Huddersfield Town digest: Jonathan Hogg still hoping for Terriers role
The Town skipper is set to play his final game for the club when Leyton Orient come for Saturday's season ender at the John Smith's Stadium
What’s been said
— Jonathan Hogg, ahead of what is set to be his final game as a Huddersfield Town player:
“You could say it’s been coming the past six months or so. I know I’ve not played as much football as I would liked to this year, but I think it’s part and parcel of the game. All good things come to an end.
“Saturday will be a special moment and it could be quite emotional on Saturday for me.
“It is possible [I could still stay if the new manager wants me] and it’s something I would be open to. I would like to stay another year and help develop the younger lads and try and improve them and drive standards and stuff like that.
“So that’s an option, and there’s other options out there in terms of doing stuff for the club and trying to get the where it belongs and try and get the good old days back again.
“I’ve had chats with people but there’s still going to be a lot of change. There’s no manager, there’s no sporting director, so it’s a bit open at the minute. When they’re in power and people are through the doors there’s decisions to be made.
“… I haven’t really thought about [next season] to be honest … I did think I was going to try and do another year and then have a good think about it and do a bit of coaching with the younger lads, try and develop them.
“I’m going to have a sit down with the owner next week. He sent me a lovely message, which was really nice of him, so we’re going to have a chat next week and see where it lands.”
Coming up next
Leyton Orient are one of just two sides in the whole division who still have anything substantial to play for as they vie to hold off Reading and seal sixth place.
The two sides are currently separated on goal difference, with Orient unlikely to surrender that advantage — but they will need to at least match Reading’s result to ensure they join Stockport, Wycombe and Charlton in this season’s play-offs.
Orient have won all their last five games on the bounce to put themselves in contention after overcoming a dreadful start to the campaign.
They were in fact in the relegation zone when the two sides last met at the end of November. Town ran out 2-0 winners in that game thanks to goals from Michal Helik and Callum Marshall.
Huddersfield Town injuries and absences
Jon Worthington says he has some fitness doubts for this weekend and that the squad will be made up of who’s available, but would not be drawn on naming players in that particular boat.
Radinio Balker is out with an ankle injury while Ruben Roosken and Mickel Miller both picked up hamstring injuries in the same game and will play no part in the final two matches this season.
Callum Marshall will serve the second game of his three-match ban.
Rhys Healey, Danny Ward and Nigel Lonwijk have all long since been ruled out of appearing again this season, while Tom Lees has been ruled out since February.
Predicted line-up to face Leyton Orient
3-4-1-2: Lee Nicholls; Neo Eccleston, Matty Pearson, Brodie Spencer; David Kasumu Jonathan Hogg, Herbie Kane, Ollie Turton,
Substitutes: Jacob Chapman, Josh Ruffels, Lasse Sorensen, Joe Hodge, Antony Evans, Tom Iorpenda, Joe Taylor.
Huddersfield Town Women
Town Women’s season will also draw to a close this week — and they will have silverware on the line as they take on Sheffield United U21s in the County Cup final.
The game will be held at the New York Stadium in Rotherham on Wednesday 7th May in a 7:30pm kick-off, so get down if you can to cheer them on!
Our schedule
Oh, it’s the end of the season, isn’t it? Blimey.
Still, we have some work to do yet. Player ratings on the Leyton Orient game will be out on the whistle as always, followed by five conclusions on Sunday morning. Podcast on Monday as usual.
We’ll have full coverage of the women’s big game as well, of course, so look out for that if you can’t make it to South Yorkshire.
And then we imagine we’ll be turning our attention to how Town prepare for next season. We’ll be with you as ever all through the summer to offer all the latest news, reaction, scouting reports for new signings and everything else, so subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss any of it!