LEE CLARK looked ahead to Town’s FA Cup fourth-round trip to Arsenal or Leeds and said: “It’s a fantastic draw either way.”
Town, 2-0 third-round winners at home to Dover, will discover their destination on the weekend of January 29/30 when their opponents replay at Elland Road tomorrow week, January 18.
That’s the same night Clark’s team go to Carlisle for their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern final first leg.
Arsenal and Leeds drew 1-1 at the Emirates Stadium, where Town have never played, when it took a last-gasp penalty by Cesc Fabregas to save the Gunners from elimination.
Town manager Clark, who has just extended the loan of teenage Arsenal striker Benik Afobe until the end of the season, continued: “Other than not being at home, I’m really pleased with the draw.
“Whatever the outcome of the Elland Road replay, we have a tie everyone connected with Huddersfield Town, whether it’s staff, players or supporters, can really look forward to.
“If it’s Arsenal, we’re going to test ourselves against a world-class team in a world-class stadium.
“If it’s Leeds, we’ve got a superb local derby on our hands, and I know just what it means to our fans to come out on top.
“It’s a pity the replay is on the same night as our game at Carlisle, but we’ll be represented at Elland Road, don’t worry about that.”
While Town have played Leeds in League I games over the last three seasons, and are unbeaten in five derbies, they faced Arsenal in their centenary celebration match at the Galpharm in 2008 when Arsene Wenger’s side won 2-1.
Their last competitive clash was in a two-legged League Cup second-round tie in 1993-94, when the Londoners won 5-0 at Leeds Road before a 1-1 draw at Highbury. In the FA Cup, Arsenal beat Town 2-0 in the 1930 final and, two seasons later, won 1-0 in the quarter-finals in front of a record Leeds Road crowd of 67,037. There have been three FA Cup West Yorkshire derbies, all before the War.
Town were 3-0 home winners in the fourth round in 1928-29 and 4-2 victors at the same stage at Elland Road in 1938-39.
Leeds were 2-0 home winners against Town in round three in 1930-31.
