Welcome Home, Shezza…

The word legend is banded around all too easily today, but Wednesday can safely say that they’re welcoming one of their own legends home at Hillsborough tonight.

Former Owls midfielder John Sheridan returns to Hillsborough tonight with his Chesterfield side in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second round.

The night will be a far cry of the days when Sheridan was the midfield man in blue and white, but it’ll be nice to welcome ‘Shezza’ home, at least.

Of course, he’ll be putting all that emotion to one side for 90 minutes as he looks to steer his Spireites side to a shock result at Hillsborough and see them through into the next round.

But he still has plenty of time for Wednesday, telling the official Chesterfield website: ‘I had the best moments of my football career there.

‘We won a trophy and should have won more. I was fortunate to play with some good players there and I really enjoyed my time there.

‘The fans were brilliant and are in my eyes some of the best in the country. It’s was a brilliant club to play for unfortunately they are not heading back to those times at the moment.

‘But in my eyes they are a massive club and have brilliant supporters and definitely a Premiership Club.’

Sheridan has worked wonders with Chesterfield this season, guiding them to second in League Two and amongst the early favourites for promotion.

But he’ll be remembered by Wednesdayites for his committed performances in the centre of the field which made him one of Wednesday’s all-time greats.

And, of course, the brilliant strike which ‘dinked’ in off the post to give Wednesday their last major cup triumph with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Rumbalows Cup at Wembley in 1991.

A Wembley final, although of a very different nature, will be a step closer for the winner of tonight’s match. And although wishing Shezza all the best for his career in management, I hope he doesn’t help cause a bit of a shock in S6 tonight.