PHP - $_POST['variable'] echos correctly but returns false in if statement

I have a htm file that passes a variable called $team to a php file. The php file echo's 'Fred' just fine on line 3 if that is what the user inputs but an if statement which asks if $_POST["team"] == "Fred" always returns negative. Can anyone help?

<?php

        echo $_POST["team"] , "<br />";

        if ($_POST["team"] ==  "Fred"){
            echo "You go for " , $_POST["team"];
        }

        else {
            echo "You do NOT go for Fred";
        }

?>

Output:

Fred

You do NOT go for Fred