Tilly said: "We will have another look at them again today but they have been out quite a while and have only been back training for a few days. They haven't even played a reserve match so I haven't made up my mind just yet whether or not it's too early to include them in the squad."
Midfielder Anthony Grant is doubtful with a knee injury but, those who do get the nod from Tilson, must be ready to impress.
He continued: "We need to go out and take the game to Huddersfield. We're at home and we want to the pressure on. We want to force them into mistakes because although there hasn't been much continuity in the side lately we still have some quality players here. It's not ideal to playing Huddersfield just after they get a new manager but we have enough about us to still be able to get a result against them."
This is a huge game for Blues who desperately need three points to kick-start another promotion push.
Everyone is aware of the defensive problems and we can only hope another move to deal with them in January. For now, with our two top scorers available again, and I would start with both if they really are fully fit, TLG believes the Blues have enough forward power to gain three points. 2-1.
Possible Southend XI: Mildenhall, Francis, Clarke, Barrett, Harding, Betsy, Milsom, McCormack, Stanislas; then any two from Revell, Laurent, Freedman, Barnard. Subs; Joyce, Sankofa, Feeney, Walker and two of the forwards above or one and Herd.
OPPOSITIONCaretaker manager Gerry Murphy is not expected to make any changes for his last match in charge of Huddersfield. Striker Keigan Parker (suspended), Andy Booth (back), that helps, and full-back Tommy Skarz (ankle) are all out.
Illness-hit duo Jon Worthington and Chris Lucketti both trained without problem yesterday, while Gary Roberts and Danny Cadamarteri have shaken off minor niggles.
Probable Huddersfield XI: Smithies, Butler, Nathan Clarke, Berrett, Holdsworth, Williams Craney, Collins, Goodwin, Roberts, Cadamarteri.
Subs; Glennon, Tom Clarke, Kamara, Jevons, Lucketti.
| 10 | Walsall | 19 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 0 | ||||
| 11 | Southend United | 19 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 31 | 27 | -3 | ||||
| 12 | Huddersfield Town | 19 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 31 | 26 | -4 | ||||
| 13 | Hartlepool United | 19 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 29 | 30 | 25 | -1 |
Amid the turmoil of Stan Ternent's departure, the disappointing FA Cup exit and the search for a new boss, Huddersfield have actually managed to win four of their last five league matches. Subsequently unlike many new managers, Lee Clark doesn't really have the immediate job of lifting the morale of a struggling side as he arrives at the Galpharm. However, his introduction could still have a positive impact on the Terriers, who are now just nine points from the play-off places and down to 11/1 with Coral to gain promotion, something that seemed impossible a few weeks ago.
Michael Collins is delighted at Dean Holt's decision to appoint Lee Clark as Town's new manager. The in-form midfielder heads into tomorrow's League I game at Southend chasing a fifth goal in six games, but more importantly another victory for the team. That would mean Clark's charges leapfrog their hosts, who are currently 11th, a place and a point above Town.
Clark will have a watching brief at Roots Hall, with Gerry Murphy, under whom Collins has blossomed in the last month, ending his third stint as caretaker manager. It's clear Collins and Co want to ensure the Irishman signs off with what would be a third successive away win and a fourth in all under his command. But they will also be well aware the new management team of Clark, Derek Fazackerley and Steve Black will be watching with interest.
Collins spoke to the Huddersfield Daily Examiner: "All the lads are in high spirits and excited about the appointment. It's a step in the right direction for the club and hopefully we can produce for him. He will be a young ambitious manager and should be as hungry as the players are to get success. If you look at the new manager's record as a player he's been at the highest level, so he'll bring major experience. In my opinion we have a lot of lads here that could play at a higher level, so hopefully he can get the best out of what's already here. I hope he can take us to another level. I'm really looking forward to it."
Collins and his teammates were en route to Essex when Clark was officially unveiled at the Galpharm this morning, and the academy product is optimistic that the new manager will be able to take training for the first time on Monday reflecting on a valuable three-point haul at home to Walsall.
The scorer of Town's stoppage time winner in the 2-1 victory continued: "Beating Walsall in the way we did to go into the top half of the table was a major psychological boost. We certainly weren't as fluent as we can be, but there are times when we've battered teams and drawn or even lost. It looked like it was going to end in a draw last Saturday, but we kept plugging away and got the break. It shows the value of keeping going right to the end, and we've proved to ourselves that we can grind out wins. Tomorrow's will be a tough game, because Southend are a decent, well-organised side, and it's a tight pitch, so we're going to have to scrap."
PREVIOUSLY
Played 27: Won 8 Drawn 6 Lost 13
A double over Huddersfield last year helped a fairly miserable record against them.
For those who were there Alan McCormack's injury time winner last March made the long trip worthwhile. Macca obviously likes the Terriers as he grabbed a brace in the Roots Hall fixture a year ago, Leon Clarke and Marky Gower joining him in a 4-1 win.
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REF
The man in the middle is David Phillips from West Sussex.
This will be his 12th ever League match in his first season.
FIXTURES
Friday, 12 December 2008; Brighton v MK Dons, 19:45.
Saturday, 13 December 2008 (all 15.00 kick-off); Bristol Rovers v Tranmere, Carlisle v Leicester, Crewe v Swindon, Hereford v Hartlepool, Leeds United v Colchester, Leyton Orient v Cheltenham, Peterborough v Oldham, Scunthorpe v Northampton, Walsall v Millwall, Yeovil v Stockport.
BET
Southend (5/4) Draw (11/4) Huddersfield (5/2)
For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-one.
HISTORY
1907, the Huddersfield Association Football Ground Co. was formed and, with capital of £500, set about purchasing the Leeds Road recreation fields. In the summer of 1908, Huddersfield Town AFC was launched and Leeds Road was officially opened on 2 September 1908 with a friendly against Bradford Park Avenue. Their first match in senior competition, on 5 September, was against South Shields Adelaide, wearing salmon pink shirts!
Huddersfield entered the Football League in 1910. In November 1919 a fund-raising campaign was needed to stave off a move to Leeds! Citizens of Huddersfield were asked to buy shares in the club of £1 each, and the club staved off the proposed merger. Remarkably, the team went on to reach the 1920 F.A. Cup Final and win promotion to Division One.
In 1926, they became the first English team to win three successive league titles - a feat which only three other clubs have been able to match. On 2 February 2005, the name of the club was changed from Huddersfield Town Association Football Club to Huddersfield Town Football Club.
Nicknamed The Terriers, their mascot is er, Terry the Terrier. The club traditionally plays in a blue and white vertically striped shirt with white shorts but presumably not tomorrow. The club has developed a reputation as having a strong academy, a notion backed up by the present squad which contains a number of academy products.
The side plays its home games at the Galpharm Stadium, a ground shared with rugby league side Huddersfield Giants. The ground was originally named The Alfred McAlpine Stadium (after the construction company involved in its creation) due to a 10-year sponsorship agreement.
Their chairman is Ken Davy, who also holds the same position for Huddersfield Giants. This dual role, and unclear financial arrangements between the clubs, is a source of discontent amongst some sections of the support. On 10 April 2008, it was announced that Davy was to step down as chairman after completing a deal with local businessman Dean Hoyle, who will take over at the end of the 2008/09 season.
(Thanks to the all the usual suspects for their help with this article.)