Barry Bannan 'confident' he will be at Sheffield Wednesday next season and hoping to stay beyond retirement

The Owls are one of those clubs famous ex-players are regularly seen around. Carlton Palmer and David Hirst are two whose brains Bannan picks and he wants that "accolade" one day – only from the dugout, not the stands.

Not that Bannan has to wait for retirement to dispense advice. The theme is always the same: winning.

The coming weeks will test his hunger for victory but not Saturday's League One visit of Shrewsbury Town, where he will again be out to show there are still plenty of miles in the tank.

Bannan’s contract is technically up in June but he is fast approaching the appearance mark triggering an automatic 12-month extension.

"Unless something drastic happens, it should be hit," he says. "I'm quietly confident."

Bannan speaks about the family feel manager Darren Moore has brought to Hillsborough, and the former players are part of it.

"It's always good to know the history of a club and who the legends are,” he says. “We've got a few still supporting us and it's great to see them in the stands and around the training ground.

"They're idolised by the crowd and that's what we're striving for. It's one of the strongest things if you can be remembered at a football club and Carlton, Hirsty, John Sheridan, they've all got that accolade. That's the accolade we want.

"Carlton just wants the best for the club. He sends messages now and again after games.

"After the Accy win he knew it had been a tough game and messaged saying, 'Great three points, dug it out. They're the ones you'll look back on at the end of the season if you get promoted.'

"I've met Hirsty a few times too. It's great to get a bit of an insight into the club from legends."

Bannan's skills and loyalty in hard times mean he does not have to wait to be considered an Owls legend, or for dressing-room respect.

"You can tell I'm an older person because when I'm speaking to these younger players they're taking it on board," smiles the 32-year-old. "I try to help them with little things I've learnt in my time.

"I've been a footballer since I was 18, playing at a good level, and some of the lads are just starting out so if I can give them tips, I will.

"We've generally got a good squad that want to learn and listen and I'm here to help them. That's my job, as with a few other senior players.

"I've always been angry on the pitch, shouting at people. That's because I want to win, not because I hold anything against that person.

"I try to drive standards and lead by example on the pitch but as I've got older I've learnt to lead by speaking and taking people aside."

Ultimately he wants to do more of that in management, and there is one obvious place to do it.

"I'm going to do my (coaching) badges in the summer, my B licence, so it's done and dusted," he says.

"I'd like to be a manager in the future. I play Football Manager on away trips and that's the closest I get at the minute.

"But I've got a good couple of years ahead of me on the pitch, I feel good and fresh, I don't feel any older at the minute.

"I play most games 90 minutes and my body's not once told me I'm feeling old.

"I've been here most of my career and my family live and breathe the club. If I was lucky enough to work here one day it would be something I'd love to do but there will be a lot of things in the way of that."

Even when you ask about training-ground pool competitions, Bannan is driven to win, insisting he is the club’s best cueman. It has been bred into him.

"Stylian Petrov was a big help to me at Aston Villa,” he says. “He was one of my big heroes so I got lucky. Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, James Collins, Richard Dunne – we had good pros at Aston Villa and they had a winning mentality. That's the biggest thing I took from them.

"I grew up with three brothers who broke my temper and used to try and beat me so from a young age I hated losing."

For the first time in his life, he might have to make an exception. The proud Scot has drawn England in the club sweepstake.

"My wife and my little girl are English so if I'm watching with my missus I'll pretend I want England to win, if I'm watching with the lads I'll be supporting the other team," explains the avid sports-watcher. "It'll be me and Pato (Callum Paterson) supporting the other team.

"Palms (Worksop-born Scotland international Liam Palmer) pretends to be Scottish but I'm sure he'll be English and (Ilford-born) George Byers will be as well.

"I think England will go far. People say it's a tough group, which it probably is, but I think they should come through it no problems.

"I just think other teams have got more quality. I think they'll go semis at least and I'm just in the midst of building a bunker in my back garden in case they win it!

"I'll have to give the money to a charity if I do win (the sweepstake) because there'll be absolutely no benefits for me."