This is a rough summary of the press conference with the answers to some questions collated together for easier reading. The full audio from the presser is available at the top of this page on our website or in the podcast feed.
Lee Grant
Team news
We made a change at half time with Jack Whatmough coming off. It looks like we’ll be without Jack for a period — a few weeks.
In terms of the timing we managed to get him off in time to stop it becoming a complete disaster, but it’s still disappointing for him and for the group. His calf tightened up during the game so we’ll probably be without him for three-four weeks plus. We’ll see.
Lynden Gooch probably falls into a category where we’ve not seen him since Barnsley and he certainly won’t be available for this weekend. We do have the full week next week and I’m sure he’ll be pushing, but that (Burton) might come too soon for him. We’ll see.
Other than that, all good.
On Leo Castledine
We’ve had to manage him quite carefully since he came in the door and we’ve been careful not to stress and overload them, but the way we’ve been able to build him up and the game schedule over the past four-five weeks has actually helped with that. He’s pretty much where he wants to be now and he’s in a good place. Having ticked off that first 90 minutes in the Trophy on Tuesday then come on against Peterborough he’s in a good position now.
This next couple of weeks is just as important for Leo and one or two others to be able to be in a much much better place physically.
It’s certainly too soon to be telling you my team, but from everybody bar none, really, the impact from the bench has been really really good and we want to continue that as long as we can. I think the group are taking real pride in that and we expect people to come on and do their jobs with good energy and good intensity, and we’ve had that.
The numbers show the value I place on the boys that are starting from the bench, and Leo has been one of those players. I always think about how the team’s going to look at the start of the game and how it’s going to look at the end.
Good not to have a midweek fixture?
It’s actually been really refreshing. I imagine plenty of other managers have said the same, but the energy in the group — whether that’s in general or the fact people have been looking forward to spending time together on the training ground — has been really good. It’s been of real use to what we’re trying to do moving forward.
It’s always a good mood around the camp. I’ve really enjoyed the intent this week and the intensity to the work, I feel like that’s really important for us to keep pushing. Yes, we’re fit, we’re strong, but let’s keep going and we’ll always push to improve that.
Memories of derby games
They’re the best ones, I’ve got to say. Chickens getting thrown on the pitch at Blackburn-Burnley, all sorts getting through at Derby-Forest, and the Sheffield Wednesday-Sheffield United are intense to say the least.
They’re all special in their own right and I’m sure this one will prove to be a special fixture for both sets of players and both sets of supporters. I know Graham [Alexander] will be looking forward to the fixture. I’ve been in the changing room with him and know what kind of character he is, so I think I have a little window into how he’ll be preparing his players.
I made my debut in Derby-Forest, live on Sky, and managed to keep a clean sheet. They’re games to be valued as a player. That’s a long long time ago and I don’t remember many games I played because usually I did something rubbish and you want to forget them, but games like that, you do tend to remember them, especially if they go your way. It’s over to our players to try and do that for themselves.
Thoughts on Bradford game
The goal for sure is to come away with the points and the bragging rights, because they’re important.
There’s not been lots of meetings over the last 20 years so there’s not been many occasions for the supporters to rekindle that rivalry. It’s great that we’ve got plenty of opportunity this season against teams from round the corner, over the hills and down the road.
We know the journey they’ve been on for the last 12 months in particular. You look at their results from the turn of the new year and for teams going there it’s not been a pretty picture. Tranmere in March is the only one they’ve lost.
We relish that this is an opportunity to upset the balance when it comes to that, so what an opportunity for us to step into that cauldron.
We need to recognise the context of what this game will be, because if you don’t do that you can potentially leave yourself open to not being ready for what’s coming. But within all that you have to try and remain true to yourself and stick to your principles.
The work, the intensity, the detail of our training, we’d like to think there’s no room to crank that up any week, but you have to try and find an edge in these games.
I think these sorts of games, regardless, are potentially great catalysts for what’s coming. You always have to take the next one and meet it head on, but for sure, for any team in the place we are and with how satisfied we can be with our work over the first ten games of the season, with a positive result this weekend we can be really excited looking at the rest of the month. But the same goes for them. It’s an exciting one and a great fixture for everyone concerned.
Town fans superb at Barnsley
I think first half we didn’t really do enough to give them much to get excited about, and of course there was the disappointment of what happened in that first half.
But second half I think the fans were like “right, we’re going to get right behind these boys, because they need us”, and I think the lads had a right good bash at it. You then had the boys feeding off the crowd and the crowd feeding off the boys, which is how you want it.
That’s what we want right from the start on Saturday.
Memories of Graham Alexander as a teammate
It’s not necessarily how he was as a bloke, because you’ve got to be some character to have the career he had. But my main memory was looking through the programme from when he made his 1,000th appearance and it was just awe-inspiring to see all these pictures from his very first game to the grizzled veteran who I know.
The work it took to get to 1,000, that’s really difficult to do and is a testament to the sort of character he is. It doesn’t surprise me to see his players getting after it the way they do.
I really enjoyed the way they got it over the line last year. He’s done an incredible job if I’m being honest. They’re one of those clubs where it’s talked about “if only someone was able to get this place bouncing”, and I’m delighted for Graham he’s gone in and done what he’s done.
But we are putting all of that to one side for this week and all the niceties will be on hold until after the game, because we want to make sure we impose ourselves on his team and put our own mark on that game.
What would it mean to you to win the derby?
I’m learning there’s not much time to enjoy three points in this job because you’re always onto the next game. You get the rest of that day, if that, and the next day arrives and it’s diving head first into that. It would mean a great feeling for me at home with my wife and kids and I’d maybe sleep a little bit better.
Thoughts on early days at Town
I’ve loved every minute of the reaction from the town and the supporters in the stadium. I can’t wait for that this weekend, I really can’t. I guess you can’t ignore that that’s part of the job, right? I’m not blind to that but how you carry yourself on the training ground, in the stadium is important, and you hope that’s coming across to the supporters. It’s not necessarily about running around the sideline on a Saturday.
It’s…am I doing the right things? Are my team behaving how I want them to behave? Hopefully you’re getting those things and people are getting behind you and like what they see and like the team and like the players.
Any surprises ten games into managerial career?
It’s been what I expected: really hard and really fun. I think the club has been more ready than I thought it was, in terms of resource and doing what’s necessary to get done what we need done. Every department has been keen to make it work and get behind the group.
My mother-in-law was sitting behind me the other night when I was working on Peterborough, saying “oh, no, you’re getting in late, you’ve not had your tea”…don’t cry for me, Mary, I love it!
What has changed behind the scenes since arriving?
I’m probably not the one to ask. I have an opinion on what we’re doing in commercial, in comms, in ops, in everything…probably too much! — but I’m the manager of the football club so I have opinions on how we do things in all aspects of the football club, but hopefully not so much that people have been flapping or panicking.
I think it’s more about everyone being behind how we want to do things at this football club. I’m sure the groundsman is sick of me telling him how I want the grass cut every week! But I’m really pleased with how the how club has come around it.
Leo Castledine
Reflections on Peterborough
I thought it was tough at times. Maybe we didn’t help ourselves out as much as we could have, but at the end of the day we’re a team that wins and after 90 minutes we won. It’s finding different ways. It might not have been our prettiest performance at times but no matter what it’s always good to come out with the three points.
Playing at Town
It’s been amazing. It’s such a big club, the stadium’s amazing, and the fans are unbelievable. To have come here and got off to a flying start is amazing.
I was working in the youth group at Chelsea and I got a call from the gaffer, and what he said was amazing to me. What he said about young players and his goals…we all want to get promoted, and that’s where we belong…it was sort of a no-brainer for me. I want to be part of a team playing good football and getting wins.
He’s been really good with letting me be me. I think he just wants the best out of each player, so he just says whatever works for you, that’s what you need to do. Obviously standards are so high in training, which is what you want because that’s going to drive you more. Being a young player wanting to perfect my craft as much as I can, that’s been ideal.
Personal goals
Obviously we want to get promoted. Personally I want to get as many minutes and contributions as I can, and put in good performances I can be proud of and the fans can be proud of.
Idols growing up
I grew up a Chelsea fan and I saw so much of Frank Lampard. He made me want to be an attacking player.
And obviously I have to say my dad otherwise I might get in trouble! Having football in my family, he was a big driver for me to get to where I am today.
Experience in derbies
We beat Wrexham at Shrewsbury last year. They’re the kinds of games you always circle in your head as a player.
We know they’ve started well but so have we and we’ve had a full week of training with no midweek game this week, so we need to go into it with confidence. You need to look at is as another game and treat it like that, but at the back of your mind you know it’s a massive game. I think the fact it’s such a big game for us will give us that extra spur.
Our fans are unbelievable and we want to put in a performance for them.
How prepare for atmosphere like derby day at Valley Parade?
We tend to focus on ourselves a lot. We faced Leicester and Sunderland in the Carabao Cup, two massive games, and came away with the win.
We go into it knowing who we are as a team and it doesn’t matter who we’re up against, we always want to put in the same kind of performance.
Competition for places
The depth we have is amazing. We could create two XIs and be capable. It’s really good for training especially, and as a player you always want to win in training.
It’s a bit of a flip for me to go from being near the bottom to expected to be at the top, which I was kind of hoping for to be honest. I like the pressure of being expected to win games. You’re going into every game hoping not just for yourselves, but the fans, to be winning. It means you pump up your shoulders and go ‘right, let’s go and win’.
Speak to any former Chelsea loanees before coming to Town?
I was able to speak to a few. The history is big between Chelsea and Huddersfield, which in some ways could form a bit of pressure - which I’m OK with. A lot of those players have been really been big names who have gone on to have great careers, so I’m hoping I can do the same
