York City owner sends 2-word message to Sheffield Wednesday after big Josh Stones reveal | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday have failed to land Josh Stones - and they've been made to know about it by Matt Uggla

It could have ended up being a lengthy transfer saga lasting the entirety of the summer, but Sheffield Wednesday's pursuit of York City striker Josh Stones is over before it really began.

The Owls are operating with little restrictions this summer compared to last year, where they were hamstrung by former owner Dejphon Chansiri's reluctance to pay the wages or bills on time, and it led to a depleted squad for head coach Henrik Pedersen to work with.

Points deductions coupled with an under-strength playing staff led to a very early relegation from the Championship, but all the things that have been delivered so far by new owners Arise Capital Partners have been incredibly promising.

Not only have some key appointments been made off the field, but defender Max Lowe has been convinced to sign a new contract despite Championship interest, whilst Ricardo Santos is the first of what is expected to be several new players arriving through the door at Hillsborough this summer.

One player that will not be joining up with a revitalised Owls is the aforementioned Stones, who was on Wednesday's transfer shortlist - but his current club have moved quick to tie him down to a new deal.

Matt Uggla's message to Sheffield Wednesday fans as Josh Stones pens new deal

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FLW exclusively broke the news back in January 2025 that Stones - then on the books of Wigan Athletic - was to be sold to National League side York after a short stint on loan at Oldham Athletic, and he's gone on to have a successful season-and-a-half since with the Minstermen.

A scorer of 18 fifth tier goals as York won the National League title in 2025-26, news of Sheffield Wednesday's interest in Stones emerged earlier this week, with BBC York's David Ward claiming that they'd submitted an offer that could reach around £1 million in total - one which had been knocked back by the North Yorkshire outfit.

And even though you'd have expected Wednesday to try their luck again at some point, a deal is seemingly dead in the water, with York revealing that 22-year-old forward Stones has signed a mammoth new FIVE-year deal to remain at the LNER Community Stadium.

Perhaps buoyed by fending off such big interest in one of his star players, York City owner Matt Uggla sent a simple two-word message to the Sheffield Wednesday fans that believed that they were going to easily bring Stones to the club given their size, with one fan in particular telling Uggla on social media directly on Monday that the striker wouldn't be able to resist the Hillsboroguh pull.

Sheffield Wednesday fans have taken Matt Uggla's message relatively well

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Naturally, Wednesday fans could have been wound up by Uggla's obvious attempt of a reaction, but the majority are taking it in their stride and believe they have been well and truly mugged off.

Another Owls supporter agreed with that sentiment, giving Uggla the benefit of the doubt for his retort to some of the more confident Wednesday fans.

It wasn't all fun and games though - one Wednesday supporter believes that the club's bid for Stones gave his agent massive leverage to negotiate a bumper new contract, the length of which is rarely ever seen at League Two level.

But that wasn't the general consensus from the majority of the responses, with another Sheffield Wednesday fan expressing his well-wishes to Stones after he opted to remain with the Minstermen.

Wednesday may have lost out on trying to land Stones, and if the £1 million offer was true, then the new hierarchy at Hillsborough evidently wanted the ex-Wigan man, but there will be no shortage of players that will want to play for the club next season, given the size of them and the size of the fanbase.