Huddersfield Town: midfielder Flynn determined to stick around

May 2 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IT’S BEEN a season of what ifs for Michael Flynn, but one thing’s certain – the midfielder wants to be a Town player for the remainder of his contract ... and beyond.

The Welshman put pen to paper on a two-year deal when leaving Blackpool to sign for Stan Ternent, for whom he had played at Gillingham, last summer.

He was automatic choice under the former Galpharm manager, starting all but one of the 18 games which preceded his departure.

Flynn found the net five times into the bargain, his haul including a double in the 3-2 home win over Northampton on September 20 and a sizzler in the 3-1 win at Swindon on October 11.

The only match he missed was the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie at Darlington, ironic since he was soon to find himself playing for the North-East club.

Injured during Ternent’s last game at the helm, the 3-2 home win over Crewe on November 1, stand-in boss Gerry Murphy loaned him to the League II outfit, saying it was the best way of him regaining match fitness.

Flynn got games – five of them – but was absent when new manager Lee Clark arrived, and faced a battle to force his way back in at the Galpharm.

It’s testament to the 29-year-old’s willpower that he has done that, because with only a solitary substitute’s appearance in the 2-1 home win over Swindon on January 17 to keep him going, he has enjoyed a late-season resurgence.

In the 16 for the last 10 games, he has started three of those, most recently in last Saturday’s 2-2 Galpharm stalemate with Brighton, and come off the bench in six.

That’s left him hoping for a 21st Town start and 28th appearance in all in today’s closing clash at Leyton Orient, and feeling far better than he was a few months ago.

“It’s been a strange kind of season,” admitted Flynn, who broke into senior football with Wigan seven years ago after impressing for Barry Town.

“It started really well for me. I was playing regularly, and scoring regularly, and my confidence was high.