Lee hopes to avoid exclusion if Owls opt for rotation

Kieran Lee has been involved in the winning of the Premier League title and Champions League football – now the Sheffield Wednesday defender is keen to taste success in the FA Cup.

The former Manchester United youngster came through the ranks at Old Trafford, captaining the reserves before being involved in Sir Alex Ferguson’s match-day squads.

His one Premier League appearance came in 2007 when he faced Chelsea in a season that United clinched the league title before being an unused substitute in Europe against Roma.

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But like so many Old Trafford youngsters, Lee was unable to earn a first-team spot and, after a loan spell at QPR, moved to Oldham where he racked up 117 appearances in four years before joining the Owls last summer.

He has taken time to adjust at Hillsborough, unable to oust regular right-back Lewis Buxton.

Before breaking through into Wednesday’s first team during the festive fixtures, the 24-year-old had only played twice, in losing teams in September, to Bolton and then three days later at Southampton in the League Cup.

But after impressing as a second-half substitute in the 2-0 win over Charlton, Lee kept his place at Bolton and Huddersfield before Tuesday’s defeat to Burnley ended a four-game unbeaten run for Wednesday.

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Owls manager Dave Jones will, like many managers up and down the country, opt for rotation this weekend in the third round of the FA Cup, with MK Dons the visitors to Hillsborough on Saturday.

But Lee just wants to keep on playing after finally coming in from the cold at Hillsborough.

“Hopefully, I will play Saturday,” he said. “I just want to play as many games as I can, but that’s the same for everyone.

“I don’t know what’s in the manager’s thoughts, whether to freshen up the side or not.

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“I will be ready for it though. The FA Cup is traditional, and all the lads will want to play in it.

“Whoever plays, I think we have a good chance,” said Lee, who admits his FA Cup record at previous clubs is “nothing great”.

“I have played the last three games now and each time my fitness is improving.

“I am just happy playing because it’s been a long time out. It’s always hard when you are not playing games; results weren’t going well and you just want a chance.

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“Again the manager’s proved he will give the lads a chance, you just have to take it when you can.

“You just have to keep working hard in training, waiting for your chance, and when it comes take it.”

Lee has helped bring a solidity to the Owls’ defence, playing on the right side of midfield to provide cover for Buxton. It is a similar system on the left flank with two left-backs in front of each other.

This brought four points from two away games over Christmas, but at Hillsborough against Burnley, Wednesday found themselves dropping too deep and playing on the counter-attack.

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Lee, though, has no problem slotting into midfield and revealed he started out there as a youngster.

“I am enjoying playing in midfield; when I have played right-back I enjoy the attacking side of things,” he said.

“Obviously, I am a little bit more advanced so there is a lot more time to go forward.

“It’s something I have done before so it’s not a problem.

“I have played midfield, at Oldham and before.

“I grew up as a midfielder so it’s something that just takes a little time to adjust to.

“I am just happy to be on the pitch, to be honest.

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“Personally, it’s obviously just good to be on the pitch. I am enjoying playing again, it’s been a long time.

“Before the Burnley defeat, results had been going well for us.”

The loss came via goals from Keith Treacy and Ross Wallace’s penalty, which capped off a hectic Christmas and saw the Owls slide back into the bottom three in the Championship.

“On Tuesday it was a bit of a kick in the teeth for us, but we have just got to move on and try and put it behind us,” said the Stalybridge-born footballer. “We know we didn’t perform well enough.

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“There’s been a lot of games in a short space of time, maybe a few lads were tired. Obviously, that’s not an excuse, I don’t really know why we didn’t perform as well.”

Left-back Reda Johnson will be free to play MK Dons after serving a one-match suspension against Burnley for picking up five yellow cards.