Martin Drury has admitted becoming a head coach was never part of his career plan, but the Huddersfield-born coach is now determined to build a team that reflects the character of the town.
Drury took temporary charge of Huddersfield in March before being handed a two-year contract in May. He had joined the club as Liam Manning’s assistant and stepped up alongside Jon Stead when Manning took compassionate leave.
“No. In truth, it wasn’t,” Drury said when asked whether he had always wanted to manage in his own right.
His coaching career has taken him from Boston United and Bradford City to Manchester United, West Brom and Valencia. He also had a spell in charge of Bradford Park Avenue in 2015/16, shortly after retiring from playing, but subsequently returned to working in the background.
Drury’s route from Valencia to Huddersfield
Drury’s most unusual move came in December 2024, when he followed Carlos Corberan to Valencia after the Spaniard left for LaLiga. The pair had first met when Drury was at Bradford and Corberan was working at Leeds, later joining forces at West Brom in August 2024.
“When I first met Carlos, I felt we connected from a work ethic perspective and we were very much aligned in how we saw life and earning everything you get in life through work,” Drury said.
Valencia were bottom of the league when the pair arrived, but ended the season close to European qualification. Drury recalled a dramatic 2-1 defeat by Real Madrid at the Mestalla, when Luka Modric equalised in the 85th minute before Jude Bellingham scored in stoppage time.
They later returned to the Bernabeu and secured a 2-1 victory, a result Drury described as the highlight of his time in Spain.
“To play them again at the back end of the season and win 2-1 – in the last minute, in the Bernabeu – was naturally the highlight and the connection between us and the fans there was something so, so special,” he said.
Drury also helped prepare Valencia for matches against Barcelona, although he acknowledged that those fixtures were difficult. The experience of working against some of the world’s leading players and managers proved valuable.
“When we arrived, the club were rock bottom of the league and to finish so close to Europe by the end of the season, having picked up some points against giants was pretty special,” he said.
A clear decision to lead Huddersfield
Drury returned to England in July 2025 to join Keith Andrews’ coaching staff at Brentford, but left after three Premier League matches. He said the decision followed open and honest conversations and insisted he retained great respect for the club.
The departure prompted an unexpected break from football, as Drury moved back north to be closer to his family. After more than a decade without a significant pause, he said he “absolutely despised” being away from the game at first, although the time ultimately proved useful.
He turned down several opportunities before accepting Manning’s invitation to join Huddersfield. Drury became assistant manager in January 2026 and led the side to two wins and four draws in seven matches during Manning’s absence, with the club eventually missing the League One play-offs by eight points.
When Huddersfield made his appointment permanent on May 27, the club described him as the outstanding candidate. Drury said the decision to accept was straightforward once the opportunity became clear.
“I love coaching, I love being on the grass, I love working with players – but I’m pretty driven and when I really believe in something, I can feel very strongly about it,” he said.
Drury believes the club’s squad has begun to develop a strong collective identity after its first transfer window under his leadership. He described the group as humble, with a daily focus on improvement and competition.
His ambitions are closely tied to Huddersfield’s identity. “When I’m standing on the side of the pitch, I want to see a team that represents Huddersfield,” he said. “I want to see players running and giving absolutely everything.”
“Being a northern lad myself, I know what these northern fans want,” Drury added. “If we do that, I have genuine belief that, because of the players and staff we have, success will be achieved.”
