Bywater eager to aid Owls’ promotion bid

NEW signing Stephen Bywater is aiming to help Sheffield Wednesday win promotion to the Championship.

The former West Ham United goalkeeper has joined the Owls on a three-month loan from Derby County and will make his debut this afternoon at home to Exeter City.

Manager Gary Megson swooped after losing Nicky Weaver for three months to a knee injury and Bywater is set to get the nod ahead of Richard O’Donnell who deputised for the last five games

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”I am excited because I think this club can do really well this season, and I want to be part of it,” he said.

“It is a big challenge for me because expectations are high here. But it’s also a no-brainer because, when a club as massive as Wednesday want you, then you’re always going to say ‘yes’.

“I hope they get promotion. I want them to go up, and I want to help them do it.”

Bywater lacks nothing in terms of confidence.

”What are my strengths? I’m experienced, I can catch a ball, I dominate the area, I’m a shot-stopper and an organiser. That’s about it, really.

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“I am here for three months, and I’m looking no further than that at the moment. I shall take it as it comes, one step at a time, and I am going to enjoy every minute, come what may. Hopefully there are going to be a lot of clean sheets and a lot of victories.”

The Owls enter today’s game sitting four points off the top two positions in League One while Exeter are next to bottom with only five points from the first nine games.

Assistant manager Chris Evans said: “I think we’ve made a decent start. We’re joint fifth on 16 points. We know the areas where we have to improve but equally we should recognise there have been some positives.”

Wednesday’s goalkeeping coach Andy Rhodes, meanwhile, has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association following an incident at last weekend’s game at Yeovil Town.

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The Owls were unhappy that Yeovil scored a goal instead of returning the ball to goalkeeper O’Donnell when play had been stopped for treatment to Yeovil defender Paul Huntington.

Rhodes has until Monday to respond to the charge.