Barnsley might have suffered early 2024/25 promotion blow with Huddersfield Town news: View | OneFootball

After relegation to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2012, Huddersfield Town have acted quickly to appoint a new manager ahead of what's set to be a crucial 2024/25 season.

Andre Breitenreiter's short spell as Terriers boss has come to an end, and Huddersfield have appointed Michael Duff.

On the face of it, it looks like a really shrewd appointment, and Duff will have everything to prove following a disappointing spell at Swansea City which saw him sacked after just a couple of months.

Huddersfield weren't alone in their interest in the ex-Burnley defender, and beat off League One rivals Barnsley, according to Alan Nixon, coming as a big boost to the Terriers' hope of making an immediate return to the Championship.

Barnsley may have suffered an early promotion blow

Michael Duff joining Huddersfield Town instead of Barnsley could be a massive blow for the Tykes' promotion bid, with Duff showing in the past that he's able to get a side at this level competing for promotion.

Duff was Barnsley boss during the 2022/23 season, the season after the club had been relegated, a similar circumstance to Huddersfield's situation now, and Duff led the Tykes to the play-offs, losing the play-off final in heartbreaking circumstances in extra-time against Sheffield Wednesday.

In all truth, that game could have gone either way, and Barnsley having a man sent off didn't help, but they still could have won.

But this shows that Duff is a quality manager at this level, and Barnsley missing out on him is a huge blow to their chances of promotion.

Barnsley regressed this season under Neill Collins, so much so that he was sacked before the play-offs begun, and even if Barnsley fans hold a grudge against Duff for the way he left for Swansea, they'd have surely been delighted had he returned.

Instead, it's back to the drawing board for Barnsley, and they'll have to continue searching for a new boss.

Getting a managerial appointment sorted nice and early, like Huddersfield have done, is the perfect start to the summer as it enables the new man in charge to put his own stamp on things, and time to start preparing for the transfer window.

Barnsley will be kicking themselves that they've missed out, and will want to sort out a managerial appointment in the near future.

Huddersfield should be targeting automatic promotion next season

With a quality League One manager appointed nice and early, Huddersfield supporters should be optimistic about the coming season.

Of course, no one would have wanted to have been relegated to the third tier, but it gives them a chance to refresh and rebuild.

With plenty of time to put his own stamp on the way he wants to play, along with shaping the squad to remove all of the deadwood and bring in the players that he wants, there's no reason why Duff and Huddersfield shouldn't be targeting automatic promotion.

Duff will feel as if he has unfinished business in League One following play-off heartbreak last season, and his failed tenure at Swansea will give him the motivation to prove people wrong this season.

Huddersfield are one of the biggest clubs in the division, and with Duff at the helm, they could be a very attractive club to join this summer.

With this in mind, it would be no surprise to see the Terriers competing at the top of the League One table next season.