Sheffield Wednesday skipper Liam Palmer has become something of a football statesman in recent years.

Liam Palmer has looked far beyond the decision that cost him involvement at a major international tournament to congratulate the achievements of one of his former managers.

The Sheffield Wednesday captain, who has spent his entire career with his boyhood club save for a successful season on loan with Tranmere Rovers, is gearing up for another campaign with the Owls having last week returned to Middlewood Road for his 16th pre-season effort.

He did so having spent time in the US taking in the sights of Scotland’s narrow 1-0 World Cup defeat to Morocco in Boston - watching many of the teammates he spent time with between 2019 and 2021 as a full international of eight senior caps. Five of those caps came in qualifying for Scotland’s first major tournament in over two decades, Palmer watching on from the bench as they beat Serbia on penalties to qualify for what became Euro 2021.

Steve Clarke was the manager that took them there and didn’t select Palmer for the tournament squad, to some surprise given his heavy involvement in qualifying. Clarke’s surprise departure from his seven-year post with Scotland last week prompted Palmer to post his tribute on social media and with typical class, the Owls skipper made abundantly clear there was no hard feelings over that call. Quite the opposite.

“It was an honour to be selected in Steve Clarke’s first few Scotland squads,” Palmer posted on LinkedIn.

“From playing in front of a half-empty Hampden Park, through the challenges of COVID, reconnecting the team and supporters to qualifying for Euro 2020 – Scotland’s first major tournament in over 20 years - it was an incredible journey to be part of. Being a part of that night in Serbia, and the celebrations that followed, will stay with me for a long time.

“As disappointed as I was not to make the final 26-man squad, Steve was always open and honest with me. He’s always took the time to reply whenever I messaged him since and I had nothing but respect for the way he handled those conversations. Since then, watching the squad and the nation go from strength to strength, qualifying for major tournaments on a regular basis, has been fantastic to see.

“None more so than my trip to Boston a few weeks ago. Seeing the Tartan Army out in force was a thing of beauty. The performances may not always have matched the support, but a whole generation of Scotland fans now know what it feels like to follow their country on football’s biggest stage. That’s something many never thought they’d experience again.

“I hope the kids watching have been inspired by this group of players, who are rightly heroes and role models for so many young Scots.”