Striker Madine is on double mission as Owls eye safety

As if Championship survival was not enough of a motivation today, Gary Madine is also driven by his desire to prove a point to the club that told him he was not good enough to be a professional footballer.

Six years ago, 16-year-old Madine was informed by Middlesbrough that although they had nurtured him through their junior ranks since the age of 10, he would not be offered a youth contract with the Riverside club.

“It still cuts deep, even now,” said the 22-year-old from Gateshead.

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“But I do believe that everything happens for a reason and I went on to bigger and better things because of it.

“The man who released me, I see him around, and I still want to prove him wrong.

“Middlesbrough took me on trial instead of giving me a YTS contract. I thought I’d done all right, but they turned round and said they weren’t too keen.

“So I played Sunday League for a few months and a scout from Carlisle came along and signed me up.

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“But it was horrible being released. I’m from not a very nice area and you can either go one way where you do nothing like most of the people there, or you can get out of the way of everyone and do your own thing.

“Thankfully, Carlisle came along and gave me the chance to do my own thing, which is football.

“And, hopefully, (today) I can score against the team that let me go as a boy.”

Madine grabbed with both hands the lifeline that Carlisle threw his way.

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He made his debut a little over 12 months later and in the space of four years and 83 appearances, he scored 22 goals for the Cumbrians.

Sheffield Wednesday snapped him up in January, 2011, and within a year he was scoring the goals that took the Owls to promotion.

If he had two hands wrapped around his opportunity at Carlisle, and in the early stages of his time at Hillsborough, Madine accepts that the grip has loosened in his first season in the Championship.

Eighteen goals last year has become just four this term, and only three of those have come in the Championship.

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Asked to sum up his campaign, Madine said: “It’s been a horrible season for me. I haven’t scored enough goals, I haven’t played enough games.

“The gaffer (Dave Jones) said I looked well, and it was the best I’d come back after last summer. But, unfortunately, I got a little injury against Hull and I’ve never really got back in the team or kept my place.

“Hopefully next season will be different. Hopefully, I will come back a different person after the summer, and as a Championship player.

“I’ve got to come back fighting, come back fit and start my pre-season well and get straight in the gaffer’s head with a couple of goals and cement my place.”

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What he would not give for a goal today that helps the Owls secure their Championship status, proves a point to the club that let him go and sends a message to the manager of his intent to be the main striker at the club next season.

Madine said: “If I go and score against a team like Middlesbrough then it’s in the back of the gaffer’s head that if I can score against quality opposition in the big games, then there’s no reason why I can’t do it more regularly.

“I do believe I can score 20 goals a season at Championship level.”

Whether it is Madine who scores the goal or not, so long as someone does find the net to help keep Wednesday safe is all that matters for the rangy No 9.

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“It’s not all about me, we’ve got 20-odd lads that work hard every day and we drive each other on,” he said. “I don’t care if the goalkeeper comes up and scores at the end of the day, so long as we are safe.

“It’s going to be a massive crowd and we are more than confident that we can get the three points we need.

“It would be a disaster if we were relegated. It can’t happen and, to be honest, I don’t think it will.”

Throughout a difficult year, Madine revealed that the unwavering support of the Owls fans has given him strength. “That’s really kept me from going out on loan and it’s kept my head on my shoulders.

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“Sometimes you can think ‘I’ve had enough and I need to move on’, but I’m not one of those people. When you get people stopping you in the street it just gives you that extra incentive to say ‘I’m not going anywhere’.”

Team news: Jermaine Johnson (hamstring) is 50-50 for the Owls and Reda Johnson (foot) could also be in contention. Loanees Sammy Ameobi and Josh McEachran have returned to their parent clubs and George Friend, Seb Hines and Lukas Jutkiewicz are out for Boro with Jonathan Woodgate facing a late fitness test.

Last six games: Sheff Weds WWLDDL; Middlesbrough DLLWLD.

Referee: A Haines (Tyne & Wear).

Last time: Sheff Weds 1 Middlesbrough 3; September 15, 2009; Championship.

SkyBet odds: Sheff Weds to win 5-6; Middlesbrough to win 100-30; Draw 5-2.