Sheffield Wednesday have given a lot of young players opportunities this season despite their off-field turmoil, but they may still be wondering what may have been with one of their previous academy graduates.
Wednesday’s team was torn apart during their awful summer under former owner Dejphon Chansiri, so they’ve had to rely on some of their youth players to fill in at senior level this season.
While some have not yet looked ready for the Championship, Pierce Charles, Charlie McNeill, and Bailey Cadamarteri have all impressed, and with the Owls set to play League One football next season, they may be vulnerable to losing them in the summer if higher-level clubs come calling.
Under Chansiri’s ownership, Wednesday frequently failed to lock down its best young players to long-term contracts, with Osaze Urhoghide, Liam Shaw, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru among the more visible instances of those who left for free at the end of their contracts.
However, the most acrimonious departure of a young player under Chansiri’s tenure was that of striker George Hirst, whose subsequent success at Ipswich Town will undoubtedly hurt the Owls fans.
George Hirst’s contentious withdrawal from Sheffield Wednesday following the dispute with Dejphon Chansiri
Of course, fans of any club love to see academy players break into the first squad, but given that Hirst was the son of famed former Wednesday striker David, it’s fair to say that his debut sparked a bit more enthusiasm than usual.
Hirst starred in the club’s academy before being given a senior shot by Carlos Carvalhal, and he appeared twice for the Owls in the first half of the 2016-17 season.
With Wednesday seeking for promotion to the Premier League under Carvalhal, Hirst’s first-team opportunities were obviously limited, especially given Gary Hooper, Steven Fletcher, and Fernando Forestieri ahead of him in the pecking order.
Despite his lack of playing time, Hirst’s reputation was increasing, and he was soon connected with many Premier League clubs, including Everton and Manchester United, prompting Chansiri to try to ensure the future of one of his prized assets.
As the two parties failed to reach an agreement on a new contract, Chansiri said that he offered Hirst an offer that “broke the club’s salary structure,” and when he refused to sign, he barred the striker from playing for Wednesday at any level until he accepted the proposal.
Unsurprisingly, the pressure strategy did not change Hirst’s decision, and after about eight months away from sport, the unpleasant story ended in June 2018 when he left Wednesday to join Belgian side Oud-Hervelee Leuven.
Ipswich Town has enjoyed the advantages of the George Hirst and Sheffield Wednesday drama.
After only one season with OH Leuven, Hirst moved to Leicester City, although he struggled to establish himself at the King Power Stadium, spending time on loan with Rotherham United, Portsmouth, and Blackburn Rovers.
Hirst had a disappointing loan stay with Rovers in the first half of the 2022-23 season, failing to score in 11 games, and his time at Ewood Park was cut short in the January transfer window, but his fortunes improved with a temporary move to Ipswich.
At the time, the Tractor Boys were competing with Wednesday for automatic promotion from League One, and after a disappointing winter period, Hirst was one of four signings made by manager Kieran McKenna in January as he looked to get his side’s season back on track, along with Harry Clarke, Massimo Luongo, and Nathan Broadhead.
The quadruple deal certainly had the desired effect, as Hirst helped Ipswich go unbeaten in their final 19 games of the season, scoring six goals in the process, and that remarkable run of form was enough for his new club to leapfrog his former employers into second place, despite the Owls’ 96 points.
Hirst then joined the Tractor Boys on a permanent basis for a fee of £1.5 million, and it wasn’t long before he and his teammates were celebrating again, with the 26-year-old scoring seven goals and providing six assists in 26 appearances to help the Suffolk club win back-to-back promotions in the 2023-24 season and return to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.
Unfortunately for Ipswich, their spell in the top division was only one year, and Hirst had a miserable season last season as he was primarily relegated to a backup role behind Liam Delap, but he has reclaimed his status as McKenna’s primary man now that the team has returned to the Championship.
Hirst has made a name for himself not only at club level since leaving Wednesday, but also for Scotland, where he has scored one goal in six appearances since making his debut for Steve Clarke’s side in March, and his international exploits will undoubtedly make his departure even more painful for the Hillsborough fans.
However, with Chansiri no longer in the picture, Hirst’s father David recently stated that there is a potential he would return to the club one day, noting that his son has “a little soft spot” for the Owls, so this is something to keep an eye on in the coming years.
xz
