It now seems staggering that at the tail end of last season, when a cluster of Huddersfield Town players were nearing the ends of their respective contracts, Harry Bunn was considered only worthy of a one-year deal.
Injuries had restricted his involvement to a mere three matches and just 16 minutes, leaving tangible question marks over his future at the club.
That was reflected in the fact 49% of fans voted for just a 12-month extension to his current terms in our survey , with the second-highest proportion of supporters (27%) opting for him to be released.
One suspects his stunning start to 2014/2015 may have those two sets wishing they had joined the 19% that backed him for another two years and the 5% who went one step further by opting for a three-year contract.
But no-one could have foreseen the meteoric rise which has seen him not only force his way into the starting XI, but also cement his place there ahead of more senior names.
Despite his relatively tender years at just 21, Bunn is now a key player for the Terriers and the fact no-one has scored more league goals than the precocious forward underlines his status in Chris Powell's side.
He has struck three times in total - each coming away from home - and has helped secure two wins in the process for the Terriers, proving to be a leading light in guiding Town away from the trouble they encountered early in the season.
His impressive form has led to praise from captain Lee Peltier and Mark Lillis, who handed Bunn his full debut during his interim role between Mark Robins' exit and Powell's appointment earlier this season.
It also prompted Town fans to select him as their player of the season so far, beating off competition from the likes of summer signings Mark Hudson and Conor Coady.
He has been stationed primarily in a left-sided role but has also lined up alongside Nahki Wells up front for the Terriers too and was handed a more defensive role in the 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers before the international break.
Here is the tale of Bunn's season to date, including each of his three league goals and other appearances which have helped contribute to his rapid development.
Cardiff City 3-1 Huddersfield Town (August 16 - 76 mins)
With just 14 minutes left on the clock and trailing by two goals to one of last season's relegated Premier League sides, Town needed an injection of urgency to try and salvage something from the game.
Okay, so it wasn't forthcoming. But as caretaker boss Lillis looked round and assessed the options on the substitutes bench, it was a straight shootout between Bunn and Sean Scannell - now the first-choice wingers in Powell's system.
It was refreshing to see Lillis, so heavily involved with the club's day-to-day running of the academy sides, hand Bunn the opportunity to get his side back in it, something he almost managed by stealing in on the right flank and seeing an effort loop up onto the roof of the net.
It was overlooked at the time by most as his sole act of the game, but it was to prove a sign of things to come.
Reading 1-2 Huddersfield Town (August 19 - 38 mins)
Two games, two defeats and seven goals conceded. Not to mention just one in reply.
Town's start to the league season made for fairly grim reading until a midweek trip to the Madejski Stadium, where Bunn was fielded from the outset for the very first time.
It was a gamble that could have backfired spectacularly given Matt Crooks' struggles on his debut in the 4-0 defeat to Bournemouth, but Bunn embraced the challenge and gave his side the breathing space they needed by slamming home a second goal following Jacob Butterfield's opener.
Latching onto Jonathan Hogg's pass into feet, he rolled Royals skipper Chris Gunter expertly, leaving the Wales international sprawling, before crashing the ball low into the far corner beyond Adam Federici.
Watford 4-2 Huddersfield Town (August 30 - 48 mins)
With Town behind again away from home, Bunn delivered the goods by meeting Scannell's cross from the opposite flank as havoc reigned in the Hornets penalty area.
The former Crystal Palace man's low centre looked as if it would be gathered by Heurelho Gomes, but the Watford goalkeeper spilled the ball perfrectly into the path of Bunn, who lashed home from close range.
His influence on the game waned thereafter and he was sacrificed for Adam Hammill, but he was a central figure throughout the second half.
First, he appeared to be hauled down by Fernando Forestieri in the build-up to Almen Abdi's goal, which restored the hosts' advantage before Gabriel Tamas received his marching orders for a second bookable offence by cynically scything down the Terriers wideman.
Leeds United 3-0 Huddersfield Town (September 20 - 69 mins)
Although he didn't score and failed to have a true impact on the game at all, Bunn's performance was courageous, plucky and spirited.
Those three words certainly could not be associated with the effort served up by the rest of his team-mates at Elland Road that afternoon as Town fell to a humiliating defeat in the West Yorkshire derby, with Bunn the sole beacon of light on an otherwise dreary occasion.
He never stopped running and always looked to beat his marker Gaetano Berardi and his determination to do so was vindicated with just over 20 minutes left on the clock as the Swiss picked up a second yellow for a foul on the livewire winger.
Bunn let off a snapshot or two following Berardi's dismissal and was unwilling to take the praise of his manager Powell afterwards, reserved solely for him, suggesting that it was ultimately a team effort. That sort of attitude stands him in good stead for his future development.
Huddersfield Town 2-1 Millwall (September 27 - 57 mins)
In some respects, this was Bunn's best match of the campaign in that he had a pivotal and direct hand in both of his side's goals.
The first displayed a brilliant first touch to bring down Joel Lynch's lofted pass and awareness of his strike partner for the day in Wells to look up and tee him up, with the Bermudian finishing with aplomb from just outside the area to capitalise on Bunn's efforts.
His second decisive act of the afternoon epitomised his gutsy and tenacious qualities in fending off returning Lions midfielder Nicky Bailey, wriggling clear of him and darting into the penalty area before being unceremoniously tugged back.
Wells dispatched the spot-kick and deservedly earned the plaudits for his goalscoring exploits, but Bunn's contribution was equally vital.
Wolves 1-3 Huddersfield Town (October 1 - 21 mins)
If Millwall was his best performance in terms of direct impact, then his offering to the Wolves game was the complete package, featuring a goal, plenty of direct running and an appreciation for the defensive duties handed to him by Powell.
For the opening quarter of the match, he had been nullified by returning Wolves right-back Sam Ricketts, who had pegged the precocious Bunn back in the early stages, even hitting the post with a low drive after cutting inside him too easily.
But instead of shirking from his responsibilities, Ricketts' near miss was the catalyst for Bunn to roll up his sleeves and get back into the thick of the action.
He gained revenge in the grand manner by peeling off the full-back and guiding home Grant Holt's fierce cross to make it 1-0 before committing him into a challenge which led to Coady, Scannell and Holt combining to devastating effect with Scannell in the right place to double Town's lead.
From that point on, he ran his marker ragged, turning him inside out and leaving him on the floor to send in a cross which, after being headed away by Richard Stearman, was sent back with interest from Coady for a stunning third goal.
It capped a wonderful start to the season and a run of form Town fans will hope he can prolong well into the next phase of the league season.
