Terriers fan, moral high-ground holder and justice evader David Foster
As the latest Yorkshire Derby edges closer, with Huddersfield Town due to host Leeds United at High Noon on Sunday, the build-up took a slightly hysterical turn earlier today, when respected YEP reporter Phil Hay observed that United’s main job would be to “nail Aaron Mooy. If he runs the show, Huddersfield will win”. A fair enough observation, you’d have thought – but the reaction among certain Huddersfield fans of nervous and delicate dispositions was frankly ludicrous.
One Town fan in particular, a Mr. Duncan Foster, twittered his distress: “What an appalling tweet. If you worked for me I would fire you. To suggest “nail” a player is wrong. You have a responsibility”. Mr Foster, you may not be surprised to learn, is a drama director – so his hissy fit and histrionics were possibly to be expected. Feelings run high when local rivals meet, and that appears to be particularly the case among the denizens of Huddersfield’s Coronation Street-style cobbled streets, with their dark, satanic mills and packs of rabid poodles.
Ironically, Aaron Mooy himself has some form in the matter of “nailing” opponents – and in a much more literal sense of that word than Hay intended. Huddersfield’s early season win at Elland Road turned on an incident which many, Town manager David Wagner included, felt should have earned Mooy a red card, when he was guilty of a two-footed challenge on Liam Bridcutt. To add insult to injury, Mooy not only remained on the pitch, he also went on to score a fine winner. Huddersfield fans are neither the first nor the only ones to suffer from selective memory disorder but, in the case of Mooy, Leeds could respond with “live by the sword, die by the sword”. Phil Hay, for his part, found it scarcely credible that anyone could seriously think he’d been advocating injuring the Town man. The Town side of the exchange reeked of small-time paranoia and opportunism, and what has to be said is a slightly precious attitude from Huddersfield’s most prominent drama queen, Mr Foster.
It has to be said also that any attempt to occupy the moral high ground on the part of “Corrie” director Mr. Foster tends to leave a slightly odd and repellent taste in the mouth. Foster, who was secretary of his local branch of Gamblers’ Anonymous at the time, narrowly escaped a driving ban in 2010. He was found with over twice the legal limit of alcohol according to a breathalyser test, asleep at the wheel of his car, which was parked three metres from the kerb, engine running and lights on. Foster escaped a ban only “by the skin of his teeth” after an emotional plea to magistrates, citing his many debts and his utter penitence. Such a narrow escape from just deserts puts him almost in the Aaron Mooy class for dodging justice, but it does also tend to make him look a bit of a hypocrite when he lectures a professional journalist about “having a responsibility” – and on the most specious and contrived of pretexts. Still, it takes all sorts.
The fact of the matter is, Phil Hay has it spot on with his analysis. Huddersfield work their best moves through Aaron Mooy, and any sensible opponent would set out to nullify him, if they can. Clearly, a team of Leeds United’s reputation and devotion to the beautiful game will take a more scientific approach than the one chosen by Mooy himself at Elland Road. We are not, after all, a side known for dirty or foul play.
After his assault on Liam Bridcutt, can that dirty dog Mooy – or indeed the hardly blemish-free Mr. Foster – really say the same?
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Drama Queen!
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I reckon there maybe a few sendings off this weekend to make up for the Elland Road fixture. I see a feisty affair.
I’m sure our defence can cope, I’ll go for a sneaky 1-0 Leeds.
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Ouch. Classic stuff Rob. The upturn in the quality and fortunes of our beloved club is clearly being reflected again in your well targeted barbs! Tough game on Sunday. A draw will be a good result. A win will be one hell of a statement. MOT
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I don’t think they’ll be able to deal with our pace down the wings or the crosses,mind Wood will struggle with the speed of the wingers too. On a different note entirely,may I take this opportunity to warn you all that this vile government and the creatures who pull their strings are pushing for a cashless society. It must be resisted at all costs or we’re screwed.
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And your vile government wants you all microchipped too. They got away with it on your domestic doggies without a fuss and they will use Ben Needham and Jamie Bulger as examples of “If only they were microchipped they’d still be alive”. I better mention something positive…Leeds are going up as champions!
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Phil hay has it right , nail him , niggle him , hassle him and constantly harass him ,, mooy is the key to thier play and if all the above is done with great affect he will turn on bridcutt again and this time justice will surly be done… I’m not an advocate for getting players sent off but if he reacts like he did at Elland road then he deserves it…
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Maybe Town should worry about Hernandez,or Viera running the show,Wood adding to his 20 goals or Pontus stopping at one end and scoring at the other. Town and LEEDS are in good form and will be well aware of each other’s ability.
Perhaps Mr Foster should take the bus to the game (if he bothers going) just to be on the safe side.
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I’d be tempted to play with an extra central midfielder, like Vieira and totally pack the midfield, just like Huddersfield did at Elland Road.
Bridcutt, O’Kane and Vieira could stifle Mooy and frustrate the rest of their midfield and then the good ball-players like Dallas and Hernandez would add the creativity, but we’ll just have to see who Garry Monk plays.
Leeds were still finding their feet as a team, when Huddersfield had their lucky win at Elland Road and their loud-mouth Manager, players and fans certainly enjoyed rubbing salt into Leeds wounds afterwards, due to being ten points ahead of Leeds afterwards. Big-headed comments from Huddersfield fans on Radio Leeds afterwards, like “none of the Leeds players would get into the Huddersfield team”. Arrogant or what ?
Playing Leeds is the highlight of their century and they wet themselves in the excitement and mass hysteria that is whipped-up, leading up to their big Cup Final against Leeds.
Totally astonishing !
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I’d play Viera over O’Kane and Doukara over Dallas: more strength, power and skill in both cases. I would not adapt the formation. The tricky decision is who play on the right: I’d think hard about Sacko but start with Roofe.
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No room for either new boy to start?
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Brilliant piece!!!!
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Without commenting on the game, what a top piece of writing.
MOT tomorrow.
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Let’s kick foster in the bollocks.
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A good read rob, a win tomorrow and I might just down a couple of fosters, I started getting a touch uneasy when you wrote we must nullify mooy but iam sure you didn’t mean it in a sinister way,
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Must admit you’re getting good Rob
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Surely the best way of dealing with Huddersfield is to ignore them. I find something demeaning in paying such teams attention. Do we really regard them as rivals ? The place itself seems to have nothing to recommend it to a city dweller save, perhaps, for its world-renowned Contemporary Music Festival.
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I was really having a go at this dickhead Corrie director, not Huddersfield as such.
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In case anyone is concerned, I’ve notified the RSPCA about the dog botherer. That terrier looks like it’s been abused.
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My sister and her husband are season ticket holders at Town and we exchange comments, observations, compliments and honest opinions on a regular basis. They are both admirers of Gary Monk and have a great deal of respect for him. They also inform me that they are unfortunate to have to sit very close to some of the most foul mouthed, nasty so called Town fans who care not one jot and are oblivious to who has to listen to their filthy rantings. I suppose every club has these kind of morons and we have to just hope that there are times when they get their come uppance.
I hope tomorrow is a good game, played in a great atmosphere and the best team wins!. The proof of the pudding will be at the end of the season, when the final whistle goes. However, as a total Leeds fanatic for over 50 years, having suffered like many for over a decade I hope we absolutely destroy them. MOT. Nice one Rob.
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