One of Hudderfield Town’s most devoted fans says she is looking forward to their first season in the Premier League - and says she has every confidence in coach David Wagner’s ability to keep them up.

Eileen Clark nee Pilling, 80, of Shepley, was taken by her father Alfred to matches from the age of seven or eight and has never lost the habit.

She watched them through their glory years and made sure of her new season ticket before the end of last season.

When she got married to Bill he wasn’t interested but he used to take her to matches and pick her up afterwards.

And when her two children, Robert and Joanne, were old enough to go, she took them along too and then the grandchildren until they got bored with it.

Her dedication did not go unrecognised as Town delivered a special bouquet in March thanking her for her die-hard support and congratulating her on her diamond wedding anniversary, marking 60 years of marriage.

Eileen said: “I’m really looking forward to the new season.

“I don’t know how many matches I’m going to be able to go to, but a neighbour has said I can go with them so that is good news.

“I must admit I’m tempted by the thought of watching Town take on Newcastle at home shortly so we will have to see.

Diamond wedding. Eileen and William Clark of Stocksmoor

“I don’t recognise that many of the players apart from Tommy Smith as so many new players have been brought in. I would have like to have seen more homegrown players being used but I have every faith in David Wagner.”

Eileen’s family offered to take her to Wembley for Town’s dramatic play-off victory on penalties against Reading, but she says that it was too much for her.

As for cheering Town on, she says she doesn’t shout very loudly, if at all these days, but despite suffering from a degree of arthritis, she uses the clappers provided to make some noise.

Regarding Town’s first home match in the Premier League against Newcastle United on Sunday, August 20, which is bound to attract a huge crowd, she said: “It would be good to go and I shall be very tempted.

“The pundits are not giving them much of a chance of staying up, are they? They keep saying we will go straight back down but I have a lot of faith in David Wagner.