NEIL DANNS is desperate to finally get to grips with Watford tomorrow.
The Huddersfield Town midfielder was due to face the Hornets for Bristol City on Boxing Day, but the game was called off because Ashton Gate was iced up.
Now onto his second loan of the season, the 30-year-old who is out of favour at Leicester is hoping the Vicarage Road game beats the big freeze so he can build on an encouraging debut in last Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Birmingham.
“It’s good to be here and good to be playing again,” said Danns, who made three appearances for Leicester and nine for Bristol before signing up for Town, the ninth club he has represented since coming through the youth system at Blackburn.
“I enjoyed my time at Bristol, and they wanted to keep me, but with my family being in Liverpool, it was a little too far away, and I’m delighted to have moved to Huddersfield.
“My last game for Bristol was on New Year’s Day, so there was a little bit of rust to shake off, but I was pleased with the way things went last Saturday and delighted that we managed to force our late equaliser and claim a valuable point.”
Town remain 17th in the table, and are seven points above the relegation zone and 11 adrift of Watford, who occupy the final play-off berth in sixth position after their 2-1 win at Middlesbrough.
“I know a bit about them, having gone through all the preparation for the Boxing Day game, and we’ve talked about the threat they pose during training this week,” added Danns.
“That was a good win for them at Middlesbrough and they have some quick, intelligent footballers, but we will go there believing we can win.
“I know we have had a lengthy run of league games without one (there have been 11 since the 1-0 derby victory at Barnsley on November 10).
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“But I thought we created more than enough chances to have beaten Birmingham, and on another day, we’d have won comfortably.
“With that little bit of a break you often need, we’ll turn draws into wins, and there’s no reason we can’t do that against Watford.”
Danns started on the right of a midfield four against Birmingham before moving into the middle during the second half.
And it remains to be seen what system manager Simon Grayson will utilise against Watford, who have gone 3-5-2 of late.
“I’m happy to play wherever the gaffer wants me to, and he knows I will always give 100%,” continued Danns, who played alongside Grayson at both Blackburn and Blackpool.
“But it’s fair to say I’m most used to playing in the centre of midfield, and I’m confident I can make a telling contribution from that position.”
Like fellow Leicester loanee Jermaine Beckford, Danns will be ineligible for the FA Cup fourth-round tie against his parent club at the John Smith’s Stadium week tomorrow.
He’s contracted to the Foxes until 2014 and said: “I really don’t know what’s going to happen this summer.
“I just focus on the here and now and I’m delighted to have an opportunity to play games for Huddersfield Town.”
