Martin Drury has never been one to follow a conventional route. The Huddersfield manager is candid about the reality that stepping into a head coach role was never something he had envisioned for himself, yet circumstances and opportunity have led him to exactly that position.
His early flirtation with management came at Bradford Park Avenue in the National League North during 2015/16, shortly after hanging up his boots, but that proved to be a brief chapter. What followed was a decade-long apprenticeship in coaching that saw him work across multiple levels of English football and abroad, building expertise at Boston United, Bradford City, Manchester United, West Brom and Valencia.
Now, having returned to the town where he was born, Drury finds himself tasked with steering Huddersfield out of League One. An interim spell beginning in March 2026 earned him a permanent two-year contract in May, and he has spoken candidly to Sky Sports about the remarkable journey that brought him to this moment.
Six transformative months in Spanish football
The catalyst for Drury's move to LaLiga came through a professional relationship forged years earlier. He had crossed paths with Carlos Corberan while working at Bradford, when the Spaniard was employed by Leeds United. The two began collaborating in August 2024 when Drury took up a role as individual coach at West Brom.
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 explained.
On the football side, we were very much aligned on what we believed in and what we truly believed we could do with players. I think we have some similar characteristics, despite being from different cultures.
When Corberan departed for Valencia on Christmas Eve 2024, Drury followed within days, appointed as his assistant. The move meant abandoning a Championship play-off push at West Brom to take on the challenge of keeping Valencia in Spain's top flight.
The pair's time in Spain delivered moments of genuine drama. On January 3 2025, Valencia travelled to the Mestalla to face Real Madrid. Leading until the 85th minute, the hosts saw Luka Modric equalise before Jude Bellingham scored a 96th-minute winner for Madrid.
Yet the season's defining moment came later.
I remember prepping for that game and thinking this was the type of environment I wanted to be in, to go up against players like Kylian Mbappe, Bellingham, Modric,Drury recalled.
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.
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.
When Drury and Corberan arrived at the club, Valencia sat at the bottom of the league. By season's end, they had climbed to a position that brought them close to European qualification, a transformation built partly on impressive results against elite opposition.
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.
A brief Premier League interlude
In July 2025, Drury was drawn back to English football when he joined Brentford as one of Keith Andrews' assistant first-team coaches. The Premier League opportunity seemed ideal, but it proved short-lived.
After just three league matches, Drury departed the club. Brentford's director of football Phil Giles released a statement acknowledging his contribution:
Martin has played an important role in setting us up for the season ahead.
Reflecting on his time at the west London club, Drury was diplomatic.
It's an amazing club with brilliant people and I don't think you can do anything but respect what they do,he said.
They're outstanding from top to bottom. Keith has done an unbelievable job and I really enjoyed it there.
Sometimes in football, you just have to assess whether it's the one for you and whether you're the right one for the club. The conversations I had there were really open and honest, but I look at them from afar and I'm so happy with how they went last season. I genuinely think they'll be even stronger this season because Keith is a top manager, they've got a really good group of players and the club is run impeccably well from top to bottom.
The unexpected break and return home
The departure from Brentford left Drury facing an unplanned gap in his career. For the first time in over a decade, he stepped away from the daily demands of professional football.
I moved back up north to be close to my family and it was the first time in 12 years I'd spent a little bit of time outside of football… which I absolutely despised!he said with a wry smile.
I'd not really had a break for 10 to 12 years, so I jumped out of that hamster wheel and, when I look back, it was quite productive in terms of connecting with people I'd not seen for a while, going and seeing different things, challenging myself and my thinking.
I had a couple of opportunities to go into different clubs, but I said no because I felt I needed a little bit longer, then I was really fortunate to get a call from Liam Manning, who asked me to come into Huddersfield with him. I'd known Liam a little while before that and Huddersfield's close to my heart, so I was looking forward to coming in and looking to build something special.
In January 2026, Drury was appointed assistant manager to Liam Manning. When Manning took compassionate leave in late March following the tragic passing of his newborn son Theo in October 2024, Drury stepped up alongside Jon Stead to take temporary charge.
During his interim spell, Drury oversaw seven matches, winning two and drawing four. Despite the respectable record, Huddersfield fell eight points short of the League One play-offs.
From reluctant assistant to committed leader
Drury's permanent appointment came on May 27, with the club identifying him as the
outstandingcandidate for the role. Despite his earlier reservations about management, he embraced the opportunity with conviction.
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 explained.
In the back of my mind I thought, at some point, if I feel so strongly about a certain way of working, a culture and an environment that I want to create, maybe I was going to have to do this from the front. That wasn't something I was concentrating on, but you can never be too surprised in football.
When the opportunity became apparent, the decision was really clear for me.
Drury's early months in charge have involved significant squad development. In early September, Huddersfield sat top of League One, and Drury highlighted how summer additions had addressed qualities he felt were missing from the previous campaign.
However, the season has not progressed without setback. According to recent reports, Huddersfield suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Bromley on September 19, with JJ McKiernan and former Terrier Mickel Miller scoring for the hosts and Ashley Fletcher replying for Huddersfield. Following the loss, Drury expressed disappointment at his team's finishing, noting they had 38 touches in the opposition box but managed only eight shots on target from 18 attempts.
Injury concerns have also emerged. Captain Ryan Ledson was expected to miss four to six weeks after damaging his elbow in a draw at Mansfield Town, a significant blow to Drury's plans.
When there was a little bit of turbulence towards the end of the season, I never felt it was a real challenging environment to work in or difficult people to work with. I felt there were a lot of people who wanted the best for the club,Drury reflected on the transition period.
The fact we've now had one window and we've been able to address some areas of the group we wanted to try and strengthen, I think the players who were here last season have probably appreciated the work that's gone on because it's going to help them.
There's some connection building in the group; that's going to take some more time, as it always does when you bring in new players. But it's a real humble group of men where, every day, the environment is driven by development, with a real winning edge and a competitive focus on it.
A vision rooted in northern values
Drury's philosophy as manager is shaped by his understanding of what Huddersfield and its supporters expect. Having grown up in the area, he recognises the character the town demands from its football club.
When I'm standing on the side of the pitch, I want to see a team that represents Huddersfield. I want to see players running and giving absolutely everything,he stated.
Being a northern lad myself, I know what these northern fans want. If we do that, I have genuine belief that, because of the players and staff we have, success will be achieved.
What comes next
Huddersfield's focus now turns to the visit of Burton Albion in League One on October 3, with the match scheduled for 3pm and available to watch live on Sky Sports+. The fixture represents another opportunity for Drury to build momentum and demonstrate the progress he believes is possible at the club.
