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Yorkshire managers on new eras at Huddersfield Town, Barnsley FC and Rotherham United as 2026-27 season begins THE fact that the first weekend of the English Football League season begins with a round of Carabao Cup games as opposed to a league programme makes for a modest - and slightly incongruous - start to 2026-27. But for three new managers at Yorkshire clubs who all struggled to varying degrees last season, Saturday will be a milestone occasion. It is when the eras of Martin Drury, Daniel Stendel and Alex Bruce truly begin. Huddersfield Town head coach Drury steps up to be a permanent number one for the first time - he and Jon Stead served as interim bosses for the final seven games of last term while Liam Manning was on compassionate leave. After the club confirmed in the first half of May that Manning would not be returning, Town handed the permanent reins to Drury, 40, on May 27. He leads Town for the first time on a full-time basis against Preston North End today at one of the famous old grounds in English football. The round-one tie is being staged at Goodison Park, with pitch improvement work currently taking place at Preston's Deepdale home. Meanwhile, the second coming of Barnsley chief Stendel, 52, also appointed in May, begins competitively today at Oakwell when Barnsley host Wigan Athletic. The German led the Reds to promotion from League One back in 2018-19. Rotherham United boss Bruce, 41, in his maiden competitive match as a head coach in the EFL, has also been handed a home assignment, first up, with West Brom visiting in a televised tie which kicks off at 5.30pm at the AESSEAL New York Stadium. Town boss Drury, who remains hopeful that Joe Taylor will be part of his squad this season despite summer speculation, believes he has taken the step up in his stride, with his experiences in interim charge having helped in that regard. The presence of a senior coaching staff alongside him, including vastly-experienced former Sheffield United assistant Alan Knill, most notably, has put Town in a good place ahead of the new season. He said: "I've not found it too different to what I expected, being honest. Obviously, there's a few conversations that you're involved in that you wouldn't normally be involved in. "You're planning for the club, both short and long term with negotiations with players, speaking to other players and trying to piece the squads together to get it looking how I'd like it to look. And working with people in the club to ensure that every decision that we make is with the club's best interests at heart." "Specifically on Knill, he continued: "I think his wisdom is something that you can't put a price on. "He's been brilliant since he's come in. I left (the dressing room) at half-time in the (friendly) game last week. I remember a little moment and he just said one thing to me just as I left the dressing room. And straightaway, it shifted my thinking.” Stendel's first ever game at the Barnsley helm was also at Oakwell and proved a memorable one. The Reds thumped Oxford United 4-0 on the opening day of the 2018-19 season and set the benchmark for a promotion campaign in League One. Stendel has already tempered expectations regarding a re-run, while expressing his view that his current squad is not as strong as that feted group or 'ready' in terms of numbers. That said, a young Barnsley side did show signs of positivity in last weekend's 3-0 friendly win over Championship side Lincoln City. Yet by common consent, Stendel's second stint won't be as straightforward as the first. He said: "It's good for us that we play in front of our supporters. "It's only a start. Our squad is not ready at the moment. "For me it's important that we play how we want to play (in terms of style). Then I'm happy. I think the supporters will be happy also. It needs a little bit of time." On heading back to Oakwell after previously rejecting overtures to return following his first departure in October 2019, he continued: "After the times that I said no, I didn't really expect that I'd come back. "But times change and (there's) different opinions, new views, and I'm here." Bruce pits his wits against someone who he knows well in West Brom head coach James Morrison, appointed as Albion chief in late April. He commented: "Mozza is a great lad. I worked with him for a little bit of time at West Brom and had a good relationship with him. "I'll look forward to seeing him. "This is it and the best bit where you get the pre-season out of the way and the big ball comes out and the competitive matches are here. "So I just hope that I can give the supporters and the place a team that can take on West Brom to the best of its ability and people see a bit of a difference to go: 'That's more like it' and if we can do that, then that'll be a good start. "It's also a good challenge for the players, I'm sure they're looking forward to it, live on the telly against the Championship opposition. "What a great game to have as your first game."