'I am playing for my future now': Rarmani Edmonds-Green on a key time in his career at Huddersfield Town

At the start of 2023, the Huddersfield Town defender - who returned to West Yorkshire early following a forgettable loan spell at Wigan Athletic - could not really say what the future held for him.

A few months down the line, the 24-year-old found himself at the heart of the Terriers’ ‘Great Escape’ mission under Neil Warnock - away from his customary role in the backline after being utilised as a holding midfielder following a chat with the managerial veteran.

Fast forward to the present, with Edmonds-Green now part of a Town squad who are enduring some teething troubles under Warnock’s successor Darren Moore amid what has the makings of another fight for Championship survival.

The Terriers return to action after the international break at home to Southampton and have a key run of fixtures to navigate before the end of the calendar year.

Edmonds-Green is also conscious of his own situation. He is out of contract next summer, with the club having an option of a further year’s extension to 2025.

Huddersfield have plenty to play for from now until May and so does the Londoner.

On playing for his future, Edmonds-Green told The Yorkshire Post: “Yes, kind of. I have an option for next year, but I feel like I am playing for my future now.

"When I went to Wigan, I didn’t play much and I came back wondering what was happening. Obviously, there was a change of ‘gaffer’ and I got a chance of playing fairly regularly and it set me up for this year.

"I am where I am now because of what happened and I am grateful for the way things went and am thankful to still be here to help the club."

The Peckham-player has grown used to battles and showing fortitude in a career which was a tale of rejection in his formative years in the capital.

He found sanctuary at the Nike Academy in south-east London before signing for Town on his 17th birthday in January 2016.

He went on to captain the Terriers’ under-18s side before stepping up to the under-23s. His football education was subsequently broadened by spells in non-league at Brighouse Town and Bromley before he got some further ‘wool on his back’ in a footballing sense with loan spells at Swindon Town and Rotherham United.

On his story of perseverance, he commented: “I always give thanks to the Nike Academy. I was at college at the time and without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

"It’s been a long experience, but worth it in the end.

"There was a time when I was 15 and 16 and it seemed like I was going on trial across the whole of London and everywhere I went, it was ‘no, no.’

"Luckily, I had good parents who still believed in me and told me to keep going and I’ll always be thankful to them. Without them, I don’t know where I would be.

"They come to games whenever they can and are always supporting me. Even when they are not there, they support me from home.

"Josh (Koroma - fellow Nike Academy graduate) lives five minutes from me and there’s loads of us down in London and I still keep in touch with everyone."

Displaying another string to his bow by virtues of appearances as a deep-lying midfielder might just count in Edmonds-Green’s favour when discussion turns to his longer-term future.

It’s a position where he dipped his toe as a young player, with former Town chief Warnock - never one to miss a trick - finding out and having a discussion with him about it in early spring.

Edmonds-Green, also able to slot in on the right-hand side of defence alongside midfield, said: “He (Warnock) was thinking about it for some time as he told me before that he was going to do it.

"Before the Millwall game, I had to be ready for what was coming. I felt I did a good job that day.

"At first when he said it to me, I was thinking: ‘Defensive centre mid? I haven’t played there in years.

"But I did tell him I had played there before. It was a conversation and it happened.

"It can get you on the pitch more if you are not playing. There’s a number of positions I can come onto, which is good.

"When I first came to Huddersfield, I played a few games there (in midfield) and maybe one for Brighouse.

"As a kid, I was a defensive central midfielder, but then got moved to centre-back. I played there when I was growing up."

Edmonds-Green has been deployed in midfield by Warnock's successor Moore in the club's last two games and is enjoying working with the Town manager, although team results this autumn have been understandably frustrating.

He added: "It’s been good working with him. There’s been a lot of changes with our style of play, there’s differences, but it’s good.

"Darren wants to build up more (from the back). I enjoy playing in both ways, that’s the main thing."