Huddersfield Town v Brentford: Clark still upbeat despite automatic setback

That, however, is the fate awaiting Huddersfield Town today, providing they beat Brentford at the Galpharm Stadium on the final day of the League One campaign.

Even an unbeaten run that stands at 24 games has not been enough to wrestle second place from Southampton, who all but clinched a return to the Championship last Monday with a 3-1 victory at Plymouth Argyle.

It means the play-offs now await Town, who will be desperate to avoid suffering the same fate as Sunderland did in 1997-98 when, after finishing the regular season in third place with 90 points, they missed out on promotion in agonising fashion.

Town manager Lee Clark was in the Wearsiders team on that dramatic afternoon 13 years ago when a missed penalty by Michael Gray allowed Charlton to triumph in a dramatic shoot-out at Wembley, so he knows all about the potential pitfalls facing a team who have finished so far clear of the chasing pack in third.

“The key is how you handle the occasion,” said the 38-year-old former midfielder. “That is why it is not always about the team who finishes third being successful (in the play-offs).

“It doesn’t matter how far ahead you are, which I know from experience when I was at Sunderland. It was my first season and we finished third behind Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest.

“All three of us really went for it, tooth and nail. Unfortunately, we finished third and then lost in the famous play-off final to Charlton.”

After being pipped to automatic promotion by Middlesbrough that season, Sunderland rallied to beat Sheffield United 3-2 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals.

Clark added: “We knew we still had an opportunity to try and win promotion. One had gone, but there was another one left and that is what we are facing now.

“This time, my lads have the opportunity to play at one of the most prestigious grounds in world football (Old Trafford, host of the May 29 play-off final). You don’t give up those chances lightly.”

Huddersfield will play either Bournemouth or Milton Keynes Dons in this year’s semi-finals, with the Cherries seeming the most likely opposition due to being three points behind Karl Robinson’s side ahead of today’s final round of games.

The first leg will take place at either Dean Court or Stadiummk a week today with the return at the Galpharm on Wednesday, May 18. Before attention can turn fully to the play-offs, however, the Terriers have one last hurdle of the regular season to negotiate against Brentford.

Clark said: “There is no temptation to rotate the squad or anything like that. I want my strongest possible team out there to end the regular season on a high.

“Training has been fantastic since Monday (when Southampton all but clinched promotion). Everything has been upbeat and the lads have worked very hard. I did say to the players, ‘You couldn’t have done any more’.

“Southampton, Brighton and ourselves have all shown championship-winning form since the turn of the year. Nothing more could have been done to get an automatic place.

“Unfortunately for us, it has been one of those seasons. But we haven’t been affected.”

Once today’s game is out of the way, the planning for next Saturday will begin in earnest.

Clark added: “We have been doing our homework (with regards to possible play-off opponents) for the last six to eight weeks. We were going for automatic but, if that didn’t happen, then we knew we would have to be ready.

“All the teams that we can possibly play have been watched on numerous occasions and will be again (today). I am not thinking about who we will play right now. But, at 5pm, I will be getting the dossiers out.”

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