Clark seeks desire as Town try to gain early advantage

Twelve years ago, he was part of the Sunderland side denied a place in the Premier League by the slimmest of margins as Charlton Athletic triumphed on penalties after one of the most enthralling games in Wembley history had finished 4-4.

Even now, as Clark prepares to put himself through the emotional wringer of play-off combat for the first time since that fateful May afternoon at the old national stadium, the hurt has not left the 38-year-old Huddersfield Town manager.

But, ahead of tomorrow's semi-final first leg against Millwall, he is also at pains to stress just how good the play-offs have been for football.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post in his office at the Galpharm Stadium, the Terriers manager said: "I have only been involved once before and that didn't end too well so I should probably not be a fan.

"At Sunderland, we had finished third (in Division One) but lost the most famous play-off final of all time to a Charlton team who had finished behind us.

"It is all about what happens on the day, who holds their nerve, who has a bit of luck.

"That day at Wembley, myself and Kevin Phillips were substituted with a few minutes to go with Sunderland 4-3 ahead. We were down as two of the first penalty takers. Charlton then equalised and everything else is history.

"But I do believe in the concept because the play-offs add excitement. You can see the excitement they generate from the fact all four games in the (League One) semi-finals are likely to be sell-outs.

"The play-offs keep the season going longer as well. Before, with five or six games to go a lot of teams had nothing to play for but that is not the case any more."

Huddersfield will go into the play-offs in fine heart after claiming 22 points from the final 10 games of the regular season to claim sixth place.

However, Millwall are also likely to be approaching the first leg at the Galpharm in confident mood having won 15 and drawn three of their last 21 outings.

Clark, whose side beat the Lions 1-0 last month, expects the two ties – the second game is at The Den on Tuesday – to be closely-fought encounters but is also insistent that past form will count for little.

He said: "Millwall's strength is they have been growing for two or three years under the same manager. Season on season, they have got stronger and more powerful. And they play good football to go with that power.

"Kenny (Jackett, Lions manager) has assembled a very good squad and we will have to be right on top of our game, just as we were against Millwall last month. The desire we showed in the second half was there for all to see. We want more of that. What we can't have is what we saw at The Den when we put in one of our poorest performances of the season (to lose 3-1).

"It is like two cup-ties. I think we are set up right. We go out in every game trying to score more goals than our opponents."

The feeling that little separates Huddersfield and Millwall is strengthened by the respective home records of both clubs.

Just one defeat apiece – Town's coming against champions Norwich and Millwall when hosting Wycombe – suggests that the home tie may well prove key in deciding who goes through to Wembley to face either Charlton or Swindon.

Clark added: "We want to get a foothold in the first leg. But looking at the Championship play-off games this week, the teams going away have scored a lot of goals.

"If we win (on Saturday), all well and good. But if we don't, it is not a problem.

"Just look at Leicester earlier this week. I know they lost on penalties (to Cardiff) in the end, but everyone wrote them off after the first leg and look how close they came to overturning a first-leg defeat.

"The tie will not be over after the first leg. That is why I don't see playing at home second as an advantage. It may even work in our favour.

"Promotion is what all the hard work this season has been about. No matter what happens, this has been a positive season."

And what if Town do go on and beat Millwall to reach a Wembley final?

The final question to Clark has got to be whether a possible meeting with Charlton would allow him to exorcise the play-off demons of the past.

"I am not thinking that far ahead," straight bats the Town manager. "That would be disrespectful.

"I just want to get through this tie and then whoever gets through the other one can take care of itself."

CLARK'S WEMBLEY HEARTACHE

Date: May 25, 1998.

Score:

Charlton Athletic 4 (Mendonca 23, 71 & 103), Rufus 85)

Sunderland 4

(Quinn 50, 73 Phillips 58, Summerbee 99)

(After Extra-Time, Charlton win 7-6 on penalties).

Teams:

Charlton Athletic: Ilic, Mills (Robinson 76), Bowen, K Jones, Rufus, Youds, Newton, Kinsella, Bright (Brown 93), Mendonca, Heaney (S Jones 65).

Sunderland: Perez, Holloway (Makin 45), Gray, Clark (Rae 100), Craddock, Williams, Summerbee, Ball, Quinn, Phillips (Dichio 73), Johnston.