JAMIE McCOMBE is plotting a magnificent seven as Huddersfield Town prepare for the League I play-offs.

While his club are set to be involved for the third season in succession, the big defender has experienced the nerve-shredding end-of-season event six times – and is yet to enjoy a final victory.

“I reckon I’m due a promotion – if only by the law of averages,” said the 29-year-old centre-back with a rueful smile.

Play-off tilt number one came with his first club Scunthorpe, who lost to derby rivals Lincoln in the League II semi-finals of 2003.

The year after, McCombe moved to Lincoln, and came up against Peter Jackson’s Town side, who beat the Imps 4-3 on aggregate in the semis, going on to defeat Mansfield on penalties after the final at Cardiff ended goalless.

In 2005, Lincoln got to the League II final at the expense of Macclesfield – only to go down 2-0 to Southend at the Millennium Stadium.

And the Imps’ misery continued the year after that, when they lost out to Grimsby in the semis.

McCombe – all 6ft 5in of him – was back in the play-offs in 2008, this time in the Championship with Bristol City, but the outcome was the same, with Crystal Palace getting the better of the West Country club over two semi-final legs.

And last season, he was part of the Town squad who got past Bournemouth, only to be sunk by Peterborough at Old Trafford.

McCombe well remembers the weeks leading up to the Mancunian meeting, explaining: “Peterborough finished eight points behind us in the final table, which shows that the play-offs don’t always have much relation to what has gone before. That’s worth remembering, wherever we are in four games’ time.”

While they might have blown their chances of automatic promotion with those dismal back-to-back Easter defeats by Sheffield Wednesday and Bournemouth, McCombe remains confident the season can still be salvaged.

“We’ve been up at the top end of the table all season, and you don’t become bad players overnight,” he said.

“The last two results (2-0 defeats by Sheffield Wednesday and Bournemouth) have been very disappointing, but this season is far from a write-off.

“We’ve got four games left to make sure we get into the play-offs, get as many points as we can and finish as high up the table as possible in order to get home advantage for the second leg of the semis.

“We know how important that can be after last season’s games against Bournemouth (Town won on penalties after a 3-3 extra-time draw at the Galpharm left the tie balanced at 4-4 on aggregate).

“We know the areas we must improve on and we’re working hard to get things right again.”

McCombe is hoping for a first appearance in eight games today when Simon Grayson’s side go to Preston, where he spent time on loan earlier this season.

“Playing games is what being a footballer is all about,” said the 2010 close-season signing who has made 68 Town appearances and scored nine goals.

“You work all week to be involved on a Saturday, and all I can do is keep 100% fit, be the sharpest I can be and be ready if called on.”

On Preston, for whom he played seven times in November and December, McCombe explained: “Preston are a great club, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and I’m proud to have played for them.

“Phil Brown was the manager when I arrived, then Graham Alexander and David Unsworth took over as caretakers.

“The lads were a bit low on confidence when I went there, but we picked up a few decent results and climbed the table.

“Things have changed again, with Graham Westley going in as manager, but it will be good to go back.”

McCombe rates 10-goal Canadian international striker Iain Hume, who is back after injury, as a major danger, adding: “I’ve played against him and alongside him and seen how he works in training.

“He’s played at a high level and moved for a lot of money, and for a little guy, he’s very good in air as well as being decent on the ball and a good finisher.”