Huddersfield Town boss Lee Grant's winter demand - and his big League One 'frustration' so far in 2025-26

It's been a tough year in truth, while specifically in terms of the first half of 2025-26, it's correct to say that Town have been consistently inconsistent for swathes of it so far.

The saving grace for Lee Grant's side is that a number of their rivals have been in the same boat, with several fancied sides having not hit their straps on a regular basis yet.

Amid the winter grind when physical demands and a tough itinerary can combine with difficult pitches and crowded treatment rooms, the successful sides manage to find a way when not at their best.

Setbacks do happen, but avoiding back-to-back defeats is the trick.

Grant, whose side start off 2025 with a trip to high-flying Lincoln City, said: "I definitely think it's important once you head into these winter months now to sustain form as long as you can and to string results together.

"So you are building on top of a draw, say or building on top of a few wins with maybe another point away from home and then coming home and consolidating with a really good win. Those sorts of things are important."

A main reason for Town's spasmodic form has undoubtedly been their number of injury absentees. It has been something that Grant has had to contend with for most of the campaign and has been a mitigating factor in the story so far.

Several players have been absent for most of it, most notably summer recruits Jack Whatmough and Marcus McGuane.

Loan recruits Zepiqueno Redmond and Will Alves have also been sidelined for significant spells, alongside several others including midfield trio Antony Evans, Mickel Miller and Herbie Kane.

Grant, whose side ended 2025 at home to Northampton, continued: "We've not been able to call upon certain players often enough for my liking.

"And I know that that's a frustration for those players as well individually. Of course, it's a frustration for us when we feel as though they've got something to offer the group and the team.

"So let's hope we come into a better period when it comes to availability for a lot of these guys, because I do feel as though that will have a big impact and a positive one for us if we're able to call upon these players more often."