Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen pays tribute to 'legend' Barry Bannan amid Millwall move talk
Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen paid tribute to Barry Bannan after revealing the Owls legend wants to leave the club.
The 36-year-old made his 477th appearance for the Owls as they were beaten 2-0 by Bristol City - and it may well have been his last.
He has been strongly linked with a move to Millwall and Pedersen has now confirmed an exit is on the cards.
As he was substituted in stoppage time, an emotional Bannan shook hands with players from both sides as he left the field to applause from all corners of Ashton Gate.
Barry Bannan tributes
Pedersen said: “Barry wants to leave, although I don’t want to lose him. I can’t say where he will be going at the moment, but we will miss him because he is a real club legend and a great leader as well as a top player.
“The reaction of both sets of supporters said everything about how he is regarded and it was very emotional. He is a special player and a special human being, who gives without taking.”
Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber added his own tribute to Bannan, saying: “He is a true role model and a great professional, who has graced the game for 15 years. I have huge admiration for him as a footballer and a person.”
Henrik Pedersen’s analysis
In his analysis of the defeat, Pedersen hailed the way in which his young players grew into the game.
He said: “We had a very difficult start against a really well-organised and structured team. But after the opening minutes I was really impressed by the way our young players grew in to the game.
“In the second half we had six or seven really good situations going forward. Our more experienced players helped the youngsters and for 80 minutes it was a really good team performance.
“Our fans were truly amazing throughout the game, chanting Barry’s name and getting behind the team from start to finish.”