Why Barry Bannan actually left Sheffield Wednesday revealed | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday legend Barry Bannan left Hillsborough Stadium to join Millwall in the winter transfer window

Sheffield Wednesday legend Barry Bannan left Hillsborough Stadium to join Millwall in the winter transfer window amid the South Yorkshire outfit's time in administration.

The Owls' former owner, Dejphon Chansiri, plunged them into administration, handing them an 18-point deduction, which fast-tracked their relegation to League One.

Chansiri's actions also led to several high-profile player departures last summer, including Josh Windass, Djeidi Gassama, and Anthony Musaba, while former boss Danny Rohl left as well.

However, brighter times are now up ahead for Wednesday, following the takeover completed by David Storch's Arise consortium.

The Owls celebrated Storch's takeover in style, beating West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on the final day of the season in front of a sell-out crowd at Hillsborough Stadium.

Sheffield Wednesday learn why Barry Bannan left

Bannan established himself as a modern-day Wednesday great, spending a decade and a half in S6 after signing from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2015.

The midfielder was a key player for the Owls when they reached the Championship play-offs at the end of the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.

He subsequently stuck by the South Yorkshire side following their relegation to League One in 2021, helping them win promotion back to the second tier two years later.

The former Scotland international made a total of 477 appearances for the Hillsborough outfit, scoring 38 goals in the process, before he signed for Millwall.

As reported by the Wednesday Word, the Owls have held internal talks about bringing Bannan back ahead of next season.

Meanwhile, posting on X, talkSPORT reporter and Sheffield Star columnist Alan Biggs has revealed that when the 36-year-old left the Owls, it was because he had little faith in their then preferred bidders, and would have likely stayed if Arise had been in that position.

Before Arise completed their takeover, James Bord was Wednesday's preferred bidder, but saw his deal collapse.

The collapse of Bord's deal has proven to be a blessing in disguise so far, as Storch's consortium have already created unity at Hillsborough Stadium, with supporters hopeful for the future following years of damage inflicted by Chansiri.

Barry Bannan's Sheffield Wednesday return may now be likelier than ever

Bannan would never have left Hillsborough if the Owls had never entered financial difficulty, making it likely that he will return to South Yorkshire now that they have established financial stability again, with Storch at the ownership helm.

Storch still has a lot of work to do to make Wednesday a competitive outfit in League One next term, amid the budget restrictions that have been imposed on them by the EFL, thanks to their time in administration.

Bringing Bannan back to S6 would go a long way towards ensuring they can enjoy some form of success in the third tier next season.

The midfielder scored seven goals and registered 13 assists during the 2022/23 League One campaign, which was his last season in the third tier.

Furthermore, Millwall's campaign has come to an end now that they have been knocked out of the Championship play-offs by Hull City.

The conclusion of the Lions' season gives Wednesday more scope to begin plotting their swoop to re-sign Bannan, who no longer has an opportunity to play in the Premier League next term.