When and why Josh Windass decided to turn down others and join Sheffield Wednesday

It all went on a bit, Josh Windass’ permanent transfer to Hillsborough.
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Nearly two weeks passed between a bid being accepted by the receivers in charge of Wigan Athletic and his unveiling as a Sheffield Wednesday player, with the deal held up by financial complications caused in part by the turmoil the Latics find themselves in.

The Star understands that two other clubs had bids accepted for the 26-year-old, who made his second debut for the Owls off the bench in their 0-0 draw at Walsall last week having played nine times on loan last season.

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But speaking to the media ahead of the club’s season opener proper at Cardiff, Windass said it was only ever going to be Wednesday.

Josh Windass has joined Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal. (via swfc.co.uk)Josh Windass has joined Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal. (via swfc.co.uk)
Josh Windass has joined Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal. (via swfc.co.uk)

“There was interest from other places,” he said. “But my mind was set as soon as the season finished and I spoke to the manager [Monk] here. I wanted to come back and play for him.

“It’s the size of the club. I came last season, after a difficult spell off the pitch at Wigan, and the manager gave me a new lease of life. I really enjoyed playing in front of the fans.

“If felt Wednesday was the right place for me to carry on developing and play my football.”

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And it’s not only Monk that was a huge individual pull for Windass, who was signed last week on the same day as Elias Kachunga.

The pair joined to swell the number of forward options available to Monk and will be watched over in part by former England striker James Beattie, the club’s new assistant manager who first picked Windass up from non-league Harrogate Railway as manager of Accrington Stanley back in 2013.

“Beats gave me my first ever chance in professional football and I'll forever be indebted to him for that,” he told The Star. “As all footballers know, without that first manager giving you a chance you never know where you could have ended up. I'll always appreciate that.

“Now we're back working together again it's down to me to prove why he did give me that chance, hopefully I can impress him and impress the manager and get selected.”

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Beattie comes with a reputation for getting the most out of Championship strikers.

Describing Beattie as a ‘funny, lively’ character, Windass hopes he can have the same affect on the strikers at Sheffield Wednesday.

“He's very detailed,” Windass said. “When I first came through with Beats I was playing in a midfield three, so not really as a striker. It was only when I started at Rangers and Wigan that I was playing as a 10 a bit more further forward.

“He was an unbelievable goal scorer himself and works hard every single day. He lives his life trying to improve people and he cares for people, it's all about him trying to get his best out of the strikers and his record in the past of those he's worked with has been very good.

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"Hopefully he can help me, Rhodesy, Reachy, all the boys in scoring some more goals.”

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