Millwall manager Alex Neil drops Barry Bannan claim after emotional Sheffield Wednesday reunion | OneFootball

Barry Bannan made his return to Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon, but it was a decision that Alex Neil did not take lightly.

Alex Neil has revealed that he came close to leaving Barry Bannan out of Millwall's starting 11 on Saturday afternoon during their trip to Hillsborough to face the midfielder's beloved Sheffield Wednesday.

The Scottish ace brought his 10-and-a-half year association with the Owls to an end in the January transfer window, bidding farewell to a club that he made 477 appearances for as they close in on relegation back to League One following an incredibly tough campaign.

Macaulay Langstaff's late winner for the Lions in S6 means that Sheffield Wednesday could be relegated before they face bitter rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane next Sunday, with their relegation rivals in action a day prior.

However, there is also the possibility of the Blades delivering the final blow in what has been an extraordinarily difficult few months.

Nevertheless, Bannan got the opportunity to bid farewell once again to a club that he holds incredibly close to his heart in the 2-1 win for Millwall. But, he may not have been given that chance had Neil gone with his heart rather than his head.

Alex Neil reveals how close Barry Bannan was to not starting for Millwall v Sheffield Wednesday

It was Sheffield Wednesday who opened the scoring at Hillsborough on Saturday, as Jamal Lowe found the back of the net to end his side's run of nine games without a goal, having last scored in the Championship against Hull City on Boxing Day.

Yet, they could not keep out the visitors, who ran out 2-1 winners. However, Millwall did not have Bannan on the pitch when they did score their goals, and Neil has explained that he came close to not starting the midfielder on his return to the Owls.

"I had a good chat with him about playing in the game and how he felt about it because I did consider dropping him out - but he's a professional," Neil said post-match, as per The Star.

"It's like anything, everybody's an expert after the game, aren't they? If he has a brilliant game and he scores two goals, everyone’s saying, ‘That's why we took him. He's captain of the team, he's brilliant’.

"If he has a poorer game, then it’s, ‘Maybe it affected him coming back to Sheffield Wednesday’. So the narratives are already written before the game, aren't they?

"But I'm a professional, Barry's a professional. He came here, he gave everything he's got. He'll be really important for us between now and the end of the season."

Barry Bannan took time to applaud the Sheffield Wednesday supporters after the game

Bannan is a modern-day Sheffield Wednesday legend, and there is no denying the impact that he had on the club during his time, with his influence still clear to see as those in the stands stayed to applaud their former star one more time.

He renewed his contract with the Owls in the summer, despite the club looking destined for administration and eventual relegation, before reluctantly making the decision to leave in the January transfer window and have a fresh start with more stability.

The 36-year-old has found that at Millwall, and his pursuit of a return to the Premier League is more than on with the Lions in an excellent position to push for an automatic promotion place.

Bannan will be looking to add some goals and assists to his game in the coming weeks as he becomes more settled at The Den, while Sheffield Wednesday brace themselves for an inevitable relegation.