Josh Dawodu’s ‘big year’ after his important Sheffield Wednesday departure

The 21-year-old full back spent the 2021/22 preseason as part of Darren Moore’s first team squad at Hillsborough, playing in a handful of friendlies as they prepared for the season ahead.

But, like many other youngsters at the club, it was made aware that he needed to go elsewhere if he was to get regular football, hence the decision to ultimate loan him out to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

And the right back thinks it was the right thing to do, telling The Tameside Correspondent, “It is a big year and I had to make sure I went out on loan as I felt I had outgrown Under-23 football… The club wanted me and several others to go out to play first-team football. As far as I am concerned, any non-league football is above the standard of U23s.”

He also went on to say, “I am enjoying it with Celtic which is a lot different to U23s football. In league and cup, the onus is on winning and picking up points and therefore it is a more aggressive.

“The U23s improves you as a player, but it is false as men’s football is all about winning. The U23s are fitter because they are young players training full time, but in that football you can go through the motions because it is more about development and winning is not the priority.”

Dawodu has picked up a number of assists and played almost every game for Celtic since joining them back in October, with the club opting to extend his deal until the new year on the back of several fine performances.

Now, with his loan period officially coming to an end today, it remains to be seen what exactly lies ahead for the former Arsenal youngster, and while Stalybridge would no doubt be keen for him to stick around, there may be interest further up the pyramid that the Owls want to consider.

Meanwhile, Alex Hunt, Ryan Galvin and Charles Hagan all find themselves in a similar boat with question marks over what happens next.

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