IT DIDN’T take long for Lee Clark to become a fully paid-up member of the Andy Booth fan club.
The frontman was still recovering from back surgery when Clark took control of Town in December.
But Booth was given an outing, as a substitute in the 1-1 draw at Northampton, within a month.
There have been a further 14 since, with the 35-year-old repaying Clark with five goals.
Now the Galpharm boss is wishing Booth was 10 years younger!
Clark’s predecessor Stan Ternent made the award of a new one-year deal to Booth his first act as Town manager.
And if he could turn back the clock, the current boss would also be talking terms.
As it is, he is retaining Booth’s registration in case of an injury crisis, and Clark explained: “If he were 25, there’s no doubt he would be a major part of my plans.
“Any manager would be happy to have inherited a player like Boothy.
“He’s not just a very good footballer, he’s also a top professional and a really good bloke to have around the place.
“The fans love him and so do the rest of the players, and the fact that he will continue to be involved at the club, albeit in a different type of role, is a huge bonus.”
Explaining how Booth’s decision to retire was reached, Clark said: “It may seem strange given his current run of form, but Boothy is experienced and honest enough to know his own body.
“He knows that doing it over a whole season is very different to coming in for a run of games.
“We asked him what he wanted to do in terms of his future, and while he indicated he wasn’t interested in coaching, he asked if there was any other way he could stay involved.
“This way he will still have a huge part to play at Huddersfield Town, and while he might find it strange not to be playing at first, I think it will be a fairly simple transition, especially if he approaches the job like he has his football.”
