Tommy Smith paid tribute to the “special bunch” of individuals who have taken Huddersfield Town to Wembley – and he doesn’t just mean the players!
The 25-year-old will captain Town in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Reading at the national stadium on Monday, May 29, after the dramatic penalty shoot-out semi-final win over Sheffield Wednesday.
Town will play in the £200million richest game in football for a place in the Premier League and a return to the top flight for the first time in 45 years.
Head coach David Wagner celebrated on the pitch with chairman Dean Hoyle while 2,000 travelling fans at Hillsborough went bonkers after keeper Danny Ward saved the decisive penalty from Fernando Forestieri.
Thousands more at PPG Canalside and pubs and clubs around Huddersfield joined in the fun – and Smith says with one more big step to take, the celebrations and the biggest chance in Town’s history are fully deserved.
“It’s an amazing feeling, and I just want to say this team are a special bunch,” said Smith before presenting the man-of-the-match award to fans’ favourite Michael Hefele.
“It is not just the team on the pitch, it stems back to the backroom staff, the physios, the video analysis, the coaches, the players, the chairman and the fans.
“It’s a really special club and it’s been an unbelievable season.
“To win on penalties at Hillsborough and now be on our way to Wembley is an incredible feeling.”
Smith says the ‘no limits’ mantra will continue for one more big match after two drawn semi-finals – the 0-0 at the John Smith’s being followed by a 1-1 draw in Sheffield, when Steven Fletcher netted for the Owls before Nahki Wells bundled in the equaliser with the help of a home defender.
Town won the shoot-out 4-3, sub Jack Payne the only man to miss for Wagner’s side while Ward saved from Sam Hutchinson and then Forestieri.
Chris Lowe, Hefele, Nahki Wells and Aaron Mooy were the men to net for Town.
“We’ve had belief from Day One,” added Smith.
“Teams have written us off, pundits have written us off, but we have stood firm and believed in ourselves.
“We have stuck to what we want to do and it’s got us to where we are – and why can’t we go on now and win at Wembley?”
