Huddersfield Town struck gold with free transfer - the Championship took notice of Michael Hefele | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town struck gold with the free transfer of Michael Hefele

Huddersfield Town struck gold with the free transfer of Michael Hefele from German side Dynamo Dresden.

Former Huddersfield defender Hefele will forever remain a fan favourite among Terriers fans for his work on and off the pitch in his career.

Hefele joined Huddersfield in 2016 as a free agent from German side Dynamo Dresden, where he spent two seasons before finding a new home in West Yorkshire.

What came next for the German international made him nothing short of a cult hero and certainly turned heads with other Championship clubs, due to his defensive stability and the leadership qualities he possessed.

Despite his time being short-lived with the Terriers as he merely made 48 appearances for the club, his legacy lives on around the Accu Stadium, not only for what he contributed in his playing days but also for his work behind-the-scenes for the club as he took on an ambassador role post-retirement.

Michael Hefele is a cult hero for Huddersfield Town fans

In his time at Huddersfield, Hefele was a key part of the Terriers' promotion-winning team in 2016/17 as he made 40 league appearances and found the net three times that season.

After being brought to the club by former boss David Wagner, he settled into life in England and quickly became a fan favourite for his consistent performance levels and likable personality that shone through on the pitch.

Without Hefele's guidance at the back, Huddersfield's 2016/17 promotion campaign could have looked quite different as his partnership with fellow German, Christopher Schindler that season was tough to break down for any Championship attack.

As well as being a rock at the back for the Terriers, Hefele's most memorable moment in a Town shirt came at the other end of the pitch against local rivals Leeds United. The centre-back got himself on the scoresheet to grab a late, 89th-minute winner, and earn the bragging rights in February 2017.

The defender also chipped in with another couple of goals on their road to the play-offs that season. Hefele scored against Aston Villa and Barnsley, which proved to be vital points in their eventual fifth-place finish.

A sad and sorry end to Michael Hefele's career

After a flourishing 2016/17 campaign under David Wagner, the German attracted interest from many Championship clubs and made the move to Nottingham Forest in 2018. What came next for Hefele was unfortunate to say the least.

After being a key feature in the Forest side, making 15 league appearances, Hefele's career was halted after rupturing his achilles tendon against Leeds United on New Year's Day 2019. It went on to be an injury that eventually put an end to his career after spending a year in rehabilitation.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Hefele said: "Mentally, it was so, so tough when your body is more or less falling apart."

He went on to say: "It was the toughest period in my life."

After hanging up his boots with Forest, Hefele's involvement in football wasn't done there as the German was offered a position by his former club Dynamo Dresden but instead turned it down to work with his beloved Huddersfield within the community in an ambassador role.

Hefele said via the Yorkshire Post: "I wanted to stay in England. Dynamo Dresden could have been an offer, but I was more or less saying: ‘I am now a Yorkshireman and want to stay here!'"

His strong affiliation with the Terriers marks Hefele down as a clear fan favourite, and one who will always be remembered, not only for the free transfer, but for his continued support and dedication to the club after ending his playing career.