SIMON CHURCH has “a real buzz about him” as he prepares to make his Huddersfield Town debut against Barnsley tomorrow.

That’s the verdict of manager Simon Grayson, who is delighted to have captured the 23-year-old on a month’s loan from Reading at a vital stage of the Championship campaign.

Grayson is without James Vaughan (thigh) for the Oakwell trip and rates Jermaine Beckford (hamstring) as a doubt, so Church’s arrival provides timely top-flight quality.

“He looked really sharp on the training ground,” reported Grayson, who has Jack Hunt available again after a two-match ban.

“Like any player who hasn’t been playing and goes to another club, he is looking to impress his teammates first of all and he has a real buzz about himself that he’s back with something to focus on for the weekend.

“That’s how it’s been for Simon and, while I’m sure he’s been treated excellently at Reading and has been working around the first-team squad, the extra spark of coming to a new place really shone through.”

Grayson admitted Town had tried to sign the Welsh international in the summer but, at the time, Brian McDermott was unwilling to release him.

“When I spoke to Simon a few months ago he had a real positive vibe about coming to us and, when he was driving up here to join the lads, he was ecstatic about it all happening,” said the boss, who is hoping to improve a managerial record of one win in 10 against Barnsley.

“Simon is really excited about getting involved and a big thing for us is that he always puts the team ethic into his individual performances.

Click on the link below to open a gallery of Simon Church in his first Huddersfield Town training session

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“He can play down the middle or out wide, so he gives us flexibility, and we are hopeful he will have a very good time here.”

Grayson already hopes the deal to December 8 can be extended, but Reading retain a 28-day recall on the man who has 19 Wales caps and has had previous loan spells at Crewe, Yeovil and Wycombe.

Last season he scored seven times in 36 appearances as Reading won promotion to the Premier League, but he has played just five times this term (four of them for Wales) and has yet to register, so he has an immediate point to prove.

Simon Church has a simple aim in his loan spell at Huddersfield Town - to score goals. Read our interview with him here

“Simon had options to go to other clubs (Barnsley included) but once we knew he was available we moved quickly,” said Grayson.

“He’s a good player who is enthusiastic about coming and doing a good job for us. He’s is proven at Championship level but he wants first-team football again.

“We know he can handle the division, he is hungry for success and hungry to play games and we believe he will fit the bill for what we are looking for, because he is whole-hearted and works extremely hard, which is what I want from all my players. People forget, but Simon has played a lot of games, he’s got an eye for goal and he’s determined to do well.”

Grayson says they should know for sure after the weekend how long Vaughan might be out, while Beckford won’t be risked if he’s not 100%. The Leicester loanee trained without problem yesterday but it’s whether he suffers an adverse reaction.

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