“The best team in the league”: Drury’s Terriers welcome Wednesday for third against fourth
Wednesday 7 October 2026 · By Hannah Royle
When an opposing manager calls your team “the best team in the league”, you take notice. That was Gary Bowyer’s verdict after Huddersfield Town won 3–1 at Burton on Saturday 3 October. Martin Drury’s side now prepare for a huge Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday at the Accu Stadium, with third meeting fourth.
The win at the Pirelli Stadium ended Burton’s unbeaten home run, although BBC Sport noted that all three goals came from Burton errors. Bowyer was in no doubt about the visitors’ quality, though. “They’re gunning for automatic promotion and they’ve got the squad,” he said.
Huddersfield have taken 15 points from eight games, with four wins, three draws and just one defeat, which came at newly promoted Bromley on 19 September. They have scored 14 and conceded seven, giving them a goal difference of plus seven, and their recent run reads W W D D L W. They are only a point behind leaders Plymouth and Bradford.
The squad looked sharp again on Tuesday night, when Huddersfield beat Rochdale 5–0 in the EFL Trophy. Better still, several players are getting back to fitness at the right time.
Sean Roughan returned from a thigh injury as a late substitute at Burton, his first appearance since 8 August. Samson Tovide, who joined from Colchester in September, is building his fitness after a bout of tonsillitis. Radinio Balker suffered cramp after flying back early from international duty with Suriname, but he is expected to be fit for the derby.
Joe Taylor is back from his first senior call-up for Wales. He did not play, but Wales manager Craig Bellamy was full of praise for his attitude. “He (Bellamy) said he’s been good as gold and trained really well,” Drury told the Yorkshire Post.
Drury also had encouraging words for summer signing Ethan Brierley, who joined from Brentford but has had few minutes so far. “He’s going to be a big player for this club,” the head coach said.
It has been a strong start for Drury, who was appointed on 27 May after Liam Manning left by mutual consent on 11 May. He has built a squad with real depth, and captain Ryan Ledson has led the team well.
Saturday’s game against Wednesday kicks off at 15:00. The Owls are fourth with games in hand and are unbeaten in five league games, so this will be a proper test. The fixture list does not get any easier after that. Huddersfield travel to leaders Plymouth on 17 October, host Peterborough on Tuesday 20 October and welcome Wigan for a 12:30 kick-off on 24 October. Then they go to Bradford for another Yorkshire derby on 31 October.
That is a demanding month, but Huddersfield look ready for it. With injured players returning and confidence high, they have every reason to believe they can keep pushing for the automatic places. A win on Saturday would make a statement.
Kirklees Stadium sits just north of Huddersfield town centre on Stadium Way (HD1 6PG). Opened in 1994 and shared with Huddersfield Giants rugby league, it holds 24,121 for football. Visiting supporters will almost always be placed in the South Stand, behind the southern goal. That end is a steep, covered single-tier bowl with a big screen at the back. On bigger fixtures the allocation can reach around 4,000; on others it is smaller and the stand is shared with home fans behind a segregation net.
The four stands are not identical. The West Stand (Riverside / Core) is the main two-tier stand along the touchline: dugouts, tunnel, hospitality and the ticket office sit on this side. Opposite it, built into Kilner Bank hill, is the large single-tier East Stand. Behind the northern goal is the two-tier North Stand, the noisy home end. The pitch runs north–south, so the goals sit directly in front of the North and South stands, as shown above. Corners of the ground are open, which can make it breezy even when the roofs keep you dry.
Away coaches usually drop in the lower level of the St Andrew’s Road car park. Follow steward directions and the blue signs. Visiting turnstiles are typically 17–20 on the South Stand. There is a steep slope up from the lower car park; there is also access from the upper level via a ramp and steps. Allow extra time if you have limited mobility. Wheelchair spaces for away fans are arranged through the clubs in advance; ambulant disabled supporters can often use the front row of the South Stand.
The stadium is about a mile from Huddersfield station. On foot, allow 20–25 minutes via Leeds Road or follow matchday signage. Local buses serve the Leeds Road corridor. If you drive, junction 24 of the M62 is the usual approach from the west and junction 25 from the east. Matchday parking around the ground fills early; official and overflow parks are signed from Stadium Way and St Andrew’s Road. Do not park on residential streets that are restricted on match days.
Inside, the South Stand concourse is compact but has food and drink outlets. Expect standard football fare and a modest choice of beer. Cash and cards are both useful; there is a cash machine by the leisure centre adjacent to the North Stand, not in the away end itself. Searches at the turnstiles are common. Bags should be small. Standing in seated areas is policed more tightly than at some older grounds, though the rake of the South Stand still gives a good view even when people in front are on their feet.
Views from the away end are generally excellent: the stand is close to the goal line and steep enough that you look over the row in front. You face the North Stand and have the main West Stand to your left and Kilner Bank to your right if you are looking towards the pitch. The open corners mean you will see plenty of sky and, on a clear day, the hillside behind the East Stand.
Pubs near the ground can be busy and some prefer home colours. Many travelling fans drink in town before walking up. After the match, trains back towards Leeds and Manchester are frequent but fill quickly; leave a little early if you have a tight connection. Stewards will point you back towards the coach park and the footbridge over the River Colne. Check the club and police advice for the specific fixture, because segregation and the exact away block can shift when demand is high.
Kirklees is a modern, award-winning 1990s bowl rather than a traditional terraced ground. It is easy to read once you have the compass in your head: river and main stand to the west, hill to the east, home end north, visitors south. Arrive early, follow the South Stand signs, and you will be behind the correct goal with a clear sight of the whole pitch.