‘A fire within’: Will Vaulks is back for Sheffield Wednesday – and has a point to prove

He’d been crucial in the Owls’ promotion out of League One, an almost ever-present face on a Wednesday matchday, but in September he didn’t play a single league game for the club – and didn’t even make the bench for three of them.

Vaulks is no stranger to the division, he’s spent a large part of his career playing in it, so to see his team struggling while knowing that he couldn’t do anything to help was tough for him.

When Danny Röhl came in for Xisco the midfielder was dropped back to the bench, but after showing some patience – and no doubt plenty of fight in training – he worked his way back. Against Birmingham City he was given his first start by the German, and he’s not looked back.

His role in the upturn in results for the Owls has not gone unnoticed, and he admits that it was a difficult period for him as he sought to stake a claim for a spot in the side. He wants to be out there.

“I don’t really, not very well,” he replied with a smile when asked how he dealt with it. “I don’t think it’ll ever go out of me - it’s the only reason I’ve had a career, let alone a half decent one. I have a fight within me, and I felt that I could add something to the team that wasn’t there, so I was desperate for a chance. It was very frustrating, especially after playing the majority of games last season. Some matchdays I wasn’t even making the bench.

“It was tough, and I’ll never be able to deal with it particularly well because it’s a fire within me. If I was happy sitting at home then why would I be a footballer? I could just collect a wage and stay at home. That’s not in my make-up.

“When the new manager came in nothing changed, I was still desperate to play, desperate to get my opportunity - and then it was up to me to take it. Hopefully over the last few games I’ve shown that this is the level that I’ve played most of my career at, and that I’m ready to give everything for this shirt.”