Sheffield Wednesday: Pressure of playing for Owls no problem for Josh Windass and his great expectations

In truth, Tuesday night served as a reminder of just why he did not want to leave a club which has clearly got into his soul back in the summer and elected to sign a new deal.

As did the scenes at the final whistle after Windass, in his comeback match – after missing the opening three-and-a-half months of the season following hamstring surgery – scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Wednesday came from behind to win a game for the first time since December 2019 in a 2-1 win.

It was an evening when the Owls moved into the top six of League One for the first time since September, with the presence of Windass back on deck also carrying plenty of additional significance.

Windass said: “We have players who could have probably left in the summer, but we all believe in the project and love playing for this club and want to get the club back in the Championship and that is what we will do.

“If I am honest, I love playing here in front of big crowds at a big club with pressure.

“I left a previous club I played for (Rangers), for a club not as big (Wigan) and did not really enjoy it – no disrespect to that club.

“I kind of need that pressure, fans and criticism.

“I could have left in the summer, everybody knows that, but we are going to try and win for all the fans and all the boys love each other.

“I need that edge where if I am not playing well – obviously everyone knows what the crowd are like here – it makes me play better. Hopefully all the lads are the same.

“Every game you play for at a club this size, the expectation is to win.”