In this instalment we start a series of looks at cup runs down the years

Coming from our feature writer.

As Town fans hung their stockings up at Christmas 1967 they could be excused for thinking Santa had already been. For on the 12th December the Leeds Roaders had clinched a place in the Semi-Finals of the Football League Cup and a visit to Wembley was but two matches away.

There will always be something quite magical about a floodlit Tuesday night fixture at the old stadium. It conjures up mystery and wonderment, a darkened sky the moon high above, an excitement all of its own as you made your way to the grand old girl.

Those towering pylons, the grandstand and players entrance, the massive east terrace which once held 40,000 swaying, baying fans of the greatest club in the land.

The open, Dalton Bank end with the first electronic scoreboard all the way from Holland and at the opposite end our beloved ‘Cow Shed’.

Around the stadium, unique to our Club huge, great car parks covered all four sides, and for those of you thinking where did you park between the Cow Shed and the Terrace houses just move a little way down the road to where the massive Easter fair used to be - on the Town car park by Red Doles Lane.

Perhaps it was the ‘magic of the Cup’ along with the home of our dreams that started us along the road that ends in north London. Not since 1938 had we made that journey.

Tuesday 12th September saw the mighty Wolverhampton Wanderers leave the Midlands for Yorkshire and a 2nd Round tie.

Those Wolves again who had been our opponents as F.A. Cup holders in 1960 when the lights first shone brightly over Huddersfield Town. Again they returned home, beaten this time one nil. The Cup run had started but I’m not sure any Town fan truly thought, a great match though it had been, was much more than that.

The 10th October brought our first away match in the competition at Carrow Road where a Jimmy Nick goal ensured passage to round four. The last day of that month brought West Ham to play under those magical lights which proved too much for the Londoners who returned to the Capital beaten 2-0. Town were still in the Cup.

Now excitement was beginning to rise, the thoughts of what might be, starting to jingle. After all we had beaten First Division opposition in two of the ties, yet to concede a goal and the quarter finals looming.

Our league form since the run started had seen three defeats, two wins and similar draws, not really quite the form Boss Tom Johnston was wanting.

Whatever the Scot said it brought home the need for league performances also to improve. A home draw with Palace followed by a further win at Norwich and a Leeds Road victory over QPR.

The Cup draw pitted us yet again against top flight opponents, in London taking on Fulham, who boasted Cohen and Haynes in their ranks and managed by a certain, now, Sir Bobby Robson. We were to concede our first goal in the competition but a strike from an emerging youngster by the name of Frank Worthington ensured Fulham had to make the long journey north for the replay.

Would Christmas 1967 bring Town fans the present to beat all presents, a Cup Semi Final to look forward to in the New Year?

Dear Santa, all Town fans have been good please may we have another cup win in our stocking …

Over 23,000 fans made their way to Leeds Road thirteen days prior to sitting down to turkey and all the trimmings. What a game they witnessed. England full back George Cohen was injured for the replay but the visitors in Johnny Haynes possessed one of Britain’s finest footballers and it was he in the early stages of the game who was prominent, his superb passing ability in full view.

Indeed Fulham took the lead and were still in front at the interval but Town fans felt, and how often have we been able to have that feeling, that this was to be our night.

Tom Johnston’s finest signing, our greatest every bargain, one who had slowly but surely got to grips with the opposition in midfield. The one and only Jimmy Nicholson brought Town level on 66 and though the game saw chances at both ends it really was our lads who were on top, who were pushing the first division side till they must crack.

Credit the Londoners that they took the game into extra time, indeed to the last five minutes of the match, when on 115 minutes David Shaw claimed the winner and Town, we were through to the Semi Final of the Football League Cup. A semi-final tie that matched us against our old rivals The Arsenal.

We hope you have enjoyed our "Those Were The Days" articles, and find them an interesting look at some special memories of Town through the years. Memories that will not, and can not be forgotten - and memories only our beloved Town could have created