THE scouts could be out at AFC Emley tonight as Huddersfield Town look to loan out some of their young squad members.
While manager Simon Grayson and the senior players are in Scotland ahead of tomorrow’s friendly at Kilmarnock, development coach Steve Eyre takes a team to the Welfare Ground for the annual Adrian Wright Memorial match against the Northern Counties East League hosts (7.00).
Emley, whose NCEL First Division campaign begins at home to Hallam a week on Friday, are hoping for a four-figure gate as Town field the likes of Matt Crooks, who featured in Saturday’s first-team outing at Guiseley, keeper Lloyd Allinson, James Burke, Israel Johnson, Max Leonard, Connor Loftus and Jordan Sinnott.
Grayson, who has taken 23 players to Scotland and could give new centre-back Joel Lynch a first Town appearance at Kilmarnock after he sat out the Guiseley game with a strained stomach muscle, said: “The squad is quite big and there could be some outward movement between now and the start of the season.”
The likes of striker Jimmy Spencer, who spent last season at Cheltenham, and midfielder Chris Atkinson, who had four months at Darlington, could come into the loan equation while Town have already turned down a request from an unnamed club to take versatile Antony Kay for the season.
“While young players can gain valuable experience from going out on loan, we have to keep the salary cap in mind and we also have to keep things at a manageable size for training,” continued Grayson.
Town, whose senior players are based in Glasgow for their week-long trip, are using university sports facilities for training while Grayson has also fixed up a number of “team bonding exercises”.
“As well as focusing on our build-up to the new season, it’s a great chance for the new and existing players to get to know one another, and keeping a strong team spirit is a big thing for us,” said the manager.
Admission at Kilmarnock tomorrow, where kick-off is 7.45, will be £15 adults, £10 concessions and £5 Under 12s.
