Huddersfield Town defender Romoney Crichlow wants to cement his place in manager Carlos Corberan’s first team after coming through the club’s academy to make his debut earlier this season.
Crichlow, 21, was handed his first senior start for the Terriers in their Carabao Cup exit against Rochdale at the John Smith’s Stadium in September.
He came off the bench for his Sky Bet Championship debut against Brentford later that month, before being named Sky Bet Man of the Match on his first league start for the club against Nottingham Forest the following week.
Huddersfield are currently 20th in the Championship, eight points clear of the relegation zone with four games left to play. The West Yorkshire club have conceded 62 goals this season – the second highest in the division.
“I want to cement my place in the team,” Crichlow said. “I want to help the team stay in the Championship and progress, to improve as a player and play more games.”
“This season has been a big learning curve for me as it’s been a step up in level. I’ve embraced it and I feel like personally I have done well this season.”
Crichlow joined Huddersfield’s academy in 2017 after a successful trial period at the club. He remembers the day he signed well.
“I was sitting in my agent’s car in London because I had just finished a lesson at college and he got the call saying that I’d been signed,” he said. “Huddersfield was the first team that I’d gone on trial to.
“Then he got a call to say that I was going to get signed, so I needed to go back up. We just sat in the car together and I cried when I found out – it was a crazy day for me.”
Born in Luton, Crichlow lived in London and studied at the Dynamic Football Academy in Buckinghamshire, playing for Enfield Borough in the 11th tier of English football before being signed by Huddersfield.
“It was a big shift and change coming from a busy city like London and moving to Huddersfield,” he said. “Moving into my own place and living by myself in Huddersfield was a big jump.
“The first year was a tough transition, but it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve grown as a person and matured a lot since I’ve been here, so it was crucial for me.”
Crichlow has made four appearances in Corberan’s first team this season but singled out his league debut as a special experience.
“It’s what you work towards as a footballer,” he said. “You work towards your big debut, and my Championship debut was a crazy experience.”
Huddersfield continue their quest of Championship survival when they host play-off hopefuls Barnsley at the John Smith’s Stadium on Wednesday at 7:45pm.
