Lee Clark; 'The Only Reason It Hurt Was Because I Loved The Job'

On February 15th 2012 it was revealed to the public that Lee Clark had indeed been sacked as manager of Huddersfield Town despite only being four points off the automatic promotion places in League One. This weekend will see Lee Clark return to The John Smiths Stadium with his current managerial job with Birmingham City who are currently sitting below the terriers in the Championship.


Lee Clark spoke to the Yorkshire Evening Post about him being sacked at Huddersfield by chairman Dean Hoyle as well as why he took the opportunity to manage Birmingham City;

"I view Huddersfield as a big part of my life and a great and important part. It was my first managerial position and I thoroughly enjoyed every single day I had at the football club. I still have lots of friends there and they are good people, including the owner Dean Hoyle, who eventually made the decision to change it."

"Him and the board of directors have invited my family back to the game on Saturday as his guests and that just shows you that the relationship, despite what happened, is still strong. I will shake them all by the hand, 100 per cent."

 "I understand what happened; I am a big boy, that's football. Dean spent a hell of a lot of money and has put a lot of time into Huddersfield and is a fan. He thought it wasn't going the right way and wanted to change it."

 "The only reason it hurt was because I loved the job. I really looked forward to going into work and being manager of Huddersfield. Once it ended, I had to dust myself down quickly and was not one for hanging around. If there was a job of interest, I would have taken it immediately."

 "But I waited for something a bit different and am now manager of a huge club and I have to do a similar rebuilding job to what I did at Huddersfield. It is something I am relishing."

In his time at Huddersfield Town, Lee Clark managed to guide his team to the League One play-offs where he unfortunately lost out to Millwall in the semi-finals and a year later lost to Peterborough at Old Trafford in the final. In addition to this, Lee Clark managed to rewrite the history books by leading the terriers to a 43 game unbeaten streak;

"I think Dean would be the first to admit that we changed the club beyond all recognition and that is why the club are doing as great as they are now. But I will always remember that Peterborough game, for sure. For a spell, we were in the ascendancy. But it just was not to be." 

"I thought the players recovered really well next season and were doing great. Looking back, it's all ifs and buts, and I do feel if we'd had Anthony Pilkington available for the play-off final, we would have been in the Championship a year earlier."