Huddersfield Town owe Man City for allowing them to seal transfer bargain | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town's decision to hand a trial to released Manchester City youngster Tommy Smith in 2012 proved to be a huge coup.

Huddersfield Town's decision to hand a trial to released Manchester City youngster Tommy Smith in 2012 proved to be a huge coup for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Smith spent eight formative years in the City academy but saw first-team prospects vanish when the oil money began flooding in after breaking his leg, telling Sky Sports: "I could see that the money was coming in and players were getting bought left, right and centre," but insisted he was "completely happy" to walk away in January 2012.

City's loss quickly became Huddersfield's gain - former academy coach Steve Eyre tipped off Town's hierarchy and, after impressing for the U21s, Smith signed permanently that summer.

Over the next seven seasons, he established himself as the Terriers' first-choice right-back - which earned him a new contract in 2014 - and captaincy under David Wagner after getting promoted to the Premier League.

Tommy Smith blossomed into Premier League captaincy

Wagner's faith in Smith was clear to see. The Warrington-born full-back was officially handed the armband ahead of Huddersfield's debut top-flight campaign in 17/18, after being the skipper for the play-off final game against Reading.

It's worth a reminder that Smith was stretchered off during that game in 2017 with five minutes of normal time to play - Yann Kermorgrant being the one slid in on his ankle from behind.

Regardless of whether he watched the remainder of the game from the sidelines or not, a player Manchester City released for nothing had just captained another club into the world's richest league.

Wagner later described the achievement as being " a fairytale", but for Smith it represented just how worthwhile leaving the Etihad to rebuild his career in Yorkshire had been.

The 17/18 Premier League season saw Smith make 24 appearances as Huddersfield defied expectations to avoid relegation. Though their second season ended in relegation with the right-back playing just 15 league games, his contribution to the club's greatest modern achievement was already done.

Tommy Smith keeps Huddersfield in his heart after retirement

Even after his departure to Stoke City in 2019, Smith remained respected in Kirklees.

In his emotional retirement statement whilst under contract at Middlesbrough in 2025, then-32-year-old Smith specifically thanked former owner Dean Hoyle and Wagner for "changing his life". He had not played for nearly two years after he ruptured an achilles tendon in 2023.

He described leading Huddersfield out at Wembley as "one of the best moments of not only my football career, but my entire life".

Hoyle, who sold the Terriers six years ago, was the owner who oversaw Smith's development from squad player to captain.

Huddersfield's patient development with Tommy Smith

Ultimately, Manchester City's decision to release him all those years ago was logical within their context - they needed immediate impact as their ambitions soared under new ownership.

Huddersfield's approach with the full-back proved entirely different. Wagner's coaching methods demanded total commitment, and that suited Smith's mentality perfectly - which in turn allowed him to flourish. He was given time in Kirklees to develop into the player City would've maybe wanted from the beginning.

The right-back's playing style somewhat epitomised Town's underdog spirit of that period. Being 6'1", Smith had the physicality needed to do well in the Championship. That paired well when Wagner came in with his gegenpress tactics - and Smith managed to get 19 second-tier assists for them across all seasons.

In allowing him to leave without compensation, City were enablers of perhaps one of English football's shrewdest bargains - because of the £170m promotion and seven years of loyal service Town got out of Smith.