Town chief slashes prices to build play-off momentum

Whether it be the Prime Minister putting his foot in it in with a staunch Labour supporter from Rochdale or a football team chasing promotion to the Championship, picking the right moment can be the difference between succeeding or falling flat on your face.

For Huddersfield Town, therefore, the past fortnight has acted as a major boost towards their much-stated ambition of kicking off next season in the second tier.

Not only did the Terriers end, at the 10th attempt, the search for a victory over one of the top six by beating Millwall at the Galpharm Stadium. But last weekend saw Lee Clark's side secure a place in the play-offs with a 6-0 thrashing of Stockport County at Edgeley Park.

It means, ahead of the final two games of the regular season, that Town are likely to be a side few fancy facing in the end-of-season promotion deciders.

With that in mind, chairman Dean Hoyle is determined to maintain the momentum built courtesy of a 19-point haul from the last eight games so has slashed ticket prices for tomorrow's home game against Colchester United in the hope a bumper crowd will further boost the players.

He said: "I thought the atmosphere at our last home game against Millwall was sensational. The fans really played their part in an excellent result, especially when we came under the cosh late on.

"What we must do now is keep the momentum going. The players have hit form at just the right time so we have cut ticket prices to ensure we have another big crowd against Colchester.

"I appreciate the form book can go right out the window once the play-offs get underway but ending the (regular) season strongly will certainly do us no harm.

"This is a very talented team, who play good football and are entertaining to watch. Recently, the team also seems to have learned how to kill off games.

"Against Millwall, we were under the cosh at times in the second half but I never thought they looked like scoring against us."

Huddersfield have slashed admission prices to 10 for adults and 5 concessions, an offer that is extended to supporters wishing to pay on the day tomorrow.

The club, who will be handing out 16,000 'We are Town' t-shirts ahead of the game, have also given season-ticket holders in all parts of the ground an opportunity to switch seats to the end of the Galpharm Stadium normally reserved for away fans.

Around 1,500 places were put up for grabs, and as of yesterday a total of 360 Town fans had opted to make the switch.

The clear intention is to crank up the atmosphere by having home supporters on all four sides of the stadium to further lift the Town players.

The Terriers chairman said: "We have a young squad who, at certain times this season, have had dips in form. That is inevitable, but can be difficult to handle at that age.

"That is why I know how valuable the fans getting right behind the team has been this season."

Town go into tomorrow's meeting with Colchester looking to maintain an impressive home record that has seen Clark's men lose just once in 22 league games.

The solitary reverse came against Norwich City in March, and chairman Hoyle believes that 3-1 defeat could actually help the club's push for the Championship.

He said: "In a funny way, I believe us losing our unbeaten home record to Norwich could do us a favour in the play-offs as it takes the pressure off.

"The play-offs have enough pressure without a team having to protect an unbeaten home record as well. It could be a blessing in disguise."

Finishing the regular season with victories over Colchester and Exeter City could nudge Town up to either third or fourth in the table – and ensure Town are at home in the second leg of the play-off semi-finals.

Lifelong fan Hoyle was in the crowd when Huddersfield crashed out of the League One play-offs in 2006 despite winning the semi-final first leg at Barnsley.

He added: "To get into fourth position would be fantastic but, at the same time, I don't believe it counts for too much once the play-offs get underway as they are almost a separate competition."