Huddersfield Town & Barnsley take late season gamble

By John Lyons

Yorkshire duo Huddersfield Town and Barnsley are both hoping that a late season managerial change will pep up faltering League One play-off challenges.

The Terriers were the first to take decisive action, sacking manager Michael Duff last Sunday following a 1-0 defeat at struggling Bristol Rovers the previous day.

That defeat left Huddersfield in seventh place, a mere two points off the play-off berths, but it wasn’t enough for former Cheltenham, Barnsley and Swansea City boss Duff to keep his job.

The 47-year-old had only been in charge for ten months, having succeeded Andre Breitenreiter after Huddersfield’s relegation from the Championship last term.

EXIT: Michael Duff was axed by Huddersfield
PICTURE: Alamy

Terminal

It looked as though the ex-Cheltenham and Burnley defender had the Terriers on the right track when they went on a 16-game unbeaten league run between October and January to climb to fourth.

However, fortunes waned after that and seven defeats in 11 games, including four of the last five, proved terminal.

Owner Kevin Nagle said: “This is not a decision that I have taken lightly.

“I really like Michael as a person and I know how diligently he has worked for the club since he was appointed as head coach in the summer, so we’ve all been desperate for him to succeed.

“However, our results on the pitch since the turn of the year have simply not been good enough.

“It is true that we’ve had an unprecedented injury situation to contend with, particularly recently, but I believe that the resources we have available are capable of more than the four wins we’ve registered in our last 15 games.

“I feel we must make this change now to reignite our challenge for promotion.

“I want to thank Michael, and I wish him all the best for the future.”

Honoured

Academy manager and club legend Jon Worthington has been put in charge for the rest of the season, his second stint in a caretaker capacity.

Ahead of yesterday’s game against Crawley Town, the 41-year-old said: “Huddersfield is my club, and I’m honoured to be coaching the first team between now and the end of the season.

“We have ten important matches to come with plenty of points remaining to play for and every possibility still open to us.”

Three days after Duff’s exit, Barnsley followed suit by axing manager Darrell Clarke, 47, who had been at the Tykes’ helm for ten months.

The Reds had lost seven of their past 11 matches to drop out of play-off contention and down to tenth place.

The final straw was last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at home against Blackpool.

CHANCE: Conor Hourihane

Competitive

“Darrell has worked extremely hard to try and get the team competitive and pushing for promotion,” chairman Neerav Parekh told the club website.

“Unfortunately, we find ourselves eight points away from the play-offs and feel that a change is needed.”

Assistant coach and former Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane, 34, has been placed in interim charge for the rest of the season.

The news of the former Republic of Ireland midfielder’s appointment came while he was away on a course at St George’s Park.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” he said.

“I’m really grateful to the club for the opportunity.

“I came straight up here, left the course there, and it’s time to get down to work and hit the opportunity head on.”

As for departed boss Clarke, Hourihane added: “I want to thank him personally for the opportunity he gave me to come back to the club.

“The roles and responsibilities he gave me over the course of the time we’ve worked together has been brilliant for me in terms of my development.”