‘Don’t make me get a job’ - Celebrating Sheffield Wednesday’s heroes with those that love them most - Part V

Cameron Dawson and Josh Windass have very different Owls stories... One has been at Hillsborough from the start, sitting in the stands, climbling up through the academy, and now sitting with a play-off winners medal around his neck after a second promotion in a row.

The other came on board at S6 in a tricky time and has regularly provided a spark at the other end of the spark on their way to returning to the Championship. Just like his dad he got on the scoresheet at Wembley, and he’s now written his name into the Wednesday history books.

Both have had to sacrifice, and silence a few critics, but throughout it all they’ve had family and friends by their side. Today we get to hear from them.

To Cam...

Dear Cam... All those hard yards when we were 9, 10, 11, 12 years + warming up in the Wednesday kit, practicing crossing and catching, and relentless penalty shootouts have paid off.

You’ve gone full circle, from thanking the ref in the 2005 playoff final for sending a Hartlepool player off, to a season ticket on the kop and bottling running on the pitch when we got relegated against Palace in 2010 - to winning a playoff final for your boyhood club. It’s incredible.

What a rollercoaster journey it has been, you don’t often see the Dawson family emotional, and it was a delight to see the raw emotion on display at Wembley. I know just how much it meant to all your family and friends on the day. It was a day we will all never forget, and I know just how proud everyone is of you.

You’ve been written off for your boyhood club more times than most, but you’ve never liked an easy ride though, have you? We have all had moments watching where we thought we might never see you playing for the club again, it just for you to show us what a resilient bloke you are, proving everyone wrong yet again.

Keep proving everyone wrong and keep playing with a smile on your face! No pressure for next season, three promotions on the spin?

Up the Owls,

Chris

(Cam’s close friend)

To Josh...

This isn’t a sob story, but your route to being a pro was not an easy one - and certainly wasn’t without graft!

From the day that you got released by Huddersfield after breaking your ankle, fibia and tibia at 17-year-old you knew it was not going to be a simple road, but you still had belief. You were also dealing with the breakdown of my marriage, and supporting me and your brother.

There was a tough few years of graft ahead of you, and you said to me, ‘Please don’t make me get a job, because I know I am good enough’. You ran through the streets for months alone, every day in the field by our house, and you believed in yourself until you got your break at Accrington. The rest, as they say, is history.

During these play-offs you said to me, ‘We’re going turn this around, go in at 2-0 and win it’. You really believed that you could do it!

Josh you have grown into a humble young man who I am immensely proud of, and your self-belief is unreal! And it is your standards and professionalism that has got you to where you are today!

My love for you and Jord will be forever.

I love you,

Mum

P.S You’re still a pain in the arse!

If you missed the other parts to this series, you can find them here...

Michael Smith, Jack Hunt and Dennis Adeniran

Liam Palmer, Michael Ihiekwe and Liam Palmer

Dominic Iorfa, Lee Gregory and George Byers

Will Vaulks and Callum Paterson