‘Remorseful’ striker Madine will be expected to repay faith placed in him by Wednesday, says Gray

The 23-year-old returned to training at Middlewood yesterday for the first time following his release from jail after serving four-and-a-half months of an 18-month sentence for two separate unprovoked assaults.

Madine has apologised unreservedly for his actions, with Owls’ head coach Gray challenging him to get his career on track at Hillsborough, where he is contracted until the summer of 2015.

Gray said: “It was a very close call. At the end of the day, I made an effort to go and see him and had a good hour’s chat with him.

“He needed to speak to the chairman and Paul Aldridge as well. We just feel the boy needs a second chance.

“He’s chomping at the bit and grateful – but very remorseful for what happened. He’s apologised and realised he’s been a stupid boy, but the pleasing thing is now he can put that behind him and get on with his career.

“We’ve given him a second chance and he’s got an opportunity. I think he wants to repay the faith we have shown in him, which the club, the chairman and the fans have. Somebody deserves a second chance, now the ball is in his court.”

Gray, who quashed talk of the club immediately loaning Madine out to former club Carlisle United, says the striker is not likely to join the first-team squad for a week to 10 days and will work on his fitness before joining in with his team-mates.

But Gray has handed the 23-year-old a potential passage back to the first-team squad by suggesting that if he proves his worth in training he will be given his opportunity again for the Owls, with his previous appearance coming as a substitute in the Capital One Cup tie at Rotherham United back in August.

On Madine, whose last goal for the Owls came in the derby win over Barnsley last March, Gray said: “He has been with the fitness coach, but warmed up with the players (yesterday) and it was nice to see him back. If anything, he looks like a new signing for us. He came in and was like a kid in a sweetshop and thoroughly enjoyed his day.

“We have got to get him up and running as quickly as possible because we know the goals he can provide for us.

“What we can’t do is put the pressure on him to get to the intensity we want to get him to. He will probably be a week to 10 days before he can join the full squad and comes into my mind for selection.

“We have given him a chance to prove his fitness and worth. We know he has got a goal in him, whether it is coming on or starting the game.

“We will have a good look at him and then make a decision. We are excited and pleased he is back.”

Gray says the club are disappointed that they have lost out to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United in the bid to sign Connor Wickham, with the Owls having contacted Sunderland about bringing him back for a third spell, only for the Wearsiders to spurn their advances and instead set up a deal for him to head to Elland Road.

He added: “We were disappointed because we know what Connor can do. The chairman has gone on record to say we tried contacting Sunderland to bring him back, but I think the deal had already been done with Leeds.

“We were hoping Sunderland would contact us. But, unfortunately, they hadn’t been in touch.So we move on.

“We thank Connor for what he did for us and concentrate on the players who are contracted to Sheffield Wednesday.”

The Owls must make do without injury-jinxed winger Michail Antonio for at least a month, with scans revealing that the former Reading player damaged ankle ligaments in last weekend’s derby win at Huddersfield Town.

Gray, who also revealed that defender Lewis Buxton will have a scan after tweaking his hamstring in a reserve game this week, said: “It won’t be a couple of weeks, it will be (several) weeks.

“It’s so disappointing for the boy because his season has been so stop-start. I think he is sick of the sight of seeing the physios and vice-versa.”