[SHEP_HTAFC]

MK FRANCHISE v HUDDERSFIELD TOWN......TUE 23rd FEB.....K.O 19:45

CURRENT FORM

Town were on a bad run a couple of weeks ago, losing 4 games on the trot in all competitions. Since then the last 2 games have been different. A fantastic 2-0 away win at Forest was followed on Saturday with a hard fought 1-0 win at home to Wolves.
It's nice to win games, nice to keep scoring goals (that's our 16th game in a row where we've scored since a 2-0 home loss to the Smoggies), but it's also just as nice to keep a clean sheet.
A nice little run of wins and games unbeaten from now to the end of the season would set us up very nicely for next year's assault on the play off places.


MK Franchise had been having a number of good results recently. A superb win away at Derby, a credible home draw v Middlesborough, and an away draw v Cardiff, all show that they can do well against the top teams in the division.
However they are just above the relegation zone for a reason....a 3-1 loss away to rock bottom Bolton and a 0-5 home defeat to Burnley tells its own story.
Their last game was at home to the team just below them...Bristol City...a proper 6 pointer if ever there was one. It finished 0-2 to Bristol City, leaving the Franchise just one place above the relegation zone, although they are 5 points clear of 3rd bottom.

OUR OPPONENTS

Milton Keynes Dons are based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, about 45 miles north-west of London. They are a result of Wimbledon F.C.'s relocation from Plough Lane, South London in September 2003.
The club officially considers itself to have been founded in 2004, when it adopted its present name, badge and home colours.

I think it's fair to say not many true football fans have much time for the MK Dons.
As well as stealing an old football clubs identity, they also took their league position when Wimbledon folded.
It's ridiculous that they keep using Dons in their name, as they now have hardly any links to the old Wimbledon.
For all our dislike of them because of their history with Wimbledon, they also have a nausiating manager in Karl Robinson. He is officially the 3rd longest serving manager at one club in English football at just under 6 years....
,

And they also have a truly loathesome owner in Pete Winkleman....a very poor mans' Simon Cowell.....


Their only redeeming feature seems to be that they hate Peterborough almost as much as Town fans do.
Posh are their biggest rivals......two new towns with two tinpot teams. Match made in Heaven.

FAMILIAR NAMES

Thankfully, the only person currently at MK Franchise that I can find who is in some way connected to Huddersfield Town is Antony Kay....the pic below shows him welcoming his old team mate from Town to MK.....

SHEP's TEAM

Rapidly becoming first name on the teamsheet for Town these days is Phillip Anyabwu Billing. This Danish teenager scored his first goal for Town with a fantastic 30 yeard shot v Forest last week. He was my man of the match v Preston the week before that.
Defence and midfield I would keep the same as the last game. Wells is picking himself these days. And I would keep the two new boys (MATMOUR and MANU) as impact subs should we need them.

STEER

SMITH LYNCH HUDSON HUSBAND

LOLLEY HOGG PATERSON BILLING BUNN

WELLS

---

Posted early as going to be busy over next few days

[jjamez]

Poyet has 'played' for both teams too, likewise simon church

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one, Shep.

Lynch could hardly walk by full time on Saturday. We're told it was only cramp and he should be fine for this one. Would you rest him though to keep him fresh for Ipswich?

[MNTerrier]

i wouldnt rest lynch unless absolutely necessary, i'm not surprised he had cramp as he ran his cahones off against Wolves and hes the best central defender we have, i see little reason to change the team as they seem to be full of confidence at the moment several of then have looked like different players since Wagner took over, Wells and Lolley in particular and the more Billing plays the better he'll get.
its a testament to how the team is playing that Whitehead hasnt just walked back into the team, ( unlucky for him as he was a rock) and i dont think Huws and Scannell will either

make no mistake though Dons shouldnt be underestimated, theyve put a bit of a run together against some good teams but i think if we get hold of the ball early and Hogg and Billing stamp their mark on the middle of the park we'll get a positive result

[theo_luddite]

Their stadium does look a bit better with seats in the top half of it now. Not that anyone will use them unless Spurs come calling for a ground share while they build a new stadium so they can cause bigger and longer traffic jams on Totting'am 'igh Road.

Got a funeral to go to this aft so can't make the match. Hopefully Town will bring us all some cheer this evening.

[EastLondonTerrier]

Lynch is still capable of suicidal mistakes as the one which almost cost us last week. He's still our best defender but I don't think he's the finished article by any means. Think on form, Hudson has probably been our best defender from the start of the year bar Brentford. If we can get an early goal I think we can win this 3/4-1. But in typical town fashion we could easily lose this 2-1.

[WakeyTerrier]

Cracking ground is the MooCamp Stadium, just a shame it's where it is...the middle of nowhere.

Again I'm confident of a win, our game is much more suited for playing away from home. The home team has to come out and attack which means they leave space behind for us to break into.

Come on you Terriers, win this and we can just about forget about the bottom 3 for another season

[Jeebers]

It is a cracking ground Wakey but I hate them, how the hell they got away with that.... criminal... pure theft, it'll be one of the best wins of the season just for the fact it's MK Franchise

[WakeyTerrier]

I agree, the way MK was formed was all wrong. Now if they'd started at the bottom somewhere and worked their way up to the League like AFC Wimbledon then I'd have no problems what so ever.

If we make it 3 wins and 3 clean sheets on the bounce tonight I might just crack open a bottle of my 12% beer to celebrate.


Come on Town!

[theo_luddite]

Kin eck, that's almost as strong as my bottle of Shat on the Newf de Crap.