JON RUSSELL suffered the heartbreaking news he would be ditched by boyhood club Chelsea last year.
But tonight he will play in a Huddersfield side aiming to join his heroes in the Premier League.
Ex-Chelsea starlet Jon Russell hopes to be back at Stamford Bridge next season, taking on the Blues for new club Huddersfield Credit: Getty The Terriers kick off their play-off campaign at Luton and are potentially just three matches away from rubbing shoulders with the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.
And Russell, 20, said: “I’ve been brought up in a Premier League environment since I was six so the target is to get back there.
“It was hard to say goodbye to everyone at Chelsea because I had made so many friends there and had good relationships with the coaches.
“But that is football — it’s all part of the journey and although I was disappointed to leave it was important not to lose any sleep over it.
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The best free bets and sign up offers available from our bookmaker partners “It was very much a case of taking one step back to take two steps forward by coming to Huddersfield. I’ve always had the view that if you don’t make it at one place, you can make it at another. I always had confidence in myself and wasn’t going to panic.”
During his time at Chelsea, he came through with the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Norwich midfielder Billy Gilmour.
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And he credits his time at Stamford Bridge for shaping him into the player he is today.
He said: “At Chelsea, you have to keep your standards high. If you don’t train well, you’re not going to play. I learned I needed to train well every day and have that consistency to come in every day and train.
“I learned all my technical stuff there and thatis how I developed it. I did a lot of stuff on my own and developed myself. I learned how to get the ball and do whatever I do.
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“The whole time I was there I was looking up to Ruben Loftus Cheek. We’re of a similar stature. I had similar injuries to him through growth spurts. He was also tall and someone I could relate to.
“I enjoyed my time there and learned a lot to help me become the player I am now”
Russell spent last season on loan at Accrington Stanley before joining the Terriers.
Initially he was signed for the club’s B side but impressed so much that since the turn of the year he has been a regular fixture in Carlos Corberan’s side.
And he said: “It’s crazy to think we’re potentially three games away from making the Premier League and I only started playing regularly for the club in January.
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I like unique baby names – the origin stories behind my eight kids’ names “It’s been great to be part of helping this club get into the position it has.”
And facing Luton brings back happy memories of the best goal he has ever scored — last month in a 2-0 win at home.
And he said: “That is probably my favourite goal. From the throw in, I saw space down the middle and just thought if I can get this high enough, the keeper is too far off his line to make it and I managed to get it over him.
“Beating Luton means we know we can win against them but at the same time are well aware they will be out for revenge.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk