Lee Bullen reveals Sheffield Wednesday interim spells created an itch that needed to be scratched

Bullen’s exit from Hillsborough was confirmed on Friday, with Wednesday’s U23 manager moving back to the country of his birth after being offered a role with the Honest Men, with his first game in charge set for this weekend as they take on Arbroath.

The 50-year-old ex-centre back had three spells as interim manager of the Owls over the course of over a decade as a coach at the club, and he admits that by the third time he was hoping to get a chance to take it on a permanent basis.

Speaking to Ayr’s website after his appointment, ‘Bully’ said, “I did it three times as interim. The first time I did it I don’t think I was ready, I got thrown in unexpectedly and I thought I was short. I was confident enough in my own ability.

“The second time I really enjoyed it and I thought I quite fancied it. The third time I felt like it was my time and that I had an opportunity there.

“Unfortunately the chairman decided to go a different direction, which is completely his prerogative, so I stepped back down to the U23s. But those second and third opportunities created an itch that needed to be scratched.”

The former Wednesday captain also chuckled after being asked about being voted as the club’s greatest captain a few years ago, saying, “I don’t know how that poll came out! It’s really nice to be acknowledged for that side of things, but if you ask me personally I think I’d be miles behind some of the captains that I’ve met during my time at Sheffield Wednesday. Maybe it was the younger fans that voted on that side of things.”

Bullen’s United will take on league leaders, Arbroath, in the Scottish Championship at 3pm this afternoon as he looks to get off to a winning start in his first gig as a manager by taking a serious scalp against the division’s current promotion favourites.

Plan in place as young attacker returns back to Wednesday training