With the Cardiff City transaction, Sheffield Wednesday struck gold, but their legacy may suddenly be in ruins.
Fans of Sheffield Wednesday haven’t had much to celebrate in recent years, and it would have made them feel much worse to see an old Hillsborough hero join their resentful, cross-city rivals.
Despite the Owls’ fall from Championship promotion candidates almost 10 years ago to League One stints and possible extinction under Dejphon Chansiri’s contentious ownership, several exceptional S6 players have occasionally offered a ray of light throughout that time.
Even though the former West Bromwich Albion manager oversaw Wednesday’s first two seasons in the third division since 2011–12, with the Owls winning the transfer lottery with a deal involving Cardiff City, that was undoubtedly the case during Darren Moore’s two years at Hillsborough.
After signing a loan deal with Cardiff City, Mark McGuinness played his best for Sheffield Wednesday.
After the Owls’ heartbreaking loss to Sunderland in the League One play-off semi-finals in May 2022, Moore devised a number of striking strategies to get the team back to the Championship as quickly as possible.
Given the club’s size and riches, despite Chansiri’s position in the boardroom, the fallen giants from South Yorkshire were once again considered the clear favorites for promotion when compared to a number of its third-tier rivals.
As Moore reorganized his defense unit with additions like Akin Famewo, Michael Ihiekwe, and the loan signing of Mark McGuinness from Cardiff, this was also a major lure for Championship players looking for consistent playing time.
Despite playing frequently for the Bluebirds in his debut season in South Wales, the Slough-born defender, who had previously graduated from Arsenal’s “Hale End” academy, was permitted to temporarily leave in order to continue his development.
After joining a team that won their first four league games by a collective score of 10-0 and kept three clean sheets, McGuinness had an instant impact on the Wednesday defense.
The team is vying for automatic promotion with Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town, and the former Republic of Ireland international scored his only goal for the team in a tight victory over Shrewsbury Town.
After just six months, it seemed certain that he would be called up by Cardiff due to his exceptional performances. This occurred after the center-back was instrumental in a stunning 2-1 FA Cup Third Round triumph over Newcastle United at Hillsborough.
Mark McGuinness’ transfer to Sheffield United has already damaged Sheffield Wednesday’s reputation.
After continuing his upward trajectory in South Wales throughout the 2023–24 season, Luton Town agreed to pay £10 million for McGuinness’ services, confirming the potential that those at S6 had immediately recognized.
However, the former Hillsborough favorite has partially damaged his reputation with fans by agreeing to a four-year contract with Sheffield United on Deadline Day, just one year after moving to Kenilworth Road following the Hatters’ swift relegation from the Premier League to League One.
It is not surprising that McGuinness’ move across the Steel City divide has been the main topic of conversation surrounding this deal, even though it is still unclear if he will play regularly at Bramall Lane given the sheer number of defensive counterparts. The center-back has also commented on the situation.
“I think it’s almost irrelevant. I like feeling a connection to every team I go to, getting to know the supporters, and all of that. I love doing that, and I will keep doing it. But I’m taking this action because my career comes first.
Owls fans will be much more offended by the aforementioned remarks during this uncertain time, and they will surely voice their opinions about him when the Steel City Derby comes later in the season.
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