Huddersfield Town player of the year award ‘bittersweet’ as Murray Wallace has sour taste

The 33-year-old was named Hargreaves Memorial Player of the Year

Huddersfield Town defender Murray Wallace said his player of the season award was “bittersweet” after his side were beaten 4-1 by Mansfield Town on Saturday.

The 33-year-old was named Hargreaves Memorial Player of the Year ahead of his side’s final home game of the campaign, where the Terriers suffered a hugely disappointing loss.

The result leaves Town ninth in the League One table, eight points adrift of the play-offs with a game to play, as they face a third season in the third tier. The Terriers will round off this campaign at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

Discussing his award, Wallace told HTTV: “It’s a little bit of a bittersweet one, obviously after the result we’ve just had today, it’s put a bit of a sour taste on the day.

“I appreciate the plaudits and the recognition for my performances throughout the season. I understand the frustration and disappointment of the fans, we feel that too, it’s not the season that we wanted, and it’s not obviously how we want to finish, but we know we’ve got another game next week, and it’s important that we don’t finish the season flat, and we go and put a performance in and get a result there.

“It was a little bit stop start (his own season), with building up fitness through pre-season, picking up an injury, and then just as I thought I was getting good, picking up another injury.

“Since I’ve been back fit and just playing games regularly, getting out there, staying fit, putting in solid performances, it’s just a bit of confidence and something to build on.

“As good as some performances have been, there’s some that haven’t been up to standards, and if we look at some of the games, and disappointed with goals and stuff that we’re conceding. I’d take having a rubbish season, and keeping clean sheets and getting where we want to go as a team.

“I always think you don’t want to go into the off season or end the season with a defeat or a bad performance or anything like that, because it’s not something that you just forget.

“We want to show the fans what we’re all about every game really. The other thing as well is, I know there’s a break, but you want to put in a performance and get that win, and look forward to the next season. It is important next week.”