Opportunity knocks at Sheffield Wednesday for former Aston Villa winger Andre Green

More especially by the fact that he was released by his boyhood club, with no fresh destination to go to.

That was the scenario which unfolded for Solihull-born Green after he left Aston Villa, a club who he will always support.

A fraught year compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic saw Green regroup and spend some reflective time with his family before plotting a way back.

Messages of support from some familiar names in football have done their best to keep his spirits up ahead of hopefully recapturing the form that marked him out as an explosive player to watch in his early days at Villa.

The winger, who has signed an 18-month deal with the Owls, said: “It has been very difficult. I have had a few text messages from my old managers such as Tim Sherwood and they have been quite good to me and there was my family support as well.

“It has been really good to have my family around as I won’t really get this time back now when I am with my family every single day.

“I said to my agent the other day that I am hungrier than ever and my mindset has definitely changed.

“I feel like I have been playing football for ages from when I broke through to the first team (at Villa) at 17. But I have now gone from a ‘little boy’ breaking through to being changed into an experienced professional.

“I see the opportunity here at Wednesday with the size and history and if I do well here, I can go onto great things.”

If things had been different, Green has revealed that he could have joined the club last summer with the Owls keen on bringing him in the close season, but a deal could not get over the line.

He added: “We did have a few offers from elsewhere, but Sheffield Wednesday was in the pipeline from last summer and I always knew about it from before the season started.

“We had other offers, but I just thought this would be the best place for me to come.

“I feel I am at a point in my career where I can do something special and realise my potential and I believe in myself to get into the team no matter who the manager is.”

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