"This is his club now" - 2015 Sheffield Wednesday transfer dubbed Owls' best ever bargain deal | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit discussed the club's best bargain signing in recent history

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Barry Bannan has been dubbed Sheffield Wednesday's best value for money signing in recent memory, with the Scotsman reaching nine years of service at Hillsborough this summer.

The 34-year-old joined the Owls from Crystal Palace in August 2015 and hasn't looked back, making over 400 appearances for the club and remaining loyal despite missing out on Premier League promotion in 2016 and 2017, and despite being relegated to League One in 2021.

Bannan's loyalty, longevity and general quality in a Wednesday shirt has made him a real fan favourite at Hillsborough, and despite being in his mid-thirties, he's shown no sign of slowing down just yet.

After a difficult period at Crystal Palace where he struggled for playing time, completing a move to Wednesday helped reignite Bannan's career, and he's become a modern-day legend in the blue half of Sheffield.

Barry Bannan dubbed Sheffield Wednesday's best value for money signing

One of FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundits, Callum Maxted, said that despite some other notable good signings, it's Bannan who is the club's best value for money signing, thanks to his longevity.

Speaking to Football League World, Callum said: “There’s a couple of players like Kieran Lee, Fernando Forestieri for the £3million price we paid for him, but Barry Bannan has to be that bargain signing.

“We got him on a free transfer from Crystal Palace and ten years later he’s still here, still bossing the midfield and still able to do the yards needed to compete in the Championship and run a Championship midfield.

“You don’t really get that sort of longevity from players nowadays, and it’s kind of rare to see loyalty like he’s given us. “This is his club now and it’s his team. This is a club that is part of him, and he’s part of us. It kind of works both ways really. We appreciate him for the footballer he is, and he appreciates us for the fans we are. “It’s really rare to get a player like that who comes to a club and stays for the length of time that he has, and buys into the club, the city and the culture of the place, and wants to play here really.

“For me, that’s the only answer that I could really give that was worth it."

Barry Bannan has been an incredible signing for Sheffield Wednesday

Bannan, who was 25 when he signed for the Owls, had already played for six clubs, failing to nail down a regular starting spot, and the move to Wednesday came at the right time.

He appears to love the club, staying with Wednesday even after being relegated to League One in 2021 despite being capable of playing at a higher level, and it's easy to see why the Scottish playmaker is so popular with supporters.

Over 400 appearances speaks volumes about how important Bannan is, and he's still playing a crucial role for Danny Rohl's side, wearing the captain's armband too, despite his 35th birthday being just around the corner.

Having had six clubs at the age of 25, Bannan was running the risk of becoming a bit of a journeyman, and he certainly found the right club in Sheffield Wednesday.