Owls swoop late for QPR hitman Bothroyd

The 30-year-old has joined from QPR on a deal until January,

Bothroyd is reunited with manager Dave Jones, who took the hitman to Cardiff City in August, 2008.

Bothroyd scored 45 goals in 128 appearances for the Bluebirds to become one of the most prolific forwards in the Championship.

He began his career with Arsenal as a trainee before joining Coventry City for £1m in 2000.

He has also played for Perugia, Blackburn Rovers, Charlton Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City before moving to Cardiff and then to QPR, when he was signed by Neil Warnock.

Meanwhile, former England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has warned his Sheffield Wednesday team-mates to be wary of a backlash from Championship strugglers Crystal Palace today.

For while the newly-promoted Owls are enjoying an unbeaten start to the new season – two League Cup wins including a midweek victory over Premier League Fulham coupled with seven points from their first three Championship outings – Palace are stranded at the foot of the table yet to pick up a point.

Form points to an away victory for Dave Jones’s side at Selhurst Park this afternoon, but former Liverpool goalkeeper Kirkland – who dropped down to the Championship to join the Owls on a two-year deal in the summer from Wigan – is not reading too much into their lowly status.

“We’ve managed to have a good start but we are not getting carried away because we are in an extremely tough league,” said Kirkland, who should return today despite an impressive midweek display from Stephen Bywater against Fulham – Wednesday’s first clean sheet of the season.

“We’re taking each game as it comes and the next one is Palace away which will be a difficult one. But if we carry on doing the things we have been doing, it will give us half a chance.

“Crystal Palace have had a tough start and they will be desperate for a win. Some will say this is a good time to play them, but is it? We have to make sure we prepare properly and go down there and play well.”

A Champions League winner in his Anfield days, Kirkland has been unlucky with injuries in recent times, but is enjoying being back playing first-team football.

“To be playing again is fantastic and to be at such a big club is great,” said the 31-year-old.

“I didn’t realise just how big the fanbase was – the fans are superb and the song they sing before kick-off at home games is unbelievable and you have to stand and admire it.

“We want the fans to realise it gives us a massive lift going into games.

“We’ve had a good start but the manager won’t let us get carried away.

“Results can swing around very quickly and we don’t want that to happen so we‘ll take each game as it comes.”