[Lord Snooty]

April 14:

It's a happy birthday today, a 30th birthday, to our former captain, Tommy Smith, now of course playing at Stoke City. He was born in Warrington in 1992 and played junior football for Tranmere and then Man City before joining us in 2012.

He captained the side at Wembley in 2017 in the Play Off Final with Reading, but had gone off injured before the penalty shoot out. He did however, manage to hobble his way up all of them steps to lift the trophy alongside club captain Mark Hudson. Tommy took over the club captaincy in the Prima Donna League when Huddy retired.

Now just a few weeks before "oh what a night, late in May in 2017", Town played Preston North End at the JSS on this date, which was Good Friday, and Tommy's 25th birthday.

PNE scored first, but Elias Kachunga equalised just before half time. Tommy then got an assist, crossing for the smallest lad on the pitch, wee Jack Payne to head Town into the lead. Yond prick Jordan Hugill went and levelled it up though, before he became involved in the match's defining moment.

Well into injury time, he punched Kachunga in the penalty area. The ref missed it. Half the crowd hadn't seen it either. I saw it and thankfully, so did the Russian linesman. Penalty to the Terriers.

Up stepped Aaron Mooy. It was now six minutes into added on time. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife as he approached the ball. There were groans of despair as Chris Maxwell saved his shot. But then what followed can only be described as absolute scenes, as the crowd went wild with delight when Collin Quaner got to the rebound and slammed it home.

Cor blimey!

And that's not all. Twelve months later. More scenes. It was this date in 2018, we were now in the Premier League and Watford were the visitors. Tommy's 26th birthday and he spent it sat on the subs bench for this one with Flo Hadergjonaj playing right back that day. It was a pretty nondescript game, but in added time again, Town won it. The boy called Zanka had a great little assist as he found Tom Ince to fire the ball into the net. Did he fire it or tap it? I can't quite remember now.

Anyway. Absolute limbs!

It was an important three points as well. Moved us up to 14th and with Everton, Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal left to play, we won't get owt from any of those.

Now going back a few more years and Watford are the opponents again. This time in another celebration. It was a Tuesday night in 1970, but it was the final match of the season. A glorious season when Huddersfield Town won the Second Division championship. And on this date, at this match against the Hornets at Leeds Road, we lifted the trophy.

Me and my dad went. I was still no'but a nipper. Nine years old and only in my second season and we'd won a trophy already. Town won 3-1 on the night. Jimmy Lawson got one of the goals. Our new Welsh international winger, Dick Krzywicki got two. He had another big game lined up for Saturday, playing for his country against England at Ninian Park.

And talking of Ninian Park, we'll finish with a goal less draw. Why? Well this was 1924 and the significance of the result wouldn't be so obvious yet, but by the end of the season, Town and Cardiff would be level on points at the top of the League, but it would be Town crowned champions on goal average. More of that later.......