Some great names, many great memories, and so heart warming stories from great great connections to our famous Huddersfield Town.

FAIRCLOUGH Michael (Mike) Joseph as his name appears on top of page 256 of the magnificent 99 Years & Counting Stats & Stories 1908-2008 Huddersfield Town A.F.C publication. Logged there as a Forward, born Drogheda, IR 22/10/1952. Town boss Ian Greaves signed the young centre-forward on 15^th August 1971 the day after the season opener a 2-2 draw at Leeds Road v Leicester City.

His debut came as a sub against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a game which saw both sides grab a couple of goals and what a famous old stadium for the young Irish lad to make his first appearance and in the top flight at that.

Despite a player of immense potential and talent and a very nice lad to boot injury was to blight any hope he had of making a successful career and eventually he had to call it a day in 1975. He was a really smashing lad to have around the Club full of life, commitment and ambition.

Indeed if you go back one page in the aforementioned Town book to top of page 255 you will there find a colour photograph of the man from Drogheda. Will-of-the-wisp, impish almost cheeky with the ball at his feet it oozed out of him how delighted he was to be playing football and at Huddersfield Town.

His home debut came on New Year's Day 1972 when before a 12,000+ crowd Town eked out a goalless home draw with Stoke City.

Though not to know it at the time perhaps the true highlight of his career was just around the corner? Up next came successive away Division One fixtures against Chelsea and Arsenal followed by a substitute appearance in a 3^rd Round FA Cup tie at Burnley won through a Dennis Clarke goal.

London provided Town with a two all draw at Stamford Bridge and a solitary goal defeat at Highbury but gates of 30000+ and 36670 would never be seen again by the youngster with number 7 on his back. We were to score in only five more games following the double at the Bridge, despite the game with the Pensioners being No 26 of a 42 game season!

It was also the last we were to see of our recent signing until the final game of the season where, again in the Capital, Mr Greaves was to give him the No 8 shirt as we finished with a resounding 0-0 draw before an 18120 crowd. Huddersfield Town finished 22nd, bottom of the First Division and returned to whence we came just two all too short seasons ago. Goals scored 27, just 12 at Leeds Road.

Season 1972-73 proved to be a personal best for Mr Fairclough in Town colours making 14 full league plus 3 Cup Tie appearances, 6 as a substitute and scoring his first Town goal. This coming in the last match of the season at home against Pompey as we ran out 2-0 winners. The final whistle sounded not only on the season but on our Second Division status finishing 21st and relegation for a second successive year. '73-74 after some 63 years as Full Members of the FL would find Town in the 3rd Division and just Associate Members and with it the pleasure of entering the FA Cup at the first round stage!

Town arrested the slide in Division Three finishing mid table 10th with our lowest recorded average home league gate of 5,696, perhaps our fans are as knowledgeable as we believe we are? For the slide returned the very next season before an even lower average gate of 5,428 and bottom position in Division 3 some 5 points adrift.

There was at liest a smile on the face of Mick as the 1973-74 season opened with him appearing in 3 of the first 5 fixtures, bagging a goal on September 11 in the home one nil win over Chesterfield. In this game and the next Towns Number 9 (for just these two fixtures) was Mick Fairclough. His season ended, the next brought just three appearances plus one as substitute but no goals as the one against the Spireites was to prove the last.

The pain of relegation in 1975 was very hard indeed but even in our blackest hour there had been a beacon of hope for in the latter two seasons our youngsters had been finalists and semi-finalists in the FA Youth Challenge Cup. Perhaps starting from the bottom with the emerging talents of Taylor, Garner, Butler the mid field majesty of Martin Fowler, the exciting wing play of Franny Firth and Loyd Maitland would be the catalyst for a new beginning.

For Mick Fairclough the season of 1974-75 was to be the beginning of the end.

Again 3 appearances the first of which on 22nd February was to be his last on home soil as we were beaten in a Yorkshire derby by Halifax 1-2 watched by 7,831. His very final game in the famous stripes a 0-2 reversal at Walsall on 29th March in front of just over 4,000.

The Town club were in free fall and we lamented but we always had the opportunity to come back this was not so for a young man who just 49 months earlier had signed for us with such hope and expectation. Now in September 1975, 23 years young his career his hopes and dreams lay in tatters as injury forced his retirement.

In the short time Mick Fairclough was with us he endeared himself to everyone, staff, fellow players, officials and especially the supporters. For a young man leaving home at just 18 years of age to a new country, an industrial Town, he took to us like a duck to the water he had just crossed. Effervescent the fans loved him and I well remember one young lady who on attending games always had her town teddy named 'Micky' with her.

For record purposes Mick made 25 full appearances, 10 as sub scoring 2 goals, in the League. 2-1-2 in the FA Cup not a bad scoring ration perhaps only bettered by Terry Eccles?? FL Cup 1-0-0; Total 28-11-4. Here again I must pay tribute to authors Alan Hodgson, Gwen & Ian Thomas and John Ward without whose 99 Years & Counting, no matter how much I would love to claim immense memory and knowledge of my Town, I would have been unable to re-produce such statistics from the career of Michael.

We perhaps forget when our Club is failing and during the time of his career Mick Fairclough could never have expected to experience the highs of signing for a First Division club and with the very same four seasons later entering footballs basement.

We feel the horror of every defeat the continued falling with no seeming end to it, but certainly in my case the pain is all encompassed around our beloved Club.

We forgot your pain and anguish Sir swallowed up in the near sinking of our Club as we were, but fortunately you were made of sterner stuff than most and as can be seen from your progress after returning to college your ambition never left you.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the young Irishman who came over the water in those distant early 1970's was totally committed to aiming for the very top of the footballing ladder. Proud to be joining our Club, together we would go on to great things. It did not work out as hoped, for either player or club, but Mick through sheer hard work and determination I'll bet, was not going to let another career opportunity go, injury would not determine his new chosen path.

As thisisthebarmyarmy thanks Mick Fairclough for becoming the latest in our 'Legends' feature perhaps the grit and determination, his love of life will somehow find its way into our current situation at Huddersfield Town and inspire the Terriers of today to emulate just what can happen even after seeming disaster has overtaken you.

Now over to Mick ...

1 What is your impression of Huddersfield Town now?
Town is a club with great tradition who are always willing to give young players a chance. They have a great Stadium and a very good setup but are in a very difficult division to get out of.

2 What did you think on joining Town?
It was a dream come true for me at the time to join a 1st Division club at the age of 18. Town was a very professional club with some great players and a very good management team in Ian Greaves and Henry Cockburn.

3 Any regrets later in leaving Town.
I never had any regrets on joining the club. Of course I regret the fact that I had to finish my career at the age of 23 through injury but the club were always very good to me.

4 Memories of Town? Earliest-vivid-now
I have so many good memories it's difficult to choose. Of particular note was my 1st game coming on as sub against Wolves at Molineaux and setting up the equalising goal for Terry Dolan. Also my home debut against Southampton was a very memorable occasion, and of course getting a call from Johnny Giles for my 1st International Cap.

My worst memory was when the Doctor called me in to his office at Leeds Road to tell me my career was finished because of a knee injury - Brian Hustler the Physio said to me on the way in 'Brace yourself son'...so I knew it wasn't good news.

5 Most memorable moment? Goal-save-tackle
Scoring 2 goals in an F.A Cup match at Carlisle,one of which was a cracker.

6 Longest lasting Town memory?
One of the best memories I have was how very homely the atmosphere at the club was in those days, right from the board of directors to the players and the fans - and of course Nellie the kit lady who was a fantastic character.

7 What do you think of the current state of soccer?
The game has improved technically and the Premiership is probably the best league in the world now. But I think the 'big money' has had a bad impact on developing opportunities for young players with the introduction of so many foreign players.

8 Do you still follow the Town results or any other Club or Sports?
Yes I check results and league position every week.

9 Your best match in a Town shirt and Why? And the Result?
Game against the great Chelsea team in 1972 at Stamford Bridge. We drew 2-2 against all the odds. This was the great Chelsea team with players like Peter Bonetti, 'Ron Chopper' Harris, David Webb, Charlie Cook, Peter Osgood, Alan Hudson, Peter Houseman etc.

10 What do you think of the Town fans - then? & now?
The fans were great when I was there, especially the 'cowshed' brigade. I also met some fans at a friendly match in my home town of Drogheda a few years ago and they were great fun.

11 What do you think the future holds for Town?
Town has a great tradition and a very progressive backroom team so I expect this will help get them back to up the level they deserve to be at. Unless another Abramovic emerges I think the key to success will be to have a good management team with a balanced mix between experienced professionals and a youth development system that is producing a steady line of good young players.

12 What are you doing now?
After finishing my career at the age of 23 I went back to college and then went into the IT business. I have been with IBM for the past twenty years and am currently the European IT Manager for IBM Software Group.

13 If you had one wish, what would it be?
I would like to know how my career would have developed had I not had to finish my career so young.

If any of you should have any press cuttings or tape of Mick in action please get in touch as he is keen for cuttings and footage of his playing days.

This article was first published on the site in April 2008.

Mick later shared this information with us in November 2008. We were approached by someone who remembered Mick playing for Irish side Dundalk and his goal against Tottenham Hotspurs in the Cup Winners Cup:

"That was one of the great moments in my career. It's good to see someone still remembers.

I'm not sure if I told you I did actually play again after my professional career was ended with Huddersfield due to the knee injury.

Its a long story but I went to a guy in Belfast - we was a sort of 'quack' alternative medicine who was the Northern Ireland Physio at the time (this was in 1978). Anyway after 18 months treatment when I was still just 27 he had me playing again - just local football initially.

Then Dundalk signed me semi-pro and I played there for 4 years, scoring in the FAI Cup Final in May 1981, and then scoring in the European Cup Winners Cup against the great Spurs team (Hoddle, Ardilles,Perryman, Archibald, Crooks, Ray Clemence etc) in a 1-1 home draw in Dundalk - we were then beaten 1-0 in White Hart Lane with a late goal. Also won the league title in 1982 and was leading scorer for 3 of the 4 years I was there.

Also played against FC Porto in the European Cup in 1982 and also got a full Irish International Cap in 1982 against Chile.