Liam Manning Appointed Head Coach of Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town has officially announced the appointment of Liam Manning as head coach on a long-term contract. The 40-year-old takes charge at the Accu Stadium just three days after the dismissal of Lee Grant.

Grant had only been in his position for eight months of a three-year deal, departing with the club positioned sixth in the League One standings.

Manning expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I am thankful to have been given the trust of such a prestigious role, and I’ll do everything in my power to create some positive history of our own. Inheriting an extremely talented and capable first-team squad and staff, I look forward to working closely with them all as we strive to fulfill our potential. We have a lot to still play for this season, and I’m truly excited to get going.”

Previously, Manning’s tenure at Norwich City lasted just five months, ending in November when the team found itself near the bottom of the Championship. Before that, he led Bristol City to the Championship play-offs for the first time since 2008, and reached the League One play-offs with MK Dons in 2022. He also guided Oxford United to automatic promotion positions in the third tier during the 2023-24 season before joining Bristol City.

Manning conducted his first training session on Tuesday and is set to lead the team in their upcoming League One match against Bradford City, another contender for promotion. He will be joined in the coaching staff by assistant coach Martin Drury and first-team coach/analyst James Krause, both of whom he has previously worked with at Oxford, Bristol City, and Norwich.

Sporting director Chris Markham remarked on Manning’s appointment, stating, “An ambitious appointment that even six months ago would’ve likely been seen as unrealistic, Liam is an impressive person and professional. His progressive and pragmatic approach to coaching aligns closely with the values held by our club and, most importantly, our supporters.”