The last time Huddersfield Town kicked off in the top flight of English football, fans were still trying to get their heads around not paying for things in pounds, shillings and pence.
That was in August 1971, when Town drew 2-2 at Leeds Road against Leicester City under boss Ian Greaves, who had engineered a glorious promotion the previous year with a team including our heroes like Frank Worthington, Jimmy Nicholson, Roy Ellam, Jimmy McGill, Terry Poole, Jimmy Lawson and Trevor Cherry.
I was still 12 at the time and, by the time I’d become a teenager, Town had won only six league matches in 1971-72 and been relegated to the old Second Division (now Championship).
Dark years followed for those who still turned up to stand on the Terrace, endure the elements on the Open End or bellow from the Cowshed – wearing bell-bottoms, platform soles, ponchos and cagoules.
There have been infrequent high points in the lower divisions since, cue promotion winners Mick Buxton, Neil Warnock, Peter Jackson and Simon Grayson (after encouraging groundwork from Lee Clark).
But I never thought I’d see what’s happened at the club and in the town over the last 11 weeks or so (the product of a decade of development under Dean Hoyle).
Even a couple of years back, it still seemed nothing more than a pipe dream that Town, battling to maintain Championship status, could challenge seriously for a place in the Premier League, let alone achieve that goal.
Enter David Wagner with a new philosophy, backed by an owner with a vision way beyond the average, and suddenly – very suddenly – it became a whole new ball game.
Last season was revolutionary enough, culminating in that wonderful, emotional, play-off victory at Wembley, and yet Town have already moved on to a glorious new platform.
I am determined to enjoy this Premier League campaign and I hope every supporter does too – whatever the next 38 matches may bring.
It makes you tingle to think Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are on the John Smith’s Stadium calling card.
Not to mention Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and the rest.
The last time that happened, credit cards had barely taken off in the UK and debit cards were still for the future – so those fans in bell-bottoms and cagoules would never have imagined using a card as a season-ticket to watch Town.
The fact that 20,192 of them will now do so to see their team in the top flight just shows how much times have changed.
Events in Huddersfield over the last season-and-a-bit have been hugely surprising, welcome and heartwarming – and I expect the surprises to continue.
While it’s going to be far from easy, I can see Town picking off at least half a dozen of their rivals and defying the bookmakers to finish nicely above the drop zone.
With Wagner and his new-look squad, I’ve no doubt it will be an exciting ride and the atmosphere in the stadium is sure to be marvellous.
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Home form, and a bright start to the campaign, will be all-important, but I’m going to savour every moment of this season to come and I’m determined to make the most of it.
Seeing Town at this level has been a long time coming, something I never thought I would see again, and I’m backing Town to stay up.
