IT WAS back in August 1984 when I was taken aside by Fulham coach Ray Harford and asked if I’d be interested in joining Huddersfield Town for the start of the new season.

As I jumped in my car to head North to meet Town manager Mick Buxton, little did I know it would be the start of 27-year relationship with the wonderful people of the Huddersfield area.

I remember that first meeting when Mick told me he’d only signed me because I was a Northerner (born in Leeds).

Mick hated Southern softies and he didn’t want anyone thinking he’d changed by signing a young striker from Fulham.

I suppose looking back it was a bit of an insult but I didn’t care. I was keen, eager and desperate to take my chance.

I settled into my digs on Bradley Road and that’s when it all began.

I only lasted two years at the club before I turned down a new deal of £10 a week extra for another two years.

I’d scored 29 goals in 72 games (just checked the records) and my strike partner Mark Lillis had moved on to Manchester City, so I was hoping for my first decent contract.

It didn’t happen and I moved to Belgium to play for Lokeren.

However in those two years I made so many life-long friends among the players and fans of Huddersfield Town that when in the late Nineties I had the chance to return as the first ever public relations manager at the club, I jumped at it.

A few years later during the Barry Rubery years I found it impossible to work under that dictatorial regime so I moved once again.

A few weeks ago I bumped into my old friend Mel Booth and after a quick catch-up of what we were doing, Mel asked if I’d be interested in writing a column for the Examiner – so here I am.

If your wondering what my daytime job is now, I’m the public relations director for the bookmaker Sky Bet.

I’m in my 11th year working for Sky and some of you who have an interest in betting may have seen me at sometime on screen talking about odds and events.

The plan is that over the coming months I’ll give you my thoughts on everything in the football and sporting world.

And you never know, if you like a flutter I might be able to point you in the direction of a few winners.

If you have any questions for me then please send them through to the guys at the Examiner or you can follow me on twitter at skybet_dale.

It’s great to be back in touch with you all.

SOMETIMES in life when you’re wrong you have to admit it, apologise and move on.

I can’t believe how badly Liverpool have handled the Luis Suarez affair and their continued lack of acknowledgement of fault does the club a major disservice.

The 150 pages of an independent FA inquiry says they are wrong. As Rafa Benitez once said "facts are facts".

I hope my old friend Ian Ayre (the former chairman at Town and now Liverpool’s managing director) quickly puts a stop to this ridiculously short-sighted approach.