Huddersfield Town v Swansea City: Rhys Healey on making more magic memories after Millwall moment and kind personal words for Oli Turton

Not trophies and gongs, but gathering life-enhancing moments.

It’s something which has come into major focus this week following the appalling decision to scrap FA Cup replays from the first round onwards in 2024-25 - and so deprive countless footballers, supporters and clubs from potentially making special memories that last a lifetime.

Huddersfield Town striker Rhys Healey’s own personal experiences - some a while ago, others less so - mean he is inclined to agree with his head coach.

This time of the year stirs the soul of most players and Healey is no different on that front.

His arrival on the football scene is something he will never forget. A debut from the bench on the final day of the 2013-14 Premier League season for Cardiff City against Chelsea - when he was still a teenager.

The boyhood Manchester City fan came on for Craig Bellamy, his footballing hero.

Exactly a fortnight ago at the John Smith’s Stadium, the frontman, now 29, had a glorious episode for his current club.

Bedlam followed after he headed home a stoppage-time winner to hand Town a significant boost in their survival fight against Millwall.

He was besieged by ecstatic team-mates and coaching staff, including Breitenreiter and there was an explosion of joy - not to mention relief - among fans.

Two weeks on and Town are holding out for a hero to make memories again as they fight for their Championship lives.

Healey said: “I was speaking to my partner the other day and said I was thinking about when I actually scored and saw the fans.

"Then I looked behind me and the players were running at me, it was just incredible. It was the last minutes of the game and I was thinking it would be really important come the end of the season.

"Now we’ve two massive home games now and it’s a positive for us and helps.

"I remember everyone jumping and I wasn’t in the photo because I was pretty much on the floor. I am now hoping for me and the team to have two or three more of those moments."

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For Healey, the goal was sweetened by what had gone before.

Having arrived from Watford in the winter window, the Manchester-born player experienced what every new signing dreads, an early injury.

On his first home start against Sheffield Wednesday on February 3, he came off with a significant looking groin injury.

It would keep him out until March 29 and he has been nursed back into the first team since with his five appearances having all arrived as a substitute with the number of minutes he can play being pretty much restricted.

He added: "For a player, it’s the worst possible start to pick up an injury, basically two games in.

"I worked hard to get back and it’s good for me to be back and to show why they put faith to bring me to the club in the first place and I’m hoping I can keep on repaying them with goals and hard work."

Injuries have unfortunately pockmarked Healey’s football journey and help to explain why the highs are cherished so much.

Back in February 2017, Healey was sidelined for nine months when he tore both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments at Cardiff.

He would go onto suffer another serious knee injury at former club Toulouse last term ahead of joining Watford last summer.

The Mancunian has clearly been through a lot, as has one of his current team-mates in Oli Turton.

After 14 months out with a serious knee injury, the defender made his comeback in last weekend’s controversial draw at Bristol City.

A good story was soured by a poor decision to award a late penalty against him when he made his return from the bench - the PGMOL refereeing body said earlier this week that the decision was wrong.

Offering particular empathy, Healey said: "I’ve been through the injury he has had before twice in my career and know how hard it is to get back.

"I have only had a short time at the club, but Oli is probably one of the best professionals I’ve seen with the way he picks himself up.

"I just turned to him and said: ‘You’ve made it back from injury after a long time out.’ Everyone was happy to see him back and we’ll use that as a positive.

"Everyone is remaining positive and that (penalty) is past us now."