CHRIS LUCKETTI is looking forward to locking horns with two former clubs in the countdown to Town’s new League I campaign.

The first game of the defender’s second spell at the club is the opening friendly at League II Bury a week tomorrow.

And a fortnight after that, the new skipper will be eyeing a first home appearance when Sheffield United arrive at the Galpharm.

Lucketti had a year to run on his Sheffield contract, but was happy to drop a division for a Galpharm reunion with Stan Ternent, his manager at Bury.

“It’s a strange coincidence that we’ll be playing these two friendlies,” said the 36-year-old centre-back, who also had a stint at Stockport, Town’s first league opponents on Saturday, August 9, early in his career.

“Bury was where things really started happening for me, and we had some great times under Stan, with two promotions (to League I, then the Championship).

“Stan was a big influence on my career, and being manager at Huddersfield was one of the factors in me coming back.”

Of his Sheffield spell Lucketti, who first played for Town from June 1999 to August 2001, said: “There was no question of me being forced out.

“I simply wasn’t getting as much regular football as I wanted, and that was the reason for me going out on loan to Southampton last season.

“I could have stayed at Sheffield, and there are certainly no hard feelings, because I was part of a side which won promotion from the Championship, and I was also able to play in the Premier League, which was fantastic.”