With the 2014/2015 campaign having come to a close, Examiner's online Huddersfield Town writer Tom Marshall-Bailey has picked his Championship team of the season.

Based on performances against Town, the team includes the division's most creative player in Matt Ritchie but only one more player from the two teams that got promoted - Bournemouth and Watford - features in the starting XI.

Goalkeeper: Stephen Henderson (Charlton Athletic)

The fact he was considered for the Addicks' player of the year award underlines the impact Henderson has had on Guy Luzon's side after a first full season as a club's No.1 since his spell with Portsmouth after arriving from West Ham United.

He may come as a surprise to some because Marcus Bettinelli rather single-handedly kept Town out against Fulham but Henderson made key saves for the Addicks in their 3-0 win back in March not least from Murray Wallace's ferocious low drive when the Town were just two goals behind.

Right-back: Steven Whittaker (Norwich City)

The 5-0 demolition job at Carrow Road back in December saw the Canaries finally come to life in an attacking sense in the Championship, but full-back Whittaker was equally instrumental down the right with partner in crime Nathan Redmond, who came on at half-time in that game.

And Whittaker was an even greater threat in the return match at the John Smith's Stadium as he got down the right flank to good effect and delivered a series of testing crosses for the Town backline to deal with.

Centre-back: Bruno Ecuele Manga (Cardiff City)

Snapped up from Lorient ahead of Mark Hudson's departure from the Welsh capital to Huddersfield, it took Manga a period of time to bed in as he looked to adjust to the rigours of English football, but he excelled against Town at the John Smith's Stadium.

Ishmael Miller was only on the bench that day and a less physical duo of James Vaughan and Nahki Wells struggled all afternoon to get the better of a central defender who was powerful aerially and was badly missed by the Bluebirds during his month away at the African Cup of Nations with Gabon.

Bruno Ecuele Manga was excellent in Cardiff City's 0-0 draw at Huddersfield Town
Bruno Ecuele Manga was excellent in Cardiff City's 0-0 draw at Huddersfield Town

Centre-back: Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough)

It would have been somewhat unfair on Boro had they not had a representative from this XI given their excellent defensive record this season and Ayala has been key behind their success this season, with Aitor Karanka's side boasting the most clean sheets in the division this term (21).

They also conceded the least goals this season (37) and were largely dominant at the John Smith's Stadium in the first game as they secured a double over the Terriers and conceded just one goal in the process.

Left-back: George Friend (Middlesbrough)

This was, arguably, the most difficult position to fill, which owes to the quality Town have produced on the right flank in the final third this season and particularly through Sean Scannell's pace and direct running.

But Friend limited his impact at the Riverside Stadium and the Nahki Wells experiment in Chris Powell's first game failed too so Friend gets the nod, especially as Boro are one of only six teams who have conceded less than two goals across both meetings this season.

Right midfield: Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth)

The Cherries right winger is one of five players in this side who made it into the PFA's team of the year for this division and his place is richly deserved after contributing to 32 goals this season through goals and assists, a tally only the Championship's top scorer Daryl Murphy can match.

He contributed an outstanding 17 assists in all and three of those came against Town, including the cross for Marc Pugh's first-minute opener on the opening day of the season and a cleverly-worked corner routine which led to Yann Kermorgant steering home at the Goldsands Stadium so he is the easiest pick of the lot.

Central midfield: Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough)

Leadbitter, alongside team-mate Friend, was another to make the PFA lineup and his performance at the John Smith's Stadium early in the season alone will have been enough in some fans' books to grant a place in itself.

It was the ultimate captain's display from the combative midfielder, whose stunning long-range free-kick got Boro off to a flyer and he held his nerve late on to coolly dispatch a stoppage-time penalty and secure all three points for the Teessiders in a commanding performance.

Grant Leadbitter scored twice for Middlesbrough in their 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town
Grant Leadbitter scored twice for Middlesbrough in their 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town

Central midfield: Alex Pritchard (Brentford)

This area of the side was probably the easiest to decide and few Town fans will forget the brilliant individual displays rumoured one-time target Pritchard put in against them this season, especially at the John Smith's Stadium.

It was regarded as arguably the best performance by an opposing player at the Terriers' home ground this season, and that came in defeat to a Sean Scannell-inspired Town but he was once more the difference as the Bees routed Chris Powell's side at Griffin Park.

Left midfield: Nathan Redmond (Norwich City)

Similarly to Ritchie and Pritchard, Redmond was brilliant in both games against Town this season and fully merits a place in this XI having tormented three Town left-backs this season.

Reece James was the only player to escape his dazzling wing play, with Redmond emerging as a half-time sub for the Canaries in the Carrow Road mauling and having a role to play in each of the four second-half goals before giving Jake Carroll the run-around in the reverse meeting.

Striker: Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth)

Finding a goalkeeper and some of the defenders in this lineup was difficult but striker performances against Town were also difficult to assess, with Callum Wilson perhaps unfortunate to miss out after the opening-day humiliation.

But Kermorgant, his strike partner and Powell's former striker at Charlton, does feature due to the fact he is one of just three players (alongside David Cotterill and Simon Dawkins) to have scored in each game he has faced Town in this season, with Wilson particularly quiet in the 1-1 draw on the south coast.

Yann Kermorgant was key for Bournemouth in both games against Town and just pips team-mate Callum Wilson
Yann Kermorgant was key for Bournemouth in both games against Town and just pips team-mate Callum Wilson

Striker: Troy Deeney (Watford)

Others who can be considered slightly unlucky to have not made the grade in the starting XI are Nouha Dicko after an outstanding individual display at the John Smith's Stadium and Lee Tomlin, too, as he put Town to the sword with a brace in January, but Deeney was excellent in both games against Town this season.

It is impossible to look past a striker who can feel hard done by to have not landed the player of the year award after a stellar campaign in front of goal and having led his side as captain to promotion to the Premier League and his performance against Town at Vicarage Road, in particular, left a lasting impression as well as posting an assist despite it being arguably Town's finest hour this season as they beat the Hornets 3-1.

On the bench...

Goalkeeper: David Marshall

Defender: Steve Cook

Midfielder: Bradley Johnson

Midfielder: Tom Ince

Midfielder: David Cotterill

Striker: Nouha Dicko

Striker: Igor Vetokele