By Nathan Jackson
May 9 2005

In a new feature, Huddersfield Town fan Terry Peacock returns to give us his views on his own playoff experiences. Terry shares his experiences of 2 different playoff campaigns, a failed one which would have seen them go into the old Division 1 and the successful one of last season.

2001/2

 

After getting relegated from Division 1 (Coca-cola Championship) Huddersfield Town were looking to pounce back the season after, when Lou Macari was in charge of the Terriers. Huddersfield reached the play offs, and had got drawn against Londoners Brentford. Last time Huddersfield got drawn against Brentford, the terriers were been managed by Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock, and reached their way to Wembley. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to happen for Huddersfield this time around. In the home leg, Town could only manage a draw, where probably they needed to win. For that day I was one of the match ball sponsors, and had the privilege to meet town players (not that I really wanted to after such a dim performance).

 

In the second leg of the play offs at Griffin park, things were going extremely well inside the first 10 minutes when, Huddersfield born, Andy Booth put the Terriers 1-0 up. But from then on, things for Lou Macari’s men were going to get worse and worse. Huddersfield threw away their 1-0 lead, and ended up losing 3-1. The feelings were awful, having travelled all the way down to London, and the whole season came down to this one game! And Huddersfield messed up their hopes of going up. After the season that they didn’t reach the play off final, Lou Macari resigned as manager of Huddersfield. Which in the summer brought a new face to the Newly named Galpharm Stadium. The new manager was to bring Huddersfield town to the bottom of all the leagues and got us relegated from Division 2 to Division 3. Mick Wadsworth was the man, and he managed to not only to get us relegated, but to also get Huddersfield into a bad financial status, and then into Administration.

 

 

2003-2004 

 

Huddersfield announce former manager Peter Jackson, as new manager to try and gain promotion back to League 1 (Division 2). The terriers had an up and down season, which saw them go to Lincoln and lose 3-1! (and saw me get hit in the eye with a coin from the Lincoln fans!) and then beat the Imps at home 2-1 thanks to a tremendous Pawel Abbott goal in the second half. As the season progressed, it got tougher and tougher for Jacko’s men. Right down to the last game of the season, which if Town won would of gone up automatically, but if they drew would have had to go through the play offs, and that is what happened. A big screen at the McAlpine for the last day of the season, saw Town draw 1-1 away at Cheltenham. Pawel Abbott was strongly to blame after he stupidly gave away the ball down the side, which sent town fans home gutted.

 

After the bad day at Cheltenham, Huddersfield had 2 maybe 3 games left to try and gain promotion, that was via the Play Offs. Lincoln City v Huddersfield is how it ended out, and Huddersfield got the first advantage, winning 2-1 at Sincil Bank, thanks to a late David Mirfin strike. The feelings after that match were brilliant, everyone knew in the back of their heads that this was going to be their year. But still Huddersfield had quite a lot to do in the home leg against the Imps, with being only 2-1 up. It got to the day they met at home, and everything was going good, the attendance was great and the atmosphere before the game was tremendous. Lincoln still couldn’t pack the away stand though. So all the noise was from the Huddersfield fans, only until Butcher fired Lincoln 1-0 up to level the scored on aggregate. Then just 2 minutes later Bailey scored again for Lincoln, and the Imps’ fans went ballistic, seeing them celebrate so much made mine, and a couple more of Town Fans’ heads drop. Half time came, and the score was 2-0 (3-2 on aggregate to the Imps) and some Town fans had begun to think that its another typical Town result, losing from a good position. This wasn’t to be, as the second half was the best half of football the fans were going to witness. Things wasn’t going Town’s wasn’t at the start though as Futcher clearly handballed, but the Ref wasn’t prepared to give the penalty! But it didn’t matter by the time Andy Booth “luckily” got a penalty for Huddersfield, which was neatly tucked away from Donny born Danny Schofield. Town legend Rob Edwards then struck Huddersfield in to Cardiff with a fierce shot from 18 yards with 7 minutes left. The crowd were the loudest iv ever witnessed at the Galpharm/McAlpine, loads of people just jumping on other random people, and it was a great spirit around the John Smiths stand.

 

Mansfield got through to the final the day after by beating Northampton on penalties. This lead to a Huddersfield v Mansfield final, live on sky, and probably the most entertaining 0-0 draw all season, and the best game of all 3 play offs. The game went to extra time and penalties, but only after Colin Larkin scored for Mansfield, but it was disallowed for going out of play, very harsh decision. After the game dragged loads, the penalties finally came and things were strongly in Huddersfield’s favour when Liam Lawrence, tried to take a cheeky penalty and messed up totally, for all the nation to laugh at. Lee fowler had the last kick of the ball for Town’s season, and he made no mistake with it as he put town into League 1. The feeling was ace, all the fans going mental, and plenty of pride on the M1 when Mansfield fans were over taking us in their cars. Out side of the Millennium Stadium were Town fans everywhere celebrating, All singing and it was a great moment. A moment that no Town fan should ever forget!

 

Good Luck Lincoln!!