‘I did not expect to lead this club to the Premier League’
Manager Wagner admits staying up would be as good as promotion for Huddersfield Town
The sign outside the Canalside Training Ground is loud and proud. “Welcome to Huddersfield Town,” it reads in sizeable embossed letters drilled into the brickwork. “The Yorkshire Club”. The county identifier has been in place for a couple of years, since Town took possession of the community sports club down the road from their stadium as their new training centre. But it has significant added meaning this season. The county of Leeds United, of Sheffield Wednesday and United, of Barnsley, Bradford City and Hull, the county that is the birthplace of the very first football club, the county that, had it been an independent country, would have finished 17th in the Rio Olympics, has but one representative in the Premier League. And a year ago no one was predicting that any such sole presence would be Huddersfield Town. Welcome indeed to the Yorkshire club.
Just past the snooker room, past the urgent work going on to graft players’ lounges and media rooms on to a bowls and social club, this week could be found a hint of what their sudden, unexpected elevation means.
Last year, as he addressed the gathered media ahead of their Championship opening match against Brentford, the manager spoke to no more than half a dozen local press people.
This season, as he prepared to face Crystal Palace, David Wagner faced a forest of camera lenses and extended microphones. Behind him on a board were the logos of the club’s new sponsors, several of which are in Chinese lettering.
For the first time in their history, homely Huddersfield find themselves in the global marketing phenomenon that is the Premier League. And no one appeared more surprised than the manager.
“When I arrived, I never thought that Huddersfield Town or David Wagner will be in the Premier League,” Wagner said.
“Never. Even last season I never