Yorkshire clubs all set to compete in promtion-chasing bid

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Huddersfield Town celebrate

Yorkshire clubs, Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday are set to battle it out in the play-offs as both clubs looked to chase promotion.

Here are some facts, figures and trivia around the Yorkshire sides battling for a Premier League place.

HUDDERSFIELD

Huddersfield Town celebrate 3

The Terriers have never been promoted to the Premier League and were last relegated from the old First Division in 1972. The closest they came until this season was in 1999-2000 when they finished eighth in the second tier, missing out on the play-offs by two points.

Press Association Sport takes a brief look back at life in the UK when they last competed in English football’s top flight 45 years ago.

• Edward Heath was in his second year as Prime Minister as leader of the Conservative Party.

• Pipes and Drums and the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard were in their third week at number one in the music charts with Amazing Grace.

• The Ford Cortina was beginning its 11-year run as Britain’s best-selling car – a basic model cost £963. British Leyland’s Morris Marina and Austin Maxi were also popular.

• The average house price was £7,000, a gallon of petrol cost 35p and a pint of beer 13p.

• West Yorkshire rivals Leeds won the FA Cup for the first and only time, beating Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley thanks to Allan Clarke’s second-half header.

• Leeds needed to draw their final league game at Wolves two days later to clinch the double but lost 2-1, meaning Brian Clough’s Derby were crowned champions for the first time.

• The UK looked on as the Watergate scandal, which led to an impeachment process against President Richard Nixon and his eventual resignation, rocked American politics.

• England were knocked out of the 1972 European Championship in the quarter-finals after losing 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners West Germany over two legs, losing 3-1 at Wembley and drawing 0-0 in West Berlin.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

sheffield wednesday celebrate

The Owls have spent the last 17 seasons outside the Premier League after being relegated at the end of the 1999-2000 season and have since then had two stints in the third tier. They lost in last year’s play-off final to Hull and before that their highest-placed finish was ninth in the 2006-07 season.

Press Association Sport takes a brief look back at life in the UK when the Owls last competed in English football’s top flight.

• Tony Blair was in his third year as Prime Minister as leader of the Labour party, which went on to win two more elections after being voted into power by a landslide victory in 1997.

• Britney Spears replaced Oxide & Neutrino at number one in the UK music charts with Oops! I Did It Again.

• Fuel prices had risen by over 50 per cent in five years, with the average price of a gallon of petrol costing £3.49.

• The average price of a pint of lager was £2.01, real ale £1.82, and the average house price had risen £13,000 from the previous year to £109,000.

• In August, celebrations took place across the UK to mark the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who became the first member of the Royal Family to reach their centenary.

• Manchester United were crowned champions for the 13th time as they romped to their sixth Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson. Runners-up Arsenal finished 18 points behind.

• Chelsea won the FA Cup for the third time with a 1-0 win against Aston Villa under manager Gianluca Vialli. It was the last FA Cup final played at Wembley before the old stadium was rebuilt.

• England beat Germany 1-0 at Euro 2000 in Holland and Belgium, but Kevin Keegan’s squad failed to reach the knock-out stages after defeats to both Portugal and Romania in their group.

Press Association Sport