Huddersfield Town v Leicester City

Huddersfield Town V Leicester City

Date: Saturday 26th April

Time: 3pm

Venue: John Smiths Stadium.

Past meetings
There have been 58 previous meetings between the clubs with Town victorious in 28, Leicester 21 and 9 draws.

Played for both
Frank Worthington, Frank Sinclair, plus Danny Drinkwater, Jermaine Beckford and Neil Danns on loan.

Last 6 games
Huddersfield: DLLLDW
Leicester: DWLDWW

Brief history
Leicester Fosse was founded in 1884 and took this name because they played on a field by Fosse Road. Before moving to Filbert Street in 1891, the club played at five different grounds. They joined the Football Association in 1890 and the Midland League in 1891. After finishing second they were then elected to Division Two of the Football League in 1894. Their first ever league game was a 4–3 defeat at Grimsby, followed by their first win a week later against Rotherham. Their largest win was 13–0 against Notts Olympic in a FA Cup qualifying game that season. (An interesting fact about the now defunct Notts Olympic – they had a player called Herbert Kilpin who went on to found the Italian club A C Milan.)

In 1904, the club successfully re-applied for membership of the Football League. In 1908 they finished as Second Division runners-up and reached the First Division, but went back down again after just one season. In 1909, the club recorded its worst ever defeat, 12–0 against Nottingham Forest. They were re-elected to the Football League for the last time in 1915, as the League was then suspended due to the First World War but played in a regional league organised for Midlands clubs in this period. Due to financial problems, Leicester Fosse had ceased to exist when the League resumed in 1919 but the club reformed as Leicester City Football Club.

Leicester eventually went on to establish themselves in the old First Division followed by the Premiership, but in 2004 suffered relegation to the Championship where they stayed until 2008. They were then relegated to League One, the third tier of English football for the first time, but were promoted back to the Championship after just one season. And now, not only have they regained Premiership status they have done so as Champions and deserve congratulations.

So we head into the final home game of the season against the champions and as the song goes, “There are more questions than answers." Will they be in holiday mode or will they want to get as many points as possible? More to the point will we be in holiday mode now we’re safe or will we want to finish on a high? Will Robins stick with his first choice team or throw in some of the kids (as promised) to give them a taste of a big game and see how they perform in front of a large crowd? Will anyone stay to watch as the players do their traditional lap of honour following the customary pitch invasion?

Apparently Peter Clarke is now on the PFA’s out of contract list so it seems fairly certain he will be leaving. If that is the case should he get to play a part in what looks likely to be his final home game for the club? I know he’s had a lot of stick from some but I like him and wish some of the others would put in as much effort as he does. My abiding memory will be of him standing on the balcony at Wembley drinking in the scenes of celebration. I think he should be given a terrific send-off, as should Ian Bennett who is rumoured to be retiring.

My team
Smithies
Smith, Clarke, Gerrard, Dixon
Clayton, Hogg, Holmes
Hammill, Wells, Ward (if fit)

Subs
Bennett, Lolley (if fit), Scannell, Norwood, Wallace, Bunn, Lynch.

My son will hate me for including Ward but if fit he has to play, but as a winger not a striker. Although neither brilliant nor consistent he puts in more effort than Scannell who has been totally ineffective recently.

All credit to Leicester, they have played consistently well all season and in my opinion fully deserve to be champions. However that does not mean my irrational dislike of Nigel Pearson should end!!! I don’t have anything against Leicester as a club or their fans, in fact I’ve good memories of going to Filbert Street in the past and have always found their support to be both noisy and enthusiastic but I don’t like Pearson. Don’t know why.

I hope that now we’re safe the celebrations of the Leicester fans won’t seem as bad as they would if we were still in any danger. How many times have we had to suffer in misery and silence as others celebrate at our ground? Too many.

I always find the last (home) game a bit sad, so many hopes and dreams at the start of the season only for them to disappear midway, or against Charlton in the cup!!!

My belief/hope is that Town will put on a show and really have a go at Leicester. I feel this will give the whole club a lift and also inspire hope and optimism for next season.

Finally, I really can’t wait to see Clayton and his blue and white beard!!