Lincoln City v Huddersfield Town: Jon Worthington's demand as Matty Pearson refutes injury 'suspicions'

Centre-back Matty Pearson says he is fully on board with that message and insists that however it might look from the outside, his commitment has always been total regardless of the coach.

Pearson's old Halifax Town team-mate Worthington is in interim charge for the rest of the season with a brief to guide the Terriers into the League One play-offs.

Two games in, it has already been a dramatic journey, beating Crawley Town 5-1, then losing 4-0 at Charlton Athletic.

The hammering at The Valley saw the players summoned to Canalside the next day, when Pearson says some "home truths" were spelt out.

"We digested the game and went through it," says former Huddersfield midfielder Worthington, stepping up from academy manager for the rest of the season. "It was good to get closure on it.

"We dealt with what happened on Saturday and move on.

"I don't think it's a case of reading the riot act, we discussed it, we had conversations around it, we were honest and that’s how I deal with it. They're an honest bunch."

It might even be that having a moment like this so early in his tenure helps Worthington to put his stamp on a squad which has changed a fair bit from his four matches as caretaker last year.

"We'll see what that looks like come the end of this set of games but ultimately whether it happened now or further down the line, for me it's getting across to the players that we can never be outfought in any game we play," says Worthington.

"We have to earn the right to play. We have to do that regardless of the opposition and the level. Those are non-negotiables.

"We had that conversation and were really clear and honest about it. The players have got to show that care for the club and I'm sure they can do and will."

Pearson blames a poor start – conceding to Matt Godden just 30 seconds in – for Saturday's defeat.

"It would be nice to say it's this, it's that, but it's hard to put your finger on exactly what it was,” he reflects. “I think it may have been the early goal and we just didn't recover from it.

"The beauty now is we've got Tuesday to bounce back and that's what we're looking to do.

"We've got to start right. The key to any game, I think, is how you start the game.

"All my old managers have gone. 'First tackle, first header,' they're all the principles I'll take into the next game.

"Get the basics done and once we win our battles we can start playing."

Like any coach, never mind one so inexperienced at League One level, Worthington will need his leaders on the pitch and Pearson is quite happy to step up.

"Regardless of who the manager is, I always feel responsible," he says.

"Even under (Worthington’s predecessor Michael) Duff I always felt responsible – under any manager. I've always felt like I had a part to play.

"I feel a responsibility to every manager to try and help everyone.

"It's little things – making sure younger lads are doing stuff correctly and getting people in the right frame of mind, application.

"That's pretty much how I've tried to make a career out of the game. I wouldn't say I'm the best footballer in the world but everything I've done I've tried to do to my best ability, apply myself right, little things like make sure I have a good night's sleep before I play games.

"I just try and pass it on to the lads how to do stuff."

It is music to Worthington’s ears.

“I know as a player it's really important they drive that and drive each other, hold each other to account in difficult moments and support each other as well,” he says. "Those are the key leadership qualities players have to show, not when things are going well, in the difficult times.”

Eyebrows were raised when Pearson missed Duff's final eight matches as coach, but was back immediately Worthington took the reins. Wrongly, he insists.

"It was always the plan, regardless of who the manager was," says Pearson. "I didn't rush back for that game, it was always a game I was planned to be fit for.

"It may have looked a little bit suspicious with the manager leaving and me coming in but it was never the case."

But having made his comeback against Crawley, the experienced defender was glad of two weeks' more work on the training ground brought about by Wycombe Wanderers' international call-ups before the trip to Charlton.

"It definitely helped," he reflects. "I was lucky I didn't have to play a Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday because I might have had to sit one out.

"It's helped in my favour. Now I just need match-fitness and you can only get that by playing games."