Sheffield Wednesday go into Saturday clash against near neighbours Chesterfield in good form but the Owls will be hoping the curse of the ex-players returning to haunt the club doesn’t ring true this time.
On plenty of occasions at football clubs at all levels up and down the country former players have had a knack of scoring goals and producing match winning performances when returning to face their old clubs.
The main focus of attention at Hillsborough on Saturday will be on John Sheridan, theChesterfieldmanager who was a favourite of the Owls faithful in the 1990’s, not least for his winning goal in the 1991 League Cup Final.
Sheridanis likely to have two more recent Owls players in his Chesterfieldteam to face his former club. Drew Talbot’s time at S6 was often hampered by injuries but the young striker was a popular figure who scored the 4th goal to clinch the 2005 play-off final victory againstHartlepool. Leon Clarke was less well received for a large proportion of his time at Hillsborough between 2007 and 2010 and it would be typical of the way football tends to work if he was to have a major say in the result this weekend.
Wednesday will be without Reda Johnson who has been something of a surprise success of late in an unfamiliar left-back role. The defender is on international duty withBeninand wide midfielder Liam Palmer is away with theScotlandunder 21 team. Julian Bennett is in line to deputise for Johnson although Mark Reynolds could also come into contention.
Striker Ryan Lowe is unlikely to be involved due to an ankle injury but Jamaican winger Jermaine Johnson is expected to return to the squad having completed a 3-match suspension.
Wednesday should go into the game in confident mood having won three matches in a row without conceding a goal in the last two. Chesterfield have lost their last two league games but did win three in succession prior to this and they returned to winning ways in midweek, seeing off fellow League One side Notts County 3-1 in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
Chesterfieldhave not won on their last 7 visits to Hillsborough with the most recent away win against the Owls over 30 years ago in 1976. Wednesday haven’t had it all their own way in recent clashes though as the last three league games between the two sides at S6 have all ended in draws. Wednesday beatChesterfieldon penalties last season after a 2-2 draw in the Football League Trophy and the last league meeting resulted in a 3-1 away win for the Owls at the old Saltergate ground in 2005.
Source: FOOTYMAD
