Former Sheffield Wednesday man Joe Wildsmith reflects on ‘strange’ and ‘surreal’ Owls reunion

The former Owls shot-stopper put in a solid performance at Pride Park as Derby County held them to a 0-0 draw, and it continued what has been a fine season for him in Derbyshire since his decision not to sign a new contract at his boyhood club.

Wildsmith has kept eight clean sheets for the Rams this season as they continue their own push for promotion, and he admits that this one – on a personal level – was nice for him.

“It's always nice to get a clean sheet in any game as a goalkeeper,” he told RamsTV. “And for me with all the added things going on today it was a really nice touch for me personally, but I thought the team defended great and were very deserving of that clean sheet…

“It was very strange, a bit surreal, really because I was there for so long until last summer, I've never really known anything but that club and to see some familiar faces – ones I’ve known for years and years - was nice but obviously then it was down to business and get the job done on the pitch.

“After that I could go and see who I wanted to see and say hello to who I wanted to say hello to.

“At the end of the day it's just another game. They are my old club, but I'm playing for Derby County now and my focus on was helping us get the three points. We couldn’t, but we got a point and a clean sheet and I’m happy with that.”

Wildsmith – who came through the Owls academy before spending years in the first team – has kept 11 clean sheets in 25 appearances in all competitions for Derby so far, and has quickly become a popular choice amongst the fanbase there.

Wednesday, meanwhile, kept their 11th League One clean sheet of the season on Saturday in the stalemate, with David Stockdale’s tally bettered only by one player in the English Football League - Leyton Orient's Lawrence Vigouroux (12).

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