Ipswich Town were the eventual £1.5m winners from Dejphon Chansiri, Sheffield Wednesday transfer fumble | OneFootball

After Dejphon Chansiri was unable to tie George Hirst down to a new contract at Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town eventually benefitted from the saga.

Amid their off-field crisis, Sheffield Wednesday have given a number of young players an opportunity this season, but they may still be wondering what might have been with one of their former academy products.

After their squad was torn apart during their nightmare summer under former owner Dejphon Chansiri, Wednesday have had to call upon some of their youngsters to make up the numbers at senior level this season.

While some have not quite looked ready for the Championship, the likes of Pierce Charles, Charlie McNeill and Bailey Cadamarteri have all impressed, and with the Owls certain to be playing League One football next season, they could be vulnerable to losing them in the summer if clubs from higher divisions come calling.

Under Chansiri's ownership, Wednesday often failed to tie their brightest young talents down to long-term deals, with Osaze Urhoghide, Liam Shaw and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru among the higher-profile examples of those who departed for nothing at the end of their contracts.

However, perhaps the most acrimonious exit of a young player during Chansiri's tenure was that of striker George Hirst, and his subsequent success at Ipswich Town will no doubt sting for the Owls faithful.

George Hirst's controversial Sheffield Wednesday exit after Dejphon Chansiri fallout

Of course, supporters of any club love to see academy products break into the first team, but given that Hirst was the son of legendary former Wednesday striker David, it is fair to say that there was a little more excitement than usual around his emergence.

After starring in the club's academy, Hirst was handed an opportunity at senior level by Carlos Carvalhal, and he made two appearances for the Owls in the first half of the 2016-17 season.

With Wednesday aiming for promotion to the Premier League under Carvalhal, first team chances were understandably limited for Hirst, particularly with the likes of Gary Hooper, Steven Fletcher and Fernando Forestieri ahead of him in the pecking order.

However, despite his lack of minutes, Hirst's reputation was growing, and he was soon linked with a number of Premier League clubs, including Everton and Manchester United, which prompted Chansiri to attempt to secure the future of one of his prized assets.

As the two parties struggled to reach an agreement over a new contract, Chansiri claimed that he had made an offer to Hirst that "broke the club’s salary structure", and when he refused to put pen to paper, he banned the striker from playing for Wednesday at any level until he accepted the proposal.

Unsurprisingly, that pressure tactic did not change Hirst's mind, and after around eight months without playing football, the acrimonious saga came to an end in June 2018 when he departed Wednesday to join Belgian side Oud-Hervelee Leuven.

Ipswich Town have reaped the rewards of George Hirst, Sheffield Wednesday saga

After just one season at OH Leuven, Hirst made the move to their sister club Leicester City, but he was unable to establish himself at the King Power Stadium, and he spent time out on loan with Rotherham United, Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers.

Hirst endured an underwhelming loan spell with Rovers in the first half of the 2022-23 season as he failed to score in 11 appearances, and his time at Ewood Park was cut short in the January transfer window, but his fortunes would improve after making the temporary move to Ipswich.

At the time, the Tractor Boys were involved in a fierce battle for automatic promotion from League One with Wednesday, and after a disappointing winter period, Hirst was one of four signings made by manager Kieran McKenna in January as he looked to get his side's season back on track, along with Harry Clarke, Massimo Luongo and Nathan Broadhead.

The quadruple deal certainly had the desired effect as Hirst helped Ipswich go unbeaten in their final 19 games of the season, scoring six goals in the process, and that remarkable run of form was enough for his new club to pip his former employers to second place, despite the Owls accumulating a total of 96 points.

Hirst then joined the Tractor Boys on a permanent basis for a fee of £1.5 million, and it would not be long until he and his team-mates were celebrating once again, with the 26-year-old scoring seven goals and providing six assists in 26 appearances to help the Suffolk outfit achieve back-to-back promotions in the 2023-24 season and a return to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

Unfortunately for Ipswich, their stay in the top flight lasted just one year, and it was a frustrating campaign for Hirst last season as he was largely restricted to a back-up role behind Liam Delap, but he has regained his status as McKenna's main man now the club are back in the Championship.

It is not only at club level that Hirst has made a name for himself since leaving Wednesday, with the striker scoring one goal in six appearances for Scotland since making his debut for Steve Clarke's men in March, and his international exploits will surely make his exit even more painful for the Hillsborough faithful.

However, with Chansiri now out of the picture, Hirst's father David recently admitted that there is a chance that he could return to the club one day, revealing that his son has "a little soft spot" for the Owls, so it may be a situation to keep an eye on over the coming years.