Walsall travel to the Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield on Saturday looking
to build on last weekend's narrow victory over Swindon in the push to close
in on the play off pack.This is my second visit to the impressive stadium. I
took in a game there in 1994, the year it opened to see Town register a
comfortable 3-1 victory over Cambridge United in a division two game at the
time when it was known as the Sir Alfred Mc Alpine Stadium.At that time
one end was closed due to on-going building work but I do recall that no matter where the spectator went ie the snack bars or toilets etc it was possible to see the game 'live' on the various screens dotted about-oh to enjoy such comforts at the Banks's!
Huddersfield Town are a club steeped in proud history and enjoyed a terrific
period of success in the 1920's.Football League champions in 3 successive
seasons- 1923/4, 1924/5 and 1925/6. The following two seasons they had
to make do with being just runners up.Their ground then was based in Leeds
Road that once housed over 67,000 for a cup game against Arsenal.For my
one and only visit at the old place a mere 5,856 turned up to see the Terriers
record a 1-0 home win over the Saddlers-our third successive defeat- in the
awful 1989-90 season under John Barnwell that eventually saw us relegated
for the second year running.
Back to the present.Huddersfield are the third best supported club in the
division averaging nearly 13,000.Big boys Leeds United and Leicester City
are the only ones to boast better 'gates'.Their support this season has been
boosted by cheap season tickets as part of the club's Centenary.In two of
the stands the club sold adult season tickets for a mere £99 and one stand
is no higher than £175 for an adult.
Its been a poor start for Town with just two home wins under the belt and for
the last few weeks have been managerless since the parting of the ways with
Stan Ternent.Former Walsall boss Richard Money has been linked with the
post and Sunday newspaper speculation has suggested Lee Clark should
fill the vacant position.
Whoever is at the helm come Saturday I expect Walsall to record another
away victory.Its unreserved seats for Saddlers fans priced at £20 pay at the
turnstile who will no doubt give terrific backing for the players and make a
lot of noise, as ever.
