Football
Exclusive: New Huddersfield Boss Manning Targets Scott Twine in Statement Swoop
New Huddersfield Town Boss Liam Manning is eyeing a reunion with former player Scotty Twine, as he aims to boost the team's goal-scoring abilities for a promotion push. Manning trusts Twine's leadership and believes he can make a significant impact on the squad. Town's fans are eagerly waiting to see if this potential signing will become a reality.
Bristol City v Leicester City - Sky Bet Championship by Ryan Hiscott | Getty Images
Huddersfield Town’s new boss Liam Manning is lining up a shock swoop for former favourite Scott Twine, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
Fresh through the door at the John Smith’s Stadium, Manning is already planning his first big transfer move, with goals top of the agenda.
The 37-year-old gaffer wants an attacker who can spearhead a promotion push back to the Championship.
And Twine is right at the top of his hit list with the Yorkshire club sitting pretty in sixth position and well-placed to challenge for promotion if they can start to get some much-needed wins on the board.
Manning knows the forward inside out from their time together at Bristol City and is convinced he can be the answer to Town’s goal woes.
Twine enjoyed a strong campaign last season, netting 14 goals in 39 appearances for the Robins.
His ability to score from range, pop up in big moments and drive at defences has made him a standout target.
Huddersfield are understood to be backing Manning with a decent transfer budget as they look to bounce back from a disappointing League One campaign.
Insiders say the new boss wants proven quality rather than a gamble and sees Twine as ready-made for a promotion scrap.
LEADERSHIP TRUST
A source said: “Liam wants goals and leadership, and Twine ticks both boxes. He trusts him and knows what he’ll bring to the dressing room.”
Town struggled badly for cutting edge last season, failing to turn dominance into results on too many occasions.
Manning believes adding a reliable goalscorer could be the difference between another slog and a serious promotion charge.
The insider added: “This is about setting the tone early. Liam wants his stamp on the squad and a signing like Twine would send a real message.”
If Huddersfield pull off the signing of Twine, it would be a statement coup and a bold gamble for the forward. Twine is enjoying a strong season at promotion-chasing Bristol City and was even recently linked with Premier League side West Ham, but with Manning backed by a generous war chest, an eight-figure bid is expected to be tabled.
And with the transfer window hotting up, all eyes are now on Huddersfield to see if Manning can pull off his first big coup.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.