LOTS of footie fans have rituals they carry out before matches, believing it brings their boys luck.

But Michael Smith's superstition must be the most bizarre. He believes sniffing his lucky polystyrene cup is why Town are on their way to Cardiff!

The cup was thrown away by Town legend Frank Worthington at half-time during a charity match 10 years ago.

Michael, of Cambridge Street, Heckmondwike, picked it up and put it in a jar. He forgot about it until he found it years later.

He said: "I opened the jar and, for some reason, gave it a sniff. We won the next game, so the superstition started there. I kept sniffing it and we kept winning."

"I am going down to Cardiff with 10 of my mates and we will definitely be giving the cup a sniff."

* The genie of the lamp is a Town fan.

And lifelong Terrier Dave Booth, 56, believes the genie's powers will help Town into Division II by Monday evening.

He remembers a tale about the famous Town side who won the league three times in a row back in the 1920s.

He said: "The team went to see Aladdin at the Theatre Royal in Huddersfield and one of the players went backstage afterwards and rubbed the lamp. He wished to win the league three times in a row and they did.

"I was in Scotland on holiday last August I was in a pub and there was a genie's lamp. I rubbed it and wished for Town to get promoted. I am confident my wish will come true."