Terriers team-mate's rise surpasses Payne's expectations

It would be a landslide victory for Lewis O’Brien - and nobody would be demanding a second vote.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding baptism to senior football, taking everything in an elegant and energetic stride.

City’s summer recruitment policy has rightly been held up for scrutiny as the club dig themselves in for a lengthy struggle to beat the drop.

Edin Rahic’s supposed masterplan of playing more and more untried youngsters was quickly exposed as completely out of step with the uncompromising battlefield of League One.

So, it was not surprising that O’Brien’s arrival from Huddersfield on the final afternoon of the August transfer window was greeted in underwhelming fashion.

Here was a lad who had just been named academy player of the year at the Premier League club and rewarded with a new contract.

Clearly a promising talent in the Terriers’ eyes but again one totally unproven playing against “men”.

Many feared O’Brien would go the way of Joe Riley and Sherwin Seedorf as raw recruits who simply haven’t looked strong enough for the environment they were thrown into.

Fast forward four months and there is a mountain of egg on those critical faces.

O’Brien has been City’s most consistent performer, always prepared to stand up and be counted even during the many dark moments of the early months.

Now we approach the next transfer window fearing the call from Huddersfield that they might want him back, possibly to loan him out again further up the food chain.

His enthusiasm on the ball has become an integral part of David Hopkin’s fast-improving team; the well talked-about partnership with David Ball and Jack Payne seen as the catalyst for City’s new-found confidence going forward.

O’Brien has become one of the first names on the team sheet – something that Payne admits he had not expected.

As a Huddersfield team-mate, he was already aware of the youngster’s potential. But he never anticipated seeing the rookie midfielder nail down a place quite as quickly.

Payne said: “When Lewis first came in, I said to him I wasn’t sure how much game time he would get. We had a lot of centre-mids at the time.

“But we had a few injuries and he’s taken his chance with both hands.

“He’s probably been one of our better players this season. He’s been fantastic for a young lad.

“He plays every game – and for most games, he plays the full 90 minutes. To do that at his age is a real credit to him and I think he’s got a great future.

“I knew him when we were at Huddersfield. He was a good lad who used to train quite a bit with the first team and I could tell he had a lot of ability.

“But I’ve got to be honest, when he signed here I didn’t know how he would cope.

“It is a change (from academy football) and everyone reacts differently. I wasn’t 100 per cent sure but he has really impressed me and done a lot better than I expected.”

O’Brien had to cope with the added pressure of a change of boss just three days into his Valley Parade stay. Injuries to Josh Wright and Hope Akpan thrust him into centre stage – and he has not looked back since.

He has featured in every league game under Hopkin, maintaining his place as Akpan returned to full fitness and Wright disappeared down the pecking order.

Akpan has described O’Brien as an “old man in a young body” with the maturity of his performances.

Payne believes he has grown up quickly because it has been so tough for City this season – and expects him to reap the benefits from that experience.

Payne added: “Lewis has come in at a hard time when things haven’t been going too great. But he’s made a really good account of himself and shown everything he can do.

“He loves to get on the ball, he drives with it and is a really good runner. He works hard for the team.

“When things aren’t going well, he never hid and still looked a good player.

“Now hopefully the team will continue to improve and he’ll definitely be a part of that.

“Then you’ll see even more quality because he is a really good player.”