The Greatest Escape (In the History of Huddersfield Town F.C.)

About the Book

The Greatest Escape in the History of Huddersfield Town F.C.(synopsis)

          The Great Escape of the 1997-8 season for Huddersfield Town has been well documented. Without the enormous efforts from Peter Jackson and Terry Yorath the team would have faced certain relegation.

          However, now I am proud, pleased and relieved to be in a position to give an account of the Greatest Escape in the history of the club; a monumental milestone in the history of the Terriers.

          The Great Escape was made possible by efforts on the field, whereas in the Greatest Escape it was the massive contributions of the ones off it that made the vital difference to survival.

          Find out how close the club was to closure as thousands contributed to saving the Terriers not from relegation but from folding as a club forever; from being robbed of the joy, excitement and intensity that every match day brings.

About the Author

I remember so clearly the times I used to wait for the Cowshed gates to open at the old Leeds Road at the half-time interval. A restless group would wait for the gateman to give the sign that he was ready to let the noisy army through before anyone was hurt; hence a wave of excited fans would rush past the ever present official to add to the atmosphere that was already present in the shed.

          We knew that permission to join the others was not in doubt. What we did not know, however, was who would be the ‘talk of the Town’ after the game. Ones such as Denis Law, Ray Wilson and Frank Worthington must have had burning ears over the years, not to mention the likes of Alan Gowling, Steve Kindon, Andy Booth and Malcolm Brown. These are just a small minority of those who were unable to escape the public’s eyes and ears over the years.

           Despite a painful move to the Galpharm Stadium, nothing has changed in this regard; there has usually been someone who has grabbed the headlines; Marcus Stewart will tell you that the ‘talk of the Town’ label sill stuck long after the sad farewell to the former ground.

           However, since the Greatest Escape in the history of the club, to me, there has been a vital change of emphasis. That is, no matter who captures the attention on the field, I cannot ignore the life- saving efforts of it. Obviously, enormous credit rightly belongs to Ken Davy and those that stuck by him during the darkest hours; ones such as Terry Fisher and Martyn Byrne readily come to mind. Having said this, the ones who were there to pick up the wreckage in the aftermath of relegation should always be remembered in conversation. The Survival Trust, along with the 517 bondholders, to me, should always have a special place in Town folklore as well as the thousands of fans who helped keep the club afloat.

           Therefore, whoever gains the most praise on the field in the years to come should never draw attention away from the huge commitment of those off the pitch who should always be ‘the talk of the Town.’