More then seven in ten Sheffield Wednesday fans call for change in specific position

The transfer window is yet to open and free agents across the divisions are yet to leave their current clubs, but the Owls will have to get busy in replacing the 10 senior players set to leave the club in the coming weeks.

One of the positions that an experienced campaigner is leaving behind is between the sticks, with long-time stopper Keiren Westwood having been included in that release long-list.

And he leaves behind two men to have tasted plenty of first team football at Wednesday in Joe Wildsmith and Cameron Dawson. Dawson has played 65 times for the Owls, while Wildsmith has played 81 times. Both have England youth caps and are well thought of at the club.

In a survey of over 1,000 Sheffield Wednesday supporters, however, 71% indicated they would like to see the club bring in a new stopper after Westwood’s departure.

Some 21% said they’d like to see WIldsmith start in goal, with 8% plumping for Dawson.

One man who knows what it’s like between the sticks at Hillsborough is Chris Turner, one of the club’s ‘91 Rumbelows Cup heroes, who also went on to manage the club.

Speaking to The Star last year, he said the younger pair would feel less pressure after Westwood’s departure.

“They've got two goalkeepers with huge potential that need games, time, confidence and work. If the club are fortunate and play it correctly they might get a first-class goalkeeper out of one of them.

“The problem is a lot of the time that in the eyes of so many supporters, the lad who isn't playing is always better than the lad who is playing. And whenever a goal goes in against either of the young guys, it's always 'Keiren Westwood would've saved that'.

“Players read what people are saying, especially nowadays with social media. Keiren, as good a goalkeeper as he is, is always hanging over. It kills the two young boys.

“I went to watch a game and the people around were so critical of Dawson. He hadn't done anything wrong. You feel that as a goalkeeper and they have to do something really extraordinary for the fans to appreciate what he does.”

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