Huddersfield Town coach Mark Fotheringham clear the path ahead will not be pretty as Terriers scrap to stay in the Championship

"It's not going to be pretty football that's going to win us games," he says, adding: "(New managing director) Dave Baldwin's remit is to keep this team in the league.

"There's 93 points to play for and I need 50 points to stay in the league, that's all I'm thinking about.”

Managers – or in Fotheringham's case, head coaches – have always had to be good communicators but now more than ever they are sending messages to supporters too.

It is important fans know what a club is trying to achieve and how, and Fotheringham spelt it out ahead of the first of three home games in five before the World Cup.

"The fans have been amazing with me since I've come in here,” he said. "I've not got Lewis O'Brien, I've not got (Harry) Toffolo, I've not got the guy that went to Olympiacos (Pipa). It's a young group in transition, missing seven starters from the start of the season when we weren't winning games.

"We've now got a clean sheet on board (at Middlesbrough last week) and a solid foundation to play from.

"The fans will get behind us because they know how much we're working and they're backing this young group. We've got to make sure we create a good momentum at home where we have a lot of points and the stadium becomes a very hard place to come.

"Now the expectations are away from last season and thinking we're a team that's going to go up to the play-offs, we're not that group. It's a completely different ball game, we're in a transitional period, the club's sold a lot of players and we're missing a lot through injury.

"I believe because of the current situation our fans will accept it's not going to be fast, free-flowing football but they're going to have a team that's going to show that Terrier spirit, grit and determination to get points on the board.”

Jonathan Hogg and Chelsea loanee Tino Anjorin will again be missing – the former with a calf injury, the latter as he recovers from glandular fever.

At this stage the Terriers are unsure if either will be back before the Championship goes on hold for the World Cup on November 12.