HUDDERSFIELD Town's talks with Mark Robins today are taking place at a secret location.

Chairman Dean Hoyle, chief executive Nigel Clibbens and head of football operations Ross Wilson were keen to avoid distractions as they aimed to nail an agreement with the club's fifth permanent manager in under five years.

Robins was last night given permission by his club , Coventry City, to talk to Town about the chance of succeeding his former Leicester City teammate Simon Grayson at the John Smith's Stadium helm.

Coventry spent all yesterday trying to convince the 43-year-old not to leave the Ricoh Arena, where he was appointed only last September on a three-year contract and has done a remarkable transformation job for the Sky Blues.

There was a five-figure release clause in that contract, however, which Town triggered despite their initial approach for Robins on Monday being rebuffed.

Should today's talks go well, as expected, then Robins will be unveiled straight away as the man Town view not only as being able to steer them to survival in the Championship this season, but one capable of plotting a sustainable and successful future for the club.

His first task, though, will be Sunday's fifth-round home FA Cup clash with Premier League Wigan Athletic (3.55, live on ITV), which is quickly followed by Tuesday vital league trip to face Billy Davies's Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Then it's home again for a crunch clash with Ipswich a week on Saturday - three matches in seven days amounting to a true baptism of fire.

It's not one Town believe  will faze former Rotherham and Barnsley manager Robins, whose assistant Steve Taylor and fitness coach Darren Robinson also cleared their desks at Coventry's Ryton training base yesterday.

Robins watched the second half of Town's 2-1 victory at the King Power Stadium, where goals from Adam Clayton and Sean Scannell put them through.

Town feel Robins ticks all the boxes for their appointment and are confident they can strike a deal to bring him to the John Smith's in the next few hours.

They believe he is the right age, very ambitious and a manager who is on the way up in the game, not on the way down.

He has the ideal background in youth football to know the value of a 'one club' system and utilising a pathway for young players through to the first team - something Town are eager to pursue alongside Category 2 Academy status.

His football philosophy dovetails with that which Hoyle is keen to support at Town - one of an attacking, entertaining style - and he fits what the club are trying to create long-term at Canalside in unearthing new talent and making best use of it, rather than constantly dipping into an increasingly expensive transfer (and wage)
market.

Andy Ritchie was in charge at Town up to April 2008, since when Stan Ternent, Lee Clark and Grayson have been at the helm permanently.