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Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy is hoping his self-described "crazy" debut season in English football can end on the ultimate high with a place in the Premier League for Huddersfield.
- Games: 44
- Goals: 4
- Assists: 7
- Yellow cards: 6
Mooy's Huddersfield Town take on Reading at Wembley on Tuesday morning (AEST) in the Championship play-off final, with the match worth around $350 million.
If the Terriers topple the Royals then they will be up against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in the Premier League next season — a fantastic achievement for a small club that was expected to be battling relegation this year, not fighting for promotion.
Victory would cap off a remarkable campaign for Mooy who arrived in West Yorkshire last year as an unknown from A-League outfit Melbourne City.
"The whole season has been crazy and I couldn't have imagined getting this far when I arrived," Mooy said.
"We're trying to continue the journey. When I was young, I just used to dream of playing in the Premier League.
"At the age of 16, I left Australia to go to Bolton. Going to Wembley is now my chance to make it into the Premier League, so it's very special."
Mooy has won many plaudits in his first season in the UK and was named in both the English Football League and Professional Footballer Association's teams of the year.
The 26-year-old has been the driving force in the engine room of David Wagner's dynamic Huddersfield side.
Wagner, a protege of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, and his club have been the Championship's great entertainers this season.
Mooy has formed a strong bond with the Terriers manager.
"He's a very passionate guy and everyone has bought into what he wants us to do and his philosophy," Mooy said.
"It's enjoyable playing under such a great coach and he's been massive for me.
"I'd not heard of him before but I did my research on him.
"I know some Australian players who were at Dortmund when he was there and found out about him.
"Wagner is a leader and makes all the decisions, but of course the players have to perform and deliver what he wants."
Mooy, who has modelled his game on the likes of Croatian star Luka Modric and German midfielder Toni Kroos, grew up in Blacktown.
He left western Sydney as a teenager to move to England in 2006 to sign for Bolton Wanderers. After four years with the Trotters he moved north to Scottish club St Mirren.
But his Premier League dream appeared dead and buried when he returned home to sign for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2012.
Mooy resurrected his career in the A-League with Tony Popovic's side and then Melbourne City, before he was snapped up by Manchester City and loaned to Huddersfield Town.
Now the Socceroos star is just 90 minutes from making his dreams come true.
"Playing at Wembley will be the realisation of a dream," he said.
"Every player wants to achieve that and we've got the chance to do something special. I can't wait.
"I didn't have any expectations when I joined Huddersfield because I saw where they finished last year.
"To be going to Wembley now is crazy."
AAP
Topics: english-premier, english-lower, soccer, sport, england, united-kingdom