Birmingham City are creating waves as they prepare for life in League One with many tipping the Blues to stroll back into the Championship.
The St Andrew’s outfit has spent a lot of money on players from Europe, proven League One goal-scorers and much sought-after midfielders as they bid to spend as little time as possible in the third tier.
Could the media attention and the noise around Birmingham benefit sides who will also be expected to challenge at the top end of the table? Before the millions began being spent from B9, Huddersfield Town would have been under pressure to bounce back from relegation at the first attempt. Here’s why they will, but under the radar.
Manager Mike Duff’s tenure at Swansea City may not have turned out how either party would have wanted but he is back in a division he knows well and has enjoyed success.
In his one season in charge of Barnsley, the former centre-back guided his team to a playoff spot and only suffered 12 defeats in 46 gruelling League One encounters. This was in a division packed with big hitters, including Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town and Plymouth Argyle.
What came before that was a highly successful spell at unfancied Cheltenham Town, who he led to the League Two title before an impressive 13th-place finish in League One. For a big club dropping into the division, Duff is a very safe pair of hands to guide the Terrier’s ship.
Duff’s expertise at this level can be seen in the signings he has so far made. One of Lincoln City’s star men and most consistent wing-backs in the league Lasse Sorensen has come through the doors of the John Smith’s Stadium for around £400,000.
The Dane has endless energy and contributed four goals and eight assists in his 44 league outings last term. Having joined the Imps as a central midfield player, Sorensen’s transformation into a wing-back has taken his game to a new level.
On the opposite flank, Mikel Miller has left Championship side Plymouth Argyle to join Duff’s men. He made 34 appearances in the second tier last season, albeit rarely completing 90 minutes, and will add versatility and experience to Town’s squad.
The loss of Jack Rudoni is a blow to Huddersfield after the midfielder impressed during a poor season for the club. However, Duff has signed former Barnsley man Herbie Kane to plug the gap left by Coventry City’s new signing.
The former Liverpool youngster enjoyed his best scoring season in senior football during the last campaign with the Tykes and, at only 25 years old is already vastly experienced at this level and should be hitting what is seen as his prime.
Another addition who could be seen as a replacement for Rudoni is Antony Evans, who has joined the club from Bristol Rovers in a deal worth around £500,000. The 25-year-old ranked favourably against his counterparts in League One last season, providing 12 goal involvements and being among those who created the most chances for their team.
Following last season’s disaster, Huddersfield have taken calculated steps to right the ship. The appointment of Duff is smart and the signings so far this summer are well thought out and with a plan.
Perhaps Duff will be on the market for a goal scorer, particularly if Sorba Thomas is to leave as rumours suggest. Could that goal scorer be a man who finished as the leading goal-getter at two clubs last term- Joe Taylor?
The Luton Town man spent the first part of the season with Colchester United and found the net twelve times before a January switch to Lincoln where he bagged a further ten. Stories have emerged suggesting that Town are interested in the 22-goal attacker and his signing would be another excellent piece of the promotion jigsaw.
Rhys Healey is likely to be an important cog in the Terriers’ wheel and fans will be hoping he can recapture the form he showed while in France with Toulouse.
Slowly but surely, and without the attention afforded to the Blues, Huddersfield are going about the task of getting out of League One at the first attempt, a feat that has proven immensely difficult for some huge names in recent years.
A primary school teacher turned writer, Tom has been part of The Real EFL for two years. He focuses on predictions, deep dives, and insightful content.
