6th November – Kevin Pressman

Kevin Pressman is a Sheffield Wednesday legend who had the notable record of being given the quickest ever red card.

Just 13 seconds into a game against Wolves, he came out of his box and handled the ball leading the referee to brandish the red card. This was a very unfortunate moment but the referee was given no choice. Maybe this is what he is remembered for but it shouldn’t be as he was an outstanding keeper and produced when it matter most. One of the best goalkeeping performances ever was his in a Steel City Derby against Sheffield United.

The keeper started his career at Sheffield Wednesday, where he would stay for 19 seasons, but it was nearly over before it even started, with Pressman suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury and kept him out for nine months. He made his debut against Southampton in 1985 and had to wait a number of years to become the club’s first choice. He was a regular in cup competitions and was very unfortunate not to play in the 1991 League Cup final with the manager going for Chris Turner despite the fact that Pressman had played in every round.

A loan spell in 1992 at Stoke City gave him a bit more experience and he finally became The Owls’ number one during the 1993-94 season and would keep hold of the shirt for the majority of games right up until the 2003-04 season. Unfortunately during this period he was one of the few consistent performers as the club were relegated from the Premier League and then never really got close to promotion from Division One. Things did get worse as they were relegated from Division One in his penultimate season.

His last and 478^th game for the club came on the final day of the 2003-04 season against QPR before being released. He was quickly signed up by Leicester City and despite being considered a backup he went on to make 13 Championship appearances throughout the season. He only spent one year there before joining Leeds United, where he never played a game and then on to Mansfield, managed by former teammate Carlton Palmer.

He played 41 times in League Two and was a popular player but decided it was time to hang up the gloves. However, he had one final stint as a player at Northern Irish side Portadown, where he had an incredible time, helping the team climb the table and was also named their Player of the Year.

Something worth checking out is not only his penalty saves but also his penalty taking ability. His effort against Watford in the FA Cup is definitely worth checking out as well as a couple of others.

The final word can go to an artice in the Sheffield Star who named Pressman as the club’s fourth best player of the century. “One of the best goalkeepers Wednesday ever had- dependable and more agile than you would expect from looking at him.”

30th August – Kris Commons

Kris Commons played over 500 games and scored over 100 goals during his professional career and proudced some magic moments.

Commons started his career at Stoke City, making his debut in a 3-2 defeat against Blackpool. Shortly afterwards he picked up an injury and was out of action for year before making his comeback in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday and his first goal came 16 days later against Norwich City. After a promising start he was offered a new contract, however he rejected it and signed for Nottingham Forest.

Although his first season ended in relegation from the Championship, Commons stayed with the club to try and get them promoted. He had to wait until his final season to finally achieve this aim and following a 3-2 win over Yeovil Town they gained promotion with the midfielder being named in the PFA League One Team of the Year. At this point he had played 159 times for Forest but with his contract up he made the unthinkable move to Derby County.

He started his time at Derby on the wing under Paul Jewell but he didn’t really show his potential until he was moved into the centre and he would go on to score the only goal of the game in a victory over Manchester United in the League Cup. Later on in the season he would also score the winning goal against Forest in an FA Cup game.

Injuries caught up with him in the next season and he didn’t have much of an impact, however the 2010-11 season was probably his best in England as he went on a run of seven goals in nine games. This form caught the attention of Celtic who signed him on the 28^th January 2011 and on the following day he scored against Aberdeen and would end the season winning the Scottish Cup. Celtic won the title in the following campaign but it was a difficult one for Commons as he only scored one goal.

But he did manage to bounce back and show his quality. During the 2013-14 season he finished as the top scorer, hitting the back of the net 32 times in all competitions. However, this wasn’t enough to convince new manager Ronny Deila to give him a starting place. He did manage to turn this round again but things got worse when Brendan Rodgers took charge as he told him he would not be part of the squad.

Commons would stay at the club until the end of his contract and after a back injury he decided it was time to retire. His last games in football came during a loan spell at Hibernian where he played five times, scoring twice.

The final word can go to Neil Lennon. “He’s intelligent, grounded and hungry. What he will do is improve us and influence the team and squad on and off the field. He will provide a goal threat from the wider areas or deeper lying areas.”

17th July – Paul Heckingbottom

Paul Heckingbottom will be hoping his managerial career will go slightly further than his playing career but he needs to make sure he chooses the right career path.

Leaving Barnsley for Leeds United might be an easy decision to some but maybe he should have avoided taking the job when he did as the club don’t seem to keep their managers in charge for very long. It is good to see that he is ambitious but after just four wins in 16 games he was sacked. He still has a long way to go in his career.

Heckingbottom started his career at Sunderland but never made a professional league appearance for the club and was sent out on loan to Scarborough, Hartlepool United and Darlington, with the full back joining the latter permanently in 1999. After 126 appearances and six goals, the defender was showing his potential and joined Norwich City in 2002. However, he couldn’t break into the team regularly and after just 16 games his contract was cancelled.

Bradford City was his next destination and he quickly became a fan favourite with his wholehearted and committed performances. Despite the club getting relegated at the end of the season, Heckingbottom was named the Player of the Year, and this convinced Sheffield Wednesday to sign the defender.

In his first season at Wednesday, he played more games than any other player for the club and scored four goals as the club gained promotion to the Championship after winning the playoffs. Unfortunately an injury during pre-season meant he lost his place in the side and never regained the left back spot so on the 13^th January 2006 he joined boyhood club Barnsley. Once again he helped the club gain promotion through the playoffs and scored in the penalty shootout victory over Swansea City.

After his move was made permanent he played a key role in helping the club avoid relegation comfortably but in the following summer he rejoined Bradford City. After a good start he would start to pick up injuries and after 53 league games he left the club again, this time he signed for Conference side Mansfield Town.

An injury ruined his pre-season and he didn’t make his debut until October 2009, 11 months after he had last played a professional game. After just 11 games he was loaned out to Gateshead who made the deal permanent in the next summer. He would only feature 22 times in the 2010-11 season and after a short spell at Harrogate Town he decided to retire.

Since retiring, Heckingbottom has already managed over 100 league games and won the League One playoffs with Barnsley as well as the Football League Trophy during the 2015-16 season which led to him being given the job on a permanent basis after two previous spells as caretaker.

The final word can go to former Mansfield Town manager David Holdsworth. “He is a class act and an accomplished player. I am delighted to have him on board.”

3rd July – Lee Bradbury

Lee Bradbury found his way into professional football after being an army recruit so understands about the other side of life.

Many footballers these days get criticised for not having worked a day in their life and getting too much money. But Bradbury is someone that will surely make the players of whatever clubs he manages to appreciate what they have. He currently manages Havant & Waterlooville and has just led them to promotion to the National League.

Bradbury started his playing career at Portsmouth but he first made an impact on loan at Exeter City, where he scored five league goals in 14 games in 1995. On his return to his parent club he did start getting more opportunities and really showed his potential during the 1996-97 season which led to him being linked with big money moves away. In July 1997, after 54 games for Portsmouth, Bradbury joined Manchester City for £3 million.

However, it was a tough time for the club as they suffered relegation at the end of the 1997-98 season but the striker did manage to score six times. Just three months into the following campaign he was on the move again, this time to Crystal Palace for £1.5 million. He only lasted 32 league games and was on the move once more, returning to first club Portsmouth.

His career started to recover and he played over 100 times in his second spell but as the team pushed for the First Division title in the 2002-03 season he was finding game time harder to come by and was sent out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday. During this spell he scored three times in 11 games showing that he can still have an impact. But he couldn’t force his way back in to the Portsmouth side and another loan spell to Derby County followed. He didn’t manage to score for Derby.

In 2004, Bradbury joined Walsall and scored just one goal for them, coming against the team he failed to score for Derby. He never really settled at Walsall and was on the move again. Oxford United was his next destination, where he scored nine times in 63 league games. He stayed until January 2006 and moved onto Southend United.

He only stayed for one full season before making the final move of his career, joining Bournemouth. As he was now coming towards the end of his career he started having different roles, not only off the pitch but on it too, and switched position from striker to right back to cover for injuries. His performances were that good that he became first choice in that position until the club signed Stephen Purches. After playing over 100 times for the club he decided to retire in 2011 after being named caretaker manager of Bournemouth after the departure of Eddie Howe.

Bournemouth reached the playoffs in his first season but they were unfortunately beaten by Huddersfield and after a poor run of form in the following campaign, Bradbury was sacked. He has since been manager of Havant & Waterlooville since October 2012.

The final word can go to Bournemouth chairman Eddie Mitchell. “For me it was a no brainer. Lee has progressed well, signed good players and brought in an experienced assistant. It helps bring stability to the club and that’s what we want to do.”

2nd June – Leigh Bromby

Leigh Bromby is one of the few players that has featured both for Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United and was well liked by both fans.

The central defender seemed to be Yorkshire through and through as he also turned out for Leeds United and is currently a coach at Huddersfield Town. Bromby came through the youth academy at Hillsborough but made his professional debut whilst on loan at Mansfield Town on the 12^th December 1999 in a 0-0 draw with Barnet. During the loan spell he would also go on to score his first career goal in a 3-1 win over Southend United.

In the following season, Bromby made his debut for Wednesday as a substitute and would go on to make 20 appearances in the second half of the season. Over the next three seasons he became a regular for the team but he did also spend a five game spell on loan at Norwich City during the 2002-03 campaign.

At the end of the 2003-04 season with Wednesday in Division Two, he made the surprising move to neighbours Sheffield United. He was an instant success at Bramall Lane, playing in every single league game and contributing five goals. In the following season he helped the team gain promotion to the top flight and would feature in 17 Premier League games but unfortunately he could not help them secure their place in the league.

Injuries then caught up with the defender and he could not get a good run in the side and this led to him leaving for Watford on the 31^st January 2008. United manager at the time Bryan Robson did not want to sell Bromby but the player wanted regular football and reluctantly allowed him to leave. After just one year at Watford, he returned to Sheffield United, initially on loan and then permanently.

This move didn’t last long as just a few weeks after signing permanently, and not making an appearance in the new season under manager Kevin Blackwell, he signed for boyhood club Leeds United. In his first season he played a key role in their promotion back to the Championship but he will have been disappointed that he was suspended for their historic FA Cup win over Manchester United. This turned out to be his last season as first choice and became a bit part player and a ruptured patella knee tendon effectively ended his career on the 3^rd May 2012. He retired after playign 380 games.

Since retiring, Bromby has took his coaching badges and was part of Leeds United’s academy until he was made redundant by controversial owner Massimo Cellino. Since August 2014, he has been a part of Huddersfield Town’s coaching setup.

The final word can go to Norwich City manager, Nigel Worthington who signed him on loan. “Leigh has made a very promising start to his career at Wednesday. This move is about him having a chance to get some games under his belt. He’s a very good defender.”

12th May – Jamie Ward

Jamie Ward at only 5 foot 5 might have been told at times that he was too small to become a professional but he has spent the majority of his career in one of the toughest leagues in the world.

The Northern Ireland international has enjoyed a lot of good spells during his career and even though his goal record is not superb he has always been appreciated for the work he puts in.

Ward started his career at Aston Villa and despite being involved in a car accident in 2004 he gained a professional contract in 2005 and later became captain of the reserve team. He had to wait until a loan spell at Stockport County to make his first team debut and in his short spell he managed one goal.

After being released by Villa in 2006 he signed for Torquay United and performed well during his time there but after just 25 appearances he requested a transfer and moved to Chesterfield in January 2007. Despite injuries he managed 12 goals for the club in his first season and was being linked with moves away and after rejecting a new contract offer it looked as though the striker was going to move to Barnsley. However, he could not agree personal terms and moved to Sheffield United.

His time with the Blades had some ups and downs including being sent off in the 2009 Playoff Final against Burnley but after coming back from suspension in the following season he scored four goals in the first seven games including the opening goal against Sheffield Wednesday. Injuries caught up to him and he never regained his form and this led to a loan move to Derby County.

During his loan spell he scored five goals in 13 games helping his new side stay up while his parent club were relegated from the Championship. In his first full season with the club he wasn’t at his best but once again he became a fan favourite by scoring a goal against their rivals Nottingham Forest in a 2-1 win.

Injuries during the 2012-13 season stopped him from reaching his full potential once again but despite missing significant portions of the season he managed 12 goals in 26 games and finished third in the player of the season votes. A few more decent seasons followed but then he made the shock decision to sign for Nottingham Forest on the 2^nd July 2015, especially after some of his antics in recent derby games.

Although still at Forest, he hasn’t really hit the heights and and has been out on loan twice since signing, firstly to Burton Albion and then to Cardiff City. Ward will be hoping that he can get his injuries behind him next year and reach 100 goals in his career.

The final word can go to former manager Nigel Clough. “He’s a niggly little so-and-so, one of those players you don’t like playing against. We need that feistiness. He gives us options.”

6th March – Garry Monk

Garry Monk will go down as a Swansea City legend for what he did as a player but he is also doing a fantastic job as their manager and leading them to another top half finish.

When Monk first joined the club he wouldn’t have believed that they would be in the Premier League never mind being one of the best footballing sides in the top flight. Many people were surprised when the 36 year old was given the job because he didn’t have any experience and they felt that under Monk they would be battling relegation. However, he knows everything about the club and the way they want to play.

The former central defender started his career at Torquay United and was very highly rated, making five appearances for the club before he had even turned professional. This meant other clubs were looking at him and he signed for Southampton at the end of the 1995-96 season. In 1998 he would return to Torquay on loan and once again impressed so on his return he found himself in the Southampton first team and made his debut on the 28^th November 1998 against Derby County. He would go on to play a further four games over the season.

In September 1999 he went out on loan to Stockport County but was recalled because of an injury crisis at his parent club and he played the first two matches in January 2000 for Southampton. A year later he went out on loan to Oxford United but once again he was recalled because of injuries and would go on to play the last two home games at The Dell against Manchester United and Arsenal which were both won by Southampton.

Monk struggled once more to become a first team regular so was sent out on loan again. This time it looked as though it would be turned into a permanent move but after playing 15 times for Sheffield Wednesday and not helping them avoid relegation to Division Two, the move didn’t materialise. He did eventually leave the club permanently and joined Barnsley in February 2004. However he only lasted half a season and left for Swansea City in June.

It was a great start for him at Swansea as he helped them get promoted from League Two in his first season and then reach the League One Playoffs in his second season. In August 2006 it was announced that he would be the club captain. Unfortunately after just two games in the 2006-07 season he picked up a cruciate ligament injury and was ruled out for the rest of the campaign. Monk returned to the team and captained the club to promotion.

In their first season back they were excellent and finished 8^th place but the 2009-10 season was not the best for Monk as he struggled with injuries and only played 22 times. Also during this period Monk and the manager Paulo Sousa did not see eye to eye and after the Portuguese man left the club Monk was back in the starting 11. He would then lead the Swans to the Premier League after defeating Reading in the Playoff final and he was given a new three year contract by the club.

Over the next two seasons he began to play less but was still able to lift his first major trophy after Swansea won the League Cup in 2013 after defeating Bradford City 5-0 in the final. Just under a year later he would be given the manager’s job and currently has a 38% win percentage as manager.

The final word can go to someone that didn’t get on well with Monk but knew his quality, Paulo Sousa. “Garry is one of the players we think is very important to our project for his experience, quality and leadership. He is an important figure in the dressing room and on the pitch. He knows the club’s philosophy.”

5th March – Matty Fryatt

Nottingham Forest are definitely outsiders to reach the playoffs this season and with Britt Assombalonga out injured they will be relying on Matty Fryatt to score the goals.

Fryatt is now 29 and has been a consistent goalscorer for a number of years and he has proven that when he’s given the chance he can find the back of the net. When he has started games in his career he has always been one of the most awake on the pitch and he has proven this by scoring Leicester City and Walsall’s quickest ever goals both after just nine seconds, surprisingly though in both games his side would go on to lose the games 2-1.

The striker started his career at Walsall and made his debut in the League Cup against Bolton Wanderers on the 24^th September 2003. But he had to go out on loan to Carlisle United to get more experience in December and he played well during his 10 game spell. The following season he was a regular for Walsall and was awarded their Player of the Year after hitting 15 goals in 36 games. This led to speculation about his future but he stayed with Walsall until January when he signed for Leicester City after another good start to the season.

He made his debut against Sheffield Wednesday in a 2-1 defeat and a week later he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat against Cardiff City. Despite manager Craig Levein being sacked, Fryatt believed he made the right move and scored six goals to help the club avoid relegation from the Championship. The following two seasons were a struggle as he suffered from injury problems and only managed six goals and with the club getting relegated his future was in doubt.

However, he made a positive start to the 2008-09 season, scoring five goals in the first four games and was named the League One Player of the Month. The goals kept coming and he became the first player for 42 years to score 20 goals before Christmas for the club. During this fantastic run he also became the first player in 83 years to score consecutive hatricks. He ended the season with 32 goals and was named the League One Player of the Year after helping Leicester gain promotion.

Once again he started the next season in fantastic form, finding the back of the net three times in the opening five matches. A broken jaw towards the end of the season stopped him having as much of an impact as he would have hoped but with 13 goals he was still the top goalscorer. He only spent a further six months at Leicester as he joined Hull City on the 1^st January 2011 and got off to a great start, scoring on his debut against Portsmouth and then another against Barnsley. On the 5^th February he would score a hatrick against Scunthorpe United and on his 25^th birthday he scored his 100^th career goal in a win over Nottingham Forest. He ended the season with nine goals at Hull.

The 2011-12 season was the last time he was first choice at Hull as he played every league game and scored 16 times but in his first appearance in the 2012-13 season he picked up a serious achilles injury. So on the 27^th September 2013 he joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan and made a good impact. He scored against Brighton, Barnsley and twice against Reading before returning to Hull and scored his first Premier League goal in a 6-0 win over Fulham and would later play an important role in getting the club to the FA Cup final by scoring in the semi final against Sheffield United. On the 9^th June 2014 Fryatt signed for Nottingham Forest and so far has six goals for the club.

The final word can go to Nigel Pearson. “Matty’s goalscoring record is pretty good. He is a predator and he also has the ability to score goals out of nothing. He works phenomenally hard for the team and he makes himself chances because of his work rate as much as anything.”

24th February – Kevin O’Connor

One club players don’t come around too often and Kevin O’Connor has progressed right from the youth team at Brentford to now being part of their coaching staff.

He is only 33 but it seems like he is focusing on the next stage of his career as he has had limited playing time this season but he will be happy to still be involved at Brentford. They are definitely a team on the up despite the uncertainties around the managerial position. Since signing for the club he has played in every position and is currently fourth on Brentford’s all time appearance list.

O’Connor first signed with Brentford as a striker and after a run of 23 goals in 30 reserve games he was given a professional contract in 1999. He went on to make his debut on the 15^th February 2000 as a substitute in the Football League Trophy defeat to Exeter City and went on to make his first start in a draw with Wycombe Wanderers a few days later. An injury slowed his progress and he had to wait over a year to score his first goal in a 2-1 win over Bristol City.

After Steve Coppell became manager in 2001, O’Connor became a regular in the side and made 32 appearances helping his club reach the playoffs, unfortunately they were beaten in the final by Stoke City. New manager Wally Downes was impressed by his performances and he was an ever present in the side for the following campaign and was now seen as a winger and contributed nine goals.

During the 2004-05 season O’Connor was moved to right back and was given the captain’s armband on the 19^th October against Hartlepool United. The season again ended in disappointment as they were defeated in the playoffs, this time by Sheffield Wednesday. He would go on to suffer even more heartbreak in the playoffs in the 2005-06 season but he did manage to score eight times in 38 games. Even worse was to follow as the club were relegated in 2007 after finishing bottom.

Relegation meant another position change for O’Connor as he played predominantly in the centre of midfield in League Two. He started off well in his new position by scoring goals against Notts County and Barnet in August 2007. But he only added one more goal over the course of the season as the club finished midtable. In the following season Brentford won the league and O’Connor was awarded a new contract. He was impressive once again in League One and made 49 appearances over the season and was given a testimonial at the end of the campaign.

The 2010-11 season was the last one that he featured regularly for the club as injuries stopped him from playing. But he was on the pitch for one of the most exciting endings to the season ever against Doncaster Rovers in the final game of the 2012-13 season. Brentford were awarded a penalty in the last minute and Marcello Trotta took the ball off O’Connor but missed the spot kick and Doncaster ran down the other end and scored, winning the game 1-0 meaning Brentford and O’Connor had to go through the playoffs. Once again they failed to get promoted after losing against Yeovil Town.

Finally in the next campaign they would get promoted to the Championship and on the final day of the season O’Connor made his 500^th appearance for the club. Since promotion he has not played a league game but he has been an important member of the coaching staff, helping the team challenge for the playoffs and will be needed now more than ever with Mark Warburton expected to leave in the summer.

The final word can go to Mark Warburton. “Kevin has seen so much change at the club and yet has maintained his exceedingly high standards throughout and it is this outstanding quality that we need to keep at Brentford. I am delighted that Kevin O’Connor will be extending his stay at the club.”

23rd February – Gareth Barry

Gareth Barry has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League but with Everton not being at their best this season it has been difficult for him to influence games as positively.

The midfielder is now 34 and currently holds the record of picking up the most yellow cards in the Premier League and reached 100 against Stoke City on Boxing Day this season. He will be hoping that he and his club can end the season strongly or it will be seen as quite a disappointing year for everyone involved after such a good season last year and maybe Barry will be one of the players that will be getting dropped from the starting 11.

Barry has had an interesting career and even before he had played a professional game he was involved in some controversy after he left Brighton for Aston Villa along with Michael Standing and Brighton were demanding £2.5 million. But the deal went through after a tribunal set the fee and Barry went on to make his debut on the 2^nd May 1998 against Sheffield Wednesday on the left side of a back three alongside experienced duo Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu. Over the next few years he was seen as a versatile player that could fill many roles, after playing centre back for a while, he moved to left back then left midfield and finally to the centre of midfield. This was his best position and it wasn’t long before he was named club captain.

He spent 12 years at Aston Villa and is currently ninth on their all time appearance list but in 2008 it seemed like it was unravelling and after several bids from Liverpool it looked like he was leaving. Despite getting the captain’s armband taken off him he did stay at the club for another season and after an injury to replacement captain Martin Laursen he was given the armband back in January 2009.

On the 2^nd June 2009 he did eventually leave the club after 441 games and 52 goals and joined Manchester City. This was a surprising move in a way as he said he wanted Champions League football and at the time City were not in the competition. He made his debut on the opening day of the season against Blackburn Rovers and would go on to score his first goal not long afterwards in the incredible 4-3 defeat against Manchester United.

Over the next two seasons things got better for both him and the club as they lifted the FA Cup and Premier League with Barry being one of the most consistent players in the squad. The next was not so successful as they failed to defend their Premier League title. After 175 games for the club he was on the move once again and joined Everton on a season long loan on the 2^nd September 2013.

On his debut for Everton he was named man of the match after helping his new team to a 1-0 win over Chelsea and later in the month became the 10^th player to make 500 appearances in the Premier League. He formed a great partnership with James McCarthy and completed the most passes over the course of the season for Everton as they amassed a club record 72 points. At the end of the season his contract expired at Man City and he joined Everton permanently.

The final word can go to Roberto Martinez. “Gareth is a model professional. He sets high standards in everything he does and that is the perfect model you want for your young players. We enjoyed having him as a loan player, but we will be enjoying him even more knowing he is an Everton player.”