Preview: Huddersfield Town vs Leyton Orient - prediction, team news, lineups

Huddersfield Town and Leyton Orient will kick off their League One campaigns on Saturday, when they do battle at the John Smith's Stadium.

The visitors fell short in the playoff final last season, while their hosts bid to return to the Championship at the second time of asking this season.

Match preview

Huddersfield Town will play their first competitive game under the management of Lee Grant on Saturday, when they bid to start their League One promotion bid with a victory.

The Terriers experienced a disappointing first season back in England's third tier last time around after their relegation, failing to take their challenge for promotion deep into the campaign and eventually finishing 10th.

They began under Michael Duff and ended the season under Jon Worthington, before turning to Lee Grant to take the reins over the summer.

Their pre-season preparations included victories over Barrow and Greuther Furth, either side of a draw with Young Boys, before the Terriers finished with a contest against top-flight Burnley and suffered a 2-0 defeat as Tommy McDermott and Joe Westley scored second-half goals for the Clarets.

Grant's side now turn their focus to a new league campaign after an encouraging summer of transfer business and will bid to start with three points on home turf on Saturday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, will also bid to begin on a positive note having fallen short of promotion at the final hurdle last season.

Leyton Orient enjoyed a memorable campaign last time around in their second season after winning promotion to League One and third full term under the management of Richie Wellens, finishing sixth on 78 points to book a playoff spot.

They would advance to the final at Wembley with a penalty shootout triumph over Stockport County after 2-2 and 1-1 draws, before meeting Charlton Athletic and succumbing to a 1-0 loss as Macaulay Gillesphey's first-half free kick made the only difference.

Having since seen an abundance of changes to their playoff squad over the summer, Richie Wellens's side return to action on the back of a draw with Watford and a 3-1 victory over Waltham Abbey to conclude pre-season and will bid to kick off with an opening away triumph on Saturday.

Team News

Huddersfield Town head into the new campaign under Grant's management with a new-look squad, with the likes of Tom Lees, Matty Pearson, Josh Ruffels, Oliver Turton, Brodie Spencer, Jonathan Hogg, Josh Koroma and Danny Ward all having departed over the summer.

The Terriers have strengthened all over the pitch, with goalkeeper Owen Goodman, defenders Joe Low, Sean Roughan, Murray Wallace and Jack Whatmough and midfielders Lynden Gooch, Ryan Ledson and Marcus McGuane all arriving to compete for spots.

Alfie May has also arrived at the John Smith's Stadium and will fight alongside Joe Taylor, Dion Charles and Freddie Ladapo for places up front having notched up 82 League One goals over the last four seasons for Cheltenham Town, Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City.

Leyton Orient have also seen plenty of change to their squad over the summer, with only four of their starting lineup from the playoff final defeat still at the club heading into the new season.

With Jamie Donley, Dan Agyei and Charlie Kelman, who led the league scoring charts last term, no longer at Brisbane Road, summer arrivals Demetri Mitchell, Aaron Connolly and Josh Koroma may form a new-look attack.

Elsewhere, Idris El Mizouni, Michael Craig and Tyreeq Bakinson will hope to earn debuts in midfield following the exits of Ethan Galbraith and Jordan Brown.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Goodman; Gooch, Whatmough, Low, Roughan; Kane, Ledson, Wiles; Harness; May, Taylor

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:

Cahill; James, Beckles, Edmonds-Green, Adaramola; El Mizouni, Craig; Koroma, O'Neill, Mitchell; Connolly

We say: Huddersfield Town 3-1 Leyton Orient

Huddersfield Town certainly have cause for optimism under new management and with their extensive additions over the summer, and we back them to make a strong start against a Leyton Orient side hit badly by departures.

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