The Greatest Ever Sheffield Wednesday Players – The Top
The Greatest Ever Sheffield Wednesday Players - The Top 5
Sheffield Wednesday is one of the oldest and most historic clubs in English football, with a rich and proud history that spans over 150 years. The club has won four league titles, three FA Cups, and one League Cup, and has produced some of the finest players that the game has ever seen.
But who is the greatest ever Sheffield Wednesday player? This is a question that has been debated by fans and pundits for decades, and there is no definitive answer. There are so many factors and criteria that can be used to judge a player’s greatness, such as skill, talent, longevity, loyalty, impact, influence, trophies, goals, assists, and more.
Let’s Look at Potential Greatest Players
There are also so many players that can be considered for the title of the greatest ever Sheffield Wednesday player. Some of them are Ernest Blenkinsop, the legendary left-back who captained the club to two league titles and two FA Cups in the 1920s and 1930s, and who was also the first Sheffield Wednesday player to play for England.
Known to be a leader, he commanded from the back and was clearly a winner, making him possibly, one of the best left backs of all time.
Another player is Harry Burgess, the prolific striker who scored 80 goals in 235 appearances for the club, and who was part of the famous forward line that won the league title in 1929 and 1930.
For anyone remotely interested in football, these statistics would put him up there as one of the best finishers in the world. As it stands, he is still the third-highest scorer of all time, proving just how much of a finisher, poacher and scorer he was.
Everyone loves a goalscorer don’t they? After all, goals win games and that is where Jackie Sewell stands out.
Of course, we are sticking with another goalscorer but he was an
elegant inside-forward who was the club’s record signing in 1951. Mention goalscorer and everyone wants to know about their record and his record was very good - almost a goal every two games, managing 114 goals in 221 games for club, it is clear to see why he was a part of the England setup that lost to Hungary in 1953.
Scoring goals was not just his forte, he was also a playmaker who brought others into play.
Too often, goalkeepers are overlooked but Ron Springett certainly deserves a mention here. For more than ten years he played for the club but more importantly, he helped the club reach the FA Cup final in 1966. As a goalkeeper, he was solid between the posts and given that goalkeepers are often not
given the credit they deserve, perhaps Ron Springett could be considered one of the best.
When it comes to playing the game, the saying“If you are good enough, you are old enough” is true when it comes to Tommy Craig. A strong and gifted midfielder, he was the youngest ever player to play and captain the club. Creative and tough, he could find a pass and dribble well, making him a great
all-rounder.
There are more that Can Be Added to the List
These are just some of the players that can be considered for the title of the greatest ever Sheffield Wednesday player, and there are many more that can be added to the list, such as Terry Curran, David Hirst, Chris Waddle, John Sheridan, Benito Carbone, Paolo Di Canio, Lee Bullen, Marcus Tudgay, Gary Megson, Michail
Antonio, Ross Wallace, Fernando Forestieri, Barry Bannan, Steven Fletcher, and Tom Lees.
But who are the top five? Who is the best of the best? Who are the ones that stand out from the rest?
This is a question that has no easy answer, and that can be debated endlessly. Everyone has their own opinion, and their own criteria, and their own preferences.
There is no right or wrong answer, and there is no definitive ranking. It all depends on your perspective, and your experience, and your emotions.
But if we had to choose, and if we had to rank, and if we had to name the top five, this is what we would say:
Number 5: David Hirst. The powerful striker who was the club’s top scorer for seven consecutive seasons, and who scored 149 goals in
358 games for the club was also one of the best strikers in England in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hirst had a real eye for goal and if it wasn’t for other players pushing for a first place in the England squad, he probably would have been a regular.
Number 4: Chris Waddle. The mercurial winger who was the club’s record signing in 1992, and who was one of the most skilful and exciting
players of his era, and who helped the club reach the finals of the FA Cup and the League Cup in 1993. While his flowing locks might have made him recognisable, it was his silky left foot and his ability to beat a player and put in a cross that really gave him the edge.
Number 3: Ron Springett. The brilliant goalkeeper who was the club’s first choice for over a decade, and who helped the
club reach the FA Cup final in 1966 - something that not many players can say that they have done.
Number 2: Ernest Blenkinsop. The legendary left-back who captained the club to two league titles and two FA Cups in the 1920s and 1930s, and who was also the first Sheffield Wednesday player to play for England.
Number 1: Jackie Sewell.
The elegant inside-forward who was the club’s record signing in 1951, who scored 114 goals in 221 games for the club, and who was also part of the England team that lost to Hungary in 1953. With statistics like this, there is no doubt that he would be up there with some of the players we consider the best to have ever graced the football field.
These are our top five, and these are our reasons. But what do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Do you have a different top five, or a different order, or a different criteria? Do you have a favourite player, or a memorable moment, or a personal story? Let us know in the comments, and let’s start a conversation. Who is the greatest ever Sheffield Wednesday player?
