Grayson hands Danns full debut
Midweek loan signing Neil Danns makes his full Huddersfield Town debut today in the Club’s first npower Championship home game of 2013 against Birmingham City, 3pm kick-off.
The Leicester City loanee replaces Scott Arfield on the right side of midfield against one of his former clubs this afternoon; the Liverpudlian made 36 appearances for the Blues in a year and a half spell that ended in January 2008.
Danns’ inclusion is the only change that Manager Simon Grayson has made to the team that won 1-0 at Charlton Athletic last weekend.
The Terriers will line up 4-4-2 today, with goalkeeper Alex Smithies protected by a back four of Paul Dixon, Anthony Gerrard, skipper Peter Clarke and Jack Hunt. Clarke is making his 150th League appearance for the Club this afternoon, whilst Hunt’s start at right back is his 100th appearance for Town in all competitions.
Oliver Norwood partners Adam Clayton in central midfield with new boy Danns on the right and Sean Scannell on the left, leaving Birmingham-born James Vaughan to partner Jermaine Beckford – scorer of the game’s only goal when the two sides met for the first time at St. Andrew’s back in October – in attack.
Town’s team vs. Birmingham City:
1. Alex Smithies
3. Paul Dixon
4. Oliver Norwood
5. Peter Clarke (c)
6. Anthony Gerrard
7. Sean Scannell
8. Adam Clayton
18. James Vaughan
20. Neil Danns
21. Jermaine Beckford
32. Jack Hunt
Substitutes: Ian Bennett, Calum Woods, Lee Novak, Adam Hammill, Scott Arfield, Alan Lee, Keith Southern
