MISSION SURVIVE

Huddersfield’s stars were sent on a Bear Grylls-style adventure in Sweden and found themselves out of their comfort zone..but Tommy Smith admits: That time away gave us a binding team spirit

DEEP inside the Swedish forest Huddersfield players paired up two men to a tent.

No pillows, mobile phones had been confiscated, canoes for transport between islands. It was the pre-season trip that shaped the Terriers’ season.

“We were out of our comfort zone,” said defender Tommy Smith.

Just like they will be when boss David Wagner (left) and his men walk out at Wembley today, bidding to return the club to the top flight for the first time since 1972.

“There were 20 tents set up,” said Smith. “We looked at each other and thought, ‘What is going on here? This is a bit of a joke’. But it wasn’t. “Looking back you have to admit it served us well. I have never been involved in a team with as much togetherness and team spirit as this. As long as I play I don’t think I’ll be part of a group like this.

“It is a group with no bad eggs. No bad feelings in the camp. Everyone gets on, staff included. A special group of people. I am honoured to be

It is a special group of people with no bad eggs. I am honoured to be a part of it

part of it.” Smith (below) says that trip was key to Town finishing in the top five, after flirting with relegation last season.

“If we wanted food we had to try to catch it. We had basic bread and Nutella! There wasn’t a lot. Dried pasta that we had to try to cook. It was a tough experience that we had to overcome. It was a case of, ‘If we can overcome this we can overcome anything’.

“Next morning you are in a canoe with a partner. Paddle to the next island. Same again. We will remember it for the rest of our lives.

“I was terrible at fishing. We had Hoggy (Jonathan Hogg) who is a bit of a Bear Grylls. He was in his element. He’d have stayed for another week if he could!

“The manager said there will be times like this when we are out of our comfort zone. “To have the season we’ve had and to finish in the play-off final, it has really worked.”