TERRY McDERMOTT has bought into Huddersfield Town big style.

The 58-year-old enjoyed a hat trick of European Cup triumphs in a glittering career with Liverpool.

But the former England ace who learned from one of the greatest managers of the lot in Bob Paisley says helping fledgling boss Lee Clark bring success to the Galpharm would mean as much.

The likeable Scouser, who became as popular by the Tyne as the Mersey thanks to his association with Newcastle United as both player and coach, cut as forlorn a figure as any of the Town party in the wake of Tuesday’s League play-off semi-final defeat by Millwall.

But as promotion hopes were ended by the 2-0 second-leg defeat at a highly-charged New Den, McDermott was quick to pledge: “We’ll be back.”

And the 25-times capped midfielder is already looking to a pre-season which will include a friendly at Bury, the club where it all began for him back in 1969.

“I think we were all absolutely devastated after Tuesday’s defeat,” admitted Kirkby-born McDermott, who spent four years with Bury before the first of two spells at Newcastle preceded a glory period at Anfield which also featured a UEFA Cup winners’ medal, six league titles and three League Cup wins.

“I honestly thought we were good enough to win promotion automatically, and when that didn’t materialise, certainly through the play-offs.

“These lads have been fantastic all season, they’ve provided an awful lot of goals and entertainment, especially at the Galpharm, and their attitude has been spot-on.

“They’ve conducted themselves in the right way since day one of pre-season, and I can honestly say they give every drop of concentration and energy in every training session, and to be successful in this game, that’s what you gave to do.

“It’s just a shame that in the two crunch games against Millwall, a week ago (when the sides drew 0-0 at the Galpharm) and on Tuesday, they didn’t play as well as they can do.

“The lads didn’t need to be told that, and it was a very long journey back indeed.”

Chairman Dean Hoyle was quick to back a management team which also includes Derek Fazackerley, Steve Black and Paul Stephenson, and McDermott continued: “He’s a fantastic man to work for and he know we’re heading in the right direction.

“This is a fantastic football club with some fantastic people behind the scenes, and it’s an absolute pleasure to work here.

“It just makes you more determined to make a success of things, and make no mistake, we’ll be back. We’re all hurting at the moment, and part of that feeling will never go away, because I know Lee (Clark) still feels the pain of his Championship play-off final defeat with Sunderland (by Charlton) back in 1998.

“He said they dealt with the disappointment by really rolling their sleeves up and making sure they won promotion the season after, which they did in some style.

“It’s our intention to do the same, and we’re already working in making the changes we think are necessary.”

Town have already been strongly linked with Falkirk’s Scotland B and Under 21 midfielder Scott Arfield, with sources North of the border suggesting a £400,000 deal with the club just relegated from the Scottish Premier League is close to completion.

McDermott would only say: “The chairman has said he’s going to back us, and while we have some exceptional young players, we need a bit of experience to blend in with them.

“I’m sure Lee will address that between now and the start of next season, and we’ll come back stronger and ready to bring the success that our supporters deserve.”

Town had 1,286 fans in a 15,463 crowd at Millwall, who are now preparing for their Wembley play-off final showdown with Swindon Town a week today.

The Galpharm faithful are now pondering the prospect of trips to Bournemouth, Peterborough United and Plymouth Argyle as well as Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale and Notts County as League I takes shape for 2010-11.

And McDermott added: “They were superb on Tuesday at what is a difficult place for anyone to go to, but that came as no surprise, because they’ve been superb all season, and they are a big part of what makes this club so special.”

The 2010-11 fixtures will be announced on Thursday, June 17, with the regular season running from August 7 until May 7.