A Series of Firsts - Sean O'Toole
Brady Frost, Feature Writer
Twitter: @brady0894
Football is all about the first moments. The first game, the first kit you bought, the first player who you fell in love with, the first who broke your heart. We all have our little moments in football, so we wanted to hear from Town fans about the start of their journey following The Terriers in a new monthly article series, A Series of Firsts.
Up first is Sean O’Toole. Sean is the founder of the Huddersfield Town fanzine, Smile A While. He’s been supporting The Terriers since 1994 and he tells about the beginning of his love affair with the club.
What was your first Huddersfield match?
My first match was the 1994 Auto Glass trophy final against Swansea. The atmosphere was incredible and even though we lost, to see my team play at the old Wembley had me hooked. In hindsight, my dad was inducting me under false pretences, but hats off for his technique because it worked. We got a season ticket the next season and I was officially a terrier.
Who was your first Huddersfield hero and why? Who’s the first player you think of when asked, who is your favourite ever Huddersfield Town player and why?
Andy Booth. He is Mr Huddersfield after all! For me, back then, I loved the fact that he didn’t fit the bill of the idealistic striker. As I grew older, I realised that the ’90s and early 2000s was full of outdated misinterpretation. Goalkeepers had to be tall with big hands and strikers had to be nimble and exciting. Boothy was very tall, he had dodgy knees, no pace at all and was
awkwardly unorthodox. But he had talent and that cannot be overlooked, proven when he played in the Premier League for Sheffield Wednesday. Not many people know that he could Have also made it as a professional cricket player. Boothy was the master of improvisation and a natural-born goal scorer, who could finish a range of goals with ease. I spoke to his son the other week and said that if his dad was playing again Forest, we would be in the Premier League again. Boothy was above everything, a leader and when we were playing poorly, he would find a way. Town fans will never forget his service.
Who’s the first Huddersfield Town player to break your heart by leaving and why?
I have got to be honest and personally say the whole sentiment of football players didn’t grip me until I got older. I remember the Marcus Stewart transfer pain, but that was only because everybody moaned about it in the Gas Club. I was still only bothered about when/if Andy Booth would return and other interests were waiting for my pie to cool down so I could eat it, making paper aeroplanes out of the matchday programs and arguing with my brother. I will say though that Leon Knight grabbed my attention and the fuss about him possibly staying at Town did excite me as he was an amazing loan player. I was a little disappointed when he left.
As an adult, Aaron Mooy has got to be the one. By far the best football player I have seen play for Huddersfield Town and although I knew it was coming, I was absolutely gutted when he signed at Brighton. When he was playing for Town, Ireland was temporarily put to one side and Australia became my new second team. I just loved the way he played, he could turn on a six-pence and spray passes around for fun. Such a shame he is playing in China, I felt that was a premature and financially driven move.
What’s the first thought that comes to mind when I ask for your biggest Huddersfield Town regret/disappointment?
Huddersfield Town v Peterborough Play-off Final 2011. We had a great crop of players who worked tremendously hard to get us to Old Trafford. Lee Clark’s lineup was the issue. It was a shame a certain in-form and clinical goal scorer was sat on the bench that day.
What is first on the list when it comes to your favourite ever Huddersfield Town match?
Huddersfield Town 2, Manchester United 1. That was a day and a scoreline I never thought I would see as a Town fan. The fact that we played immensely well and fully deserved the victory makes it even more special. This was the icing on the cake after exceeding all expectations getting into the Premier League. There aren’t many words for that match, you just had to be there.
Who’s the first name you’d bring in at Town? It could be a player, manager, realistic or unrealistic.
Aaron Mooy. No explanation needs to follow that answer.
