By David Foy
Huddersfield Town
No match Saturday due it being the FA Cup 4th Round. The Terriers having gone out on the 4th January at Premier League Southampton 2-0. Manager Dan Cowley has however been bolstering his squad the past few weeks with the signing of:
– Harry Toffolo, a player he had previously worked with at former club Lincoln City.
– Fellow Defender Richard Stearman on an 18-month contract following his release from Sheffield United.
– Attacking Midfielder Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal on loan until the end of the season. The young Gunners star has been capped at every England international level.
– Midfielder Andy King on loan from Leicester City until the end of the season also. King is the only player to win the top three divisions of Football with the same team. The Welsh international also holds the distinction of being the most capped player whilst playing for The Foxes.
All starred in the impressive 0-0 draw with Brentford last weekend. A game many predicted to be a win for the 3rd placed Bees who will be very disappointed as fellow West London club and rivals Queens Park Rangers beat 2nd placed Leeds United earlier in the day.
Next Match: Tuesday 28th January 2020 Skybet Championship – Hull City vs Huddersfield Town 19.45 kick-off.
Prediction: The previous meeting in October was a 3-0 victory for The Terriers, however since then the goal-scoring performances of Jarrod Bowen has seen The Tigers man garner Premier League interest. Hull sit ten points outside the Playoff places, so a draw would be a fantastic result. The signings The Terriers have made on paper look positive, let us see where Huddersfield are this time in a month.
Leeds United
Like Huddersfield before them, The Whites have no game this coming Saturday due to elimination from the FA Cup at hands of Arsenal. After a defeat at QPR last Saturday and West Bromwich Albion losing to lowly Stoke City the following Tuesday things are getting tight at the top of the Championship for the two. West Brom are away at West Ham United on the 25th and Fulham are at Manchester City on the 26th, both in the FA Cup. Then two other rivals meet on the 28th at Griffin Park as Brentford host Nottingham Forest.
Matters at Elland Road are not aided the late sending off of Kalvin Phillips in West London as he is now suspended for three matches.
Next Match: Saturday 1st February 2020 Skybet Championship – Leeds United vs Wigan Athletic 15.00 kick-off.
Prediction: If Leeds want automatic promotion they simply have to get three points out of this game. Wigan sit second bottom in the table and with two weeks to recover it would be expected that The Whites, also at home should prevail.
Bradford City
Saturday 25th January 2020: Sky Bet League Two – Mansfield Town vs Bradford City
The Bantams come into the game on the back of a five-game unbeaten run including a 2-0 home win vs The Stags of Mansfield.
Eoin Doyle recently has been recalled from his loan spell at leaders Swindon Town from where he scored goals twelve games running. A win with other results going their way would see Bradford move back into the automatic places whilst Mansfield currently reside five points clear of the relegation zone.
City has already sold off their initial 1,300 allocations given by the Nottinghamshire club.
Debutant loanee goalkeeper Luke McGee kept a clean sheet in the previous match away at Colchester United. On the loaned Portsmouth keeper, Bradford Manager Gary Bowyer said,
“He has come in and settled ever so well, so I am delighted for him. It is important for us to continue this and keep building, now.”
Prediction: This will be a tough encounter for The Bantams. Having experienced Non-League football as early as 2011 The Stags will be desperate for points to avoid the drop once more.
Halifax Town
Saturday 25th October 2020: Vanarama National League – Chorley vs Halifax Town
The Shaymen have returned to the playoff places following their 5-2 win over Maidenhead United, and this Saturday make the short journey over to Lancashire to face bottom club Chorley.
The previous league game was 0-0 draw between a then league-leading Shaymen side and still bottom Chorley. This game the first of a series of matches that saw the club gradually fall from the pinnacle and through the six playoff places also. The change to a 3-5-2 since the Boxing Day defeat to Stockport County has seen an upturn in fortunes for Halifax however.
The club announced mid-week the departure of striker Dayle Southwell to National League North Leaders Kings Lynn Town. Southwell made 49 appearances for the club scoring 8 goals. One of previous manager Jamie Fullarton’s marquee signings he managed those 8 in a very defensive team and succumb to injury in the 1-0 away win at Maidstone United on the 19th February last year. After nine months out, he returned on the 21st September in a 4-2 home win over Barnet, but it was clear he would need a loan spell away from the club to try and gain full fitness.
The signings of Jack Redshaw and then Devante Rodney had pushed Southwell further down that attacking pecking order. A loan move to Boston United saw the Lincolnshire side inquire about the services of him on a permanent basis, but a deal could not be agreed. He found that deal via Kings Lynn Town.
Prediction: A Halifax win. In order to keep that momentum going Town simply have to win at Victory Park. However, Chorley has proved to be tricky opposition over the previous decade’s encounters.