So to finally let my frustrations out I’m writing this blog post (and a rather long one) to describe my day visiting to so called “Theatre of Dreams” where my dreams along with 32,000 fellow town fans including roughly 15,000 part-times saw the club who finished with the highest number of points in League One and not be promoted and a club who didn’t lose a league game in 2011.
After a tense and nerve-racking penalty win over Bournemouth done in the only way Huddersfield Town can achieve victory, the hard way, things were looking up as I set off early doors to Manchester. (And we still have never won a home play-off leg)
6am wakeup call and at Huddersfield Train Station at 715am for a game 30 miles away and with kick off at 3pm, bonkers I thought but the masses already on the platform showed today was going to be a long one for those travelling to the dark side of the Pennines and the queuing systems and extra trains TransPennine Express promised weren’t there as hundreds shoved their way onto the first train of the day. As we set off only several of the 20 or so Wooldarians (a word coined by my good friend Boothy) made in onto the train.
Spoons Breakfast at 845 and as one Peterborough Fan kept asking when they would serve alcohol (9am) the drinking began as I aimed to enjoy what could be one of the best days in my life supporting Huddersfield Town. Joined later by those who missed that sardine can that was the first train from Huddersfield we soon made our way to Old Trafford, although the moron driving our taxi dropped us about half a mile from where we asked.
The search for a good pub was in force with none in the vicinity of Old Trafford letting in Town fans. I don’t know whether it was the fact that Peterborough were Fergie Juniors team or they expected most Town fans to drink in Manchester City Centre but a long time searching ended up with everyone I came with going into the ground whilst I joined by Manchester City supporting friend in going to one of these Peterborough pubs The Trafford. Whilst I made sure my Yorkshire accent wasn’t heard my friend Jordan attempted to make himself not vomit at the sight of Manchester United memorabilia whilst we discussed how good Nigel De Jong is.
Half two came and into the ground I went sitting with some of my “Nonsense” town supporting friends. The entry in to our side of our ground was made spectacular by the generosity of our Chairman Dean Hoyle giving out 30,000 or so free shirts turning our end of the ground blue and white, although DATM had already killed my surprise. The only discomfort was the distinct lack of leg room that Old Trafford provides. Anyone over 5 foot 6 must have been in pain as my legs went to sleep during the game.
So to the game and no surprise that Lee Clark had stuck with the “away” formation of 4-3-3/4-5-1 which has worked well over that past few months but without our top scorer Jordan Rhodes who yet again found himself on the bench. Benik Afobe who has worked hard but not scored the chances he should have was up top on his own supported by Bolton loanee Danny Ward and Gary Roberts.
The game took an age to kick off and after 10 minutes of Martin Solveig’s Hello we finally got underway. A tedious start but Peterborough got in to their groove and had two great early chances through talisman Craig Mackail-Smith. How he and George Boyd were ever in this league for a whole season is beyond me!
Mackail-Smith’s first chance was only denied by a wonder tackle from Antony Kay who had a brilliant game for us and was my man of the match. His second chance came after a very iffy decision in the middle of the park when I think Lee Peltier was fouled and CMS only could hit the post. Mackail-Smith’s movement caused town a lot of problems and they really should have been one up. Town finally found a foot in the game towards the end of the first half but chances were limited and we were not getting enough balls on the floor to play football and use our wingers to full effect. Benik Afobe was holding the ball up well and really should have scored just before half-time when the ball fell to him inside the 18-yard box but in usual Benik fashion he slipped and sent his shot wide. Second choice ‘keeper Paul Jones also made a vital interception as a Gary Roberts free-kick was on the way to meet two town players at the far post. 0-0 at half-time was generous as Peterborough had the chances to be one up.
Town started the second half in a much better fashion with Danny Ward and Jack Hunt surging down the right hand side and beating Peterborough’s left-back Grant Basey with ease. After Jones was again called into action to brilliantly intercept another cross, Ward skinned Basey before launching a rasping shot which hit the bar. With Town on top Lee Clark may have missed a trick in not brining on another striker as Afobe struggled on his own up top whilst also fluffing yet another opportunity. His opposite number Darren Ferguson took off Basey and the game changed with firstly Grant McCann seeing a free-kick go narrowly over before his second free-kick saw Peterborough take the lead with Tommy Rowe deflecting the ball in. However, as replays showed (the picture below) after the game which rubbed salt in to all Town fans wounds Mackail-Smith who was fouled in the build-up was offside and went down like he played for Barcelona.
What was worse is that heads dropped and a misplaced pass and poor closing down allowed Mackail-Smith in for an easy shot outside the area which took a slight deflection and left Town 2-0 down in 90 seconds of madness. Game over and although Clark brought two strikers on it was gone, the chance of a return to the 2nd tier of football for the first time in ten years.
They scored a third as we left tow at the back but attentions were on events happening in the stands. Although I couldn’t see the full extent of what happened, the sight of a “fan” (and I use the term loosely) with a clenched fist and covered in blood as well as a girl around my age clearly scared and crying isn’t a sight you should see at the clubs biggest game in nearly a decade. The poor lad was left half-dead by the alleged four morons who beat the living daylights out of him and stomped on his head as the Police took vital minutes to intervene. An act of sheer idiocy and malice was followed by ignorant fans lobbing their shirts paid for by our chairman perhaps in disgust but a huge disrespect to the club as well as the thousands who left as their 2nd goal went in. Maybe that’s what you get with day-trippers.
I stayed to the end and saw their celebrations and I congratulate Peterborough on their promotion. On the day they were just the better side but the score line flattered them.
And just like ten years previous where I was sat in the stands crying as we were relegated from the then Division One I was stood there in tears again. The sight of our captain Peter Clarke crying (above), who has given his heart and soul to the club, pushed me over the edge and a hard long emotional season has finally come to an end with not much to shout about at the end of it although performances were great and records were broken.
From great performances against Notts County away on the first day of the season, comebacks like that one against Cambridge in the FA Cup, well ground out victories such as that against Tranmere away from home, great derby wins over Sheffield Wednesday, awful performances such as our away defeat to Oldham and the ever so nearly’s like Arsenal in the FA Cup and Sunday, 2010/11 has been a season to remember.
The journey back was a hard one. Anger, sadness, disbelief all rolled into one. At least my good friend and birthday-boy Boothy cheered me up. Stood on his own surrounded by a few Peterborough fans he sung his heart out (influenced by alcohol I imagine) “Theres only one of me singing”, “When Huddersfield Town go up again (next season)” were a few of my personal favourites although it became rather repetitive.
The realisation of defeat is a hard one to take but what the hell we’ll do it next season. (said for the seventh or eighth year running now) And I certainly will be there roaming around the country on a few weekends next season whether it be both Sheffield teams away or all the way down to Stevenage on a Tuesday night.
At least thing at my club have changed and we are not settling for poor players and poor finishes which we got under the Davy/Ritchie regime. Hopefully next year Clark and Hoyle will get the promotion they deserve.
They say the Play-offs are the best way to go up and they are but they forget to tell you how much defeat hurts and I believe it hurts more than a cup final as promotion means a hell of a lot more. Give me second place anytime! See you next season Huddersfield Town.
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