Sheffield Wednesday administration: ‘Bittersweet day’ – what next for Owls as club enters administration?

Midfielder Barry Bannan has been a stalwart in the Wednesday side since his arrival back in 2015 and signed a new deal in August despite the departures of many of his team-mates, following multiple delayed payments of player and staff wages.

“We’ve known for a while that this could be the route that it was going to go down. Obviously it’s a sad day for the club first and foremost, you don’t really want to be going into administration,” the 35-year-old told BBC Radio Sheffield.

“As a group of players, it’s made our task a lot harder this season as well so it was hard news to take but this needed to happen, we couldn’t keep going on the way it was going on.

“The task becomes bigger but I think for the club going forward, it’s probably the right thing that’s happened.”

Bannan has made 460 appearances for the club in his decade-long spell and he understands the fans’ frustrations, but emphasised the importance of the atmosphere at Hillsborough.

“We totally got what they were doing, we were never against it as players and staff, we just wanted to play games,” he added.

“I said that when the fans came on to the pitch the other week, that was the only bit of joy we’re getting as a group of players and staff was playing three o’clock on a Saturday.

“We got what they were doing but now we need them more than ever, we’ve needed them all season at home and unfortunately we’ve not really had that atmosphere.

“But now the fans have got what they wanted, this is where we really need them to come and get behind us and be that extra man.”

Bannan’s message was echoed in a statement by the players issued on official club channels.

“After what has been a period of division and a feeling of ‘disconnect’ between the club, the players and the fans, we now hope this is the time we can all come back together under the badge and enjoy our football again,” the statement read., external

“So we ask you, starting tomorrow against Oxford, please come back to Hillsborough and cheer the team on. Let’s make the ground a place for teams to fear as we do everything we can to get the points we are going to so desperately need.

“Think back to the comeback against Peterborough, wins against Arsenal and Newcastle. That was you in the stands as much as us on the pitch!

“We won’t give up, and we ask you not to give up on us. Together we are stronger. Together we can fight.”