Grayson Sums Up Hillsborough Events & Looks Forward To Bloomfield Visit

Huddersfield Town will travel to Bloomfield Road on Monday night to take on Blackpool who are looking like one of the teams to beat in The Championship this year. The Tangerines were once managed by current Town manager Simon Grayson who experienced success at the club by taking them from League One into The Championship, just as he has done with the terriers. However, Grayson was more interested in talking about his teams latest performance against Sheffield Wednesdsay where they impressively picked up all three points;

"The performance on Wednesday night was very good, but ultimately it’s about getting the win and we did that by doing what we had to throughout the course of the game. There were different aspects to the game that I was really pleased with; we started the game well, passing the ball around well and getting two early goals, plus we looked really comfortable – there was a good shape to the team. The team overcame a bit of adversity with Joel getting sent off and we had to be dogged and resolute to withstand a big, strong, powerful opponent with a big crowd behind them. We had to find a way to handle them and we certainly did that."

"It’s nice to get our first away win under our belt because I think we have played well away from home so far. At Cardiff we should have got at least a draw and at Ipswich we missed a penalty with five minutes to go that could have resulted in a victory. It was nice to get the win, especially in a local derby."

Joel was sent off with an immediate red card after his sliding tackle completely missed the ball and sent Antonio crashing to the ground for Wednesday  but although Grayson believes it was the wrong decision, he will not contest the red card;

“I don’t think we will be appealing. We’ve looked at the video and it’s a real grey area; I still don’t believe it’s a red card, but it’s somewhere between that and a yellow! I think we’d be wasting our time though – panels don’t usually change their mind on these unless it’s black and white – and we don’t want to lose him for another game, so we’ll have to accept the punishment.”

Many Town fans will have forgot about Kallum Higginbotham who was set for a big future at the terriers before Clarke was sent packing by chairman Dean Hoyle and the winger/striker has now joined Carlisle United on a loan. Grayson explained why this move has happened;

"It’s very much part of the development of the players – the lads that go out on loan still have a future here. Kallum asked to go out on loan and we agreed that it’s a good opportunity for him, but we’ll keep an eye on him. I’m pleased with how Liam Ridehalgh and Chris Atkinson are doing out on loan at Chesterfield and it’s all to help the development of the individuals in question, as well as the Club. I’m not under any pressure to move any players out on loan though. We have a group here all competing for the jerseys; we have real competition for places and that means we can change systems and personnel when we need to. It’s about getting the right balance of what’s right for the individuals as well as the Club."

Grayson finally give his verdict on how it will feel managing against one of his former clubs and one which he holds close to his heart;

"I’m looking forward to it. I was disappointed I didn’t get the chance to go back last year as I had six good years at Blackpool; three as a player and three as a manager. It was a successful time and it played a big part in my footballing career. To lead Blackpool to promotion at Wembley was great and we then stabilised the team in the Championship, which was no mean feat at the time as we didn’t have a big budget and the facilities were not up there with the other teams. However, the Club has gone from strength to strength and I’d like to think I played some part in that."

"We had a good team ethic when I was there and I think around six to eight players in their Premier League team were my signings – the likes of Wes Hoolahan. There was a unity within the group; we stuck together at the team and there was a special atmosphere at the ground, particularly at night matches. It’s a fantastic football club and it’s on the up. However, it is all about Huddersfield Town for me now. I’ll see a few old friends there, but I want to disappoint them because we’ve come away with a victory!"

Grayson captured Keith Southern in the summer transfer window from Blackpool and the gaffer was keen to talk about the hard working midfielder who he rates very highly;

"I think he’s showed what he can do, but he also influences the younger players – his calmness has rubbed off on the likes of Ollie Norwood, Danny Ward and Adam Clayton. Keith will run through a brick wall for you and that is reflecting in the rest of the players. We have a nice set of ingredients in the middle of the park at this moment in time.  He’s looking forward to Monday night, as is Peter Clarke, who played a big part for Blackpool previously. The only way they will enjoy the game is by winning though.”"

Both Blackpool & Huddersfield Town are sitting nicely in the top half of the league as we write this and both have had great starts to The Championship. Simon Grayson recognizes this and played compliment to the way the Tangerines play their football;

"It will be one of the toughest games of the season. I watched them on Tuesday night against Middlesbrough and they were very good. They could have been four or five up at half time and the same in the second half. They have a way of playing that a lot of teams can’t deal with, there’s a lot of rotation in midfield and attack to a very high standard."

"It’s a good place to go, as Bloomfield Road creates a good atmosphere. It’s a challenge, but our players are looking forward to it. We will have to be on our guard and at the top of our game because Blackpool have turned over some good teams this year; they are at the top of the division and one of the favourites to go up this year. We’ll go there aware of what they can do, but equally I’m sure they are aware of what we can do. We have some good footballers that will cause any team problems. Sometimes I think teams go there and are in awe of them; they try to change their tactics and it doesn’t suit them. Our defence will be tested. We’ll be without Joel Lynch, but Anthony Gerrard will come in and he’s been waiting patiently for his opportunity. For the majority of this season we’ve had a good shape on the pitch and that has limited opportunities for our opposition, but that will certainly be tested on Monday as Blackpool have goals in them."

Grayson will be forced to leave Lynch out of his squad due to suspension as the defender received a straight red for a rash challenge on Antonio when the terriers clashed with Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday. However, Simon is more than happy with his replacement, Anthony Gerrard;

“I like him; he’s wholehearted and he’s a leader. He’s had to wait patiently for his opportunity because the team has been doing so well, but he can come in now and try to grasp his opportunity."

Adam Hammill will also more than likely miss the game against Blackpool due to an injury which kept him out of the team against Sheffield Wednesday and Grayson updated us on his current condition;

"Adam is struggling with his knee; I would say he will be a major doubt for Monday. It’s something he picked up in an innocuous challenge last weekend – I think he just blocked a ball. He’s in the hands of the physios."

Southern Ready To Build Upon Current Form

Keith Southern put in a hardworking shift in the middle of the park today as the terriers came out victors against a very strong Derby County side. Southern showed exactly why Grayson was so keen to bring him to Huddersfield Town as he lead by example with hard tackling & a committed performance to the delight of Huddersfield fans. He explained how the game went today in his own eyes in his post-match interview;

"I thought we started the game brilliantly – we came out of the traps in lively fashion and for the first 20 minutes I thought we were outstanding. The game then descended into a bit of a scrappy pattern, but the lads showed real resilience and great character. For all the possession Derby had in the second-half, I don’t think they troubled Alex Smithies too much."

Southern watched in the first few seconds of the game as Huddersfield loanee Adam Hammill jinked in and out of Derby players before crossing for Ward to give the terriers the lead & the goal which ended up to be the only one of the game;

"I’ve known Adam for a long time. He is a lovely kid and he just needs to be encouraged and nurtured. The Gaffer knows him from his time at Blackpool, just like I do, and I think that was a big deal in the Club coming here. He’s got all the ability in the world, he’s only 24 years old and I know things haven’t quite worked out for him as he would have liked at Wolves, but he’s got many years ahead of him."

Southern was forced to go back to his trademark way of tough tackling with an aim to dominate the midfield area for the terriers as the game turned into a feisty affair at The John Smiths Stadium;

"I don’t mind that scrappy side of the game. This is a really tough League and you need to dig in, roll your sleeves up and grind the points out. I thought we deserved it today; to a man we were excellent. Any decent side is built on a platform of clean sheets and we’ve got a couple already this season. That’s what we have to do week in, week out. We have to come off the pitch totally shattered and sweating for the cause; if we do, I’m sure we’ll finish in a respectable position. Anything below those standards today and we’ll get turned over – it’s as simple as that. Every game in this League is tough. Today was a good benchmark as they are a decent side – they’ve come here on the back of a 5-1 win – but I thought our lads stood up to the test brilliantly. We’ve had a tough start on paper with the fixtures, but hopefully we can build on this now."

Southern joined from Blackpool in the summer transfer window which was a big move for the midfielder who received a testimonial for his long term service at Bloomfield Road and he is loving his time with the terriers regardless of how big the pitch is;

"If I’d joined Huddersfield 10 years ago, I’m not sure I’d still be playing now! It’s a hell of a pitch to be honest, but I’ve got some legs alongside me and I’m probably as fit as I have been in my career. I’m enjoying it here – it’s given me a new lease of life. This is a good club with good people. The potential at this football club is frightening, on and off the pitch – who knows what we can achieve this season? However, we can’t get carried away. We are on a nice little unbeaten run, but we have two really tough away games coming up; we have to keep our feet on the ground and see where we are in a couple of weeks.”"

Southern will undoubtedly be one of the first names on Grayson's team sheet as they travel to Hillsborough on Wednesday for a tough Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday and he cannot wait to build upon the current form Huddersfield has in The Championship; 

"We’ll go to Hillsborough on Wednesday and we’ll have to grind it out again; hopefully we can get another three points. We’ve not won away from home this season – we are only a couple of games into it though. Your home form is vital if you are going to achieve anything, whether that is just staying in the League or threatening the Play-Offs, and we are building a little bit of momentum."

Hammill Is 'Delighted To Be Signing Here'

Hammill delighted to join the terriers on loan

Winger Adam Hammill has joined the terrier on loan until January and after a hectic day which saw him driving down the M62 with his missus, Hammill managed to sign just in time to be able to feature for Huddersfield against Ipswich on Saturday. Here is what the loanee had to say about his move from Wolves;

"It has been a little bit frantic! Me and the missus jumped in the car and have flown down the M62.  I’m delighted to be signing here. I want to get as much game time as possible and show everyone what I can do. I just want to play football – that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. For whatever reason it hasn’t quite worked out for me at Wolves, but I’m looking forward to my future now and working with some familiar faces and getting going." 

"I’ve worked with Simon in the past at Blackpool and I know what he expects from me, so that was a big reason to come. I also know a few of the players – Keith Southern and Calum Woods – and everything I’ve heard about the Club tells me it’s a really good place to be. I’ve seen the way the team plays and that has caught my eye too."

Hammill is expected to be in with a chance to start for the terriers against Ipswich especially with Scannell being out due to an injury.

Skipper Excited With Championship Test

Peter Clarke has expressed how much of a test this upcoming season is going to be for Huddersfield Town but sounded excited to be going into the first match against Cradiff with a host of new signings & the captains armband to his name. Before they travel to the Welsh club a trip to Deepdale to play against Preston North End in the first round of the Capital One Club will see Grayson & his team tested with a weakened squad due to international call ups;

"I think the whole experience of promotion was still surreal up until the fixtures for the Championship came out last month. I think then the realisation set in that we are a Championship club and will be playing against some of the biggest clubs in English football, in some fantastic venues. As with any team that gets promoted into a new league the first objective is to secure your place in it for the following season, but we don’t want to be battling down at the wrong end of the league - we want to be surprising a few people and giving a good account of ourselves."

"The Manager is very shrewd and he has made several acquisitions over the summer. The lads that have come in have fitted in great and through playing games and from training day, in, day out you begin to build an understanding and I think that is beginning to happen, which is a good sign."

Clarke has already played alongside two of the new signings made by the manager, Anthony Gerrard & Keith Southern, and the skipper is delighted to have been reunited with them once again;

"I played with them both before in my career – Keith far more than Anthony. I can certainly say on behalf of the lads that they are wholehearted players who will give you everything that have got out on the field. Keith has a terrific engine and gets around the pitch well; he breaks things up and gives it nice and simple – he can also weigh in with his fair share of goals. Anthony is a tough lad, a no-nonsense type of defender. He is very competitive and he can play a bit from the back."

The skipper stated that The Championship is going to be very tough and having four games in just the opening two weeks is a real challenge for the terriers;

"As in any league, or competition, there is a never any easy game. You have to earn the right to win football matches and that will be no different this season. The start is going to be very tough; we are away twice in the first week and we will do our best to give good accounts of ourselves. Pre-season is always tough and the workload is always long and hard, but it is about getting ready and match fit. When you get to the back-end of pre-season all you want to do is start playing competitive football. It is the first time in my career where the League Cup starts before the season proper, so it is a little bit odd, but it makes no difference and it is a game that we want to do well in."

Southern Glad To Be Back Playing

Keith Southern made his very first appearence since signing for the terriers in the 1-0 defeat against Crewe Alexandra. The result may not have been. Good and neither was the performance but this didn't dampen Southerns delight at playing football once again;

"I only met the lads a couple of days ago and this is my first game of pre-season, so I haven't played for a couple of months. I enjoyed it. It wasn't the performance or the result that the Gaffer was looking for, but from a personal point of view it was nice to get some minutes under my belt."

Southern nearly scored on his debut for Huddersfield but his glancing header unfortunately went the wrong side of the post in a game which saw the terriers struggle to create any clear cut chances;

"The players have welcomed me into the group. There are a lot of young boys in the team and they are a really good bunch, so I'm looking forward to working with them. I've played in many pre-seasons and in some we've won all our games but then gone on to lose the first three League games! Equally I've played in sides that don't win at all in pre-season, but then start the competitive games on fire so the results can be a little bit false at times."

"The pitch was a little bit sticky and I don't think it helped the lads' passing game that they wanted to play, but personally it was all about getting minutes on the pitch. I should have scored though!"

"There are some really good players here – everyone can see that. When we put passes together and got the ball moving, which wasn't as often as we would have liked at Crewe, you could still see the talent of the players. It's about nurturing that talent and I think we'll get better over the next two weeks, definitely."




Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Grayson Unhappy With Performance Against Crewe

Simon Grayson's team suffered yet another pre-season loss against Crewe last night and the manager was not happy with how his team performed. The terriers fell behind from a Dugdale goal early in the first half and never got themselves back into the game. Keith Southern made his debut and it was his glancing header which was the best chance of the entire game for the visitors.

Grayson expressed his disappointment when he spoke to the official site after the game last night;

"I'm disappointed tonight, but it's important not to get carried away with a good performance like we had on Saturday or an average performance like tonight. There were aspects of the game that we knew we could have done better tonight; we started the game poorly, our ball retention was poor and our movement wasn't as good as on Saturday but these are the sort of things you expect in pre-season and it's up to us to iron them out as we go along."

"We hardly worked their goalkeeper all night and that's unlike us given the players we have in our team. However, some players have played 60, 70 and 90 minutes and everything is still building up with an eye on a few weeks' time. We are a work in progress and that's why we shouldn't get too carried away with results. However, the players know we have to do better – there is no question about that. We do have an honest bunch of players who will work hard on the training ground for however long it takes to get things right." 

"It's nothing we can't rectify. We know that our players can normally handle the ball better and move better too. Crewe are a good footballing team and it was another good test for us. We've worked hard on Monday and Tuesday and sometimes you don't quite have that sharpness in games when you do that"

On a more positive note Grayson stated that he was impressed with the debut of new signing Keith Southern who was substituted in the second half for Huddersfield;

"I'm not going to be all 'doom and gloom' – there were some good things to come out of the game. I thought Keith Southern affected things well – he showed his tackling, energy and nearly scored a goal after getting into the box, so I was delighted with that."

Southern To Appear Once More For Blackpool

Keith Southern became Simon Grayson's latest signing a few days ago and since he has served over ten years at his former club, Blackpool, Southern shall return to play in his testimonial as agreed on by both clubs. Grayson confirmed that this would be the case by saying;

"Keith will play the opening 15 minutes or so and perhaps the final 15. Then he can go back a month later and score the winner! It’s unusual for a player to spend 10 years with the same club these days, and I think it’s only fair he goes back for his own testimonial. He’s very well thought of at Blackpool – you can see that by the reaction of their fans to his departure – and I know he will become a firm favourite here."


"Our fans will see a really wholehearted player who has impressed in League I, the Championship and the Premier League. That experience will be invaluable to us, especially when you consider the number of younger players in our squad, but Keith has other things to offer as well. He’s a good player who is competitive and mobile and will provide that final piece of the jigsaw in the midfield area. And he still has plenty in the tank."


"Keith is also a great lad off the pitch who will fit in well here, and that’s important, because we want to maintain that team spirit. It’s good to have him on board, and we now have real options in midfield with Adam Clayton, Oliver Norwood, Oscar Gobern and Anton Robinson.  Oscar and Anton have both impressed in pre-season, and we’ve got five good players who will all have the chance to stake a claim. Nobody is guaranteed a place."


Southern left Blackpool with a year left on his contract but stated that  "I’ve achieved everything I wanted to achieve at Blackpool. I’ve played in the Premier League, had two great promotions at Wembley and I’m leaving on a fantastic note." Southern went on further to say;


"The majority of the lads in that dressing room I’ve known for a long time and they’ll be my friends forever, not just the length of time I’m in football. I’m sad to be leaving them and I’ve had some lovely texts off them about how gutted they are. But football moves forward, nothing stands still. I’ve still got a few years left in the game and I’m really excited about joining Huddersfield."

Interview With Performance Analyst Chris Markham

We were privileged enough to get the opportunity to interview Chris Markham who is the performance analyst at Huddersfield Town. Many of you will indeed be following Chris on Twitter (@boulet_6) so we thought we would get to know his opinions, thoughts and his personal career a little bit better;

Southern Officially Signs For Huddersfield Town

The transfer taking Keith Southern from Blackpool to Huddersfield Town was completed last night but has now officially been announced by both clubs. Southern has been at Blackpool for ten years but Grayson has managed to get the tough tackling midfielder to join the terriers.

Southern had this to say;

"A few things appealed to me. Huddersfield Town is a forward-moving club that is going places; it’s very ambitious from top to bottom. I wanted a new challenge and now I’m certainly going to get one this season at Huddersfield. I’m really looking forward to getting started."

"I know the manager, Simon, and that was another big pull for me. I played with Simon at Blackpool and then he became manager and brought success to the Club, getting us up from League 1. He was a big pull for me to come here because I know how he works. I’ve played against most of the players here at some point, but I started out at Everton with Peter Clarke as a boy and now we’ve come more or less full circle! I know he’s done really well here as he’s a good player and I’m looking forward to getting to know him again. Hopefully we can have some successful times together."

Southern has most likely been seen by the majority of Huddersfield fans playing for Championship side Blackpool but he explained the type of player he is for all that know nothing about him;

"I’m a box to box midfielder and I love a tackle! I’m a good organiser on the pitch and I think I bring a good pedigree as I played in the Premier League two years ago. I know what it takes to get out of this League too."

"First and foremost I think Simon rates what I can do and the attributes I will bring to the Club. There are some young boys in our midfield that probably need a bit of know-how from time to time and I’m really looking forward to playing with the lads. I’m only 31, but I’ve achieved everything I want to at Blackpool; I’ve played in the Premier League and enjoyed two promotions. This move is right for everybody concerned and now I’ve signed a longer term deal here I’m looking forward to the future."

Southern will not only bring Championship experience to the squad but also Premiership experience as he was part of the squad which gained promotion into the top tier just a few years ago;

"Success comes if you have good players, but you also need organisation, structure and everyone to be pulling in the right direction. Having met some of the staff behind the scenes we seem to have a really honest group and everyone wants the same thing. The Club has momentum following promotion last season and I know how important that is from my time at Blackpool. Hopefully we can take that into the new season and have a fantastic start; if we do that, you never know what might happen."

Keith Southern All But Signed For Huddersfield

Rumours surfaced towards the end of last week that Grayson was after experienced midfielder Keith Southern from fellow Championship club Blackpool and it seems like he has indeed managed to get his man. Announced on Twitter by ex Huddersfield Town player Gray Taylor Fletcher, Southern is set to join the terriers on a three year contract for around the £300k mark.

Although nothing has been officially announced until all parts of the deal has gone through, Southern has spoke about joining Huddersfield;

"I’m leaving behind some magnificent people. I had to make a decision that was best for me, my family and my football future, and it just felt right. I don’t think there would be many other clubs I’d have left Blackpool for. Everyone knows how much respect I have for Simon Grayson."

"Time will tell whether it’s the right decision but I’m getting a lot of positive vibes from Huddersfield."