Former Sheffield Wednesday boss makes Barry Bannan prediction ahead of new League One campaign
Barry Bannan sealed an unsurprising return to Sheffield Wednesday last month, just months after leaving the club.
Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Tony Pulis is backing Barry Bannan to “run rings” around opponents this season after sealing a return to Hillsborough earlier this summer.
After leaving the club to join Millwall in January following concerns about the direction the club might head under former preferred bidder James Bord and his consortium, Bannan returned to Wednesday last month on a free transfer, signing a one-year deal.
The Scot earned legendary status during his first stint at Hillsborough, racking up a whopping 477 appearances to put him sixth on the club’s all-time appearance list. Bannan told The Star prior to his return to S6 that “this is where I belong”, highlighting how determined he was to seal a return to South Yorkshire.
Bannan has played in League One for Wednesday before, of course, helping them earn promotion from the third tier in 2022/23. He was named in the division’s Team of the Season that year after scoring seven goals and registering 12 assists.
Although Bannan will turn 37 in December, Pulis, who worked with the Scot at both Wednesday and Crystal Palace, is backing the former Millwall man to make his mark this coming season, believing he will cause endless problems for the Owls’ League One counterparts.
“Having Barry Bannan involved again is a massive boost,” Pulis told Midnite, whose Built Different Index ranks all 92 clubs across the Football League. “The Sheffield Wednesday supporters absolutely idolise him, and understandably so after everything he has given to the club over the years.
“I think the fans were naturally disappointed to see him go, so they will be absolutely thrilled to have a player of his calibre back in the squad. At League One level, his quality, vision, and composure on the ball are going to stand out massively.
“He has so much class and technical ability that I fully expect him to dictate games from midfield and run rings around opposition teams throughout the season.”