Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town midfielder Leo Castledine says he's keen to make a big impact on the club's bid to gain promotion from League One.

The 20-year-old joined the Terriers on loan from Chelsea in the summer and admits manager Lee Grant was a big selling point.

"I want to be part of a team this season that's going to be playing good football, going to be getting results, getting wins and I want something to [strive] for," Castledine told BBC Radio Leeds.

Boss Grant has experience of winning promotions, having worked as Kieran McKenna's assistant as Ipswich Town rose from League One to the Premier League in successive seasons.

"He's been really good with letting me be me," said Castledine. "He just wants the best out of each player so says 'whatever works for you, whatever you need to be doing that's what you should do.'"

Grant has said there will be a process to prepare Castledine for an ever-increasing amount of playing time for Huddersfield, with the youngster going from not featuring in matchday squads at the beginning of the season to getting an assist in Saturday's 3-2 win over Peterborough United.

"Personally [I aim to] get as many games in as I can and as many contributions as I can. I'm an attacking player I like to score goals and get assists," said Castledine.

He will get his first taste of derby day in West Yorkshire when Town visit Bradford City on Saturday (12:30 BST).

"We know how much it's going to mean to the fans and the club. It will be a good game, a tough game. We're not going to be complacent about it, they're a very strong side with a lot of confidence," he said.

"At the same time we know what we're capable of. It's going to be tough but we go in there with full confidence."

Listen to the full interview with Leo Castledine and more Huddersfield Town on Sounds.

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant has been speaking to the media ahead of Saturday's West Yorkshire derby visit to Bradford City (12:30 BST).

Here are the main talking points:

• Jack Whatmough will miss the game due to a calf injury he sustained in the 3-2 win over Peterborough United. The defender is set to miss 3-4 weeks. Lynden Gooch will not be available again but Grant is hopeful that he could be back in contention for next week's visit of Burton Albion.

• On-loan Chelsea forward Leo Castledine is in contention to start after his positive impact from the bench in the victory over Peterborough. However, Grant is very happy with his starters performances alongside how his substitutes have made a difference coming off the bench.

• Having had no midweek fixture, Grant has enjoyed spending time with his players on the training ground and has 'loved' the energy around the place this week.

• Grant says derbies are the 'best ones' to play in after he experienced Derby County v Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United and Burnley v Blackburn during his career. He says all three of those derbies are special and unique and has no doubt that Huddersfield's with Bradford City will be too. He and his players are relishing the game.

• He knows Bradford City manager Graham Alexander personally from their playing days, with two team-mates at Burnley, and says he knows both sets of players will be looking forward to the "great occasion".

• Grant described Alexander as a "solid human" and remembers giving Alexander the guard of honour the day he made 1,000 appearances. The feat blew Grant away as he appreciates how much work goes into playing professional football.

• Wary of Bradford's brilliant home form this season [they have all four matches in league and cup], Grant says his side must work hard this week and recognise the context of what the week and the game will be.

• Grant is not surprised at how well Bradford City have started under Alexander's guidance.

Listen to the full pre-match interview with Lee Grant and more on Sounds.

Former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Matt Glennon has described his experience of playing in the West Yorkshire derby against Bradford City as "an absolute bear pit".

Glennon has played for both Huddersfield Town and Bradford City but only featured in the derby while at Town.

"I can still taste [Dean] Windass' elbow across my chops now from that game", Glennon told BBC Radio Leeds about Town's 1-0 victory over City at Valley Parade in League One in 2006.

"It's a proper derby where you can [feel] the hairs on the back of your neck when the crowd starts singing [and] you just know that everybody wants those three points."

Glennon also featured in the return fixture when Town beat City 2-0 to claim the West Yorkshire derby double during the 2006-07 season.

That season was the last time Huddersfield and Bradford played a league derby, so Glennon provided BBC Radio Leeds with a taste of what can be expected this Saturday.

"It's all action. It was saves, it was shots, it was tackles, it was elbows, it was stamping and it was an absolute bear pit," he added.

"That's exactly what you want and I'm expecting it to be the same with a massive crowd [this] weekend."

"I'm hoping it's going to be really tasty."

Glennon, like many Terriers and Bantams fans, is hoping for the gritty, aggressive West Yorkshire derby seen in the past, but cannot predict what will happen on Saturday.

"Talking to people around Huddersfield, they're a bit nervous about it. I think because Bradford have started so well, but promoted clubs do.

"It's going to be 'right this has been a while, who's taking home the spoils?' I do expect Huddersfield to do that, I expect Huddersfield to win that game but it's not going to be all their own way."

Go to the BBC WYS X page, external for updates on how to hear coverage of Bradford City v Huddersfield Town from your team's perspective.

Huddersfield Town midfielder Marcus Harness was pleased to have scored his first goal for the club in the 6-2 EFL Trophy win over Newcastle United U21.

"It's something that's been playing on my mind a little bit and it still feels cheap scoring a penalty but I'm sure the goals will come," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

Harness, 29, has made an appearance in all but one game in all competitions for Town so far this season, and as an attacking midfielder, he is looking to have more goal contributions as he eases into the season.

"Of course, goals and assists in the position that I play in are kind of an easy one that [fans] can see. I'm always trying to contribute in that way."

He said he also has other roles to play in the squad apart from his attacking output.

"Me and four other lads have been nominated for the leadership group. I think I can help the boys with the experiences I've got.

"I need to be one of the lads to try and put the ball in the goal, but all the successful teams that I've been a part of in my career have been group focused."

Next up for the Terriers is the visit of bottom-of-the-table Peterborough United on 6 September (15:00 BST). Harness echoed the sentiment from his manager [Lee Grant] that despite Posh's winless start, there should be no complacency against an opponent craving a win.

"We have to respect them and respect their qualities and why they can be dangerous to us because they will be," Harness said.

"It takes the pressure off and it's almost a free hit. The game is maybe [something] that they can use at this time to give them some sort of boost, so we need to try and limit the momentum for them in the game."

Listen to the full interview with Marcus Harness and more on Sounds.

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant has been speaking to the media before Saturday's game against Peterborough United (15:00 BST).

Here are the main talking points:

• Town are approaching their opposition "with caution". Grant is expecting Posh to be set up well having an experienced manager in Darren Ferguson, and believes Peterborough's winless start is a reason for his side to be wary.

• The lessons learned in the 3-2 loss at Blackpool will be brought into the match against Peterborough in terms of not getting complacent against a struggling side.

• Whether "hungry" striker Joe Taylor has done enough to merit a place in the starting XI after scoring three goals in the past two games. Grant is "pleased" with Taylor's work ethic in training and the job he does on the pitch when called upon.

• The possibility of Taylor and fellow striker Alfie May playing together having only done so in the 2-0 win at Reading so far this season. Grant expresses his joy at having flexibility in the frontline, with many of his attacking squad members able to play multiple positions.

• He also discusses Zepiqueno Redmond who arrived on loan from Aston Villa Under-21s on deadline day. Redmond needs more time to settle in at the club because of his young age and limited pre-season, so is unlikely to be involved in the squad against Peterborough. "I'm not willing to expose people to situations that I feel could add undue risk."

Listen to the full pre-match interview with Grant and more on BBC Sounds.

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant enjoyed watching his side beat Newcastle Under-21s 6-2 in the EFL Trophy.

Joe Taylor scored a brace while further goals were added by Jack Whatmough, Marcus Harness, Leo Castledine and a Charlie McArthur own goal as Town hit the young Magpies for six at Accu Stadium.

"It was nice. Some really good goals, [I] really enjoyed the intensity and character of the team," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

"[The] level of performance was high, individually and collectively, some really nice goals to round off the evening."

For Grant, playing a youthful more inexperienced side provided the opportunity to experiment with his squad as Town look to push on all fronts this season.

Last season, Huddersfield Town crashed out of the EFL Trophy after losing 3-1 to Bolton Wanderers. They have never won the competition before, only moving past the second round twice in 12 attempts.

Witnessing these qualities on the pitch is even more pleasing to Grant who was aware of the potential slip hazard of a Premier League U21s side.

"[They] have high technical players, players with high ceiling, lots of potential, some really good talent on display, well coached," Grant said.

"It was going to be difficult for them if we were at our max level and we approached the game with our max level so that was the most pleasing aspect for me."

The win over Newcastle U21s was the first fixture following the closure of the summer transfer window, as Town signed Will Alves from Leicester City and loaned Zepiqueno Redmond from Aston Villa on deadline day.

"We feel like we have put in some really good work in terms of recruitment and put together a squad we feel can challenge," he said.

"We certainly don't feel like it's the finished article, there's going to be a lot of work and coaching and study from myself and the players."

Huddersfield Town will have the chance to showcase the completed squad in League One on Saturday when they face bottom-of-the-table Peterborough United.

Listen to the full interview and more Huddersfield Town on Sounds.

Huddersfield Town defender Josh Feeney believes the club could end their 104-year wait to win a cup competition as they begin their EFL Trophy campaign in their Northern Group F fixture against Newcastle United Under-21s tonight (19:45 BST).

Feeney, who signed for Town this summer on loan from Aston Villa, is confident his side can get all the way to Wembley. First up is a testing group which includes League Two Harrogate Town, Newcastle's U21s and League One Mansfield Town.

But confidence is high amongst the squad after a promising start to their League One campaign which has set an ambitious tone at the club. Town sit sixth in the table after four wins and two losses.

"We all think we can win [the EFL Trophy] and we should win as well. We're all ready every game. We'll be on it and looking to win," Feeney told BBC Radio Leeds.

"These are the biggest games for [the under-21s] lads, so they'll come here really excited, a bit nervous but ready for this game and we need to be the same because we want to win this competition and we think we can."

Now that Feeney is six league games into his season-long loan spell at Town, he recognises the stature of the club describing it as a "massive club, the fanbase is incredible for this level."

The 20-year-old's confidence no doubt has grown as he gets more settled into life at Huddersfield. He says manager Lee Grant was a major factor in placing his short-term future in West Yorkshire.

"I knew [Grant] was a good young coach. Once he spoke to me about his ideas it was a no-brainer, I didn't look to go anywhere else apart from here," he added.

Listen to Josh Feeney's full interview and more Huddersfield Town on BBC Sounds.

Betty Glover
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Rex Features

Barnsley will be spending the weekend celebrating winning the Yorkshire derby bragging rights.

It was a well deserved win, showcasing the attacking relentlessness they've displayed so far this season.

Under the guidance of Conor Hourihane, they're playing some brilliant football, and with Davis Kellior-Dunn bagging a brace against Huddersfield, they'll be hoping to hold onto him.

With the htansfer window shutting aT 17:00 BST on Monday, I imagine there will be a few nervous Reds fans.

Hourihane's leadership will be key as Barnsley aim to build on their impressive start.

Their one concern going into the weekend would have been their defensive vulnerability, having conceded six goals in their previous games but instead, it's Huddersfield's defensive errors we are talking about.

They've had a brilliant start to the season too, but keeper Owen Goodman won't want to watch that match back following his red card.

He will probably face a three match ban, which will give Lee Nicholls a chance to reclaim his spot as their number one.

It's a bitter pill to swallow, but Huddersfield manager Lee Grant will be eager to move on quickly and refocus his side ahead of their clash with Peterborough next week.

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant is "relishing" a match in the Carabao Cup third round against eight-time Premier League winners Manchester City.

The Terriers were drawn against the Blue side of Manchester after penalty shoot-out wins over Leicester City and Sunderland in the first and second rounds, respectively.

Town, who are currently second in League One, last faced Manchester City in the FA Cup in 2023-24, where they were beaten 5-0.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for the football club, and certainly for the group that have worked so incredibly hard over the two fixtures against top opposition," Grant told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Then to get a Premier League side full of quality it is a really nice reward for everyone.

"The feeling is it is one that we can really look forward to and enjoy. What we do know is we have got our work cut out.

"Having prepared against them before and knowing the level of work and planning that goes into what can be a very difficult afternoon, it is a lot of time and effort and a lot of energy so that you can really be on the money for what is exceptionally good coaching staff and players.

"We have to take that on and we have to relish it, and as a club we have to enjoy it."

Huddersfield face Yorkshire rivals Barnsley at Oakwell in the league on Saturday, and Grant added: "It can be a really tough place to go, I was discussing that with the players.

"But it can also be a wonderful place with a full stand behind your goal as you come out the tunnel cheering you on. They are also in close proximity if things don't go as well on the way off the pitch at the end of the game.

"It is an exciting one and one that we are certainly looking forward to."

Listen to the full interview with Lee Grant and more on BBC Sounds

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant was satisfied with his side's performance in the 1-0 win over Stevenage on Saturday.

The win lifted the Terriers to second in League One, just one point behind leaders Cardiff City after four wins from their opening five games.

Grant told BBC Radio Leeds he was pleased with how his side grew into the game.

"I really enjoyed the game," he said. "Probably enjoyed the second half a tad more, but definitely our most dominant game and the game we've had the most control in."

Town recorded their fourth clean sheet of the season, showing their defensive solidity alongside an unrelenting attack which produced 12 shots, six of which were on target. Grant was pleased his side improved in the second half and were able to find the winning goal.

"I thought the guys attacked the game really well but with more urgency in the second half," he added.

"I love the fact they can recognise there's another gear in there. Of course we got the goal and that comes from a good spell of pressure and starting the second half with more intensity."

Goalscorer Alfie May was the standout performer in the victory, proving his ability to focus and deliver under moments of intense pressure.

"[Stevenage] have a never-say-die attitude so there's always going to be another [defender] ready to block it on the line," Grant added. "Unfortunately for Alfie in that moment there was.

"But the presence of mind and the calmness to come onto the next [shot and score]. That's what he does so I'm delighted for Alfie."

May has two goals and an assist after starting all Huddersfield's league games this season and Grant hopes it's a solid foundation for the 32-year-old to build on through the course of this League One campaign.

"We're certain that there'll be many more opportunities for him over the course of the season," Grant said.

Listen to the full interview with Lee Grant and more on BBC Sounds