Huddersfield’s plans for the future have continued after the club last week signed Mark Andrews, their Head of Performance, to a new three-year contract.
Andrews, more commonly referred to as ‘Bumper’, joined the club on a short-term contract in the aftermath of Rick Stone’s departure. He was tasked with reviewing the club’s performance setup.
His input has coincided with a drastic turnaround in the club’s fortunes, with the Giants moving away from the threat of relegation to having an outside chance of making the play-offs in just three months.
Many Huddersfield players have highlighted his influence in the side’s improvement, with their defence and fitness markedly improved.
His extended stay at the club is a boost to the Giants. Andrews, now in his second spell with the club, admitted he only joined after a phone call from the previous head coach he had worked under at Huddersfield, Nathan Brown.
“I got a phone call off Browny and he asked me if I’d be interested to come back to the UK with Huddersfield,” he told League Express.
“He said Richard Thewlis had asked about me and was doing a review of how things were working. Two days later I agreed and was on a plane. It happened pretty quickly.
“My wife and I were about to open a gym. We had some issues with the Council so we had to put it back six months. I had a little break period and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Initially we were just going to come for that six-month period, but things have worked out pretty well and I’m enjoying what I’m doing. The family is happy so we’re going to stay.
“I don’t know where we could get to next year, there are a lot of variables, but the one thing I would say is if we were the sneak into the top four somehow, I’m fairly confident you wouldn’t want to run into us.”
Thewlis added: “The impact of Mark has been clear to see from the outside and it’s even more marked internally here when you see the work he does day to day.
“We must remember he came here without a written contract on just a handshake to a club that was at that time struggling, but a club that’s in his heart and he wanted to help us.
“The board knew of his skill set and whilst at that time we didn’t have a head coach, indeed Mark knew no one on the staff, it has proven the right call to get him in. He desperately wants Huddersfield to succeed and immediately he came in he made changes that the players and fellow coaches bought into and I was personally delighted when Simon (Woolford) said he wanted him to stay longer and be part of his team longer term.
“Mark has now put pen to paper, which will please everyone I am sure and put a stop to people asking whether he is staying or going home. Well he’s staying and Huddersfield will be his family home for the foreseeable future, which is simply great news.”