Huddersfield Town skipper: We are going to Leeds United to win

Dec 4 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Peter Clarke

PETER CLARKE believes tomorrow’s crunch clash at Leeds provides the perfect chance for Town to kick the frustration of Tuesday’s 3-3 draw with Tranmere firmly into touch.

The Galpharm side are chasing a fourth successive win over their arch-rivals – but the League I table shows just how tough a task they face in the 12.15 showdown at Elland Road.

Leeds are on 45 points, six points clear at the summit and 14 better off than Lee Clark’s fifth-placed side.

They’ve been beaten just once in their 18 games to date, with their last home league defeat the 2-0 setback against Carlisle in January.

Tomorrow’s contest seems sure to attract a bumper 35,000-plus crowd, and the ticket allocation means Town’s backing will be limited to 2,787.

But captain and centre-back Clarke, who played under Leeds boss Simon Grayson at Blackpool, remains undaunted, stating: “We’re going there to win.

“Yes, we were all bitterly disappointed after Tuesday’s game, and to score three goals at home and not win the match isn’t good enough.

“We spoke about it the day after, and we all agreed that there isn’t a better match in which to respond than a big local derby like this.

“Sure, Leeds have a great record, both home and away, and the atmosphere could well be quite hostile towards us.

“But the key is to use that as motivation, and as a player, if you don’t savour a match like this, then you’re in the wrong business.”

Clarke won a man-of- the-match award when playing for Everton in their 1-1 Premier League draw at Liverpool in February 2002.

Now the 27-year-old close-season capture, who figured in three wins over Leeds while at Southend, is looking to create another derby memory.

“Coming from Merseyside, that game at Anfield was special, but that was then – this is now and I’m a Huddersfield Town player.

“Any derby is vitally important to the two sets of fans and the people involved with the two clubs, and the players know just what victory would mean to the people of Huddersfield.

"They enjoyed two wins over Leeds last season and why shouldn’t we go there and do the same thing again?