'The guy was insane' - Ex-Sheffield Wednesday defender recalls time spent with legend David Hirst

Hirst joined the Owls from Barnsley in 1986, making the short trip across South Yorkshire to play in blue and white, and would go on to play 358 times for the club in what was a very successful decade or so at Hillsborough.

Jon Newsome, who was a teenager himself when ‘Hirsty’ came on board, saw him arrive but would also go on to play with him when they were both very much established professionals as well, and believes that he was one of the best players he ever played with or against during his career in the top-flight of English football.

Speaking on this week’s edition of ‘All Wednesday’, the former Owls defender said, “When Hirsty came in as a 19-year-old from Barnsley I think I was 17, and it was like ‘Wow’, do you you know what I mean? Pace, power, his eye for goal - and he never lost that. I know he had his own injury issues, but potentially he could’ve been one of the best players I’ve played with or against…

“You’d come out to warm up, and you’re in your mid to late 20s so you do laps of the pitch to get warm, but Hirsty just comes out and starts smashing balls into the back of the net from the halfway line - he’s not even stretched his thighs off. He was just pinging them in, the guy was insane with the ability that he had."

You can check out the full episode of this week’s All Wednesday by clicking this link, with Newsome discussing his first call to Hillsborough, playing with Chris Waddle, and the difficulties of being forced to retire so early.