Huddersfield's "now you see him, now you don't" pantomime with Phil Parkinson is not the first occasion that a West Yorkshire club have unveiled an empty chair to the press.

This week's comic episode at the Galpharm will have had City fans recalling a similar fiasco nine years ago concerning Jan Molby.

The Danish man mountain, you may remember, was earmarked as the "strong number two" Geoffrey Richmond wanted for his then-rookie manager Paul Jewell.

Molby had applied unsuccessfully for the top job but Richmond went back to him with the offer of becoming Jewell's assistant.

Richmond recalled later: "The interview was quite surreal. Here was a great player from Liverpool's recent past coming over extremely well and we are offering him a position as number two to someone with no experience whatsoever.

"Paul was telling him about his stories of when he was an apprentice at Liverpool and once sat on the bench! I found it quite embarrassing.

"It was just as difficult, when Jan was offered the job, having to make it clear his salary would obviously have to be significantly less than Paul's."

Richmond admitted to misgivings that night about whether he should have changed his mind about who should be in charge - but he had already offered Jewell the post.

Nevertheless, Molby seemed satisfied and a grand unveiling for the pair of them was arranged for the following morning.

But at 6am Molby's agent was on the phone, saying Molby would only join City as number one. So the deal was off.

Instead of scrapping the press conference, Richmond, true to character, faced the media head on and announced the change of heart.

And Chris Hutchings, who had previously been demoted to youth development officer, got the job in his place.

Hardly the experienced assistant the chairman was after - but the pair went on to do City proud and are now proving an equally successful double act at Wigan.

Molby did get his crack at the hot-seat with Hull and failed - just like Parkinson. He's not been back into management since.