Huddersfield Town have begun a dramatic restructuring process by releasing nine senior players, including long-serving figures and recent regulars, in a ruthless end-of-season overhaul.
The League One side announced the changes as part of a wider review of football operations following a campaign that fell well short of expectations.
Terriers Begin Reset After Promotion Failure
Following a disappointing 10th-place finish and a 14-point gap to the play-off spots, the club’s leadership has acted swiftly to reshape the squad ahead of the 2025/26 season. Captain Jonathan Hogg, whose departure was confirmed previously, is joined on the released list by Danny Ward, Tom Lees, Matty Pearson, Ollie Turton, Josh Ruffels, Josh Koroma, Scott High and Loick Ayina.
Young forward Conor Falls also departs as Huddersfield aim to provide greater “flexibility and freedom” for a new head coach expected to be appointed this summer. Eight academy players, including Anthony Gregory and Donnell Garrick, will also leave the club.
The announcement follows stark warnings from both club owner Kevin Nagle and interim manager Jon Worthington about the need for sweeping change.
“Conducting a full review of our footballing operations following the 2024/25 campaign, the club retains a desire to refresh the complexion of our first-team squad having fallen short of our targets this season. Looking to head into the 2025/26 season reinvigorated, decisions have been made to allow full flexibility and freedom to any incoming head coach.”
Nagle had previously criticised the club’s performance, describing the current state as a “disease”, while Worthington has echoed the need for a “big reset” as the club rebuilds.
Huddersfield also confirmed that discussions are ongoing with Neo Eccleston regarding a new deal, while several loanees, including Tawanda Chirewa and Joe Hodge, will return to their parent clubs.
With an incoming manager still to be appointed, the retained list signals a significant shift in direction. The first-team squad now consists of 15 contracted players, including goalkeeper Lee Nicholls and key winger Sorba Thomas, as the Terriers prepare for what is expected to be an aggressive summer of recruitment.
Writer’s View
Huddersfield Town’s retained list reads like a statement of intent: complacency will not be tolerated. Letting go of experienced names such as Hogg, Lees and Ward suggests a willingness to sacrifice sentiment for strategy. It could also be a reflection of budget-tightening in West Yorkshire, as the reality of their losses hit home.
The move presents both risk and opportunity — risk in the loss of cohesion, but opportunity in the form of a blank slate. The success of this bold approach will hinge entirely on the club’s next managerial appointment and its performance in the transfer window.
