Huddersfield Town boss on opening fixtures against Southend United and Southampton

Jun 18 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

LEE CLARK believes opening games against Southend United and Southampton will represent the perfect test of Town’s League I credentials.

Clark’s men open the campaign on Saturday, August 8, at Roots Hall, scene of the first match following Clark’s appointment last December.

The boss had a watching brief for that game, when Southend’s side featured new Town arrival Peter Clarke in central defence.

And he’d be more than happy at a repeat of the 1-0 win masterminded by Graham Mitchell, who stood in because caretaker boss Gerry Murphy was ruled out by illness.

Troubled Southampton provide the opposition for the first league game of the season at the Galpharm, on Saturday, August 15.

With Stockport County visiting in the first round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday 11 and Brighton coming for a league game on Tuesday 18, it means fans can look forward to three home games in eight days.

Southampton, whose proposed new owners are due to confirm tomorrow whether they will retain Dutch manager Mark Wotte, make their first league visit to Huddersfield since 1971-72, when they were 2-0 winners in the top flight.

It’s a contest Clark is already looking forward to.

“I saw Southampton half a dozen times last season, and they have some very exciting young players,” he said.

“They were forced to pitch them into action because of financial constraints, and they will have learned an awful lot.

“Okay, they were relegated from the Championship, but that was down to their inability to close out a game, because the times I saw them, they were often in control for large phases.

“They played good, fluent football, created chances and scored some great goals, and while they’ve had a torrid time as a club of late, I’m sure they will be competitive this time.”