Sheffield Wednesday new boy Jordan Storey targeting promotion after 'kick in the teeth' at Preston North End

Th 24-year-old, who made his debut in the Owls’ 1-0 win over Ipswich Town on Saturday, produced a positive first outing in blue and white alongside fellow new boy Harlee Dean and Sam Hutchinson.

Speaking to the Sheffield media for the first time after the clash, Storey said he was ‘buzzing’ to have made such a positive start to his Owls career and spoke openly about a central factor in his Wednesday signing amid interest from elsewhere.

“I had a long discussion with Darren,” he said. “With him being a fellow centre-back, I thought that would stand to improve me personally. He sees me as a key part of the team and the club is looking at promotion.

“Darren is one of the main reasons I came to the club. He’s been a very good player and played to a very high level. He can help teach me a lot and I’m here to learn as well as play week-in, week-out.

“I had a few clubs sniffing around, but talking to Darren made up my mind, really.

“It’s a great challenge and one I wanted to take on. It’s a massive club. Playing in front of between 20,000 and 25,000, that’s why you play football, to participate in these games and play for the biggest clubs.”

It’s not long since Storey played 36 games in a row for Preston but found himself out of contention under new boss Ryan Lowe, a former Owls player himself.

The experience was a difficult one, the defender admitted, before speaking on his potential future beyond the terms of his loan deal.

Storey said: “It was very frustrating, going from week-in, week-out playing to not having a look in, it was a bit of a kick in the teeth.

“At the end of the day that’s football, you’ve got to get on with it. And when I heard about interest from this club I thought it was an opportunity I can’t really turn down.

“He was happy for me to get out on loan and get games and he was also happy for me to stay and fight for my place. When I heard Sheffield Wednesday were interested it was the one that really made my head turn.

“I’ll take it season by season really. I want to do well here and help the club achieve promotion. Then I’ll go back to Preston and whatever happens, happens. That could be staying there, going out on loan or maybe a permanent, we’ll have to see.

Wednesday sit 12 points shy of the top two places, with second-placed Wigan Athletic boasting two games in hand.

But Storey has not ruled out a run into the automatic playoff places.

“You never know in football,” he said. “There’s no reason we can’t go on a really good run. Obviously playoffs looks more realistic but there’s no reason we can’t go for automatic and really push ourselves.”