monday, so he may go and have 45 minutes in that. He has only trained a couple of games so he was never in contention to start."

The terriers will travel to London Road to take on Peterborough United in their next match on Tuesday night in an attempt to seek some sort of revenge for their 2010/11 play-off final loss at Old Trafford.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Match Report: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Huddersfield Town faced one of the toughest tests they have encountered in The Championship this season when Wolverhampton Wanderers came to The John Smiths Stadium. The visitors were sitting pretty in third place and were coming to take on the terriers in very good form with five wins out of the last six games but Grayson's men were revitalized after picking up all three points before the international break against a very tough Birmingham City side at St Andrews.

Town's Team; Smithies, Woods, Gerrard, Clarke, Hunt, Ward, Norwood, Southern, Clayton, Vaughan, Beckford

Town's Bench; Bennett, Dixon, Novak, Lynch, Scannell, Arfield, Lee

Huddersfield started the game positively with sleek passing and strong defending and with just eleven minutes on the clock, the terriers forced Wolves into conceding their first goal in their last three away games. Jack Hunt was the provider for one of the best goals ever to be scored at The John Smiths Stadium as his inch perfect cross was met superbly by the head of James Vaughan who sent the ball flying across the face of goal and into the back of the net.

Vaughan's goal for the terriers is his third since joining
on season long loan from Norwich

The midfield of Huddersfield were working hard as per usual and Clayton was looking on the money when he nodded the ball down into Vaughan's feet who crossed to the back post, just inches away from Beckford who could well of doubled the terriers lead if he had connected with he cross. Wolves were not looking a bad team but Huddersfield were dominating the pace of the game. However, the visitors got their first real chance of the game through a Bakary Sako free-kick which went just inches over the bar of Alex Smithies goal.

Jack Hunt had already provided an assist and his confidence was sky high as he ran once again at the Wolves defence before firing an effort just wide of the mark. Moments later Adam Clayton linked up with former Leeds United team mate Jermaine Beckford to give the terriers an unlikely two goal lead. Clayton whipped in a superb delivery from the right wing for Beckford to scissor kick into the back of the net in extraordinary fashion. The on loan striker put his name into hat for goal of the month...if not the season.

Beckford celebrates after doubling the terriers lead
with a stunning finish.

Wolves looked a beaten side after the second goal had gone in but they were nearly given a lifeline as Woods made a mistake which allowed Sako in at goal but he could only curl his effort wide of Smithies goal to the annoyance of the visiting fans. Chances continued to come for the home side and Town could of been at least four or five up before half time with both Vaughan & Beckford having great chances to take the game beyond Wolves but it wasn't meant to be for the strikers.

Half Time: Huddersfield Town 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Simon Grayson's team started the second half as they had finished the first and within a minute Beckford was causing Wolves problems yet again. Roger Johnson luckily recovered well as the striker closed down on the visitors goal after a superb pass from Oliver Norwood had set Beckford free. Ten minutes later, Wolves got their first chance on goal in the second half as new signing Jermaine Pennant crossed to the back post where Kevin Doyle met the ball with his head. The effort was goal bound but Huddersfield skipper Peter Clarke was on his top form and blocked the effort to keep his sides two goal lead.

With just over an hour on the clock the visitors managed to get themselves back into the game as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake stabbed home a tame shot only for it to sneak past Smithies off the post. The shot had also received a heavy deflection off Peter Clarke which ultimately gave the goalkeeper no chance in denying Wolves their away goal.

Wolves were playing the much better football now of the two teams and were buoyed after getting themselves back into the game from an unlikely goal scoring chance. Sako was the main problem for the terriers as he continued to skip away from his markers to push the visitors forward. Sako was the creator of Wolves' first goal and he went close to getting his name on the score sheet but his shot whistled inches past the post. The game was ticking ever so slowly now for the home side who looked tired after such a gut busting first half effort and they were starting to hang on against a never ending onslaught of Wolves attacks.

In the 79th minute Wolves had a corner which was met by the head of David Edwards who beat his marker but could only send his header smashing into the upright. Smithies was well beaten by the effort and it looked almost certain that Town were going to give away their two goal lead but they hold strong in the final minutes to get their home form back to winning ways.

Full Time: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Grayson On Wolves: 'It will be a tough game'

Simon Grayson has given his verdict on the terriers game this weekend as they come up against Wolverhampton Wanderers at The John Smiths Stadium. The manager expects this to be one of the toughest tests his team will face for the entire season as recently relegated Wolves look to immediately bounce back to the Premiership. Grayson spoke to the official Huddersfield Town website this morning;

"It will be a tough game. They are one of the favourites for the division and have kept together the majority of the players they had in the Premier League. They'll be a massive threat to us, but it's one that we are looking forward to. We want to replicate the performance we produced at Birmingham. The game ranks as one of the toughest games of the season so far. They have got aspirations of bouncing back and achieving promotion to the Premier League. The manager is implementing his own ideas onto the team and has brought in a number of his own players. They are a well organised outfit who possess a lot of leaders; the likes of Kevin Foley, Richard Stearman, Christophe Berra and Roger Johnson have all played in the Premier League."

The terriers will be playing for the first time since heading up to Belfast to play in a testimonial match against the Crusaders. They lost that game 3-2 but Grayson admitted that the game was only a bit of fun & gave the entire team chance to enjoy their football once again before the international break;

"The game in Belfast was a bit of fun and the players didn't go over the top in regards to how many minutes they played. The players had a few days rest as well and then we have had a normal routine of training this week. We needed the international break. We had a few players suffering niggles, so it came at a good time for us. The games come thick and fast in the Championship and it is not just about recharging physically, but also mentally."

On loan striker Jermaine Beckford scored a stunning goal against the Crusaders and Grayson gave fans a quick update on how the striker is feeling at the club ahead of tomorrows game;

"He's got a real spring in his step at the moment. I've never seen him happier in a long time. He's coming in fully committed and is enjoying what he's doing. When you have got the pace and power that he has, it can really unsettle defenders, as he showed against Birmingham when in the first minute he outmuscled Curtis Davies."

Simon Grayson moved on to talk about Oliver Norwood who played a full ninety minutes against Portugal for Northern Ireland midweek. Norwood is almost certain to be in the starting XI on Saturday and Grayson is delighted he has got himself known on the international stage;

"When I spoke to him on Thursday morning he was disappointed that they didn't come away with a win. He will have learned a lot from that game and it is credit to Northern Ireland team for that. He was even more delighted that he managed to get Cristiano Ronaldo's shirt on his 100th appearance!"

Grayson concluded his pre-match interview by updating fans with the fitness levels of both Joel Lynch & Oscar Gobern;

"Joel has trained over the last few days, so we'll assess where he is on Friday. There is a chance he could be in the squad, but more realistically we are looking at Tuesday night if he doesn't suffer a reaction to the physio treatment. We have got to the bottom of the injury now after he had surgery. We have got plenty of competition for places in midfield and have the likes of Scott Arfield and Anton Robinson,who haven't featured much this season, available if and when required."

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Pre Match Analysis: Wolves

Key Player: Bakary Sako
Signed from St Etienne in the summer, Sako is an explosive left winger who can change the course of a game in an instant. Pacey, tricky and with a fantastic left foot, he has already scored four goals in eight games. Also lethal from set pieces.


Last Time Out: Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Wolves (06/10/12)


Last Time We Met: Wolves 0-1 Huddersfield (2000/2001 season)


Biggest League Victory This Season: Wolves 3-1 Barnsley (21/08/12)


Biggest League Loss This Season: Cardiff 3-1 Wolves (02/09/12)


Top Goalscorer: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (4)


Most Assists: Kevin Doyle (2)


Form: WWWWLW <--most recent


Score Prediction: Huddersfield 2-1 Wolves (Beckford & P.Clarke)





Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Norwood Back From Portugese Soil & Ready For Club Football

Oliver Norwood played a full ninety minutes for his home country as Northern Ireland came away from Portugal with a 1-1 draw and a vital point. Norwood was impressive in front of a bumper crowd who came to watch C.Ronaldo make his 100th cap and pick up all three points. However, a gutsy & determined performance from Norwood & his team mates ensured that this didn't happen and it was Northern Ireland who were left feeling like they could of won the game.

Norwood is now ready to get back into action for his club, Huddersfield Town, when they take on Wolves on Saturday at The John Smiths Stadium. He reflected on his performance against Portugal as well as looking forward to the weekend in an interview held with him today;

"I got Cristiano Ronaldo's shirt! I have the same agent as Rio Ferdinand, who I was with at Manchester United's Capital One Cup game. I mentioned the Portugal game to him and Rio text me to say it was all sorted! That'll be going up on the wall."

"Nobody gave us a chance before the game, but we had a good training camp in Portugal ahead of the game to work on things. At the end Michael came in and was over the moon with the result and the performance the lads put in, but we were also disappointed that we didn't come away with three points in the end because we held on for so long. We rode our luck at times, but you have to do that against the top teams and it's a great achievement for our group of players."

Norwood is back training with Huddersfield Town now and is focused on the tough challenge that the terriers face when they clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend;

"We've set off well in the first 10 games. I don't think anyone would have thought we'd be sixth in the League. Nobody is getting carried away though; the Manager, his staff and the players know how tough the division is and we're taking each game as it comes. Everyone is enjoying the ride at the minute."





Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Does Grayson Need To Strengthen The Squad

Huddersfield Town have made an amazing start to their first season in the Championship for eleven years and they are comfortably positioned in sixth place in front of their long time rivals Leeds United. However, Grayson let a lot of players go after gaining promotion from League One and although he has brought some top class players in to replace them, some Town fans are questioning if the squad has enough depth.

The question was asked by fans on Twitter after the Leicester City match when a couple of injuries (Vaughan, Hammill) & suspensions (Lynch) left Grayson having to put out a somewhat weakened team that on paper looked beaten before they went onto the pitch. Here is our verdict on if certain areas need strengthening for Huddersfield Town;

Goalkeeper;
Alex Smithies currently takes the number one spot at the club after becoming an iconic hero at Wembley back in May. He has made a decent start to life in the Championship and at such a young age he is only going to get better. Ian Bennett serves as an excellent back up goalkeeper and provides the much needed experience that only comes after playing in between the sticks for several years. Ian is a man capable of allowing Smithies to take the limelight yet also step up to the plate when asked to do so by the club. Lloyd Allinson is the U21 goalkeeper at Huddersfield but he also has a promising future. Whether or not this is at the terriers or not is another question entirely but he is a decent third goalkeeper for Town in the present day. In our opinion Grayson does not need to strengthen in this area as he has two goalkeepers who can perform at the current level of football we are playing.

Defence;
Peter Clarke has remained in the Huddersfield Town team not only as captain but also as the number one choice as centre back in defence. Clarke has made the step up to the Championship to the amazement of some fans who doubted if he was really capable of taking his game to the next level. Grayson has shifted out the likes of McCombe , Nathan Clarke & Antony Kay who all could play in the centre back position and has brought in both Joel Lynch & Anthony Gerrard. These two both have Championship experience but also have the attributes to play alongside Peter Clarke in the back four; height, strength, commitment & passion. Lynch has been Grayson's first pick this season alongside Clarke but his suspension, mixed with injury has given way to Gerrard who has taken his opportunity extremely well. The key to any solid defence is also solid full backs especially with how modern day football is played. Jack Hunt has been a pivotal player this season already and at the opposite side of the defence there is Scottish international Paul Dixon. Both thrive at the opportunity to get forward but also have the ability to defend well and stop the opponents wingers getting behind them and causing Town problems. Huddersfield also have strong depth to the full back positions with Calum Woods sat on the bench ready to take his chance. He featured in the game against Birmingham City and looked very strong which empathised just how healthy the terriers are when it comes to quality players in defence. Once again, our opinion is that Grayson does not need to strengthen in the defence area but it may well prove to be beneficial to bring in another centre back just in case injuries/suspensions force our current ones off the team sheet.

Midfield;
The midfield area is one which Grayson has completely turned upside down and started from scratch on. Only one consistent midfield starter remains from Lee Clark's era and that is Danny Ward. Grayson divulged himself in the summer transfer market and brought the players in which he set out to purchase since achieving promotion from League One. Norwood, Scannell, Clayton & Southern all joined the terriers on permanent contracts and on paper they are quite possibly the best midfield in the entire Championship. They have so far lived up to their reputations with only two matches in which the midfield went missing for most of the ninety minutes. In the rest of the terriers league matches they have shown exactly what they are made of and have been vital to ensuring that all three points are gained regardless of who the opposition is. Scannell suffered an injury early on in the season but Ward has come on from the bench and deservedly earned his place in the starting XI which shows just what attitude Grayson is installing into his midfield players. Every single one of them are standing up and being counted whilst taking their chance to shine when given the opportunity. Southern is providing not only his experience of this league, that he has in abundance, but also a backbone to the centre of midfield. He puts his body on the line for the cause and those around him are flourishing from the fact that he does this so well. Norwood has developed ever since he joined from Manchester United and although he plays a totally different game to Southern, he is showing signs of aggression and commitment that is only learned from playing alongside Keith in the middle of the park. Clayton completes the trio of midfielders when he transferred from Leeds United to the terriers for just short of one million pounds. Grayson has given Clayton somewhat of a free role in the middle of the park and Adam has upped his game to thank his manager. Clayton can play either alongside, behind or in front of the midfield and his versatility has already allowed him to start every single Championship game this season. His versatility also enables Grayson a man to fall back on if one player in the midfield gets injured but Clayton can also be a game changer as he has an eye to provide defence splitting passes at any moment in a game. Scott Arfield remains a very decent back-up midfielder on the bench and its unfortunate for him to not be involved heavily in any games this season but he will take his chance once he gets it, we are sure of this. The midfield has proven they can dig in and defend extremely well against teams (Cardiff, Derby & Birmingham) and also provide the support in attacks throughout a game (Blackpool, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday). All in all its nice to see a midfield working hard and having a presence at Huddersfield Town so we see no reason as to why we need to strengthen the midfield area.

Forwards;
The late sale of Jordan Rhodes in the summer transfer window for eight million pounds to Blackburn Rovers has enabled Grayson to spend money on which ever player he would like at Huddersfield Town. However, Grayson refused to pay over the odds for any striker and instead has captured two very strong strikers on loan. The first of these is James Vaughan who has joined the terriers on a season long loan from Norwich City with no recall clause in the loan contract. Vaughan may be injury prone but when he is fully fit he is a force to be reckoned with. Goals against Blackpool & Ipswich have made a lot of teams sit up and recognise just how dangerous he can be and with a point to prove, Vaughan is ready to set the Championship alight. The second loanee striker is Jermaine Beckford who has joined on an emergency ninety three day loan deal from Leicester City. Beckford has only been with the squad for around two weeks now but already he has netted for the terriers and gained them all three points with a win against Birmingham City. Beckford is playing under former manager Simon Grayson and if past form is to be replayed once again he may well net a fair few more for the terriers before his loan deal comes to an end. Lee Novak is having a great start to the season and has impressed many by making the step up to the Championship from League One look relatively easy. Always hard working and what he lacks in pace he makes up with commitment and dedication to the cause. Novak has proven that he can partner Vaughan well but Beckford's arrival has seen him demoted to the bench. Alongside Novak on the bench is the one and only Alan Lee. The big man has an abundance of experience at this level and after earning himself a one year contract for his performances last season he was finally given a chance to impress yet again in the Championship. Coming on against Watford he scored a beautiful goal with his head that seemed to have got the terriers at least a point but unfortunately this wasn't to be the case. Jimmy Spencer is the final striker at Town and after a good pre-season he caught Grayson's eye but hasn't seen much first team action at all in the Championship and so expect him to be possibly loaned out in the January transfer window. (Spencer has now been loaned out to Brentford) In our opinion, Grayson needs to strengthen in the strikers department as just one injury/suspension can see us struggling to create any sort of threat when going forward. This was proven in the Leicester game as Beckford & Vaughan were sidelined and we just didn't have the quality upfront to threaten their back four and so didn't work their goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, at all. Grayson doesn't need to rush into buying/loaning another striker and waiting until January may well be the best option for him as long as his current strikers can remain fit.

What To Expect From Wolves

Wolves will visit The John Smiths Stadium on Saturday to take on the terriers in a game which is all set up to be a close affair. Wolves are automatic/play-off promotion contenders but an impressive start from Huddersfield Town sees The Yorkshire Club sitting pretty in sixth place, just two points off third place Wolves. A win for the terriers will see them leapfrog the visitors in the league table and we managed to get the lowdown on what to expect from Wolves from one of their die-hard faithful fans, Russ Cockburn;

"A trip to the Galpharm is always one to treasure, if for nothing more than a plethora of real ale pubs that you can whet your whistle pre-game and, bearing in mind our fortunes at your place, drown your sorrows afterwards.

It's been over ten years since our last visit (a 3-0 loss) and only once have I seen us grab three points…right back in 96/97 when flying winger Steve Froggatt and goal-scoring legend Steve Bull netted.

Looking at the positive starts to the season from both teams and I think we're all expecting another close game and one that will either be drawn or settled by the odd goal. Wolves are coming off the back of a great run of form, with the only blip being a 2-1 loss to Wilfried Zaha, or as they are more commonly known Crystal Palace.

If it wasn't for the teenage wonder-kid and Kevin Doyle's wastefulness in front of goal we could be arriving in Huddersfield with six wins out of six, three of those being consecutive away wins without conceding a goal.

This tells you a lot about the difference Stale Solbakken is making. If we're being honest, not many Wolves fans knew what to expect from this managerial appointment other than what they could glean from twitter or Wikipedia. It was different and after Super Mick's attritional style I think we welcomed that. And I still think it's very much a work in progress. Our Norwegian manager has made us more organised at the back, with pretty much the same back four and encouragingly has tried to instill a desire from the players to retain possession.

It's not blood and guts, thrills and spills by any means. However, it is proving effective, as the 1-0 win against Blackburn with half a team proved.

Roger Johnson has been reincarnated at the back and the introduction of Doumbia has added a different dimension to our central midfield pairing. We've also welcomed back Kevin Foley in recent weeks, who is arguably the best full-back in the division.

Going forward, Ebanks-Blake has had a decent start to the season and it remains to be seen whether his strike partner Kevin Doyle will be fit or indeed chosen. The latter has become the world's best striker when it comes to running the channels, but unfortunately can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

The one player who will catch the eye will be Bakary Sako, our flying left -winger from St Etienne. He's already notched 4 goals in eight games, including a beautiful strike against Blackburn. In all honesty, he's the one player who can do something different for Wolves and could be our match-winner on Saturday.

Karl Henry, our midfield custodian, is suspended, so that's one less yellow card the ref will have to dish out. And finally, we've pulled off a bit of a coup by signing Pennant on loan from Stoke City. Not everyone's cup of tea, but he'll certainly provide us with a decent line of supply in the Championship.

I'm going for a 1-1 draw as my prediction and plenty of ale in the Slubbers Arms and Head of Steam!"

Thanks to Russ Cockburn for giving us an insight into the Wolves squad as well as giving us a heads up on what to expect from his side when they visit us on Saturday.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Southern Confident In Striker Partnership

Keith Southern has given his public backing to both Vaughan & Beckford ahead of the home tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Southern was full of praise for the striker partnership that caused Birmingham City so many problems in the terriers last competitive outing and he is confident that if they both remain fit then they will both score goals;

"They were very effective against Birmingham and hopefully they can make the same kind of impact against Wolves. You see Jermaine in training every day and realise just how much pace and power he has. And he's a great finisher into the bargain."

"As a team, we need to make sure we give him the right kind of supply and Vaughany certainly did that down at Birmingham. We missed James when he was out with his groin injury and it's great to have that enthusiasm and energy to call on. He runs for fun, wins headers, holds the ball up well and can score goals, a bit of everything really and it's good to have him back."

Beckford & Vaughan are expected to be named in the starting XI for the game aghainst Wolves as they both look to add to their goal tallies.



Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Scannell Ready To Earn His Place

Sean Scannell arrived as Grayson's very first signing in the summer but a hamstring injury in August has seen the pacey winger forced onto the sidelines with just one Championship start to his name this season. Now, Scannell has vowed to earn his place in the starting eleven through hard work & commitment on the training field and do everything in his power to start against Wolves in the terriers next Championship game;

"I've settled in really well. The rest of the lads have been brilliant, the club have really looked after me and the fans have been fantastic. But I really want to show them what I'm all about, and that means playing games."

"We have a great squad, so when you miss a game for whatever reason it can be tough to get back in, but I'm ready to get my head down and work really hard. I enjoyed the match against Leeds & it was good to get a long run-out under my belt and training provides another opportunity to stake a claim."

"It's been a decent start for us. Our position in the table seems to have surprised a few people, but not me. The Championship is a very competitive division, but I've seen the talent we have here, and while nobody is getting carried away, there's no reason why we can't keep playing the way we have been."




Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Gerrard Praises Entire Team For Clean Sheet

Huddersfield Town not only picked up a vital three points against Birmingham City but also a much needed clean sheet. Gerrard partnered Peter Clarke in defence for the terriers after Lynch remained out of the team due to injury. Anthony was delighted with not only the performance but the defensive abilities that were shown by the entire team;

"It's great to have got the win and to have kept a clean sheet. That starts from the front, and against Birmingham Jermaine Beckford, James Vaughan and Danny Ward were outstanding. They ran them ragged in the first half and the support provided by the midfield three was crucial. Myself and the rest of the back four defended when we needed to, and while Alex Smithies made a couple of great saves, we limited their chances."

"We will aim to do exactly the same against Wolves, and given their position, it's building up to be a really big game."

Huddersfield Town have now got a chance to rest due to the international break but will travel up to Belfast tomorrow for a testimonial match for Crusaders captain Colin coates;

"This is a chance to mix a match with training and rest. It's an opportunity to recharge the batteries and be ready to go again for another busy spell of matches."





Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Grayson Backing Vaughan Against Injuries

James Vaughan joined the terriers on loan back in the summer window and has impressed the Town faithful as well as his boss, Simon Grayson, who is now backing his striker to remain fit. Vaughan came back into the starting line-up on Saturday for the game against Birmingham City but was taken off in the 67th minute with an apparent injury.

However Grayson cleared things up after the game and backed his striker to remain fit whilst playing in the Blue & White stripes of Huddersfield Town;

"This isn't any recurrence of a knee injury or anything like that, it's a groin strain he's picked up and played through probably for the two previous games. Vaughany has not missed a day's training while he's been here."

"Players pick up niggles regardless of any injury record that they may have, so we want to get him back fit, we want him for the rest of the season because he is an asset to us."

Norwich City do not have a recall clause in Vaughan's loan contract and so the striker will remain with the terriers until the end of the season at least. However Grayson has reportedly stated that he is keen to sign Vaughan permanently from Norwich if he is given the chance to do so.




Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Skipper Not Getting Carried Away

Peter Clarke aided the terriers back to winning ways as he captained the side that took all three points away at Birmingham City on Saturday. The skipper put in his usual 'body on the line' performance but admitted afterwards that he shall not be getting too carried away with the great start to the season;

"It's an important three points. Collectively we'd be lying if we said we weren't disappointed with the previous two results and performances, so to go away from home to one of the top teams one of the favourites for promotion in the division and get a result is great. We are quite well placed; it's been a decent enough start, but that's all it has been. We're not going to get carried away, but to go into the international break on the back of a good performance and win is good."

"We knew this league wasn't going to be easy, but there is a belief and some talent within the group and, barring one or two, the majority of us have some knowledge of this level. The new lads that the Manager has brought in have proven to be shrewd signings. They have integrated into the group really well, which is great. We're all singing from the same hymn sheet."

"There are one or two niggles around the squad and this little bit of time will allow bodies to recover and players to recharge. Come a fortnight's time, hopefully we will all be fighting fit and raring to go again."

Peter Clarke was also delighted with the new partnership of Vaughan & Beckford against Birmingham City with the latter getting his first goal for the terriers after slotting past Butland in the first half;

"Vaughany and Becks were brilliant for us today; they had a great work ethic and I think they are a good foil for each other. Jermaine finished his chance ever so well and it's nice to have people up there that you know are going to get you goals. They are both hungry individuals and they both have a desire to play, work hard, score goals and succeed. They are great ingredients for strikers."

"The fact that the Manager and Jermaine have worked together before can only be beneficial; they know each other's qualities and how each other work. Hopefully that will bring the best out of everyone and we'll reap the rewards with Jermaine's goals."

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Grayson Happy To Be Back To Winning Ways

Simon Grayson watched his team put in a committed performance against Birmingham City at St.Andrews on Saturday and he was delighted to see them get back to winning ways with an impressive one nil victory over Lee Clark's side. Jermaine Beckford's goal was the difference between the two teams at full time and Grayson expressed his opinions on how the game went for the terriers;

"We started the game very positively and put them under pressure when they had the ball and attacked well when we had it. We had a spring in our step and could have scored in the first minute. Despite that we went from strength to strength in the game which resulted in us taking the lead through Jermaine. We controlled the game for large parts and kept the back door closed."

"I thought we looked comfortable and I don't think Birmingham had too many opportunities.  We went looking for a second, but when you don't get it you do feel a little bit on edge and Alex had to make a great save at the end of the game."

Beckfords first goal for Huddersfield Town came in the first half after an impressive move was rounded off with a neat finish by the loanee;

"It was a very good move with Adam Clayton playing the ball down the line for James Vaughan who slipped the ball in for Jermaine, he didn't have to break stride before beating the Birmingham 'keeper. Jermaine's attitude today was very good and he worked hard to make the defenders' lives difficult. Players like Keith Southern were fantastic today; he really drove us on from midfield with some good tackles. Also, the lads at the back did brilliant and produced some good blocks to keep us in the game."

"The three up top for us today worked very hard and created a lot of chances while the three midfielders passed the ball like I know they can do. All round there were some great performances today."

Grayson named a side with three changes to it after two disappointing performances at home had seen the terriers slip outside the play-off places from second in the league. Grayson explained why these changes were made;

"Joel Lynch is injured whereas all the other changes were made to freshen up the team. We have had a tough couple of weeks and I wanted to change things around. Calum Woods has done really well in training and he kept Chris Burke, who is one of their best players, very quiet. Nobody was dropped, it was about freshening up the team."

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone