Ward contests Town’s label as over-achievers
PENALTY shoot-out hero Danny Ward believes Huddersfield Town can emulate his Wales team-mates by completing one of football’s great stories and clinching promotion to the Premier League.
The Liverpool loanee saved two spot-kicks in a dramatic finale to Wednesday’s all-Yorkshire playoff semi-final to send the Terriers to Wembley at the expense of Sheffield Wednesday.
Reading now stand between Town and one of the most unlikely success stories of recent years, the two clubs going head-to-head on May 29.
For Ward, victory over the Royals under the world-famous Arch would cap a remarkable 12 months that began with a competitive debut for Wales as Chris Coleman’s men stunned the cream of European football to reach the last four of Euro 2016.
“Both are underdog stories,” said the 23-year-old to The Yorkshire Post before jetting off to Portugal with the rest of the Huddersfield squad for a training camp.
“Football is a funny game. Who would have thought maybe 10 years ago that Wales would get to the semi-final of a European Championships, and who would have thought a couple of years ago that Huddersfield Town would be one game away from the Premier League.
“That is the beauty of football and that is why we all love the game. If I am totally honest, I couldn’t have expected this to happen (when signing on loan last summer).
“We have over-achieved in the eyes of the public. But, within the changing room, we know what qualities we have got.
“Plus, there is a real grit and determination within the group that ultimately got us over the line against Sheffield Wednesday. To go 1-0 down like we did is a tough thing to come back from; it took great character from all the boys.”
Ward’s role in the dramatic denouement at Hillsborough perhaps epitomised best the character running through the Town camp.
Forced to sit out the first leg through suspension following his red card on the final day of the regular season, the loanee missed training on Monday afternoon through illness only to declare himself fit 24 hours before the return.
Huddersfield and the tens of thousands of fans who will descend on the capital for the final were mighty glad about that, Ward’s saves from Fernando Forestieri and Sam Hutchinson proving decisive.
“I had never been involved in a shoot-out as a professional,” he added. “I had always been on the bench, the one sitting there biting his nails because you can’t affect it.
“During the season, I only saved one penalty from (Newcastle United’s) Dwight Gayle – and then he put the rebound in.
“It is all still a bit of a blur, to be honest. The sprint (from the Kop end to celebrate with the 2,000 travelling fans) did that, I had never run like that in my life. Penalties is a cruel way to go out.”
Asked if he felt confident ahead of the shoot-out that the Terriers would prevail, Ward replied: “We have got a lot of German boys, haven’t we? So that was always going to be a good omen.
“We had not really practised them that much. It all comes down to the occasion, especially when you are facing the Sheffield Wednesday fans. But the boys handled the pressure really well and, hopefully, that can hold us in good stead.”
Town will receive an allocation of 38,328 tickets for the Bank Holiday Monday final with Reading.
The Yorkshire hordes will be at the west end of the stadium, just as they were for the 2012 League One play-off final victory over Sheffield United.
As sales get under way this morning, Wagner and his squad will be enjoying the first full day of a short break with their families in Portugal.
The Terriers will have daily training sessions on the Algarve before flying back into England early next week to crank up their preparations for the final.
Head coach Wagner explained: “We are here for a few days with the families and children, to prepare there and then we come back for the usual training week that we always do to prepare us for the final.
“It makes sense, as the gap is so long, to keep the excitement high and do something at the beginning of this long period that is different, especially with the families and children. Then, we will be back on Monday.”
Once Huddersfield return, the full focus will shift to Wembley and the pursuit of a place in the Premier League.
For Ward, the clash with the Royals will be the final game of a season-long loan that, coming on the back of helping Wales reach Euro 2016 semi-finals, has made this the most satisfying 12 months of his career.
“I didn’t expect to play any part (in the Euros),” said Ward, in goal for the group opener against Slovakia. “Just being there, I felt like a bit of a competition winner because it was part of history. With Wales, special players like Gareth Bale, who you are around every day, are just normal boys.
“It is similar to here really; we formed a real team spirit and I think people really enjoyed the way we took everything in our stride at the Euros.
“I can see that similarity to Huddersfield. We have been going into games totally independent, thinking about ourselves.”
Within the changing room, we know what qualities we have got. Danny Ward, on Huddersfield Town’s character and spirit.