BUOYANT Dean Hoyle described Jordan Rhodes as “an absolute diamond” and promised to keep him as a jewel in the crown of Huddersfield Town’s promotion bid.
The 21-year-old netted both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Notts County which took second-placed Town to a new Football League record of 43 matches unbeaten and his tally for the season to 21 for club and country (Scotland).
“Jordan Rhodes is an absolute diamond and, while I’m sure there are a lot of scouts watching him, he is going nowhere in January and he will be our player,” said Hoyle.
“I’m funding the club and it’s my hobby to do that, but I know we have fantastic assets on the pitch and my money is safer in Jordan Rhodes than it is in the bank at the moment!
“We have some stars in our club – people forget the likes of Jack Hunt, Calum Woods and the rest, who are tremendous prospects – we want them to be part of our progress here and they are as ambitious as we are to go up to the next level.”
Rhodes was delighted with the record and said: “It’s great to achieve the record and it’s on our CVs forever now.
“What it all means probably won’t sink in for a few years. The key though has been the really good team spirit running through the whole club.
“It’s not just the players, the manager and the coaches but all the staff right up to the chairman and chief executive. Everybody’s playing their part.”
On his scoring run, Rhodes added: “I’m delighted to have got 20 goals so early. I never thought it would happen like that. Such a run is beyond my wildest dreams.
“Two months ago I was on four or five goals. All I’ve done is got my head down and kept working. It’s a mystery of football how things come and go in cycles.
“It was a terrific cross from Jack (Hunt) for the first goal. He’s having a great season.”
'Join the Viewpoints reader panel and shape the future of the newspaper in print and online. To be in with a chance of winning £500 please sign up to compete our survey: http://www.viewpoints.me.uk/'
