GEOFF HUTT stuck with Town through thick and thin.

But the former full-back who represented the club in all four divisions and remains a keen fan will go to Goodison Park for Wednesday’s big Carling Cup second-round clash with Everton surely wondering what might have been.

For back in the early seventies, Hutt, now 60, was strongly linked with a transfer to the Toffees.

The move would have replicated that of fellow left-back Ray Wilson, who left Leeds Road for Merseyside in 1964 and went on to win the World Cup with England two years later.

Town had a remarkable record of uncovering quality young full-backs in that era, with Huddersfield-born future England international Bob McNab emerging to make a £50,000 move to Arsenal in 1966.

At a time when Football League figures revealed the average transfer fee to be £14,000, Town sold left-back Chris Cattlin to Coventry City for £70,000 and right-back Derek Parkin to Wolves for £80,000 within the space of a month early in 1968.

Within a year, Hutt was making his debut in an FA Cup fourth-round home clash with West Ham, with his emergence only coming after another bright prospect, Billy Legg, suffered career-ending injuries in a car crash.

Castleford-born Hutt, the cousin of rugby league ace and future Huddersfield Giants coach Mal Reilly, proved himself a tough-tackling and trustworthy operator, and was one of seven ever-presents as Town so memorably won promotion to the top flight in 1970.

He played in all 84 of the club’s First Division games over the two seasons which followed, but at one stage, it looked like he was Everton-bound.

“There was a lot of talk about a move,” recalls Hutt, who was to make 277 Town appearances in all before leaving the club in 1976 and playing for Dutch side Haarlem, York City and Halifax Town.

“But things were different in those days, and the power still lay with the clubs rather than the players.

“There weren’t agents as such, and you didn’t get to hear anything officially until a move was actually taking place.

“It was a little bit unsettling, but it was also flattering to think a club like Everton were interested.

“They had won the league championship under Harry Catterick in 1970 and so played in the European Cup, and they had some tremendous players.

“You look at the likes of Alan Ball, Howard Kendall, Henry Newton, Brian Labone, Johnny Morrissey and Joe Royle and wonder what it would be like to play alongside them.”

Town had four tough tussles with the Toffees over those two top-flight campaigns, three of which were drawn.

“They only got the better of us once, and that was over at Goodison (in February 1971), when Joe Royle got both their goals,” adds Hutt.

“I remember the home game with them that season, because they clearly came for a point, which in its way was quite a compliment.

“There was a big crowd at Leeds Road (27,658), the atmosphere was good and we went at each other hammer and tongs – it was great!”

The clubs shared four goals in a Boxing Day meeting the following season, when Frank Worthington and Jimmy Lawson scored for Town and David Johnson and Peter Scott for Everton in front of a bumper 41,088 crowd.

But Hutt also remembers going to Goodison to play for the reserves back in December 1967 – for different reasons.

“Henry Cockburn, a lovely bloke but a bit forgetful, was in charge of the second team at that time,” he explains.

“The weather was a bit dodgy, so rather than risk getting stuck in snow over the tops, Henry decided we’d go by train.

“We all got to Goodison Park without any problem, but when we walked into the dressing room, Henry realised we’d come without our kit!

“We ended up having to borrow theirs and while our own change strip was a washed-out all-red affair, Everton’s was a smart gold and blue.

“It proved a lucky omen, because we fought back from two down to draw against what was a pretty strong Everton side.”

Hutt, who had a loan spell at Blackburn Rovers, when he played alongside current Town coach Derek Fazackerley, before leaving Town, is looking forward to seeing Goodison again.

“They’d just built a big new stand when we got into the First Division, and while parts of the ground have been seated, it’s still the same basic shape and structure,” he says.

“It’s great to see they’ve taken a sensible approach and cut admission prices for the tie, and I’m sure we’ll have a big following.

“It will be tough, but I like the signings Lee Clark has made, although I’d still like to see a big, raw-boned striker to take some of the pressure off the likes of Jordan (Rhodes) and Lee (Novak).

“That said, I’m sure we’ll give a good account of ourselves.”