So can Chris Powell become the first manager since Steve Bruce at the turn of the century to create a Huddersfield Town team who can make a meaningful challenge in the second tier?
Much has changed since Peter Jackson (in 1998-99) then Bruce, the season after, claimed final positions of 10th and eighth respectively in what was then known as Division I.
Money talks more than ever these days, especially given the rise in parachute payments for those dropping from the Premier League.
And even allowing for Financial Fair Play, it’s clear Town won’t be spending as much as many of their divisional rivals.
That means the club must take a different route to the top half of the table, with Town needing to be cute in the transfer market and Powell (pictured below) continuing to coax the best from his players.
We’ve seen evidence the former can be the case – step forward Jacob Butterfield and Conor Coady – although it remains to be seen what effect the departure of football operations director Ross Wilson to Southampton will have.
And plenty of the current squad have praised the former Charlton Athletic gaffer’s man-management skills since he succeeded Mark Robins, whose departure in the wake of the opening-day 4-0 home defeat by Bournemouth meant the season started in dramatic fashion.
Appointing the right successor to Wilson is key, because in the seven months since he binned pie and mash in favour of Yorkshire pudding, Powell has shown he can serve up success.
Not everything has been easy to stomach, and it’s not too long since a run of seven games without a win sparked fears of being drawn into a relegation scrap.
But Town have finished the campaign in better shape, with fans far more optimistic about next season than they were in the wake of those successive defeats by Charlton, Brentford and Rotherham United in late February and early March.
August was a month of change, with Robins’ departure followed by the sale of midfielders Adam Clayton and Ollie Norwood to Middlesbrough and Reading respectively.
Coady had already been signed from Liverpool while Butterfield arrived from Boro as Clayton headed for Teesside.
And of the quoted figures are to be believed, Town, who also signed Cardiff City centre-back Mark Hudson and made him captain, ended up in profit by more than £1m from the transactions.
Powell carried out one of his most significant acts so far before he was confirmed as Town boss by putting the brakes on Sean Scannell’s potential move to Millwall.
The wideman has produced his most consistent spell of form since joining from Crystal Palace in 2012, and will hopefully carry on scaring opposition defences.
Talking of defences, it doesn’t take a genius to work out Town have tighten up after their highest goals against tally since 100 were conceded en route to relegation from Division II (now the Championship) in 1987-88.
The heaviest defeat of the season was the 5-0 setback at Norwich City in December, while four were conceded on five occasions.
Among the most disappointing defeats were those to neighbours Leeds United, who won 3-0 at Elland Road and 2-1 at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Town, in fact, failed to win any if their clashes with fellow Yorkshire sides (Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday being the others in the division).
When it comes top victories, the 2-1 triumph at Reading under the caretaker management of Mark Lillis bought the board crucial time in replacing Robins and marked the emergence of Harry Bunn.
And Powell will always remember his first success as Town manager, the 2-1 home win over Millwall in which Grant Holt made his debut.
It was a masterstroke to bring in the experienced Wigan Athletic striker on loan.
Grant Holt for Huddersfield Town
15
Appearances
2
Goals
3
Assists
He galvanised the side as they went on a seven-game unbeaten run, the highlights of which were the 3-1 triumph at Wolves and 3-0 home success over Nottingham Forest, one of Holt’s former clubs.
It was a huge shame when the 34-year-old suffered a serious knee injury in the Boxing Day draw at Rotherham.
The same fate later befell on-loan QPR left-back Jack Robinson, and having brought in Ishmael Miller from Blackpool to take up the squad berth vacated by Holt, Town replaced Robinson with Manchester United’s Reece James.
That loan could yet be extended into next season, while Powell must decide on the future of Adam Hammill, who spent the second half of the season at Rotherham but remains under contract to Town for a further year.
January’s 3-1 home win over Watford and February’s battling 1-1 draw at Bournemouth showed that on their day, Town can mix it with the best the division has to offer.
And the 3-1 victory at Millwall, achieved despite the dismissal of top scorer Nahki Wells, illustrated their battling qualities.
Wells has had a fair first full season following his club-record £1.2m move from Bradford City in January 2014.
Unfortunately James Vaughan once again missed too many matches through injury, and keeping him on the pitch next term would be a huge boost.
