Huddersfield Town chairman's statement plus Arsenal loanee Benik Afobe: We back Lee Clark

Nov 22 2010 By Doug Thomson

ON-LOAN striker Benik Afobe insists Huddersfield Town’s players take defeat as badly as chairman Dean Hoyle  following this latest reversal.

Mr Hoyle sparked much comment   before Saturday’s game with his match  programme notes which, among other  things, implied the team do not care.

Card Factory magnate Mr Hoyle was  referring to last week’s defeat at Oldham,  when only skipper Peter Clarke and  Antony Kay appeared to acknowledge the  fans at the end.

The quick exit did not escape Mr  Hoyle’s attention and he wrote in a  personal apology for the whole team  performance: “It appeared our players  could not wait to get off the pitch at the  final whistle.

“It pains me to say that in my time as  chairman I have never felt as low as I did  on Saturday after Oldham. On that afternoon I felt very let down, like many of our  4,000 travelling fans who follow  us away,  week after week, paying hard earned  money in difficult times, and I apologise  to you.”

Mr Hoyle also questioned the team’s  promotion ambition.

“I expect our experienced players to  take control and to turn matches when  our backs are against the wall.

“People may be surprised by my  reaction to this single defeat, but I have  always said this club has never been able  to buy the talent we have now – but it has  always had a ‘never say die’ attitude.

“Whether it is fair or not, I have asked  myself several searching questions over  the past few days; do our players have the  fight and bottle to face up to a physical  and wound-up opposing team? Was the  trip to Boundary Park not inspiring  enough? Does our team have the real  desire to get out of this league?  This week  I have posed these questions to Lee  Clark.”

But Arsenal striker Afobe, who pepped  up Town’s attack as a second half sub, said  the players are passionate and were left  hurt by Exeter’s narrow win.