Peter Jackson re-lives Town’s 2004 Play-Off Final
- Exclusive interview with former Huddersfield Town Manager Peter Jackson
- Jacko talked supporters through the 2003/04 campaign
- Watch the full video on #HTTV
Peter Jackson looked back on his best moment at Huddersfield Town… winning the 2003/04 Play-Off Final at the Millennium Stadium.
Jacko returned for his second spell as Manager with the Terriers in 2003 in difficult circumstances. The Club had just come out of administration and been relegated to the Third Division.
On the first day of pre-season, the former Town Manager recalled having just six players in his squad, but as the campaign continued, the side he built went on to be a formidable force in the league.
After finishing in the Play-Off places and going on to beat Lincoln City in the Semi-Finals, Jacko’s men faced Mansfield Town in the Final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
“We knew it was going to be another tough game, but a game that I felt if we played like I could do then we could win it.
“It was tense, and there was a goal that was disallowed in extra-time time, I think. The ball went out, which clearly you can see can’t you, not, and once that was disallowed, I thought this is our final.
“We had practiced our penalties for about a week before the game. I remember someone asking Keith Curle, the Mansfield Manager, if they’d practised penalties and he said, ‘professional footballers should be able to take a penalty’.
“It’s alright taking a penalty in a park or on a training pitch, but when you’re in front of 40,000 taking penalties, it’s completely different.
“What we did, we had Rachubka in goal, our five penalty takers, and the rest of the lads making noise and trying to put them off, so I felt we were really well prepared for that. Anybody that’s seen all four penalties, well every one of them the ‘keeper had absolutely no chance.”
Lee Fowler struck the all-important penalty as Town were promoted to Division Two – a huge achievement considering the difficulties the Football Club worked through 12 months prior.
“It was an emotional day for everyone connect with the club, not just for the squad, everyone behind the scenes that kept the club going through really difficult circumstances. A day like that made everything worthwhile.
“You ask all those players what the best day of their lives was, and they’ll all tell you Cardiff; it was brilliant.
“Without the doubt my best moment at Town. To actually win something, to be in a Boardroom with a trophy and that be Peter Jackson’s trophy – no-one can take that away from me. I’m sat here now thinking wow, we had an amazing time.”
Watch the full interview below on #HTTV!
