Billy Sharp at Sheffield Wednesday? How Owls missed shock transfer | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday once missed out in a transfer race for Sheffield United hero Billy Sharp

Billy Sharp etched himself into Sheffield United history as a Blades hero, but things could have been very different for the legendary EFL striker.

Sharp scored a total of 142 goals in 377 appearances across three separate spells with the Bramall Lane outfit, with his final stint concluding in the summer of 2023.

The striker, who also represented the likes of Scunthorpe United, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, and, more recently, Doncaster Rovers, won promotions to both the Championship and the Premier League with the Blades.

Sheffield United will always be grateful for his efforts, while he was particularly prolific in the 2016/17 and 2018/19 seasons in League One and the Championship, respectively.

How Billy Sharp could have joined Sheffield Wednesday instead of securing Sheffield United return

Sharp began his senior career with the Blades, but only made two appearances before being sold to Scunthorpe in 2005 following a loan stint with Rushden & Diamonds.

He would stay with Scunthorpe, then of League One, for two seasons, scoring 53 goals in 82 appearances before returning to Bramall Lane.

Sharp went on to stay with the Blades for a second spell until the summer of 2009, when he joined Doncaster on loan, signing permanent terms a year later.

The forward is a popular figure among Rovers fans and returned to the South Yorkshire club in the summer of 2024, helping them win promotion from League Two back to League One.

Sharp's final season in Doncaster colours, the 2025/26 campaign, saw him notch 14 goals and three assists across all competitions, including seven third-tier strikes.

Fittingly, the former Sheffield United man's final appearance for Rovers saw him score a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over Peterborough United.

Meanwhile, going back to Sharp's initial Bramall Lane return, BBC Sport revealed that Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City, Preston North End, and Wolverhampton Wanderers were interested in his services before the Blades won the race for his signature in the summer of 2007.

Sharp's United past may mean that signing for the Owls was never really an option for him, but the previous interest in his services from the Hillsborough outfit certainly gives both Steel City clubs food for thought.

The striker, who had a spell on loan with Leeds United during the 2014/15 season, returned to Bramall Lane for a third and final time in the summer of 2015.

It was during that time that the eventual Hull City man established legendary status for the Blades, joining them on their historic journey from League One to the Premier League under Chris Wilder's stewardship.

Everyone associated with Sheffield United will always be thankful that Sharp's goals fired them to the top flight, while he went on to score six Premier League goals across two seasons.

Sheffield Wednesday revelations should make Sheffield United supporters respect Billy Sharp even more

Sharp is arguably the Blades' biggest modern-day legend, having captained the Bramall Lane side and led the line with distinction, scoring goals in every division from League One to the top flight.

From marking the Blades' Premier League return with a late goal in a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth in the summer of 2019 to notching vital goals in promotion races, the former Doncaster man provided United supporters with moments they will never forget.

Meanwhile, the red and white half of Sheffield may have even more respect for Sharp, given the fact that he could have signed for bitter rivals Wednesday but didn't.

Ultimately, the Sheffield football scene's recent history would have looked very different if the legendary Blades forward had signed for the Owls in 2007.