Sheffield Wednesday hit the jackpot with 2012 freebie: View | OneFootball

The 2011/12 season represented a big moment for Sheffield Wednesday as they managed to reclaim their spot in the Championship following two seasons in League One.

The taste of promotion was made all the sweeter though by a signing just 23 days after their 2-0 victory over Wycombe, as they confirmed a three-year-deal for Kieran Lee upon his release from Oldham Athletic.

In his four years at the Latics, the full-back/midfielder was a star player for them, making 134 appearances and winning all Player of the Year awards on offer to him in successive campaigns. Despite an increased contract offer from the club, the Manchester United academy graduate had only the Owls on his mind.

At the time, the 25-year-old didn't have the start he would have envisaged at Hillsborough. Having made just 26 appearances in his debut campaign, his minutes on the pitch only amounted to 1,685 compared to the 4,800 he achieved at Oldham the previous year.

A disappointing start to the following campaign emerged as it was announced that the midfielder required hip surgery, which put him out of action for two months.

Undoubtedly, Lee would have known that the step-up to the Championship was a hard task, but his lack of game time and injury wasn't going to prevent him from breaking into the starting eleven when he returned.

Upon his return, Lee's versatility was a huge factor behind him being selected and the Stalybridge born player would go onto make 14 succesive starts. Within that time period, he put in a stellar performance, providing two assists in a Yorkshire derby as they saw off Leeds United 6-0 at Hillsborough. This performance really cemented the midfielder's place on the blue side of Sheffield and began to showcase the immense talent he had.

Lee continued to impress and in the following years it was hard to watch a Wednesday game without seeing the tenacious, dogged midfielder put in an immense shift for his side.

Crucial goals followed and, in the 2015/16 play-off campaign, he scored to help send them to Wembley. Mo Diame's late strike denied the Owls a spot in the Premier League against Hull City, but they would come back again to attempt promotion the following year.

A new three-year-deal was signed ahead of the 2016-17 season and Lee showed once again his knack of scoring at the right time with a 77th minute winner at Portman Road to send them into the play-offs. The at-the-time manager Carlos Carvalhal couldn't get his side over the line though and this time they fell a stage earlier, losing 5-4 on penalties to Huddersfield Town after drawing 1-1 across the two legs.

One thing that Lee never truly got over was his early hip injury, and in the 2017-18 campaign he was ruled out for the remainder of the season after appearing in the majority of the Owls' early fixtures. Injuries continued to plague him the following year, but finally he made a return for the final two fixtures, marking a 592-day break in his career.

With the midfielder not in their side, Wednesday's form deteriorated as they dropped down the league to finish in a disappointing midtable in continuous years, despite being among the favourites to win promotion on both occasions.

For all the injury woes, the club still knew the fine value Lee held, offering him the chance of a final one-year stint at the club. The modern-day legend duly signed and would get the chance to sign off at the team dearest to his heart.

The 2019-20 campaign saw him create five goals for his side in a limited 28 appearances, with injuries leading to a largely stop-start season. The Covid-hit year of 2020 would also bring the disappointment of not getting the send-off he deserved, and Lee would make his final appearance for the club in a miserably empty Hillsborough as they lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough.

The reliant Kieran Lee returns to the Owls

Upon his release, the midfielder excelled at Bolton Wanderers and finally got his chance to say goodbye to the Sheffield Wednesday fans when his side travelled to the Steel City.

A standing ovation from all in attendance was well received by Lee, who said this after the game: "Obviously the reception I got was brilliant, I really enjoyed coming back… I’m gutted with the result, we came here to win, but it was really nice coming back and saying goodbye to the fans."

At the end of last season, Lee was released from the Wanderers and has since not signed for a new club.

For Owls fans, the free signing of Lee is one to be looked at with glee. Whilst his wide range of passing ability and knack of scoring important goals was crucial in his stay, it was his undeniable passion for the badge which resonated so perfectly with the Wednesday fanbase. Had injuries not held him back, it could have well been that the Owls' successful years in the Championship had resulted in more.