‘Schofield’s ready to step up as No.1’
HUDDERSFIElD Town head of goalkeeping Paul Clements believes Ryan Schofield is ready to step into the Terriers first team – and could have done so this season.
The 20-year-old made two appearances in the first half of this season, taking the man of the match award in the 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to lincoln City and claiming a clean sheet on his league debut against Middlesbrough when Kamil Grabara was out ill in October.
Schofield is now on loan with Scottish Premiership side livingston. Speaking on BBC Radio leeds’ West Yorkshire Sport Daily, Clements said: “Ryan could have played this season for me but you’ve got to accept he’s going to make mistakes. It’s at what point do you put them in, for me.
“When he was younger we gave him a test. At 16 he played in the Under-23s Premier league final and did really well, then we sent him on loan to FC United and Telford and Notts County.
“Everything we’ve thrown at him he’s taken really well. He’s a good learner.
“He’s an unbelievable shot stopper, that’s clear. He’s brave in terms of making decisions and sticking to it when he comes for crosses, when he comes for blocks.
“I think the Middlesbrough game summed him up really. It’s his debut for his hometown club, he’s desperate to play for Huddersfield, desperate to play well in front of the fans.
“He got away with a few early on, grew into the game and then makes an unbelievable save to keep his clean sheet. It’s just about managing him and getting him more games because the more games he plays the better he’ll be when he steps in for us again, whenever that may be.”
Schofield was sent on loan to get first-team football early in January but picked up an injury in his first winter break friendly for the club, forcing them to also bring in Rangers keeper Robby McCrorie.
Clements said: “Ryan went up there and pulled his thigh in the first game which wasn’t ideal so they then loaned another goalkeeper - a bit like us [with Jonas lossl] they had to do something and you’ve got to respect that. He’s got to battle for his place there.”