Clarks tips Toon to beat the class of '93
LEE Clark is backing Chris Hughton's promotion-chasing side to go one better than the class of 1992-93.
Clark was part of the Newcastle United team which Kevin Keegan led to the top-flight almost 17 years ago.
Back then, Newcastle – who travel to Middlesbrough tomorrow – went up with 96 points, and Hughton's side have already amassed 72 points with a dozen games to go.
However, rather than surpassing the record of Keegan's team, or the 106-point record of Steve Coppell's free-scoring Reading side which went up in 2006, Clark says United will simply be focused on promotion, with anything else a bonus.
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"I think they can beat the 96-point total we managed," said Huddersfield Town boss Clark. "I think they go into every game thinking they can win.
"To be honest, that won't be their main focus – they're just focusing on going up.
"If they beat that total, then great, and if they keep winning, they have a chance of beating Reading's record.
"If they keep winning, it's going to be too hard for the other teams.
"You can't see them dropping nine points between now and the end of the season."
Clark scored against Middlesbrough at St James's Park during his second spell with Newcastle, and the former United midfielder knows what Hughton's side can expect at the Riverside Stadium.
"It's a derby, and the one thing with a derby is that if you can't win, you can't lose," added Clark.
"If Newcastle can emerge with three points, then that would severely dent Middlesbrough's play-off chances.
"It will be a tough game, and one thing you don't want to come off the pitch is any regrets."
Meanwhile, Clark's Huddersfield team are mounting a promotion push of their own in League One, with the Galpharm Stadium side two points adrift of the division's play-off places.
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Weather for Jarrow
Sunday 05 February 2012
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