Barnsley FC's Jon Russell returns to Wembley to face Sheffield Wednesday with unfinished business

Back on May 29, 2022, the Barnsley midfielder, then wearing the blue and white jersey of Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town, felt only despair after the Terriers’ agonising 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Championship play-off final.

The defeat was compounded by a deep-seated sense of injustice.

It was a Spring Bank Holiday Monday afternoon marred by controversy, with Town on the receiving end not once, but twice, denied two stonewall second-half penalties in a final which saw VAR utilised in the play-offs for the first time.

First, Harry Toffolo was tripped by Jack Colback and despite replays showing clear contact, VAR decided against reversing the decision of referee Jon Moss.

Later on in the half, Lewis O'Brien then went down inside the penalty area after contact from Max Lowe from behind.

Moss, who was refereeing his final game, again controversially didn't give a penalty – to leave the Terriers incandescent with rage.

The defeat had massive knock-on effects for the club. Ironically, Toffolo and O'Brien would leave to join Forest, while head coach Carlos Corberan elected to step down ahead of the start of pre-season – setting the chain in motion to a fraught 2022-23 campaign.

For Russell – who broke through under Corberan – it also had ramifications as he fell out of favour under first Danny Schofield and then Mark Fotheringham.

He ended his Town career on the margins and joined Barnsley in January.

On his sense of unfinished business at Wembley when Barnsley take on Sheffield Wednesday in four days' time, he said: "I have got to change around what happened last year.

"It was not the result we wanted and it is definitely unfinished for me.

"You keep thinking about it, two clear penalties.. He (the referee) didn't give it and then he's gone and retired.

"It was a sticky situation. We knew we should have won that game. It was quite a turnaround (after). There was a lot of behind the scenes stuff. It was not to do with the players and a lot of things changed, with managerial roles and stuff like that and it affected us in not so good a way.

"I try not to dwell on things as it ruins everything. It did take a toll on my summer, but it's gone now and you look forward. I am happy that they managed to stay in the Championship."

Victory at Wembley on Monday would go some way to providing karma for Russell, who is seeking to reboot his career at Oakwell after a difficult time at Huddersfield.

Whatever happens on Monday, though, he feels in a better place than he was at the other side of the Emley Moor mast.

The one-time Chelsea player continued: "Everything happens for a reason and everyone's journey is different.

"Everyone is trying to get to the same goal. We have got to keep grinding and enjoy life.

"We are all looking forward to it (Monday) and I am, especially. It is going to be a great day.

"I really like it here and enjoy the manager and coaches and set-up. They are a really good group of lads and I have come into a winning culture and that's massive for us and me personally."