"Hopefully we beat them" Sheffield Wednesday's ex-Sheffield United man on Owls fans and derby day

There will come a time when Max Lowe’s former club will not be so routinely mentioned in pub chats and media reports as his spell at Sheffield Wednesday goes on. For now, he’s comfortable with the fact that ‘ex-Sheffield United man’ will be a prefix to his name in his early days at S6.

The former England youth international made the rare switch across the city at the turn of the month to some surprise from both red and blue. It’s a deal that created a splash but seem to have been warmly welcomed by Wednesday fans, with a great number of Unitedites seemingly having accepted the situation following his release from Bramall Lane.

With two Sheffield derbies penned into the calendar for the first time in five years, Lowe will no doubt be centre of attention as one of the country’s fiercest rivalries resumes. For now, his focus is entirely on acclimatising to the Danny Röhl way and settling into life as an Owl. He has performed in friendly outings so far, with word from the camp suggesting he has made an impressive start to life at the club behind the scenes.

“It’s been good, we’ve had some tough sessions and we’re playing against good teams,” Lowe said. “It’s all a good challenge for us and I feel like we’re learning every day, so it’s good. For the new lads joining it’s about learning a new way of playing and like I say, it’s about learning every day in and out of the sessions. It’s about trying to get a grip of things as we go. I feel like the new lads have all done really well and the senior lads have helped along the way.”

According to well-informed local football historians, Lowe’s is only the fourth move of a senior player from United to Wednesday in their 135-year co-existence. The 27-year-old, who is believed to have signed a two-year deal at Hillsborough, appears to be handling any increased spotlight well. His decision was made thanks to advice from senior players, an enticing chat with Röhl and an opportunity to play in front of Wednesday’s revered fan base.

“I’m not going to lie, at first I knew it would make some noise,” Lowe said on the switch. “But once I’d spoken to the senior lads and especially the gaffer, it made my decision really easy. It wasn’t one I felt like I couldn’t handle and that’s why I’m here. It’s no secret how big the rivalry is, but the manager made clear what he expects from me, I spoke to Baz (Bannan) and Liam (Palmer) and I knew it was something I could handle.

“This is something I want to be a part of more than anything. I want to play at Hillsborough, I’ve seen the atmosphere created there and it’s something I want to be a part of.”

The long-awaited return of the so-called Steel City Derby is currently scheduled to take place on November 9 at Bramall Lane, with the Hillsborough leg set for March 15. Both fixtures are likely to be changed for television scheduling. Asked about the prospect of lining up in the clashes in blue and white, Lowe smiled: “It should be a good one. Hopefully we beat them.”