The Sky Blues will face Huddersfield Town at the Coventry Building Society Arena this weekend for the final home fixture of the season. Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents.
Fact File:
Name: Huddersfield Town Association Football Club
Founded: 1908
Stadium: John Smith's Stadium (Opened in 1994)
Capacity: 24,121
Nickname: The Terriers
Address: The John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PX
Pitch Size: 115 x 75 yards
The Opposition:
Huddersfield currently sit in fourth place in the SkyBet Championship as The Terriers hope to return to the Premier League since their last stay in 2019, having accumulated 21 wins, 13 draws and 10 defeats so far this season.
Manager Carlos Corberan has made three additions to his side over the course of the January transfer window, as Carel Eiting from KRC Genk and Jamal Blackman from Los Angeles FC both joined on free transfers. Meanwhile, Tino Anjorin joined Huddersfield from Chelsea on loan.
Danny Ward’s 13 goals this season puts him as The Terriers’ top goalscorer, while Danel Sinani and Duane Holmes have six goals each.
The Manager:
Terriers manager Carlos Corberan represented Valencia CF at youth level as a goalkeeper, but after only featuring for the reserve team he decided to retire and persue a coaching career at the age of 23.
After gaining coaching experience at Villarreal, Al-Ittihad, AD Alcorcon and Al-Nassr, Corberan’s first senior managerial experience came in November 2016 when he was appointed as Doxa Katokopias’ head coach in Cyprus.
Following a stint at Ermis Aradippou the following year, Corberan was announced as the new Leeds United Under-23 manager in June 2017. Moreover, once Marcelo Bielsa was appointed as the first team’s new head coach in 2018, Corberan was promoted to first team coach alongside his Under-23s duties.
During this time, Corberan led his Under-23s side to the Professional Development Northern League title before becoming national champions with a win over Birmingham City.
In July 2020, Corberan became head coach at Huddersfield Town and finished last season in 20th position.
Last Six Games:
Won – Huddersfield 2-1 Barnsley (SkyBet Championship)
Won – Middlesbrough 0-2 Huddersfield (SkyBet Championship)
Drew – Huddersfield 2-2 QPR (SkyBet Championship)
Won – Huddersfield 2-0 Luton Town (SkyBet Championship)
Won – Hull City 0-1 Huddersfield (SkyBet Championship)
Lost – Huddersfield 0-3 Bournemouth (SkyBet Championship)
Last Time We Met: Huddersfield 1-1 Sky Blues
Matty Godden’s injury time header ensured that City snatched a late point to end the game 1-1 at the John Smith’s Stadium, after Danny Ward broke the deadlock with his strike to put the Terriers ahead in the first half.
Sky Blues XI: Simon Moore (GK), Todd Kane, Dom Hyam, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Fankaty Dabo (Ian Maatsen 62’), Jamie Allen, Ben Sheaf (Tyler Walker 62’), Liam Kelly (C), Callum O’Hare (Jodi Jones 81’), Matty Godden.
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Viktor Gyökeres, Jordan Shipley, Josh Eccles.
Head-to-head Record:
Sky Blues wins – 5
Draws – 5
Huddersfield wins – 8
Club Connection: Robbie Simpson
Former Sky Blues and Huddersfield man Robbie Simpson began his youth career at Norwich City before making the move to Cambridge City.
Simpson swapped Cambridge City for Cambridge United in 2006 and, despite having his start at his new club hampered by a knee injury and full-time study at Loughborough University, his goal-scoring ability eventually made him a fans’ favourite. By the end of the season, Simpson claimed the Supporters’ Player of the Year and Goal of the Year with 17 goals in 33 appearances.
As a result of his impressive 2006/07 campaign, Simpson signed for the Sky Blues the following season. Soon afterwards, the forward made an instant impact by scoring five minutes into his competitive debut in a League Cup fixture versus Notts County.
In June 2009, Simpson made the switch to Huddersfield Town on a three-year deal, however most his first season at his new club was disrupted by injury.
Loan moves to Brentford and Oldham Athletic in his remaining seasons with Huddersfield resulted in Simpson signing for Oldham on a permanent deal in 2012. However, at the end of the 2012/13 season, he was released and signed for Leyton Orient.
During his one-year deal at Orient, Simpson appeared on the bench in the 2014 League One play-off Final but later returned to Cambridge United.
After leaving by mutual consent at the end of the 2015/16 campaign, Simpson moved on to Exeter City where he spent two years before signing for MK Dons in 2018. Arriving on a short-term deal with newly-relegated League Two club MK Dons, he scored his first goal for the club within a minute of entering the field as a substitute against Grimsby Town and the team eventually earned a third-place promotion that season.
In August 2019, Simpson signed for Chelmsford City in the National League South, where he has since been appointed as manager.
Match Officials:
Tony Harrington will be the man in the middle of the Sky Blues clash with Huddersfield Town this weekend.
Harrington will be assisted by Mark Scholes and Daniel Leach, whilst Josh Smith will act as the fourth official.