Tommy Smith's new Huddersfield Town deal is an important show of faith by manager Chris Powell

It now seems bizarre to think that Tommy Smith was forced to settle for a spot on the bench behind Matt Crooks for the season opener against Bournemouth.

On a day when everything went wrong from a Huddersfield Town perspective, one of the quirks of that afternoon that was somewhat overlooked in the aftermath of the 4-0 drubbing and Mark Robins' subsequent exit was the manager's decision to put Crooks in ahead of Smith.

Although only separated by 21 months, Smith had been handed first-team exposure during 2013/2014 and had gone on to make 26 starts as a result in his debut season.

That was in stark contrast to Crooks who, despite impressing in various positions during pre-season, was thrust into the heart of a three-man backline and from the get-go he looked susceptible, a point rammed home brutally by Marc Pugh's opener after just 26 seconds.

Smith could have been forgiven for wondering just why he had been ignored for a starting berth, particularly as he maintained a watching brief for the full 90 minutes and witnessed a back three of Crooks, Lee Peltier and Joel Lynch eviscerated by the pace of Callum Wilson and craft of Yann Kermorgant.

It is testament to the 23-year-old's character that he refused to let the snub affect him in any way and allowed him to not only displace the wounded Crooks from the pecking order, but go on to make the right-hand side of defence largely his own.

Smith has made huge strides this season and the departure of former captain Peltier to Cardiff City in January acted as the confirmation needed that he was a key part of Chris Powell's plans.

And if Crooks' struggles that day were in need of further illustration, the towering 21-year-old now finds himself in League Two with Accrington Stanley while Smith is fresh from signing a new two-year deal at the club ahead of what will be a key summer for the club.

Powell has pulled no punches in his assessment of his defence - a backline which ranks as the third worst in the Championship - and it is clear that he intends to make additions this summer.

So to hand Smith fresh terms is an important show of faith from the Terriers boss, who wishes to reshape his defence but only by making the odd tweak here and there; he has made it clear there is a need to fine-tune, not for wholesale changes.

Smith, like many others this season, has had to face up to some criticism from Town supporters and there are still some who remain unconvinced by his defensive quality against the very best in this division, but he has plenty of time to be moulded into a more rounded performer at the back.

Of the regular starters this season, only the two loan left-backs Jack Robinson (21) and Reece James (21) and Conor Coady (22) are younger than Smith, who has proven he can offer something tangible in the opposing third two with only three players in the squad posting more assists.

He is also a key asset to Powell in that he can operate in various positions, both on the right and in the centre and Powell has even trialled him on the left at times, although he has appeared a better fit on the other side of the field.

His performances have grown as the season has worn on, with his best spells of 2014/2015 arriving during the first seven-match unbeaten run and also during this latest sequence without defeat, which could become seven if they avoid loss at basement boys Blackpool this weekend.

His best display yet was as recently as the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest when he single-handedly quelled the threat of much-revered wideman Michail Antonio to epitomise how far he has come in such a short space of time having only made his Town bow in November 2013.

There is an argument that Smith can reach even greater heights in the next three seasons with some genuine competition at right-back, something the unsuccessful loan spell of David Edgar has failed to engender.

And he can expect some sort of positional rival next season as Powell looks to put his stamp on this squad once and for all but, in the meantime, Smith can revel in the fact he is set to play a key role in his manager's plans.