Sheffield Wednesday: “I thought Sheffield United was a big club until I signed for Wednesday..” Former Owl on short stint

Former Republic of Ireland international Keith Treacy, who spent a short time on loan at Bramall Lane in 2009 and then joined Wednesday at the back end of a 2011/12 season in which they pipped the Blades to promotion from League One.

Treacy scored a vital goal in a win at Brentford that took them above their bitter rivals, a strike that has awarded him cult hero status at Hillsborough despite only having played seven matches for the club.

“That’s the only reason Wednesday fans like me, because of that free-kick against Brentford,” he joked speaking on the latest episode of the Under The Cosh podcast.

“I liked Wednesday. I’ll p*** a lot of people off here, but I thought United was a big club until I signed for Wednesday. In my experience, Wednesday is a small bit bigger.”

Once a highly rated youngster who played in the Premier League and remains a fan favourite at Preston North End and Burnley, the now 33-year-old spoke candidly on the depression, alcohol and sex addiction problems that plagued his career to the point he left the English leagues aged 26.

Such were his issues he admitted sections of his time on the field are something of a blur but that he enjoyed his time at S6.

Towards the end of his short stint at the club he hinted he would have liked to have made his switch from Burnley permanent, though manager Dave Jones brought in Oldham Athletic midfielder Kieran Lee instead.

Now sober and happy to discuss the difficulties he has faced in his young life, Treacy was out of favour at Turf Moor and remembered being in the depths of depression when he was approached to sign for the Owls.

Wednesday boss Jones made a handful of loan signings that boosted Wednesday over United and helped them over the line. Treacy, his Brentford goal an obvious highlight, was certainly one of them.

“He was old school,” Treacy said on Jones. “He rang me after I’d been out in Blackpool until god knows what hour.

“I remember picking up the phone, my hands were shaking. He said ‘Keith it’s Dave Jones, I want to get you down to Wednesday for the last month of the season.’

“I told him I wasn’t fit. He just said ‘Is your left foot working? I’ll have you then son.’

“I remember going into the canteen to shake his hand. He said ‘Are you nervous son? Your hands are shaking’. I told him it was because I was so hungover.

“I realised what I was saying. I told him I didn’t realise I was going to be there and that it wouldn’t happen again. I went out for a jog, and that was it, I’d started with Wednesday.

“I can’t remember my first game with them. I remember the promotion party though. Jesus wept.”