ROY ELLAM will always have a place in the history of Huddersfield Town and the hearts of supporters.

As a tough central defender, he was ever-present in the 1969-70 Second Division Championship side and the only player to start all 84 top-flight matches in the following two seasons.

It's a proud record and, not surprisingly, his happiest memories come from those years.

"One match which really stands out is the game which clinched our promotion to the First Division, up at Middlesbrough," said Ellam, who began his career at Bradford City and who left Town to join Leeds United, with his defensive partner Trevor Cherry, in 1972.

"It was a 1-1 draw, but we only needed a point to go up and there was a massive crowd at Ayresome Park. I can still see Steve Smith scoring our goal and I will never forget the celebrations which followed the match.

"We had a few drinks in the bar at the ground and we were all pretty merry when we got on the bus to come home. The atmosphere on that trip was electric and the lads were close. I loved them all to bits."

Town won with a Frank Worthington double at Blackburn before making a triumphant return to Leeds Road, where they did a lap of honour with the championship trophy after beating Watford 3-1.

"That was a tremendous night for us," recalled Ellam, who later played in America for Philadelphia Atoms and Washington Diplomats.

"Losing in the League Cup semi-final against Arsenal and not going to Wembley a couple of seasons earlier was one of the most agonising and disappointing times in my life, but winning promotion put a lot of that right.

"We had a terrific team, right through from Terry Poole, who was magnificent in goal. We called Dennis Clarke `The Butcher' at right-back because of his nasty tackling while Geoff Hutt was a very underrated left-back. He was as strong as an ox and not many went past him.

"Trevor and myself had a great understanding at the back and then we had our captain, Jimmy Nicholson. He was a great player in the middle and really led by example.

"Jimmy McGill would tackle anything and then we had Steve Smith on the right and Colin Dobson on the left with big Frank - who was absolutely top class - playing alongside Jimmy Lawson up front.

"It's been said many times, but if we'd just strengthened when we were in the top flight we might still be in that League now.

"But we had a terrific team and a tremendous boss in Ian Greaves."