SEAN SCANNELL today told Town supporters: “I’m ready to tear up the Championship.”
The winger who has had a stop-start campaign so far says he’s feeling the benefits of the ‘mini pre-season’ boss Simon Grayson put him through last month.
Scannell, a £500,000 summer signing from Crystal Palace, made his 10th Town start in last Saturday’s FA Cup third-round clash at Charlton.
Grayson’s 17th-placed side snapped a run of 10 games without a win by beating the Addicks 1-0 thanks to Jermaine Beckford’s goal.
And now Scannell, who played alongside new Leicester loan signing Neil Danns at Selhurst Park, is eager to help Town chalk up another win, this time in the league, when Lee Clark’s Birmingham come to the John Smith’s Stadium today.
It’s Clark’s first return to Huddersfield since his sacking on February 15 last year, and having won 1-0 at St Andrew’s in October, Town are eyeing their first double in the second tier of English football since 2001-02, when Wolves were beaten home and away.
“It’s a massive match for us,” said Scannell, who has made 17 Town appearances in all.
“We’ve been saying for a while now that one win would spark a run for us and now we have to make sure that’s what happens.
“From my point of view, I just want to get a regular run of the games under my belt, and the extra training has certainly paid off.
“The manager and his staff have helped me a lot and I’m enjoying being at the club. Now I want to repay them by tearing up the Championship.”
Birmingham, who have been hit by injuries of late, are three places and three points behind Town and will be boosted by the return of Serbian striker Nikola Zigic after a ban. On-loan midfielder Robert Hall will also be available after West Ham denied Blues permission to play him in the FA Cup while top scorer Marlon King faces a fitness test.
