Sheffield Wednesday defender Mackenzie Maltby confirms exit with heartfelt message
Sheffield Wednesday defender Mackenzie Maltby has confirmed he is leaving Hillsborough.
Young defender Mackenzie Maltby has confirmed his exit from Sheffield Wednesday, bringing his 14-year spell with the club to an end.
The centre-back, who made his senior debut for the Owls in their 4-1 defeat to Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium in April, confirmed his departure in a social media post on Saturday morning.
Joining Wednesday’s academy at the age of seven-years-old, Maltby, now 21, was involved in discussions over a new deal that could have seen him extend his stay at Hillsborough into next season. Wednesday’s retained list, issued last month, confirmed the club was in dialogue with the defender over a new deal alongside Max Lowe and Gui Siqueira.
However, Maltby has confirmed that he will be leaving Hillsborough when his contract expires at the end of this month, meaning he will be free to try and put down some roots elsewhere. Maltby made two senior appearances for Wednesday, appearing as a substitute in the 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on the final day of the season last month, exactly a week after making his debut against Oxford.
Posting on Instagram, Maltby said: “After 14 years of calling this my home, my time at @swfcofficial is over.
“I want to thank all the players and the staff for everything they’ve done for me, and I wish the club all the best for the future.” Maltby closed the post with blue heart and owl emojis.
Maltby spent time on loan at Scarborough Athletic during his Wednesday career, scoring two goals for the Seadogs during the 2024/25 season. His performances earned him the club’s Young Player of the Season award.
Maltby has joined the likes of Dominic Iorfa, Nathaniel Chalobah, Marvelous Nakamba and Zain Silcott-Duberry in leaving Hillsborough this summer.