Drury Revives Huddersfield Ambitions After Spanish Glory – Charting Course Outside League One

“They’re outstanding from top to bottom.”
Drury described the remarkable achievement following his tenure at Valencia as validation of the hard work that brought the Terriers to the brink of European qualification.
“We suffered in both of the games against Barcelona, but to see the quality of player at that level in the flesh and to prep for those games against some of the best managers in the world, the best players in the world, on a weekly basis, was something I loved,” he remarks, recalling the near‑drama at the Bernabeu.

His trajectory from La Liga to the Premier League to now steering Huddersfield back to stability mirrors a familiar arc for modern football leadership. Initially serving as interim head coach in March 2026, Drury secured a permanent position in May after proving himself as the “outstanding” candidate among several strong contenders.

Drury’s spell at West Brom under Luis García Pons proved transformative, culminating in significant moments at Real Madrid. He joined the team briefly in August 2024 as an individual coach and helped the club regain confidence during a critical stretch.

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Corberan left for Valencia on Christmas Eve 2024 and Drury followed within days after his appointment as assistant. A Championship play‑off push was sacrificed for the mission of keeping the Los Murciélagos in La Liga. They nearly went unbeaten, dominating Real Madrid at the Mestalla until Luka Modrić equalised and Jude Bellingham sealed a 96th‑minute winner on January 3 2025. “I remembered prepping for that game and thinking this was the type of environment I wanted to be in, to go up against players like Kylian Mbappé, Bellingham, Modić,” he recalls. “To play them again at the end of the season and win 2‑1 with the clock ticking in the Bernाबу was naturally the highlight and the connection with the fans there was something incredibly special.”

After brief happiness at West London, Drury returned to North England—a move that coincided with the family tragedy that reshaped his trajectory. In July 2025 he accepted a role as an assistant first‑team coach at Brentford under Keith Andrews, but by early September—after just three Premier League matches—he left to pursue new challenges. Director of Football Phil Giles noted, “Martin has played an important role in setting us up for the season ahead,” adding that the opportunity presented an exciting chance to reinvent himself on a higher stage.

‘Sometimes you have to assess whether you’re the one for a club’

Drury expressed lingering temptation to return to Britain earlier in 2025 when he was offered a spot as a first‑team coach at Brentford. Yet, after just three games—as his tenure quickly faltered—he found greater purpose elsewhere. “Martin has played an important role in setting us up for the season ahead,” Giles reflected, praising Drury’s vision and skill.

Going back to where it all began

The abrupt exit from west London halted Drury’s career timeline and forced a year‑long hiatus. “I moved back up north to be closer to my family, and it was the first time in twelve years I’d spent any meaningful time outside of football—which I honestly abhorred,” he joked. “That gap was actually productive, allowing me to reconnect with old friends, explore new experiences, and refresh my thinking. I missed several opportunities to join other clubs, but when Liam Manning reached out, the invitation to Huddersfield felt like the right fit.”