Jack Hunt calls it the “best feeling in his career - so far”.
The right-back goes into Championship play-off final action for Sheffield Wednesday against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday four year after helping Huddersfield Town win promotion to the second tier at the national stadium.
May 26, 2012 marked Hunt and Alex Smithies out as homegrown heroes.
After the League I play-off final clash with Sheffield United at Wembley finished goalless after extra time, keeper Smithies, who was only selected after Ian Bennett picked up a hand injury, was Town’s shoot-out hero.
But his heroics weren’t confined to saving spot kicks.
He also scored the decisive penalty as Town, having missed their first three efforts from 12 yards out, won 8-7.
Tommy Miller, Damien Johnson and Alan Lee were unable to notch from the spot.
But Neil Collins was the only sharp-shooter for the Blades in their first three penalties, with Smithies saving from Lee Williamson and Matthew Lowton.
Town skipper Peter Clarke then scored, and after Andy Taylor hit a post, it was 2-2 after four kicks apiece.
Both sides scored their next six, with Scott Arfield, Jordan Rhodes, Gary Roberts, Calum Woods, Hunt and Sean Morrison on the mark for Town.
That sent the shoot-out into sudden death, wth the two keepers next to take.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Smithies scored before opposite number Steve Simonsen shot over right in front of the Town supporters in a 52,100 crowd.
Town were back in the second tier after an 11-season absence.
The match itself had been a cagey affair, with Danny Ward hitting the bar for Town while Simonsen twice saved headers from Clarke and Michael Doyle cleared off te line from Miller.
“We never expected it to get down to the goalkeepers,” reflected Town boss Simon Grayson, who had replaced the sacked Lee Clark three months earlier.
“There was nothing in the game whatsoever, but what an unbelievable end.
“The best way to get promoted is by winning at Wembley - but I feel for Sheffield United.”
Hunt, 25, helped Wednesday hold Brighton and Hove Albion to a 1-1 draw on the South coast to seal a 3-1 aggregate semi-final victory.
Hull, managed by ex-Town boss Steve Bruce, overcame Derby County.
Wednesday have been out of the top flight since 2000 and have had two spells in League I since then.
But things are looking up under Portuguese team chief Carlos Carvalhal, whose side twice beat Town this season.
They were 3-1 victors in David Wagner’s first match in charge of Town at Hillsborough in November.
And the Owls won 1-0 at the John Smith’s Stadium in April.
Hunt played in both those games and made his 39th appearance of the season at Brighton, who finished three places and 15 points higher in the final Championship table.
Like Smithies a Town academy product, he played 121 times before a £2m move to Crystal Palace in September 2013.
Having broken an ankle early in his time at Palace, he failed to make a first-team appearance for the South London club.
He joined Wednesday for £2m in January after spending the first half of the season there on loan.
