Former Premier League star Barry Bannan has spilled the beans on his disappointment when his pal Josh Windass ditched Sheffield Wednesday to join Wrexham. The Sheffield Wednesday captain shared his feelings about the tough summer that saw Windass depart the struggling Championship team after not receiving his pay for two months. Windass, a 31-year-old forward and the son of Hull City legend Dean Windass, made the move to Wrexham as a free agent in July. His decision came after successfully appealing to terminate his contract due to the financial turmoil at Hillsborough.
Barry Bannan chose to stick with Sheffield Wednesday despite the uncertainty and has now opened up about how saddened he was to see his friend Windass leave. The ex-Aston Villa and Crystal Palace midfielder revealed the impact of losing a talented teammate and close friend. Speaking on the Wednesday Week podcast, Bannan expressed, “Josh is one of my best mates. That hurt the most, probably because we had a great relationship off the pitch, but on the pitch we had a really good telepathic relationship as well in football terms.” The duo had a strong on-field connection, with Bannan being able to anticipate Windass’s movements to create successful plays. Bannan continued, “I knew when he was going to run, and he knew that when I got the ball, if he ran, then he would probably get it. That hurt me, not just because he’s a mate, but I was missing someone on the pitch who made me look good and I probably made him look better as well. That was hard to take.”
Despite the setback, Windass has made an impression at Wrexham, scoring three goals in six league appearances for the Championship newcomers. During his time at Sheffield Wednesday, the former Rangers player scored 53 goals in 182 appearances across five years. Bannan, on the other hand, was also rumored to be considering a move to Wrexham, who spent a hefty £33 million on new players after their promotion from League One. However, the 35-year-old ultimately decided to stay with Sheffield Wednesday, signing a contract extension in August. Bannan shared his experience, “My agent told me there was a mutual agreement that if I wanted another year, just me and the chairman would have to agree to it but it never got taken up.” He added, “I nearly didn’t get re-signed because by the time we’d agreed on a new contract, we went into the embargo, and we weren’t allowed to sign players.”
In the end, Bannan emphasized the role of his daughter in his decision to stay at Sheffield Wednesday, revealing, “My daughter put the block on it straight away, so it’s thanks to Elsie that I stayed.” Despite receiving interest from other clubs, Bannan’s daughter’s opinion played a significant part in his choice to remain with the Owls. Reflecting on the situation, Bannan admitted, “It was the closest it’s ever come because there all the other times, I’ve never gone that far into it. What Elsie says and Elsie wants, she gets.”
In the world of football, decisions are often influenced by personal connections and individual circumstances. The bond between teammates can have a profound impact on their performance and relationships both on and off the pitch. As Barry Bannan and Josh Windass navigate their respective paths in the sport, their friendship remains a constant amidst the ever-changing landscape of professional football.
