Sheffield Wednesday hit transfer gold with December transfer for 30-year-old | OneFootball

Glenn Loovens originally signed for the club on a short-term deal when he was 30-years-old

Sheffield Wednesday secured one of the most shrewd free transfer signings in their recent history when they brought Glenn Loovens to Hillsborough in December 2013.

What was perhaps initially viewed as a short-term option for defensive cover ended up with the Dutch centre-back becoming club captain and playing in consecutive Championship play-off campaigns.​

In truth, even the circumstances surrounding the Dutch centre-back’s arrival could hardly have been more chaotic.

Dave Jones was sacked as manager just days before the club moved to secure the services of a defender he had previously managed at Cardiff City, with Stuart Gray having taken temporary charge.

Loovens had already been training with the club following his departure from Real Zaragoza the previous summer, but he was waiting on clearance from the Spanish FA first in order to sign.

Glenn Loovens was appointed Sheffield Wednesday captain seven months after he signed

Firstly, it's worth noting that the then-30-year-old did have very good experience upon signing for Wednesday - having won the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord and multiple trophies in Scotland, Loovens had also reached the FA Cup final with Cardiff in 2008.

So there was perhaps no surprise that he made an immediate impact during the second half of 13/14, making 26 appearances for the Owls in total.

His performances were impressive enough that when the summer arrived, Stuart Gray - who was the club’s permanent manager by that point - had no hesitation in offering him a new one-year contract.

More significantly, Gray appointed Loovens as club captain ahead of the next campaign, a decision that showed just how quickly the Dutchman had established himself as a key figure in South Yorkshire.

"It is fantastic news for us that Glenn has re-signed because he is a top player. He's a fantastic professional," Gray told the club's official website in July 2014.

"He will be my captain and be an extension of my arm in the dressing room. He's a good organiser. He will soon catch up in pre-season. He's come back, looks lean and very, very fit. I want Glenn out there every week because of the qualities he can bring on the football pitch."

Loovens himself clearly embraced the responsibility by saying, "I will lead the guys out and give everything for the fans. I'm proud that Stuart Gray has given me the opportunity," he said upon accepting the captaincy.

"As one of the older players in the team, it's my job to help the younger players coming through,” he added.

While the player about to be mentioned wasn't exactly young or inexperienced, Loovens did exceptionally well when playing alongside Tom Lees, who was 23 years old at the time he joined the club from Leeds United.

Glenn Loovens helped keep 17 clean sheets at Sheffield Wednesday in consecutive seasons alongside Tom Lees

While Gray's tenure ended in June 2015, Loovens' importance to the South Yorkshire club only grew under new head coach Carlos Carvalhal.

The Portuguese manager oversaw Loovens help Wednesday achieve 17 clean sheets for a second year running, matching a then-club record that had originally stood since the 1978/79 season.

By the end of 15/16, Wednesday finished sixth in the Championship before losing to Hull City in the play-off final - a game in which Loovens played the full 90 minutes alongside his centre-back partner Lees.

Yes, the following season brought further playoff heartbreak as Wednesday reached the semi-finals, only to lose on penalties to Huddersfield Town - but both Loovens and Lees played the whole match again.

A few years later, one Wednesdayite took to social media to say how Loovens "carried" Lees throughout their time playing together.

Ultimately, Loovens' consistency on the pitch for five seasons at Wednesday was incredible considering he was probably expected to just be there a few months. He ended up playing exactly 150 times for the Owls in all competitions and scored one goal.

The ex-Celtic man may not have achieved the ultimate goal of reaching the Premier League, but the consecutive playoff campaigns under his captaincy are the closest Wednesday have come to the top flight in years.​