GARY ABLETT will be back in the dug-out tomorrow aiming to avoid a hat trick of defeats in West Yorkshire this season.
The Stockport manager watched last Saturday’s 2-1 win over Leyton Orient from the Edgeley Park stand because of a one-match touchline ban.
That followed his conduct during the 2-0 defeat at Leeds, when he was ‘sent off’ after seeing red in the wake of United’s second goal.
Former Liverpool reserve coach Ablett will be making his second trip to the Galpharm as County boss.
The 46-year-old, appointed in the close-season, looked on as his charges went down 3-1 to Town in the first round of the Carling Cup back in August.
Experienced John Ward was by his side on that occasion, but after his departure to League I rivals Colchester, Ablett has a new assistant.
His ex-Liverpool coaching colleague Hugh McAuley has arrived, initially on a temporary basis, and took Ablett’s touchline berth against Orient.
Like Ablett, the former Tranmere, Plymouth, Charlton and Carlisle player left Liverpool in the wake of a reorganisation of the coaching staff.
The pair will be well known to Town right-back Lee Peltier, a product of the Liverpool youth system.
Ablett and McAuley aim to guide County to only their fourth win in 24 visits to Huddersfield going back to the 1910-11 season, Town’s first in the Football League.
A 4-1 success that season was the first of 12 Town wins in 22 previous league meetings between the sides.
Stockport’s last win at the Galpharm was by a 2-0 margin in 1999-2000 in what is now the Championship.
