Sheffield Wednesday favourite scoops another award - thanks voters in difficult season

The Owls captain has won numerous Player of the Season gongs, and been named in the EFL Team of the Season over the course of his Hillsborough career, but it’ll always mean a lot to him to be appreciated by the Wednesday fanbase.

This week Bannan added to his collection after he was voted as the Wise Old Owls Player of the Year for 2023/24, seeing off the competition from his teammates to scoop the gong, doing so for the first time since 2016 when he shared it with Fernando Forestieri during the pair’s debut season at S6. He was on hand to collect his award, but he wasn’t the only one present at the evening.

“Barry Bannan has been crowned the Wise Old Owls Player of the Year for 2023/24,” the club said on their official website. “Our skipper joined the long-standing supporters’ group at Hillsborough for their annual awards dinner on Wednesday afternoon to collect his trophy, presented by WOO Chairman John Gilling.

“Manager Danny Röhl and first team performance manager Sascha Lense were also in attendance to meet and answer questions from the supporter group members... Congratulations, skipper!”

Join our Whatsapp channel for your Wednesday news without the fuss of social media

Bannan took to Instagram after his win to say thanks to the Wise Old Owls for the award that had gone his way, and it could prove more meaningful if the next three matches prove to be his last in Wednesday colours.

The group, which was formed back in 2001, is for fans over the age of 50 who share a love for Wednesday, and they’ve grown substantially since forming with just 12 members a couple of decades ago.