Watch Sheffield United mascot’s brilliant Barry Bannan snub ahead of Sheffield Wednesday derby win

Emotions were high at Hillsborough yesterday as Sheffield United travelled to face their old enemy Wednesday in S6, with Rhian Brewster’s second-half winner securing a derby double for the Blades and sent them back joint top of the division with Leeds United. United prevailed in the first derby of the season at Bramall Lane before winning by the same 1-0 scoreline in the return leg.

The fact that it was Brewster who scored the winner was particularly pleasing, given the former Liverpool wonderkid’s struggles with injury since his big-money move from Anfield back in 2020. He remains an incredibly popular figure at Bramall Lane and was serenaded by Blades fans at the final whistle as they revelled in a first derby double since 2005/06.

Unitedites wasted little time in digging up the infamous video of Owls skipper Barry Bannan calling out “honking” Brewster back in 2023, with the Scot’s words coming back to haunt him somewhat as he failed to turn up against Wednesday’s biggest rivals once again.

Bannan’s dislike for United is no secret - his wife Chloe admitting on a recent live stream that he “hates” the Blades, amid mocking Oliver Arblaster’s season-ending ACL injury - and he is hardly the most popular figure amongst Unitedites either, with the Blades mascot for the derby cheekily snubbing a handshake with Bannan ahead of the game. Bannan and Shea Charles, the former United target, were earmarked as big players for the Owls but neither turned up as United picked up a sixth successive away win.

But there is a respect there for Bannan from within the United camp, with boss Chris Wilder singling him out in his post-match press conference. “Their fans are passionate, they want their team to do well,” Wilder said. “I want my team to do well. I've got respect for Barry Bannan.

“He loves his club, he loves Sheffield Wednesday. I love Sheffield United, there's nothing in that as long as it doesn't go over the thing and it has and it has recently, it goes over the boundaries at Sheffield United and here. We all want to win."