‘We want top spot’ – Sheffield Wednesday’s Michael Smith sets out bullish Owls stall after wonder goal

Smith bagged a brace in the 2-0 win over Port Vale on Thursday night, taking his tally to 11 goals and assists in all competitions – the highest of any player in the squad.

It was a win that extended the Owls’ unbeaten run to 12 games in League One, and their top scoring forward says that he’s not really bothered how his goals come, as long as they do.

He took his penalty well, but it was his second goal that really made headlines as the fired into the top corner from range – and the striker is hoping it can be a springboard for him going forward now.

“I enjoyed it,” Smith told The Star. “I’ll take one off the goalline, off my backside, they all count the same - but I was delighted to see it hit the back of the net.

“I was never going to take it outside on my left foot, so I was trying to find the angle and get back on my right.

“I haven’t really hit the heights that I want to personally, but hopefully I can kick on in the second half of the season and tonight can be a bit of a launchpad for myself.”

The Vale victory saw Wednesday close the gap on Ipswich Town and go level on points with the league’s second-placed side, and while it’s three months since their last defeat, when asked if they were satisfied with where they’re at ‘Smudga’ is on the fence.

“Yes and no,” he admitted. “For anyone to go 12 games unbeaten is really good, but we want to be top, we want to be number one, we want to win the league.

“We speak about it most days in training, we speak about it in every meeting. We want to be number one. So I don’t think anyone will be satisfied until we get that.”

Smith got 31 goals and assists last season with Rotherham United, and if he can get anywhere near that tally this time around then the Owls certainly have a good chance of achieving what they all hope to achieve in 2022/23.

MORE: Barry Bannan makes Sheffield Wednesday vow after ‘frustrating’ end to 2022