Big-match verdict: Dad's the word as Dean Whitehead turns back the clock to put City stars in shade

Until Saturday, however, his two young sons, Olly and Harry, only had their father’s word that he had been a top-class footballer.

Now, though, having seen Whitehead boss midfield against a Manchester City side featuring a host of world-class performers, the two boys can finally start to believe his stories about playing at the top level.

“Olly is seven years old and Harry six and, if I am honest, I don’t think they believed me,” said the 35-year-old about playing in the Premier League with Sunderland and Stoke City.

“I had told them (about my career) because, obviously, neither of them realised. They had never seen me do it so I brought them out before the game and then they watched from the stands.

“Hopefully, now they can see that their dad is okay, that I used to be all right.”

Whitehead’s youngest son, Harry, is a fan of Pep Guardiola’s side, while Olly’s loyalties lay with Manchester United.

Both will surely have been impressed by not only how well dad performed but all those sporting Huddersfield’s famous blue and white stripes.

Town were superb, the hosts making light of what was effectively a second string XI as David Wagner kept his big guns back for tomorrow night’s Championship game at home to Reading.

That the German should prioritise the meeting between the two sides who look most likely to threaten Brighton or Newcastle United for a place in the top two was not a surprise.

What, though, perhaps did shock Huddersfield’s largest crowd since the club left Leeds Road in 1994 was just how admirably those players performed against a City side whose bench alone cost £150m in transfer fees.

Rarely has a Guardiola team looked as uncomfortable as the Blues did when faced with the gegenpressing system that Wagner has used so effectively to transform Huddersfield’s fortunes.

Time and time again, the Premier League giants were hassled and harried out of their stride by the Terriers.

The high energy efforts of Jack Payne, Joe Lolley and Rajiv Van La Parra played a part in Town earning a replay, as did a defence whose never-say-die attitude was perhaps best epitomised by Martin Cranie.

But Whitehead was the man who really set the tone for such a masterful display from the hosts.

He was everywhere, be it dropping deep to stifle Sergio Aguero or sweeping up as either Fabian Delph or Fernandinho threatened to charge deep into Huddersfield territory.

Considering this was only his ninth start of the season due to being behind Aaron Mooy and Jonathan Hogg in the pecking order of defensive midfielders, Whitehead’s display was remarkable and further underlined why Wagner was so happy when the veteran turned down a move to Rotherham United last summer.

“I haven’t regretted my decision,” he said when asked by The Yorkshire Post about that possible move to the New York Stadium. “Though, it was a tough one to make because I want to play. I realise I am coming towards the end of my career.

“I had to weigh up whether it was right to go there or stay at Huddersfield. I decided to stay here and fight for my position. The problem has been the boys are playing so well.

“I have spoken to the boss on a few occasions. But I can’t argue with the way he has done things because Hoggy has played so well and Aaron Mooy has done well. I have had to be patient, train hard and keep my head down

“Then, when called upon, make sure I perform. The helpful thing is we play how we train. And I felt all of us (against City) produced a performance to say: ‘We are still here and will be ready when called upon’.”

The best chances of an absorbing afternoon, as was to be expected considering City sit second in the Premier League, fell to the visitors. Joel Coleman, however, proved equal to anything the Blues could muster with Town’s second-choice goalkeeper denying Aguero and Nolito in each half. He also bravely thwarted Kevin De Bruyne after the £55m signing had been played through late on.

Huddersfield, too, had chances with van La Parra bringing a fine save from Claudio Bravo in a first half that also saw Philip Billing find the net only for a linesman’s flag to quickly cut short the celebrations.

After the break, John Stones did well to avert the danger when Isaiah Brown was trying to reach Cranie’s cross before the loanee squandered a late opportunity to release Nahki Wells.

“I would love to play in the replay,” said Whitehead, part of the Stoke City team beaten by City in the 2011 FA Cup final. “An extra game is something to embrace and I am sure the younger lads will all believe that little bit more after this performance. They stood up against the best players in the world.”