Huddersfield Town v MK Dons: Veteran Lee aims to turn back clock in Town cause

WHEN it comes to deciding the fate of Yorkshire’s clubs come the end of a season, Alan Lee has an impressive record.

Not only has the 33-year-old scored goals that have led to two clubs from within the White Rose county being relegated from the Championship but he also netted the winner as Rotherham United clinched promotion in 2001.

With Huddersfield Town now hoping to follow the Millers’ lead and end their own absence from the top two divisions before the end of this month, Lee could prove to be just the man to deliver at the vital time.

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Certainly, the prospect of being the hero is one that Lee relishes going into tonight’s semi-final second leg against Milton Keynes Dons with the veteran striker admitting it has played a big part in his faster-than-expected recovery from a knee injury.

“I would love to get a Yorkshire team promoted,” says Lee when talking to the Yorkshire Post about Town’s attempts to make it third time lucky this term by clinching promotion via the League One play-offs.

“Huddersfield are a special club and it would mean absolutely everything to get us up. What happened last year was heart-breaking and the pain we went through was huge.

“But I feel we all learned so much from that (losing 3-0 to Peterborough United in the final) and I think I speak for us all when I say we can’t go through that again. It would be great if I could play my part, too.

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“I had a knee injury towards the end of the season and I was a bit worried I might miss out. But the thought of being the one who might come off the bench and score the goal that took Huddersfield up in the last minute kept me going.”

Lee’s ability to intervene dramatically in deciding the fate of Yorkshire’s football clubs first became evident when he netted the winner for Rotherham United against Brentford at a sold-out Millmoor to clinch promotion.

Six years later, the Galway-born striker, then sporting the colours of Ipswich Town, netted the equaliser that sent Leeds United tumbling out of the Championship on the penultimate weekend of the season.

Then, three years later, Lee was at it again when scoring on the final day to help Crystal Palace claim a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough that was enough to condemn Sheffield Wednesday to the drop as the Londoners stayed up.

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Following Saturday’s 2-0 win at stadium:mk, Town go into tonight’s second leg as overwhelming favourites to progress to the Saturday, May 26 final.

Providing, therefore, the notoriously wretched record that Huddersfield have on home soil in the play-offs – they have not won in seven ties – does not come back to haunt Simon Grayson’s men in devastating style, then the club’s followers can look forward to a trip to Wembley.

Lee, in common with everyone at the Galpharm Stadium, refuses to take anything for granted – even if he does detect a big difference within the Terriers’ ranks compared to this time last year when a penalty shoot-out victory over Bournemouth in the semi-finals was followed by defeat at Old Trafford to Peterborough United.

He said: “The mood (in the build-up) was good anyway. Last season, we had been fighting right up to the end (for automatic promotion) so ahead of the semi-finals we were dealing with disappointment.

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“Whereas, this year we got that out of the way early. We had a few games at the end of the season to get it out of our system, which I think we did.

“We were able to go into the play-offs in a positive frame of mind with another team going in feeling disappointed.

“When you miss out on automatic promotion like we did (to Southampton), it is horrible. It seems so unfair when you finish third and so far in front of everyone else.

“The points total we got last season deserved to take us up. Plus, you have to turn round only a few days later in the play-offs. It can be difficult, as Sheffield United will have found out this year.”

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Huddersfield will go into tonight’s Dons game hoping that a place in the final can be booked in less dramatic circumstances than a year ago when a 3-3 draw was followed by a penalty shoot-out that was settled in the home side’s favour by four successful spot kicks to two.

Lee said: “The home leg had everything. I was the fifth penalty taker so I had more cause for us to go through than anyone.

“There are two things that can happen. You are either the hero or the villain.

“I was ready for it... but, to be honest, I was really glad when I didn’t have to take a penalty.”

Last six games: Huddersfield Town LLWDWW, Milton Keynes Dons WWWWLL.

Last time: Huddersfield Town 1 Milton Keynes Dons 1; February 4, 2011; League One.

Referee: S Mathieson (Cheshire).