Jack Hunt latest after ex-Huddersfield Town and Barnsley FC man's return to Sheffield Wednesday training
Jack Hunt is back training with Sheffield Wednesday - and is said to have recently had a League One move fall through.
The 34-year-old has made 180 appearances across three spells as a Wednesday player, endearing himself to the Hillsborough faithful.
His strong ties to the club have enabled him to train with Henrik Pedersen’s squad in order to maintain fitness.
An experienced full-back, his presence in Wednesday training earlier in the season initially sparked talk of a deal before the training brief was clarified. After some time away, he is now back training with the Owls for fitness purposes.
Jack Hunt latest
According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Hunt had a move to Reading lined up before the Royals made a change in the dugout.
Posting on X, he said: “Free agent Jack Hunt is back training at Sheffield Wednesday as he looks to fix himself up with a new club.
“Hunt was close to signing for Reading until a change of manager saw a potential move fall through. Hunt is keeping fit at Wednesday as he weighs up his options.”
Yorkshire ties
Huddersfield Town gave Hunt his break in senior football after nurturing the defender through their academy age groups.
He represented the Terriers between 2009 and 2013 before departing for Crystal Palace. The defender returned to Yorkshire for loan spells with Barnsley, Rotherham United and Wednesday while on Palace’s books, eventually joining the latter on a permanent basis.
His second and third spells as a Wednesday player were sandwiched by three years at Bristol City. The Robins’ arch rivals, Bristol Rovers, were Hunt’s most recent employers and released him in the summer.
Henrik Pedersen stance
After Wednesday’s defeat to Southampton last week, Owls boss Pedersen said: “He (Hunt) wrote to me on Thursday and asked me if he could train Friday and I said of course. So he we will train with us until he finds something else.
“He’s a former player, and we have to take care of them. He’s a fantastic human, though, and how he’s giving to the other players, how he gave to the youngsters in the Under-21s gam, he’s been really, really good for us and the young boys. And if we can help sometimes then we’ll do it.”