Why Sheffield Wednesday will always love what Alan Pardew did at Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday will always be grateful of the fact that former Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew allowed Barry Bannan to join the Owls

Crystal Palace supporters will have mixed memories of Alan Pardew's time in charge of the Eagles, while Sheffield Wednesday fans will always be grateful for one transfer call he made.

Pardew guided the South London club to the FA Cup final in 2016, and famously danced on the Wembley touchline when Jason Puncheon put his side 1-0 up before Manchester United came from behind to win 2-1.

However, the former Newcastle United boss was sacked by Palace in December 2016, following a poor start to the 2016/17 Premier League campaign.

The Eagles have remained in the top flight ever since, and went one better than reaching the FA Cup final in 2025, as they defeated Manchester City at Wembley.

Sheffield Wednesday will always be grateful for Alan Pardew's Barry Bannan transfer call

Millwall star Barry Bannan represented both Aston Villa and Palace in the Premier League, but he is best-known for his Sheffield Wednesday heroics in both the Championship and League One.

The former Scotland international made 27 appearances for the Eagles after joining them from Villa in September 2013, and scored just one goal in the process.

Bannan initially left Palace when he joined Bolton Wanderers on loan in February 2015, and departed Selhurst Park permanently in the summer of the same year, to sign for Wednesday.

Pardew was the Eagles boss at the time, and Owls supporters will always be grateful that he decided to part company with Bannan, as the midfielder went on to establish legendary status at Hillsborough.

The former Villa man's Wednesday exit in January 2026 only came as a result of the South Yorkshire club's time in administration following the woeful ownership of Dejphon Chansiri.

Bannan gave the Owls faithful more than a decade's worth of memories, and his last goal for the Hillsborough club, a long-range strike against Norwich City in November 2025, was fittingly and, arguably, his best.

Wednesday supporters were particularly grateful for the ex-Bolton man's creative and tenacious qualities in both the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons, as the South Yorkshire outfit reached the Championship play-offs.

Unfortunately for both Bannan and the Hillsborough club, they were beaten 1-0 by Hull City in the 2016 second-tier play-off final, thanks to Mohamed Diame's goal.

However, the midfielder would later enjoy winning promotion with the Owls when they returned to the Championship in 2023, following two seasons in League One.

The most satisfying aspect of Wednesday's promotion that term is that they defeated South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley 1-0 in the play-off final, courtesy of Josh Windass' late winner.

Barry Bannan exit may always be the most painful aspect of Sheffield Wednesday's gruelling 2025/26 season

As previously mentioned, Bannan is a Wednesday legend, who entertained the Hillsborough faithful with his dazzling displays for over a decade.

Meanwhile, the 2025/26 Championship season has been one of the toughest campaigns in the S6 outfit's history, as they were plunged into administration by failed owner Chansiri.

Chansiri's inability to pay players and staff on time on several occasions led to the departures of multiple star assets in the summer of 2025, including the aforementioned Windass, who joined Wrexham.

Bannan followed the likes of Windass and Djeidi Gassama out the Hillsborough exit door in the following winter transfer window, which has been the saddest aspect of their time in administration, in the eyes of many supporters.

Having served the Owls so well for so many years, Bannan would have wanted to leave the South Yorkshire club on his own terms, and not in such tough circumstances.