"Some people still have reservations" - Claim made on Huddersfield Town's Ben Wiles who "divides opinion" | OneFootball

FLW's Huddersfield Town pundit has given his view on which player divides opinion most among supporters at the John Smith's Stadium.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

It has been a mixed start to the season for Huddersfield Town in League One.

Huddersfield are back in League One for the first time in 12 years after their relegation from the Championship last season, but after a strong summer transfer window, they were widely tipped to make an immediate return to the second tier.

The Terriers made an excellent start to the season as they won their first three games, but a run of five defeats in six matches saw them slide down the table, putting pressure on head coach Michael Duff.

Town's form has improved in recent weeks, and they are unbeaten in their last five league outings, but Duff is still under scrutiny from some sections of the fan base after the recent FA Cup exit against National League side Tamworth and the disappointing 2-2 draw at struggling Crawley Town on Saturday.

Huddersfield sit eighth in the table, just one point from the play-off places, and they are back in action when they host Charlton Athletic at the John Smith's Stadium after the international break.

Midfielder Ben Wiles has arguably been the star of the Terriers' season so far, and he is currently their top scorer having scored six goals in 19 appearances in all competitions, while he has also provided six assists, but it seems that not all Town supporters are fully convinced by the 25-year-old.

Huddersfield Town fan pundit makes Ben Wiles admission

When asked which player he believes divides opinion most among supporters, FLW's Huddersfield Town fan pundit Graeme Rayner admitted that some still have reservations about Wiles, despite his outstanding start to the campaign.

Wiles joined the Terriers from Rotherham United last summer, and he registered two assists in 31 appearances in all competitions last season, but injury prevented him from nailing down a place in the starting line-up and showing his best form.

However, Wiles has started all but one league game for Town this season, and after a number of impressive performances, Graeme believes that he is beginning to silence the doubters.

"At the moment, I'd say a player that divides opinion is Ben Wiles," Graeme said.

"That's because last season he arrived with a really good looking CV and he didn't live up to it for various reasons.

"He couldn't pin a place down in the side, he didn't look fully fit, he had some injury issues and he was playing in a bad side.

"I would say some people still have reservations about him, but for me, I felt this season was a clean slate for him.

"He didn't have pre-season with us last year, but he had pre-season with us this year, and he's playing really well and showing what he can do.

"He's looking fitter, he's looking sharper, he's chipping in with a significant goal contribution, and he doesn't seem to know how to score a boring or regulation goal, they're all really good goals.

"I think Ben Wiles would be that player, and I hope that he continues to prove the doubters from last season wrong."

Michael Duff deserves credit for Ben Wiles turnaround

Graeme is right that Wiles is starting to win over some of the Huddersfield supporters who were previously unconvinced by him.

Wiles was the subject of three bids from Burnley in the summer of 2022, the last of which was believed to be worth up to £2 million plus add-ons, and he admitted that the failed move to Turf Moor affected his performances.

While injuries did not help his situation, Wiles was not given a regular run in the team last season by Neil Warnock, Darren Moore or Andre Breinreiter, but Duff has shown plenty of trust and confidence in the midfielder, and he is certainly getting the best out of him.

With many of the club's attacking players struggling to deliver consistently, Wiles' goals have been crucial for the Terriers so far this season, and if he maintains his current standards, he could potentially attract Championship interest in January.