SIMON GRAYSON will put Huddersfield Town through final Wembley preparations in London today by stressing to the players: “Take responsibility!”
The Galpharm boss has presided over a relaxed build-up to tomorrow’s League I play-off final against Sheffield United in the hope Town front up and perform like they would in any normal game.
Goalkeeper Ian Bennett (hand) remains under intensive treatment just 24 hours ahead of Town’s first Wembley appearance in 17 years which will attract 25,000 travelling Terriers.
“We want the players to enjoy the experience as much as possible,” said Grayson, twice a promotion winner with Blackpool and Leeds.
“Our build-up has been relaxed and low key – normal really – and there’s been a good atmosphere in the camp with the objective of everyone being focused and ready to take responsibility when the game gets under way.
“Everyone will have their own motivations for doing well, but the overriding thing for us all is trying to get this club promoted and back into the Championship where we belong.
“For me, I want to reward the chairman for all his backing and for bringing me here, and I also want to give the rest of the fans a promotion to celebrate.
“The club’s been in League I for too long, so we all know what’s at stake.”
Alex Smithies is on standby to deputise for Bennett if he fails a fitness test, while Grayson is confident Town have the armoury to beat Danny Wilson’s side and said: “Jordan Rhodes has got 40 goals but we are not a one-man team.
“If people want to think we are then great, because that will lead to opportunities for Lee Novak, Kallum Higginbotham, Alan Lee and others who can maybe take the headlines instead.
“I think the players will have learned from the experience of last year (when they lost the final to Peterborough) and there is certainly no complacency around the squad because they know it’s a tough game.
“We’ve tried to strike a balance in the build-up to allow the players to concentrate on what they do best – playing football – and hopefully we will reap the benefits of that when we play at Wembley.”
