What Sheffield Wednesday have said about Josh Windass & Michael Smith exits - it is incredibly brief | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday offered just a brief message after Josh Windass and Michael Smith departed the club.

Things at Sheffield Wednesday have got even more dire, as it was announced on Thursday evening that forwards Michael Smith and Josh Windass had terminated their contracts by mutual consent.

This comes after the Owls were placed under a transfer embargo until at least January 2027, with players not being paid on time in recent weeks, leading to multiple stars handing in their notice.

The former Wednesday duo were reportedly forced to submit a formal appeal, after being told that their contracts wouldn't be voided, as wage payments continued to arrive late.

Now, Windass and Smith have won their appeal against the Yorkshire club, and a free to find a new employer after agreeing the mutual termination of their contracts at Hillsborough.

This comes as another huge disappointment, just days after Player of the Season, Djeidi Gassama, was sold to Rangers for a cut-price £2.2m, rubbing more salt into an already gaping wound left by the irresponsible ownership of Dejphon Chansiri.

What Sheffield Wednesday had to say about Josh Windass and Michael Smith's departures

The experienced duo have played a key role in the club's recent history, and were both part of the promotion-winning squad which famously overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit in the 2023 League One play-off semi-finals.

Both Windass and Smith enjoyed solid campaigns last season, scoring a combined 21 goals between them in the Championship, and also notching nine assists combined, as the Owls secured a mid-table finish.

However, after their key contributions over recent years, Sheffield Wednesday's statement after their departures was rather short, and not particularly very sweet, given their combined 300 games of service.

More departures could be set to come for Sheffield Wednesday

The unfolding situation on the blue side of the Steel City is getting more and more dire by the day, as the Owls are in desperate need of a takeover, and supporters don't even know who will be managing their club next season.

Unfortunately, the departures of Windass and Smith could be some of the first in what will be a long line of players walking out the door at Sheffield Wednesday, as the financial crisis has prevented any new contracts being agreed, and players under contract are keen to terminate their deals.

Football League World exclusively learned on Wednesday that the Yorkshire side won't be appealing against six under-contract stars who've handed in their notice, in a concerning revelation for supporters that more departures are on the horizon.

The likes of club legend Barry Bannan and January signing Stuart Armstrong are now free agents, despite the former still training with the club, as new deals are yet to be agreed thanks to ongoing issues with wage payments.

With that in mind, it seems highly likely that plenty more players will be on their way out, with several others reportedly keen to follow in the footsteps of Windass and Smith, by cancelling their contracts as they aren't receiving their wages on time.

It's a sad sight to see a club in financial turmoil which has been caused by the irresponsible behaviour of their ownership, but unfortunately for the Owls, a failed takeover bid means there's currently no end to this crisis in sight.