In the course of a season, Jon Russell went from the B squad to the first team and almost got promoted with Huddersfield Town.
Huddersfield Town has established a reputation for being a formidable team on a tight budget, even with their current season’s difficulties.
The Terriers, whose whole roster cost over £2.3 million just two years ago, advanced to the Championship play-off final in both 2017 and 2022.
The positive relationship Huddersfield had with Chelsea at the time, which allowed them to sign loan deals for defenders Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah, was a major factor in their success.
Although Huddersfield was able to develop Premier League players such as Colwill and Chalobah, they were also able to sign players from the Blues on a permanent basis, with Jon Russell, a midfielder, joining the team in 2021.
Russell started out for Huddersfield’s B squad but was swiftly promoted to the first team. He was instrumental in the team’s 2022 play-off final run, finishing third and only six points outside of the automatic promotion spots.
However, the Terriers were defeated by Nottingham Forest in the championship game, and Carlos Corberan departed the team before the 2022–2023 campaign.
Russell moved for Barnsley in January 2023 after realising he wouldn’t be able to repeat his form under Mark Fotheringham, but his contribution on the pitch in 2021/22 cannot be understated as he almost led Huddersfield to yet another historic promotion.
Russell, a centre midfielder who had spent the previous season on loan at Accrington Stanley in League One, began his career with the B squad upon arriving at Huddersfield to hone his skills. However, Corberan quickly elevated the young player to the first team in West Yorkshire.
During the season, he started all 15 of Huddersfield’s Championship games, only losing twice while assisting the Terriers in securing an unlikely play-off position.
Russell, an all-action box-to-box midfielder, contributed two crucial goals to Huddersfield’s third-place finish and established himself as a vital member of his Spanish manager’s squad.
Russell opened the score against fellow promotion contenders Luton Town and scored the game-winning goal in the 96th minute against Cardiff City on only his third start of the campaign.
In addition, he would play every minute as Huddersfield defeated Luton 2-1 over two legs in the play-off semi-final. However, Corberan only gave him 33 minutes in the championship game, choosing instead to join Lewis O’Brien in the middle of the field with captain Jonathan Hogg’s experience.
Huddersfield was torn apart as they tumbled down the league after losing in the play-off final.
Prior to the start of the preseason, Corberan left the team, and O’Brien and winger Harry Toffolo left for Nottingham Forest.
The next season, Russell struggled to get into the starting lineup, first under Danny Schofield and then under Mark Fotheringham. In January 2023, he moved for League One Barnsley.
That summer, the Jamaican international would experience more heartache at Wembley as his new team succumbed to Sheffield Wednesday in the last seconds of extra time in the League One play-off final.
Russell is a crucial member of Barnsley’s team, and the Tykes are in prime position to make the playoffs. Russell will be aiming for third time fortunate at Wembley.
Russell’s impact at Huddersfield, however, was significant in helping the Terriers come dangerously close to returning to the Premier League. His performances for a few months at least suggested that they may have had a Premier League player on their hands; unfortunately, for whatever reason, things haven’t worked out for the Cobham graduate.
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