Huddersfield players cancel flight home in order to celebrate on four-hour coach journey, reveals David Wagner

The German manager meanwhile described the achievement of avoiding relegation as bigger than promotion last season due to its improbability, and said it ‘feels like a trophy’

David Wagner is thrown in the air by his players (Getty Images)

David Wagner revealed that his Huddersfield Town players insisted on going back from Chelsea via a four-hour coach journey rather than their scheduled plane, so they could properly celebrate the 1-1 draw that keeps them in the Premier League and have “more than one beer”.

The German meanwhile described this “overachievement” as bigger than promotion last season due to its improbability, and said it “feels like a trophy”.

Huddersfield offering a defiant display at Stamford Bridge with Laurent Depoitre’s opening goal enough to ensure that Marcos Alonso’s freak equaliser did not matter, as they got the point they need to stay up, likely relegating Swansea City. That led to joyous scenes at the final whistle – with Wagner laughing about his trousers falling as he was hoisted into the air by his players – and a jubilant decision.

“The guys just said we cancelled their flight. They want to go back by coach. They have 48 hours and what they say we’ll do. We’ll go back by coach.

“This is an absolute overachievement. It’s a bigger achievement than the promotion last season. Last year we were predicted to be relegated and we got promoted. This season we were predicted to be a team relegated by miles, and I understand it. We work under circumstances which are not even Championship circumstances. But part of our DNA, the Huddersfield Town DNA, is to try it. To have passion, desire... how big you are doesn’t count. It’s about trying everything. We are humble. We are ambitious, too. We search a chance in every game. Today we were chance-less, more or less. It’s an incredible achievement for us. It feels like another trophy.

“English is not my natural language... This achievement for our football club is just incredible. We did it on our own. We didn’t rely on anybody. We did it with our result, in this week with City, Chelsea and Arsenal... it’s just unbelievable. I’m so proud the players have done it by themselves, and I’m happy for them, my backroom staff and the fans. For sure Chelsea were the better team and we had the Lady Luck. We saw top, top quality in Chelsea’s side, and we saw desire, spirit, great attitude and an unbelievable work-rate on our side, and sometimes that’s enough. Today was a stolen point but, to be perfectly honest, I don’t care.”

Wagner meanwhile insisted he was always calm throughout the season, and never feared relegation, just as he was calm through the raucous last few minutes of this match.

Laurent Depoitre celebrates his strike (Getty Images) (CameraSport via Getty Images)

“To be totally honest, I thought the whole time we looked very consistent. We were never in the bottom three, apart from one match day by goal difference, and always collected consistently points. I knew it would be tight for sure. Around Christmas I said if it was a final against Arsenal on the last day, I’d take it. At home we have incredible support and look more confident at home than away. Now we can play that game with total freedom and give Arsene Wenger all the focus he deserves after 22 years in the Premier League.

“But at the end, listen, it was a situation where I thought, come on, what will be will be. The players tried and invested everything. You have to accept if you get a result. It was a bit like the penalty shoot-out at Wembley 12 months ago where I was so proud at what the players had done. I was ready to accept whatever happens. It’s better sitting here with this point, but, if I’m not totally calm, I can judge the game and be focused on the game. This is my job.”