Martin Drury is a forthright character who admits that becoming a head coach never featured in his original career blueprint. While he briefly took the reins at Bradford Park Avenue in the National League North during the 2015/16 season, that stint arrived shortly after he hung up his boots and he soon slipped out of the public eye. Over the subsequent ten years he assembled a diverse coaching résumé, holding roles at Boston United, Bradford City, Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion and Valencia. Today he has returned to his hometown club, Huddersfield Town, this time as the man in charge.
An interim appointment in March earned him a two‑year contract in May, and he now faces the task of guiding the Terriers back to the Championship. In an interview with Sky Sports, Drury traced his unconventional journey from LaLiga to the Premier League and back to the English lower divisions.
He first crossed paths with Spanish coach Carlos Corberán while Drury was at Bradford and Corberán was working with Leeds United. Their professional chemistry blossomed in August 2024 when Drury joined West Bromwich Albion as an individual coach under Corberán’s leadership. "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 recalled.
He added that their football philosophies also dovetailed, despite their different cultural backgrounds. Corberán’s move to Valencia on Christmas Eve 2024 prompted Drury to follow him a few days later, swapping a promising Championship playoff push for the challenge of keeping Los Murcielagos afloat in Spain’s top flight. The duo enjoyed an exhilarating start, leading Real Madrid at the Mestalla until the 85th minute on 3 January 2025 before Luka Modrić equalised and Jude Bellingham netted a 96th‑minute winner. Drury reminisced, "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.
To play them again at the back end of the season and win 2‑1 – in the last minute, in the Bernabéu – was naturally the highlight. The connection with the fans was something so, so special." Although Valencia struggled against Barcelona, the exposure to world‑class talent and elite managerial tactics proved invaluable.
"When we arrived, the club were rock bottom of the league and to finish so close to Europe by the end of the season, having picked up some points against giants, was pretty special," Drury said. In July 2025 Drury was lured back to England as one of Keith Andrews’ assistant first‑team coaches at Brentford.
However, after only three Premier League fixtures he departed in early September. Director of Football Phil Giles praised his contribution, stating that Drury had played an important role in laying the foundations for the season.
Drury himself lauded Brentford’s professionalism, noting, "They're outstanding from top to bottom. Keith has done an unbelievable job and I really enjoyed it there. Sometimes in football, you just have to assess whether it's the one for you and whether you're the right one for the club." The abrupt exit forced an unexpected pause in his career. Drury moved back north to be nearer his family, admitting it was the first time in twelve years he spent a stretch away from football – a period he half‑jokingly described as something he "absolutely despised".
Yet he recognised the value of the break, saying it allowed him to reconnect with old acquaintances, challenge his own thinking and recharge after a decade of relentless work. When a call came from Liam Manning, inviting him to join Huddersfield Town’s backroom staff, Drury jumped at the chance. He had known Manning for a while and felt a personal affinity for the club, which sits close to his heart.
In January 2026 he was appointed assistant manager, and by late March, following Manning’s compassionate leave after the tragic loss of his newborn son Theo, Drury stepped up alongside Jon Stead to take charge of the first team. During his seven‑match spell as caretaker, Huddersfield recorded two wins and four draws, ultimately missing the League One play‑offs by eight points.
Nevertheless, the club announced on 27 May that Drury had earned a permanent managerial contract, describing him as the "outstanding" candidate for the role. Despite his earlier reluctance to become a head coach, Drury now embraces the responsibility 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 explained. He added that a deep‑seated belief in a particular culture and style of play eventually compelled him to step to the forefront: "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." Reflecting on the turbulent end of the 2025/26 season, Drury said he never perceived the atmosphere as hostile. "I never felt it was a real challenging environment to work in or difficult people to work with. I felt there were a lot of people who wanted the best for the club," he noted. He highlighted the club’s recent transfer window as an opportunity to strengthen the squad, believing that the existing players would appreciate the improvements because they would ultimately aid their development.
Building cohesion, he admitted, takes time, especially when new faces arrive. "There's some connection building in the group; that's going to take some more time, as it always does when you bring in new players.
But it's a real humble group of men where, every day, the environment is driven by development, with a real winning edge and a competitive focus on it," Drury said. Drury is clear about the identity he wants his team to embody: the gritty 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 asserted.
As a self‑described northern lad, he understands the expectations of the local fan base. "If we do that, I have genuine belief that, because of the players and staff we have, success will be achieved," he concluded. The upcoming Burton‑vs‑Huddersfield clash on Sky Sports+ promises another chance for the Terriers to showcase their renewed ambition, while fans are also invited to try their luck in the Super 6 competition for a chance at a £1 million prize.