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Good day everyone, Against a backdrop of Pennine Moors and Peak District parkland you'll find centuries old villages steeped in local history and legend; buildings and locations made famous by writers, film and television; and vibrant towns full of art, creativity and delicious local produce. Huddersfield sits amongst some of the most glorious countryside in England. To survey the vistas for miles around Victoria Tower, atop Castle Hill takes some beating with views across to the western Pennines and Huddersfield and Holmfirth. Originally developed as an Iron age hill fort over 4,000 years ago the present tower was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897. This folly rather dominates the scenery but from the top one can see for miles around to many other pristine areas for hill walking and climbing such as Honley Old Wood, the dramatically beautiful Marsden Moor, The ancient Pennine woodland of Hardcastle Crags in Hebden Bridge and of course the Yorkshire Dales. Relics of an industrial bygone age can be found in many of these hill and valley walks especially down by the river of Hardcastle and through a uniquely secluded wooden valley. The huge beech trees planted in the 1870s change to their fantastic autumn colours in October, with beech nuts and crisp copper leaves carpeting the ground. Along the walk you may see numerous species of fungi, growing on the ground, on trees or deadwood. There are also the remains of a huge trestle bridge that once carried a railway track over the deep ravine of Blake Dean. (not the one above! ) For ten years, from 1902, a railway ran from Slack to the site of construction of the Walshaw Dean reservoirs, carrying men and materials. A huge wooden trestle was built across Hebden Dale to carry the railway. It was demolished in 1912. Only the stone stanchions remain. It is fairly easy to spot many different bird species including dippers, heron, woodpeckers and jays. The area around Hell Hole quarry is particularly interesting following the line of the old railway where you can really imagine the activity and noises of the past. Get the camera out of the bag before you set off: you’re guaranteed to see something to snap, but it might not stay around for long. Just a small glimpse into one of hundreds of areas of interest around the fine town of Huddersfield with a very proud industrial past. It is a pity that so few of us, who visit away grounds across our green and pleasant land, fail to dwell a while and see what the town and, particularly, the local countryside has to offer; usually a wealth of culture and nature. We all do it, I know I have; drive to a distant location, have some lunch, watch a match and, usually, lets face it, drive straight back again in misery hoping we have not lost ground on those important teams around us. How much more fulfilling it would be to fill our lungs the next morning and forget about football for a while. And before Tone trots along and slates the place consider this; Kirklees Council, that includes the main settlement of Huddersfield, is home to a remarkable 3,000 listed buildings. Bristol, has just about 10% of that number. That comparison alone is quite staggering all the more so when you consider how much greater the profile our splendid city is. Perhaps Kirklees need to stop barking on about Holmfirth and tell the country more about Huddersfield. John Betjeman did; 'the most splendid station façade in England' second only to St Pancras, London. The station in St George's Square was renovated at a cost of £4 million and subsequently won the Europa Nostra award for European architecture. And for those who like a good statue there is always Harold Wilson, born and raised in Huddersfield. He reminds me now of an oft forgotten time when Labour too bickered over EU membership and many would suggest his management of that omnipresent problem of EU membership, as early as the mid 70's during his second term in office, began tearing that party apart. Many in Huddersfield still love the cuddly pipe smoker though. And our fellow football fan from Huddersfield has much to be proud of about their club and, clearly, their town. I often used to compare them to Portsmouth mainly because, as I recall, they dwelled in the upper echelons of the football pyramid at some similar junctures, 1920's and 1950's and that without looking up any statistics; it just feels that that is where Huddersfield have come from. A team that has experienced a fairly decent amount of success from a bygone era. And here they are for the first time in perhaps a generation with genuine ambitions to climb back up where they think they might belong. They are no 'smaller' a club than a Bolton or a Blackburn so why not. Mr Wagner has them purring along rather nicely even if, like us, they have hit a bit of a brick wall in recent weeks. And so to today's encounter, one in which we did rather well last season, brings two very ambitious clubs and managers together. Two teams that have worked through trial and error and hard toil. Something both communities share from past heritage. I wish I had written this thread a day earlier and maybe one or two of you might have planned a stop over. Nevertheless, however many of you travel the round trip of 406 miles we all salute you. Another absolutely marvellous effort. The 12th man can carry us to draws and victories this season and for sure City do need an away win; we have only two all season. So come on City. Again no predictions from me but can we look forward to a clean sheet? Matthews on song again at right back? About time that tall chap up front scored.. naming no names, keeping the pressure off. UTC, enjoy the game fellow reds... lets hope that drive back negates the thought of missing a walk in the Dales.

What is this work in progress tosh?! Do you think that any club is given time to mess about and build a footballing dynasty these days? Utter garbage. It's just an excuse for having a team that lacks in quality at this level. Karl Robinson was given years at the franchise and they are back to treading water again. Is Tomlin Adebayor in disguise? Did we actually sign Engvall or is it a cardboard cut out on the bench? If there isn't enough pressure to get the lad in side already just imagine how it will be when he is expected to save us from a relegation dog fight after Christmas? Lee Johnson said it himself that we won a lot of the early season games when we didn't deserve to. Take away Tammy's goals and we would be in a dog fight now. So now our luck has ran out and our performances haven't greatly improved the penny is beginning to drop for fans that have been subjected to this boom and bust football for decades. The happy clappers are still believing the work in progress propaganda, but the reality is that the majority of Lee's signings have delivered little or no return. The other Barnsley players that he wanted to sign (probably the better ones) chose to go elsewhere. Be interesting to see what happens in January, but the responsibility for continual lacklustre performances rests at the door of the manager. Something needs to happen soon, either we put in a quality performance or two on the bounce or we purchase one or two players with Championship quality in January otherwise I fear that the slide may continue. Anyway, at least we can forget about the playoffs now. Back to squeaky bum time!

I think Leicester's Premiership success last season proved that having loads of money doesn't guarantee success on the field, but 11 players working as a complete team is what breeds success. I can't remember Holloway having any money or parachute payments when he took relegation certs Blackpool into the Premiership? Or am I missing something? What have we seen this season? Mainly poor performances with a nice slice of luck and Tammy going on a run of scoring, making up for a severe lack of goals from other areas of the team. Lee doesn't know his best team or formation....a problem that is strangely being mirrored by our near neighbours in South Glos. We can happy clap all we want, but we are slipping and the glitter is beginning to drop off and I can see a bit of a turd underneath...not sure if anyone else shares the same view, but I have supported City a long time and am used to seeing the all too familiar signs.

Weren't fans screaming to play 2 upfront? That hasn't worked so in my view LJ is damned if he does and damned if he don't

Next week Havana gives tips on lambing for next spring, when to plant your winter wheat and his guide to compost.

What a bunch of delicate flowers we are playing today. I thought Huddersfield were supposed to be full of Yorkshire grit?. Every time Abraham gets near the ball one of them goes down.

Soft goal to concede as has been the story most of the season. Think it's clear that goal keeper needs to be on our list next summer if we want to improve. Whether that be internal(Lucic) or in the transfer market is up to the club but neither "#1" is good enough.

But it makes a bloody good date

Backed LJ since he joined and still do. But now is where he starts to earn his money for me. Players are easy to manage when we have a few "lucky" wins early season and confidence is high, but the cracks are there and he now needs to heal them. This is where good managers prove there worth. Come on LJ, show us what you can do?

Ignore him. He's never posted anything positive, ever. In other news, I see the Swede is drunk again.

A bit of hostility at AG wouldn't go amiss......

Why is Engvall even on the Bench if we are so adamant we won't play him even at 2-1 down then how about we use the sub for someone who might get a chance.

I'd love to see Gustav come on as a sub, his pace in a game like this would work a treat

I believe it's called "half time".

My thoughts are Huddersfield came out of the blocks flying, it caught us slightly off guard. They played a fast tempo high pressing game and for the opening period this worked. For their goal Pack made a good tackle to retain possession but then decided he was Ronaldo and dribbled it out. He was soon disposed and then it was one nil. We slowly got back in the game and matched their fight, it soon turned into a very hostile game and became extremely open, our goal came somewhat unexpectedly but it changed the game. Tomlin made a good few runs and I was dissapointed he decided to go it alone rather than giving Tammy the throughball. Freeman has been great but thinj we need to take him off at HT. Keith Stroud is always a referee who sticks in my mind and I think so far we can see why.

One of the best heavyweight fights for a long time. Cracking fight

Whyte surely mate. WHO IS THE DONKEY

Arhhhh,, perhaps explains why we played like a league 1 outfit then.

I agree about a work in progress, but come on Fielding, Golbourne, Pack, Smith, Freeman and Tomlin, were all shocking today and I personally believe that the 3 highlighted are not good enough IMO.

Wish I was as poor as him...

Why is this football club always a total joke?

We are a work in progress. Even our own manager says that. Works in progress don't have a complete team of top-quality players ready for the Premier League. They have a combination of excellent, good and average players. We are improving - look at our league position compared to last year - and very few people expect us to be genuine promotion contenders this season. Stop overreacting to every defeat and find some perspective on what we currently are. We will win games and we will lose games, because we are a mid table side.

Different debate but sorry it's FANS that should create the atmosphere Blaming the club is a cop out IMO Nothing to stop anyone and everyone playing their part WHEREVER THEY SIT

Surely he didn't go 4-4-2 because of what fans think ??? Id suggest he picks the side and formation that he thinks will get a result He just seems a little unsure what side or formation that is

Erm, fate tempter!!

Korey Smith sadly looks a shadow of his former self.. Fielding should have done much better but awful back pass by Smith.

I'm sorry but our midfield is awful today Korey Smith hasnt touched the ball and it was 20 mins before i realised he was playing. Pack hasnt done much apart from give the ball away for their goal. Freeman did one bit of silky skilll to beat 3 men on the halfway line but apart from that he's been a liability and needs to be subbed before hes red carded. I would bring O'Neil and Bryan on for Smith and Freeman How we are still in this i dont know. Lets hope things change in the 2nd Half CTID

Thanks Finbarr for the stream link! First 20 minutes were truly awful and their posession football had us chasing shadows but since our goal, we've shown a lot more purpose and finished the half the stronger of the two sides I think. Id take a point here.

wtf, he has been one of our better players today

100% credit must be given to Luke Freeman. Crunching challenge on their p@@s taking winger. It changed the momentum of the game. Played off the park yet 1-1. Credit LF

Tammy tapping the badge I like that

We can only improve, but we look like a pub team at the moment, hang on- get in......

I've been watching City for 30 years as well. I can't remember us being so high up the league this much. Sometimes the glass is half full.

I don't know why people are suprised.

You're right . I also forgot Havana's guide to forcing rhubarb and his granny's recipe for the perfect Yorkshire Pudding.

Nothing like getting nylon burns on your knees .... not 'arf!

Someone over on their forum seems to have summed it up pretty well ... "The truth is IMO, on the pitch, DC is beginning to struggle, we concede too many goals and do not score enough; off the pitch, Wael has gone quiet, understandably, the honey-moon period is over, communication with the fans has stopped, no doubt he is working out how to get rid. Only time will tell."

On the next free weekend (international break) I suggest we all travel en masse to the places mentioned / photographed above, decked out in City shirts, and go on a guided tour. Havanatopia to lead the walk and talk. A new City rambling club is born! Today's game, a 2-1 City win, to celebrate LJ 2020. COME ON YOU REDS, LET'S MAKE OUR WAY BACK TOWARDS THE TOP SIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice Pictures. Here in Sweden we now have snow. The landscape is light, not dark. Dont know how to say in English. Never mind, optimistic as usual. Confidence back and Think we will Winn 2-1. Always Believe, COYR!!!

Not overtly but the area has some pretty stunning scenery in my opinion. That said you could say the same about many towns and cities in the land, naturally Bristol included. Anyway, lets see what Tone has to say about the place for some 'balance' !!

The MTDs just get better and better. You're now even go to the trouble of travelling to the area to take photos to post along with the thread - that's real dedication Havana!

49 years ago next Saturday, we won at the old Leeds Road 3-0. John Galley, hat-trick on debut !

that's darrells job

Thank you Havanatopia are you on a commission? You make the area around and about Huddersfield sound totally delightful! No doubt most of the travelling City faithful will see very little of it although as you say their support counts for so much. Think we can look forward to a good game with Huddersfield looking to recover from a dip in results while we are looking to build on last weeks home win. So I am lining up alongside SP as I fancy a draw too, think it will be 2-2 with Tammy and Wilbs netting.

Morning Hav. Hope you're well. I'm thinking a 1-1 draw today... Tomlin to score.

Ruiz could have laid off the tacos a bit more, he is one doughy Mexican

Yep got it on mate,they are all a bit emotional in the crowd

Didn't really need a flash of Randall's scrotum this early in the weekend! Can be forgiven possibly as its for charity.

I think I've just turned straight...

So your a 'Twit Twoo'