Underdog: The Inside Story of Huddersfield Town and Their 2016-17 Promotion Campaign by Raj Bains is a special title that takes readers on an epic journey of promotion glory.
It is a behind the scenes look that focuses on the how and why of Huddersfield Town’s promotion to the Premier League. On paper they may not have been the favorites, but on the pitch they got the job done and made history. Making history also made the club (and community for that matter) millions.
It all started at the top with chairman Dean Hoyle, someone who made the right decisions at the right time, none more important than the hiring of David Wagner from Borussia Dorthmund. Wagner brought a bit of Germany with him and the rest is history. His tactics, transfer policy, and man-management were spot on and were enough to get the club to the highest level of the global game. And Wagner was able to keep them there.
To say that the journey to the top was easy would be a simple lie. It wasn’t easy and probably shouldn’t be. Promotion was never guaranteed. There was no automatic promotion, it was a fight at every step.
Bains captures every match with great precision and care, you’d never know that he was actually a Tottenham fan. He talks to the right people: staff, players, and supporters that are ever so passionate about the club. He is able to relay the key moments and emotions so the reader can feel like part of the action.
This is a book that would obviously be a must-have for Town fans, but it is so much more than that. Any football fan would obviously love this one.
