Premier League new boys Huddersfield Town are feeling confident and ready for their debut in the top flight with the label of underdogs, according to newly-appointed club captain Tommy Smith.
The Terriers are being widely tipped for relegation after scraping through the Sky Bet Championship to gain promotion through the play-offs last season, despite finishing as the 5th best-placed team.
Huddersfield “happy” to be underdogs
Smith addressed the media after David Wagner’s pre-Crystal Palace press conference ahead of the opening weekend clash at Selhurst Park on Saturday, and made it clear that the squad aren’t taking into account what outsiders think of them.
“We are more than happy for people to write us off and more than happy to be the underdogs, that’s absolutely fine,” the 25-year-old insisted. “People didn’t expect anything from us last season and look what we achieved."
He went on the claim that Huddersfield have as good a chance as anyone to avoid the drop “if they go about their business in the right way,” and ensured fans that the club is going to ”give it a good go.”
The squad’s “togetherness” an advantage
Town are among a number of clubs touted to be playing Championship football next term included fellow promotion-winners Brighton and Hove Albion, Burnley and Swansea City but the right-back believes the current flawless squad harmony gives them an upper edge.
“We’ve got a good squad and good togetherness, and all of the attributes that we had last season I think will continue into this season. We know it’ll be tougher but we see no reason why we can’t stake a claim to definitely stay in the league and progress higher up it.”
An array of new faces has arrived at the John Smith’s Stadium over the summer but whether they’ll all be able to make an instant impact in such a demanding league remains to be seen, everyone affiliated with the West Yorkshire club seem fully up for the fight though.