Ranking Sheffield Wednesday's 20 greatest players of all-time - Barry Bannan = 5th | OneFootball

The Owls who soared highest at Hillsborough

From Hillsborough's storied turf have emerged legends whose names echo through generations of Sheffield Wednesday supporters.

Across more than a century of triumph and heartbreak, these twenty names represent the finest to have worn the blue and white stripes - from thunderous goals, heroic defending, or moments of artistry that have been passed through Owls generations.

20 Mark Bright

An unassuming forward, but he knew the tricks of the trade when imposing himself on an appointment. His partnership with David Hirst became the stuff of Hillsborough legend, two contrasting styles melding into devastating harmony. Across three consecutive seasons as the club's leading marksman, Bright demonstrated the craft that separates good forwards from great ones.

Glasgow-born Craig became British football’s most expensive teenager when he joined Sheffield Wednesday from Aberdeen in 1969, for a sum of £100,000. Between 214 appearances and 38 goals, Craig embodied everything romantic about the cultured left-footer - the weighted pass that split defenses, the touch that bought precious seconds, the vision that saw patterns others missed entirely.

18 Paolo Di Canio

Di Canio’s fiery Owls legacy has become stuff of Hillsborough folklore – the Italian joined from Celtic in 1997 for a club-record fee and enjoyed two turbulent seasons in S6, yet his legacy burns brighter than players who stayed twice as long. While the ending was sour, the magic he imparted still flickers in Wednesdayite memories today. Di Canio brought Serie A artistry to the Steel City: the impossible angles made possible, the free-kicks that defied physics, the passion that made even his tantrums seem like performance art.

Fantham was the local lad who lived the dream – 167 goals in 14 years, a cup final, a league runners-up medal, even an England cap. He turned down cricket for Wednesday, and the blue and white stripes never looked better. A legend whose name still means something on Leppings Lane.

16 Lee Bullen

Bullen earns his place on the list not through numbers or titles but longevity - the Scotsman endeared himself to the Hillsborough faithful with an unwavering workrate and penchant for a tackle. The defender's legacy wasn't built on spectacular goals or headline-grabbing performances, but on the kind of relentless consistency that forms the backbone of great teams. His finest hour came in 2005, becoming the first Wednesday captain since 1991 to lift silverware - the League One playoff trophy a fitting reward for unwavering loyalty.

15 Don Megson

Every great team needs its heartbeat, and for one of Wednesday's finest generations, Don Megson was exactly that. Over 400 appearances, he transformed the mundane into the magnificent through sheer bloody-mindedness and an unshakeable belief in doing things the right way. As captain, he led from the Owls with the kind of crunching tackles that made opposition forwards check over their shoulders.

14 Trevor Francis

Trevor Francis brought stardust to S6 - first as a game-changing substitute, then as a history-making manager. He helped deliver promotion, silverware, and some of the most memorable nights Hillsborough’s ever seen. A true great of English football whose class shone through in blue and white. Francis understood that football was entertainment, and he ensured that Wednesday's brand was always box office.

13 Derek Dooley

Legends transcend club boundaries, and Derek Dooley's story belongs to Sheffield itself. A goalscoring icon and unshakable presence, he bridged the city’s biggest divide with warmth and grit. Immortalised in stadium stands, street names and statues, Dooley represented football at its most noble - where talent meets tragedy and somehow creates something eternal.

For two decades, Kevin Pressman was Wednesday's last line of defense and, occasionally, their unlikely match-winner from the penalty spot. His longevity spoke to a professionalism that outlasted teammates and managers alike, while his ability to rise to the occasion in Steel City derbies cemented his status as an Owls cult hero.

Nigel Pearson arrived to Wednesday with scepticism and left for Middlesbrough in 1994 as a legend. A towering, uncompromising captain who led the Owls back to the top flight and to silverware at Wembley, he earned respect the hard way - with grit, thunderous headers, and heart. A warrior in blue and white, and a leader for the ages.