Sheffield Wednesday: Chey Dunkley sends positive message on Josh Windass injury return

And the Sheffield Wednesday defender, who spent the first months of his Owls career on the sidelines having signed from Wigan Athletic with a broken leg, has sent a message to his former Latics teammate Josh Windass who is stepping up his rehabilitation from hamstring surgery.

Windass was the Owls’ top scorer last season and has been out since preseason.

But Dunkley hopes any return to action is in good time and prevents any further issues.

“He can be a massive player for us,” Dunkley told The Star. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, I don’t want him to feel as if he has to score 30-odd goals. Look, hopefully he does!

“It’s so important that he doesn’t come back too soon and that we lose him straight away. I want a Josh Windass that comes back strong and as fit as the Josh Windass we had before the injury.

“I know we’ll get that because he’s a smart guy who looks after himself well and lives his life right. He’ll be a massive player for us when he gets up and running.

“He doesn’t have to come back and score hat-tricks every week, it’s a team sport and we all have to step up as men.”

There is no public target date set for the striker’s return, though Darren Moore said this week that he expects him back before the turn of the year.

Asked if he had seen much of Windass around the club’s Middlewood Road training ground, Dunkley said: “He’s progressing well with his rehab. That’s good for us as a team.

“He has been out doing a bit of running which was great to see and it is a nice little boost for us lads, too.

“When he’s ready and back he’ll be hitting the back of the net. It’s just so important he’s here to stay for the long run and he doesn’t rush. He’s so desperate to play.

“I’ve spoken to him a few times, asking him when he’s back and having a bit of banter with him, but I have offered him advice on making sure when he’s back he stays back. It’s about not doing anything stupid.”