Why case for defence will be key for Huddersfield Town, Barnsley FC and Rotherham United – plus promoted Yorkshire duo
Promotion in addition to titles. This is supported by the League One statistics from the previous season.
It gives Yorkshire’s five teams some food for thought as they start their new seasons at this level the following
weekend.
It’s a particularly pertinent issue given that Barnsley, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United will possess
realigned rearguards in 2025-26, most certainly at centre-half.
Another important area of summer recruitment for the promoted Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers teams has
been defence.
Let’s get back to the data. Perhaps it is no accident that the two teams with the third-best goals against records,
Birmingham City (31) and Wrexham (34) in 24–25, were in the top two come May.
In terms of goals given up, the top six teams had the finest defensive records, nearly in descending order.
The one outlier in the rest of the division were mid-table Wigan Athletic, who conceded as many as third-placed
Stockport County (42).
It was a different story for the Reds, Town and Millers.
With the departure of senior defenders Ollie Turton, Josh Ruffels, Matty Pearson, and Tom Lees, Huddersfield has
undergone the most significant defensive overhaul.
Brodie Spencer was just sold to Oxford United, and another option at the defence, club veteran Jonathan Hogg, has
also left.
Chairman Kevin Nagle promised in his post-season speech that Town will add some physicality to the back, and he
has delivered on his promise.
Joe Low, who is 6′ 5″, is undoubtedly a “strapping lad.” Josh Feeney, a 6′ 4in loan recruit, along with Jack
Whatmough and Murray Wallace, are two further additions that should give the Terriers’ backline a newfound
muscular edge.
In his first season as a “number one,” manager Lee Grant will place a great deal of focus on keeping the back door closed.
Together with a new first-choice custodian in Crystal Palace loanee Owen Goodman, it is hoped that ties and
relationships will be formed rather soon.
After a watershed victory at Wycombe in early January, they registered just two clean sheets in their last 22 matches.
Their last shut-out was in mid-February and they conceded 22 goals in their final 10 games.
At Barnsley, the case for the defence was also a damning one.
The Reds had the worst record in the division, giving up 73 goals including an astounding 54 goals in the second half
of games.
Their goal total of 36 goals at home was the second-worst in League One, and they gave up 25 goals in the last
quarter of league games. The only team with worse stats was Shrewsbury Town, who were demoted.
It is believed that Jack Shepherd’s loan return after a successful loan season at promoted Bradford will help make
things better.
from his combination with Marc Roberts.
Hakeem Odoffin and Cameron Humphreys, two of the Millers’ better players from the previous campaign,
contributed some stability at the defence in 24–25. Both have now moved on, but Zak Jules still has a strong
presence.
Raggett, 31, promoted from this level with Portsmouth in 2023-24, made only 11 appearances last season duo to a
knee issue.
According to reports, his recuperation is proceeding smoothly, and if all goes according to plan, he might rejoin the
first team sometime next month.
Even though they won coveted promotions, Rovers and Bradford’s backlines will appear different.
After Tom Anderson, Richard Wood, and Joe Olowu left, Grant McCann got busy, bringing in Connor O’Riordan and
Sean Grehan in addition to seasoned defensive lieutenant Pearson, an ex-Town player, who is eagerly embracing his
new challenge in South Yorkshire.
Thimothee Lo-Tutala, who enjoyed keeping clean sheets during his 2023–24 loan stint at Rovers, is back in goal.
When it comes to third-tier experience at the back, City has three new additions: Matt Pennington, Curtis Tilt, and
Joe Wright.
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