CHRIS CATTLIN says there’s no reason why Huddersfield Town can’t emulate the Capital One Cup heroics of neighbours Bradford.

Manager Mark Robins will discover his side’s first-round opponents this morning, with the Valley Parade club one of 18 possible opponents in a draw which is both regionalised and seeded.

Town crashed out at the first-round stage last season, but Bradford went all the way to the final and a money-spinning trip to Wembley to face Swansea.

Former left-back Cattlin, who played 70 times during a career which also took in Coventry and Brighton, was a member of the Town team who reached the semi-finals back in 1967-68, only to lose out to Arsenal in the two-legged semi-finals.

“That cup run is a great memory,” said the 66-year-old in a special interview with the Examiner.

“We were a Second Division side, just like Town are now, and we saw off three top-flight teams along the way in Wolves, West Ham and Fulham.

“We gave it a good go against Arsenal as well, losing 3-2 down at Highbury and giving them a fright at Leeds Road before they finally won 3-1.

“Down the years, sides from outside the top division have done well, and there’s an even better chance now given so many top sides field weakened teams.”

THERE was no motorway, no mega pay packet and at least as far as Town were concerned, no frills.

But Chris Cattlin still looks back on his formative years at Leeds Road fondly – and wishes he could re-live his daily journey to work with Ian Greaves.

The former left-back whose father Bob played rugby league for Huddersfield is better known for his service with Coventry and Brighton, where he was both a player and manager.

But the man the Coventry faithful called Spider because of his long, skinny legs, took his first steps into senior football in Huddersfield in the sixties.

The Lancastrian was one of a string of talented full-backs who were discovered and developed by the club, then sold for hefty fees.

Cattlin fetched £70,000 when he moved to Coventry in March 1968, just a month after right-back Derek Parkin had joined Wolves for £80,000.

He became a regular in the No3 shirt following the £65,000 transfer to Arsenal of Bob McNab, who had himself succeeded England ace Ray Wilson (£40,000 to Everton) in the Town team.

All told, Cattlin, also a useful cricketer, played 70 times for Town, his debut coming in the 3-1 home win over Derby on the final day of the 1964-65 Division II (now Championship) campaign.

"That was my first season at Huddersfield," recalled the Milnrow- born man who now divides his time between Brighton and Spain.

"I was doing an engineering apprenticeship and having trials at Burnley in the summer of 1964 when one night, a man called Harry Hooper knocked on our door.

"How he had discovered our address, I don’t know, but he introduced himself as a scout for Huddersfield Town and said they wanted to sign me.

"I went across to Leeds Road, and just fell in love with the place. It was far from luxurious, but there was just a feel about the ground and the people there.

"Initially I signed on part-time terms and continued my apprenticeship, because my dad was keen for me to have a qualification for what he called a ‘proper’ job.

"But I knew I wanted to give football a go full-time, and when Huddersfield offered me that chance, I had to pack a suitcase and threaten to leave home before my dad relented!"

Cattlin, who was originally signed by Eddie Boot only for the manager to resign the following day after a 2-1 home defeat by Plymouth, continued to live in Milnrow.

Tom Johnston took over from Boot, but it was emerging coach Greaves (inset), later to take Town to the top flight as manager, who was to have a lasting effect on Cattlin.

"Ian lived in Shaw, the next village to Milnrow, and he’d give me a lift to Leeds Road each day, in the days before the M62, on that winding old road over the moors," he explained.

"He was a great coach and later manager, and a superb motivator, just a football man through and through.

"We’d talk on the way into work, and by the time we got to Leeds Road, I was raring to train and simply try to improve my game.

"Sadly, Ian is dead now, but if I had a time machine that went back, I’d take another journey with him on that road across the moors."

Cattlin established himself during the 1966-67 campaign, and the following season, helped Town reach the League Cup semi-finals.

"Tim Johnston was a canny operator, and on the coaching side, there was Ian and Henry Cockburn, another former Manchester United player who was a great bloke.

"We had a good goalkeeper in John Oldfield and experience with the likes of John Coddington, Mick Meagan, Jimmy Nicholson and Colin Dobson.

"There were two quick wingers in Brian Hill and Mike Hellawell and a useful centre-forward who also had a bit of aggression in Tony Leighton.

"On the younger side, there were players like myself, Derek Parkin, Trevor Cherry, Steve Smith and Frank Worthington.

"It was a good mix, and if we’d have had a player capable of getting us another 10 goals a season, I think we could have won promotion."

Town were to go up under Greaves in 1970, but by that time, Cattlin was catching the eye in the sky blue of Coventry.

"Chelsea also came in for me when I left Huddersfield, and I was due to speak to them in the afternoon after talking to Coventry in the morning.

"But I got to Highfield Road, and just like Leeds Road, really got a feel for the place. And the manager Noel Cantwell was so positive and encouraging.

"City were playing Manchester United the next day and Noel told me I would definitely be in the team.

"I knew that if I could say I’d played against George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, I could die a happy man, so I never got as far as Stamford Bridge!

"I signed for £65 a week when the man in the street was probably getting £20, so to be paid like that for playing football made me more than happy!"

Coventry, promoted the season before, were in a First Division relegation battle when Cattlin signed (on the same day as Everton inside-forward Ernie Hunt).

Cattlin had a fine debut, putting the shackles on Best as United were beaten 2-0 at Highfield Road to spark a climb to safety.

He was to play 239 games for Coventry, featuring in their European Fairs Cup campaign of 1970-71 and winning two England Under 23 caps, before moving to Brighton in 1976.

Fans organised a petition to keep him at Highfield Road, but manager Gordon Milne insisted in giving Cattlin a free transfer, although he was granted a testimonial.

There were also protests from supporters when Cattlin was sacked after three seasons as Brighton boss in April 1986, having come close to promotion to the top flight.

As a player between 1976-79, he had helped the Seagulls win promotion from Division III (now League I).

Cattlin still has business interests and property in Brighton, and watches matches at the Amex Stadium as well as Coventry.

"Funnily enough, I’ve never been back to Huddersfield, but I still keep close tabs on them," he added.

CHRIS CATTLIN’S Coventry debut against Manchester United was memorable – especially for his dad.

Former Huddersfield rugby league player Bob travelled from Milnrow to the West Midlands via Leeds Road – to pick up his son’s boots.

“My transfer from Huddersfield was completed the day before, and I stayed down in Coventry to make sure I was fresh for the match,” explained Cattlin.

“But I realised I didn’t have my boots, so dad set off first thing on the Saturday morning, picked them up from Huddersfield then headed down to Coventry.

“The Manchester United squad were staying at the same hotel as I was, and while I headed off to the ground having got my boots, dad stayed for some lunch.

“Being from Milnrow, he was a bid admirer of Manchester United, and their manager Matt Busby really made his day by inviting him to travel to Highfield Road their team bus.

“We ended up winning the match 2-0, and you should have seen his face afterwards!”

Bob (inset), like son Chris also a useful cricketer, played rugby league for his hometown club Oldham, winning representative honours for Lancashire, before moving to Fartown in February 1938.

A loose-forward, he stayed at Huddersfield until August 1939, when he was transferred to Rochdale Hornets.

Chris also played rugby, but chose football because it provided the chance of a full-time job!

ONE of Chris Cattlin’s most satisfying signings as Brighton boss was that of Frank Worthington, his former Town teammate.

The striker moved along the South coast from Southampton in 1984 and Cattlin recalled: “He did a good job for me.

“Frank wasn’t only a great player, but a great bloke as well, a dedicated trainer and a great bloke to have around a club.”

Both Cattlin and Worthington won England Under 23 caps, while the latter went on to play eight times for the full team while at Leicester.

Worthington also had a stint in management, with Tranmere from 1985-87.

Cattlin bossed Brighton between October 1983 and April 1986, taking them to final positions of ninth, sixth and 11th in Division II (now the Championship).