Terriers lucky there are four worse sides! Steven Chicken
‘TOWN need to be better than this. They should never have been in a relegation battle this season. They need to forget this season as quickly as possible and move on if they want to avoid another one next season.
But they have survived, and that means they can start putting their plans in motion to ensure they are some way more competitive next season.
The most irritating thing about this campaign has been how avoidable it has all been. If only they could have found five per cent more across the board, they’d have been in mid-table comfort at the very least and could have spent the last two weeks playing in flip-flops.
If that sounds unambitious after two years in the Premier League, you’re right, it is. There will be more trips and stumbles in the future, but we believe this club can get itself back on the right trajectory to be successful if it gets more decisions right than wrong in the weeks to come. A long and important summer therefore lies ahead. But for now, Town fans can finally breathe a massive sigh of relief.’
That’s what we wrote after the 2-1 win over West Brom that secured Town’s safety last season.
And that is why this time around there were no celebrations at the John Smith’s Stadium after Town’s safety was confirmed - just relief.
That would seem to be about the right tone. Nobody can take any pleasure from a season like this, and to fall over the finish line taking just seven of the last 27 available points - and 17 of the last available 69 is nothing to pop champagne corks over.
As Carlos Corberan was at pains to point out after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Coventry, his side have still not even hit their points target of 50.
But there was not a huge amount of conviction behind that claim – everyone knows the job is done now. Town can count their lucky stars there have been four even more incapable and limited sides in the division this season, and next year they might not be so fortunate. But for the third year in a row, they now have chance to forget about it and come back better for the experience.
They’re unlikely to get a fourth. This time they have to make it count. Meanwhile, we noted the lengthy conversation that Christopher Schindler and Dean Hoyle had after the final whistle that looked very much like a goodbye, but this will inevitably be the last visit to the stadium on a matchday for a few other players too.
It’s hard to imagine Richard Keogh will still be at the club next season.
Carel Eiting will return to Ajax this summer and if he gets another loan you suspect they will want him playing at a higher standard.
Unused substitutes Joel Pereira and Richard Stearman will likely leave, and Juninho Bacuna will also