From Worksop to Hampden Park: The 10-year journey of Sheffield Wednesday man Liam Palmer
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The full-back, who joined the club he grew up supporting at the age of just eight years old, is today celebrating the tenth anniversary of his first team debut in Owls colours, a 1-0 League Cup win over the now sadly defunct Bury.
Now a dependable name on the Wednesday teamsheet, Palmer has played 259 matches for the club since that day and is a proud one-club man, aside from a year spent on loan at Tranmere Rovers during 2012/13, where he played 43 times mainly as a midfielder.
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Hide AdHe returned for what proved to be his breakthrough season, where his committed performances earned him a flurry of end-of-season awards, including the official SWFC Player of the Year, SODA, the Wise Old Owls, the Owls Foundation and The Star SWFC Player of the Year award.
Though he found playing time slightly more limited he was an important member of the squads that achieved back-to-back playoff qualification in 2016 and 2017 under Carlos Carvalhal and fought back to retain his place as one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Posting on his social media feeds this morning, Palmer said: “Just a kid from Worksop who never left the house without a ball at my feet, with dreams of maybe one day becoming a professional footballer.
“Fast forward 21 years after SWFC academy came calling, never did I think I would still be walking through the gates at Middlewood Road.
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Hide Ad“I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me along the way so far. My wife, family, friends, Back room staff, coaches, managers, team mates and of course the fans.”
Away from S6, Palmer has quickly become an important squad member for Scotland, for whom he qualifies through the birthplace of his late grandmother. He has made five international appearances to date and is likely to feature as they attempt to qualify for the European Championships next year.
The defender looks likely to be a feature of Garry Monk’s vision for the future of Sheffield Wednesday, having slotted in on the right-hand side of a defensive three to good effect late last season.