Sour Nottingham Forest transfer should not take away from Huddersfield Town impact

Huddersfield Town lost out at Wembley despite being 90 minutes away from rejoining the Premier League in the 2021–2022 season.

Just before halftime, Levi Colwill, a Chelsea defender on loan, diverted James Garner’s cross into his own goal, providing the game-winning play. However, the Terriers will have felt cheated not to have had two penalties given by Jon Moss that afternoon.

Two key players from that team played their final game for the club in the capital before joining Nottingham Forest, who defeated them in the play-off final, marking a sad finish to a brilliant campaign under Carlos Corberan.

The Blues will be grateful to the Terriers for helping to nurture one of their academy graduates, as they may need to sell this summer.

Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo’s time at Huddersfield Town

Lewis O’Brien, who came up through the Terriers’ system, would have to wait until the 2019–20 season to make his debut for the team. He had previously spent the previous season on loan with Bradford City, where he had made 30 straight appearances under Gary Bowyer.

He received a new three-year deal with Huddersfield due to his outstanding play with the Bantams, and the following season he was named the team’s Player of the Year.

As he advanced through the first team ranks, O’Brien signed a new contract ahead of their season of trying to get promoted.

Harry Toffolo, who made 85 appearances for the Imps in all competitions, will join the Terriers from Lincoln City in January 2020. He would be joining former manager Danny Cowley, with whom he had previously worked while he was in Lincolnshire.

However, the two would have their most impactful seasons during Huddersfield’s 2021–2022 season, playing in nearly 100 games apiece as the team attempted to make a comeback to the Premier League after being relegated three years earlier.

However, their time with the team did not end as planned as they lost the play-off final to Nottingham Forest at Wembley, a team they would eventually join in the summer after impressing officials at the City Ground with their performances in the Championship.

O’Brien and Toffolo’s move to Nottingham Forest

It was announced during the summer transfer window that Forest had signed both Toffolo and O’Brien.

The left-back had one year left on his current contract, while O’Brien had three, therefore the Terriers were somewhat compensated for losing two of their finest players. The agreement was allegedly valued around £10 million.

However, the club made a number of transactions before Forest’s first season in the top division in 23 years, including their arrival in the East Midlands.

After making a strong start for his new team, O’Brien struggled to maintain a first-team spot. As a result, he moved to the Major League Soccer (MLS) with DC United after his move to Blackburn Rovers fell through because of late paperwork submission. For the 2023–2024 season, he also signed a season-long loan with Middlesbrough.

Despite being in and out of the Forest team, Toffolo has established himself as a reliable option for the Reds, making almost 50 games since moving to the Reds.

O’Brien and Toffolo’s time at Huddersfield will be fondly remembered

Many Huddersfield supporters would concur that they would not have been there in the first place without Toffolo and O’Brien, even if they had joined the team that had just defeated them in the play-off final.

During their individual stints at the John Smith’s Stadium, the two established themselves as dependable and important players. They came dangerously close to ending their careers there with a promotion to the Premier League, which may have meant they stayed with the team.

Toffolo and O’Brien are still recognised as two of the best players to have played for the Terriers in a recent season, having combined for almost 200 games for the team.

Even if their transfer to the City Ground came as a tough pill to take following their Wembley loss, they will be grateful for what they accomplished during their time with Huddersfield.

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