Huddersfield Town: Vaughan gets quick proof pals’ advice is on mark

The 24-year-old made an impressive start to his Terriers career by helping Simon Grayson’s side to their first Championship win of the season just 24 hours after joining on a season-long loan from Norwich City.

Vaughan, the youngest goal-scorer in Premier League history, had offers from elsewhere in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City having both been linked with a striker who joined the Canaries for £2.5m from Everton a year ago.

Town made their move last Thursday and Vaughan, after being bombarded with advice from both Leeds defender Peltier and Norwich winger Pilkington, jumped at the chance.

“I have been friends with Lee Peltier for a good while now,” said the Town new boy, who is determined to kick-start his career after a few injury-ruined years.

“I was at Everton as a young kid and he was at Liverpool so we met up through that. Through Lee, I met Anthony Pilkington and he later became my room-mate at Norwich.

“We became good mates and they really had a lot of good things to say about Huddersfield Town.

“Going back to their time here, they both enjoyed it. I want to play in a good side with good team spirit and they said Huddersfield was the place to be.

“I have joined an ambitious club. We showed against Burnley what a good team we are and I think we can go as far as anyone in this division. A few clubs could be surprised by us.”

Pilkington and Peltier both left Town in the wake of the 2011 League One play-off final defeat to Peterborough United but have clearly retained fond feelings for their former club.

Vaughan, who netted his first Premier League goal at the age of 16 years and 271 days for Everton against Crystal Palace in April, 2005, added: “Since I joined, Pelts and Pilks have been on the phone constantly, telling me what to do and where to go.

“They both have a great affection for the club and I can see why. I actually knew quite a bit about what sort of place Huddersfield was anyway because I used to come over and watch Pelts and Pilks.

“I always liked the feel of the place and with both of them having nothing but good things to say about the club, it made the decision easy.”

Vaughan left the field to a standing ovation when substituted 13 minutes from time.

At the final whistle, the Town players were afforded a similarly warm reception from the home fans in a crowd of 15,843.

Against a Burnley side who just a week earlier had beaten title favourites Bolton, Huddersfield produced a fine all-round performance that bodes well for the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead for the promoted club.

Dominant in midfield, Town were also strong at the back with the attacking threat of Charlie Austin and Sam Vokes being snuffed out by the outstanding Joel Lynch and Peter Clarke.

Then up front there were Vaughan and Rhodes, the latter netting his second goal in as many Championship outings with a typically predatory finish.

It all added up to a hugely encouraging afternoon for Grayson, who on the evidence of the opening week has bought wisely this summer.

Lynch has certainly beefed up the back-line, while in midfield all four of the new arrivals who started against the Clarets have done enough to suggest they can play a big part in establishing the Terriers at this level.

In Oliver Norwood and Keith Southern, Grayson appears to have solved what was a major problem for Huddersfield last season with whichever central midfield partnership given the nod rarely being able to stamp their authority on a game.

Adam Clayton, too, looks a good addition with his ability to pick a pass on the right flank causing Burnley untold problems.

It was a similar story down Town’s left side with Sean Scannell giving Clarets full-back Kieran Trippier a thorough examination before suffering a hamstring injury that ended his afternoon midway through the first half.

As a result, Scannell is already a major doubt for Saturday’s trip to Ipswich Town but the signing from Crystal Palace is another who can make a big impact this season.

Norwood, a born-and-bred Burnley fan, created the opening goal on seven minutes with a flighted corner that Lynch rose highest to in the six-yard box to power goalwards.

Joseph Mills, protecting the back post, did manfully try to keep the ball out but a linesman’s flag indicated the Clarets man had failed to do so, leaving Lynch to celebrate with his equally delighted team-mates.

The lead was one that Huddersfield never looked like losing with Burnley fortunate to only be a goal behind at the interval after Rhodes headed against the crossbar following fine work by Scannell.

Rhodes was also denied by a stunning reflex save from Lee Grant during a one-sided first half but there was nothing the former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper could do to keep out the Huddersfield striker just before the hour mark.

A goalmouth melee that saw Burnley unable to clear was the Scottish international’s cue as he latched on to the loose ball before taking a touch and firing into the net.

There was now definitely no way back for the disappointing Clarets as they slid to a first league defeat against Huddersfield in 56 years.