Huddersfield Town v Preston links: From the 1922 FA Cup final to Joe Garner

Christmas is a time for revisiting memories and rekindling relationships with old friends and family, and Huddersfield Town are no exception.

There will be more than a few familiar faces when Preston North End arrive on Boxing Day - aiming to prevent the Terriers from bouncing back after defeat to Bristol City.

Here are five individuals - and one amazing game - that link the two sides.

Simon Grayson

Preston boss Simon Grayson won’t need any directions when he arrives at the John Smith’s Stadium for the Boxing Day clash - his 11 months in charge of the Terriers means he still has an excellent memory of the stadium layout.

Brought in to help Town turn draws into wins and achieve promotion from League One, Grayson was unable to to secure an automatic place but guided his side to victory in the play-offs in May 2012.

However, the Championship proved an altogether trickier beast and he was sacked in January 2013 after a run of winless fixtures stretching back to the middle of the previous November.

Now having another crack at the division with Preston after promotion in the summer, Grayson said this week, after facing another former side in Leeds laast time out: “I don’t want to make a habit of facing too many former clubs because it means I’ve been sacked too many times!

“I’m looking forward to Huddersfield. I was only there a year compared to more than three at Leeds but it will be nice to see the people there.”

Elliott Ward

A defender with Premier League pedigree, Elliott Ward counts West Ham, Norwich City, Doncaster and Preston North End among his former clubs.

Signed on loan in September to bolster Town’s defensive options, the 30-year-old made five appearances before injury forced him back to Bournemouth for treatment with his parent club.

Now back at the John Smith’s Stadium until December 28, the fit-again Ward should be in line for a place against PNE on Boxing Day, the club he represented four times on loan in the 2009/10 campaign.

Then with Coventry City, Elliott was unable to stake a claim for a regular place with either Championship outfit, but had done enough to convince Norwich he was their man - and he repaid the faith in spades, playing 41 games the year the Canaries won promotion to the Premier League.

Tom Clarke

The younger brother of fellow Huddersfield Town academy product, Nathan Clarke, Tom Clarke made over a century of appearances for the Terriers after graduating to the first team.

An England youth international, Tom became Town’s longest serving player when he agreed a new deal in 2012, but he was released on its expiry at the end of the 2012/13 season.

Preston were quick to snap him up, and became an almost instant hero when he scored a stunning later winner in only his second appearance to beat local rivals Blackpool and ensure Derby Day delight for his new fans.

After two seasons in League One, the versatile Clarke is now back in the Championship, and is an essential member of Simon Grayson’s squad as PNE attempt to consolidate their position in England’s second tier.

Jermaine Beckford

Originally beginning his career in Chelsea’s Academy, Jermaine Beckford pitched up at Huddersfield Town on loan from Leicester in 2012 - the same loan path currently proving so fruitful for the hugely impressive left back Ben Chilwell.

He found the net nine times in the Championship during his year-long stay but formed a prolific partnership with James Vaughan, who has now departed for Birmingham City on a temporary deal himself.

The 32-year-old Beckford scored 18 goals for Preston in League One last term, including a hattrick at Wembley in the play-off final to comprehensively see off Swindon Town.

However, bad luck has scuppered his chances of making a similar impact in the Championship - a knee injury that has ruled him out since early September has limited the striker to just two appearances and has ruled him out of a return to the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.

1922 FA Cup Final

We are approaching the 100-year anniversary of Town’s FA Cup triumph, when a Billy Smith penalty proved the difference between the Terriers and their Preston counterparts.

Held at Stamford Bridge, it was the last final before the grand opening of Wembley, but 53,000 still made the trip south and crammed in to the West London venue to cheer on their teams.

Herbert Chapman, still a famous name to Arsenal fans and tactics students as well as Town supporters, was the manager that day and it paved the way for an astounding run of success that saw Huddersfield crowned Champions of England for three consecutive seasons beginning in 1923-24.

Goalscorer Smith remains a true legend in an era when that term has become criminally overused, scoring 126 goals in 574 appearances.

Preston finished as runners-up but still hold an unlikely record from that day - goalkeeper James Mitchell remains the only player to ever wear a pair of glasses for an FA Cup final.

Joe Garner

Blackburn Rovers had high hopes of a teenage Joe Garner, but he struggled to make the breakthrough from Academy hotshot to senior pro at Ewood Park - where the likes of Paul Dickov and Roque Santa Cruz stood in his way.

His career took him first to Carlisle and then to Nottingham Forest, before manager Billy Davies sent him to Huddersfield for regular games. Over a six month loan spell he got just that, but failed to make an impact in front of goal.

Garner wore a Terriers’ shirt 19 times, but was unable to find the net during his time in Yorkshire, and subsequent years have seen him turn out for Watford and Scunthorpe as well as enjoying a second stint at Carlisle.

He has now finally found his feet with the Lilywhites and is clearly enjoying life at Deepdale - his 26 league goals in 2014/15 were crucial in propelling PNE to promotion and he has netted three times in the Championship so far.