Eileen goes to Town to celebrate diamond wedding

SHE’S got to be one of Huddersfield Town’s most loyal fans – and has a special reason to celebrate.

Eileen Clark, 79, of Shepley, was taken by her father Alfred to matches from the age of seven or eight and has never lost the habit.

She said: “I watched them through their glory years and I still have a season ticket. When I got married to Bill he wasn’t interested, but he used to take me to matches and pick me up afterwards.

“And when my two children, Robert and Joanne, were old enough to go I would take them too and then the grandchildren, until they got bored.

“Fingers crossed for this season that we will get promotion. We have a good manager and some good players.

“But I don’t go to every match now and I’ll have to see whether I get another season ticket for next time.”

And her dedication did not go unrecognised as Town delivered a special bouquet thanking her for her die-hard support and congratulating her on her diamond wedding anniversary, marking 60 years of marriage.

Eileen said: “Joanne organised that. I just couldn’t believe it when it arrived. I don’t go quite as much as I used to but Bill still drives me down and picks me up after all these years.”

And her diamond wedding celebrations were made extra-special by Joanne flying in unexpectedly from her home in Nairobi to surprise her mum.

Born in Shepley in 1937, Eileen Pilling met her husband-to-be at a dance when she was 16.

She said: “He was in the Army and asked me to dance. How could I refuse?”

The happy couple, above, got married on March 23, 1957, at Shepley Church.

There was no honeymoon as they were far too busy saving to buy their first house in Cowlersley.

After leaving the Army, Bill, now 82, who was born in Hepworth, studied hard at Huddersfield Technical College for nine years and became a chartered engineer and a senior member of David Brown’s engineering company at Lockwood.

Added Eileen: “Seeing Joanne walking up the drive was very special indeed. She is a great character, was a very mischievous child and is still full of fun. And we’ve also received a letter of congratulations from the Queen and a huge orchid from my son and daughter-in-law from Australia.

“On Saturday we held a party for 40 or 50 family members and friends.

“We have had some wonderful times and some great holidays. I’ve been to Australia 18 times.” Eileen and William Clark of Stocksmoor. Life-long Huddersfield Town fan and season ticket holder Eileen is hoping to watch her team in the Premier League during her diamond wedding year