Sour Nottingham Forest transfer should not take away from Huddersfield Town impact: View | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town were 90 minutes away from a return to the Premier League in the 2021/22 season, but fell short under the Wembley arch.

On loan Chelsea defender, Levi Colwill, provided the decisive moment just before half-time as he turned James Garner's cross into his own net, but the Terriers will have felt aggrieved not to have been awarded two penalties by Jon Moss that afternoon.

It was a cruel end to a memorable campaign under Carlos Corberan, with two players who played a pivotal role in that side playing their final game for the club in the capital before joining the side who avenged them in the play-off final, Nottingham Forest.

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

Having risen through the academy ranks with the Terriers, Lewis O'Brien would have to wait until the 2019/20 season to make his first start for the club, having spent the previous campaign on loan with Bradford City, including a run of 30 successive starts under Gary Bowyer.

His impressive form with the Bantams earned him a new three-year contract at Huddersfield, going on to win the club's Player of the Year award the following season.

O'Brien would continue to improve on the first-team stage, signing another new deal ahead of their promotion-chasing season.

For Harry Toffolo, he would join the Terriers from Lincoln City in January 2020, having made 85 appearances in all competitions for the Imps, linking up with former boss Danny Cowley, who he had previously worked with during his time in Lincolnshire.

But the pair would enjoy their most influential campaigns during Huddersfield's 2021/22 campaign, both making almost 100 appearances between them as the club looked for a return to the Premier League having been relegated three seasons prior.

But their time with the club did not end the way they wanted, losing narrowly to Nottingham Forest at Wembley in the play-off final, a club they would later join in the summer as their displays in the Championship had impressed those at the City Ground.

O'Brien and Toffolo's move to Nottingham Forest

During the summer window, it was announced that Forest had completed a deal for the signing of both Toffolo and O'Brien.

The deal was reportedly worth around £10 million, with the left-back having one year remaining on his current contract with the club, while O'Brien had three, meaning the Terriers were heavily compensated for losing two of their star assets.

But their arrival in the East Midlands was part of an influx of transfers made by the club, with Forest signing 23 players ahead of their first campaign in the top flight in 23 years.

And after a solid start for his new side, O'Brien would struggle to hold down a first-team spot, resulting in a move to the MLS with DC United, having seen a move to Blackburn Rovers break down due to late submission of paperwork, and joined Middlesbrough on a season-long loan for the 2023/24 campaign.

Toffolo has been in and out of the team during his time at Forest, but has proved to be a dependable option for the Reds, making nearly 50 appearances since his switch.

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

Despite joining the side who had just beaten them in the play-off final, many Huddersfield fans would agree that they would not have been there in the first place without Toffolo and O'Brien.

The pair proved to be dependable and crucial players during their respective times with the club, almost capping off their tenures at the John Smith's Stadium with a promotion to the Premier League, which could have meant they remained at the club.

Between them, Toffolo and O'Brien made over 200 appearances for the club and are still widely regarded as two of the best players to have played for the Terriers in recent season.

While their move to the City Ground will have been a bitter pill to swallow so soon after their Wembley defeat, when looking back at their time with Huddersfield, they will be remembered fondly for what they achieved.