Martin Drury is a no‑nonsense character who admits that becoming a head coach never featured in his original career blueprint. While he did briefly take the reins at Bradford Park Avenue in the National League North during the 2015/16 season, that stint came shortly after he hung up his boots and he soon slipped back into the shadows.
Over the following ten years he assembled a diverse coaching résumé that saw him work at clubs such as Boston United, Bradford City, Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion and Valencia. Today, back in his native town of Huddersfield, Drury finally holds the top job in his own right. An interim spell that began in March earned him a two‑year contract in May, and he now talks to Sky Sports about his journey from La Liga’s bright lights to the English lower leagues, and his plans for guiding the Terriers back to higher ground.
The partnership that would later prove pivotal began when Drury crossed paths with Carlos Corberán at Bradford, while the Spaniard was still at Leeds United. Their professional chemistry sparked in August 2024 when Drury was hired as an 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 recalls.
He adds that their football philosophies were equally in sync: both believed in a player‑centred approach and shared similar traits despite their different cultural backgrounds. Corberán’s move to Valencia on Christmas Eve 2024 saw Drury follow him within days, swapping a promising Championship play‑off push for the challenge of keeping Los Murcielagos afloat in Spain’s top flight. The pair enjoyed an almost fairy‑tale start, leading Real Madrid at the Mestalla until the 85th minute on 3 January 2025 before Luka Modrić equalised and Jude Bellingham netted a dramatic 96th‑minute winner.
"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 Mbappé, Bellingham, Modrić," Drury says. He describes the later 2‑1 victory at the Bernabeu as a career highlight, noting the special bond that formed between the coaching staff and the fans. Though they faltered against Barcelona on two occasions, Drury cherishes the weekly exposure to world‑class talent and the chance to devise tactics against some of the best managers on the planet.
When Drury arrived, Valencia were languishing at the bottom of La Liga. By season’s end they were flirting with European qualification, having secured points against several giants—a turnaround Drury describes as "pretty special." His next move brought him back to England in July 2025, when Keith Andrews recruited him as an assistant first‑team coach at Brentford.
The stint was brief; after only three Premier League fixtures Drury departed in early September. Director of Football Phil Giles praised his contribution, while Drury himself lauded Brentford’s professionalism and Andrews’ managerial prowess. "Sometimes in football you have to assess whether it’s the right fit for you and the club," he explained, emphasizing the open and honest conversations that led to his exit. The abrupt departure forced an unexpected pause in Drury’s career.
He returned north to be nearer to family, taking his first real break from football in over a decade. "I’d not really had a break for 10 to 12 years, so I jumped out of that hamster wheel," he jokes.
The time away allowed him to reconnect with old contacts, explore new ideas and challenge his own thinking. Opportunities at other clubs arose, but Drury declined, feeling he needed a longer recharge.
Then Liam Manning reached out, inviting him to join Huddersfield Town’s backroom staff. Drury had known Manning for some time, and the prospect of working at his hometown club resonated deeply. In January 2026 Drury was appointed Manning’s assistant manager.
By late March, following Manning’s compassionate leave after the tragic loss of his newborn son Theo in October 2024, Drury stepped up alongside Jon Stead to take charge of the first team. The club’s official statement confirmed the personal circumstances behind Manning’s absence. Under Drury’s interim stewardship, Huddersfield recorded two wins and four draws from seven games, ultimately missing the League One play‑offs by eight points. Nevertheless, his performance impressed the board, and on 27 May he was handed the permanent managerial role, described by the club as the "outstanding" candidate for the job.
Despite his earlier reluctance to seek a head‑coach position, Drury now embraces the challenge wholeheartedly. "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 says. He reflects on the internal debate that led him to accept the role: "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 notes that, even during a period of turbulence toward the season’s end, the atmosphere at Huddersfield remained constructive. He praises the staff and players for their commitment to the club’s best interests and highlights recent squad improvements made during the summer transfer window. "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," he observes.
He acknowledges that integrating new signings takes time, but stresses that the core of the squad is humble, development‑focused and possesses a genuine winning edge. For Drury, the ultimate goal is to forge a team that embodies the spirit of the north. "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 declares. As a self‑identified northern lad, he feels a deep connection to the local fanbase and believes that if the team mirrors that passion, success will inevitably follow. "If we do that, I have genuine belief that, because of the players and staff we have, success will be achieved," he concludes.
The upcoming Burton‑Huddersfield clash on Sky Sports+ (Saturday 3 October, 15:00) offers fans a chance to see Drury’s vision in action, while the club’s Super 6 competition promises a £1 million prize for lucky participants.