Boost for Sheffield Wednesday - key pair spotted in training ahead of season opener

Footage released by the club of a Friday morning training session at Middlewood Road shows both Barry Bannan and Callum Paterson in full training alongside their teammates.

The Scottish pair were left out of Wednesday’s final preseason match at Port Vale as a precautionary measure.

Owls captain Bannan had a minor back injury while Paterson had an issue with his knee.

Sunday’s clash against Huddersfield raises the curtain on what Darren Moore and his troops will hope to be a fruitful season. Though the footage is encouraging, it remains to be seen whether Bannan or Paterson are still seen as a risk.

Speaking after the win over League Two Vale, Moore said: “For Barry, he had a little bit of a back spasm and we didn’t take a risk with him because at this stage of the season – in these type of games – you don’t need any heroes.

“He was here watching tonight, though, and he should be back in training possibly tomorrow or the day after.

“With Pato, he just had a small pocket of fluid just come up on his knee, and again I just took him out because I just thought it was pointless to risk him going forward.

“As much as they want to play, and it would have been a lovely game for them to play in, I just thought they’d got enough minutes in their legs from previous preseason games.”