Sheffield Wednesday progress ‘not going quick enough’ – skipper Barry Bannan makes ‘failure’ admission

Speaking after they crashed out of the League One play-offs at the semi-final stage, the Owls player of the year was clearly emotional after they conceded a stoppage time equaliser at home to Sunderland to end their campaign.

Much has changed at the club both on the field and off it during a topsy-turvy season and an ambitious Bannan made no secret of his disappointment at what he saw as a failed mission.

“It is going in the right direction, but it is not going quick enough, to be honest,” he said. “We wanted to get promoted this season, but we failed.

“But we cannot get too carried away and too dejected because we were not a million miles away. We should have got promoted, no doubt – looking at the squad.

“We have a big summer ahead now. We know we are not far away now and it is just about the right recruitment.

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“With boys leaving and coming, it has got to be the right people that comes in again. That is what we have got right over the last 12 to 18 months. The right people coming in who want to fight for this club and get this club back to where it belongs.”

For the third season running a swathe of senior players look set to leave the club. Ahead of what will be a busy few weeks at S6, Bannan said he would be speaking with Wednesday boss Darren Moore as to the future direction of the squad.

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He said: “He will probably let this go over and then try and give a few boys a phone call and I am sure I'll be one of the first ones. I will speak to him and be honest and put my thoughts across where we could have maybe gone better. We have that kind of relationship. We'll be speaking and then take it from there.

“I have a wedding to look forward to and it is going to be a bit of a manic summer, so I won't get much time before getting back into training [for next season].”