Sheffield Wednesday made one of the most shrewd free transfer purchases in recent history when they brought Glenn Loovens to Hillsborough in December 2013.

What was once seen as a temporary defensive cover ended up with the Dutch centre-back becoming club captain and appearing in successive Championship play-off campaigns.​

In reality, the circumstances surrounding the Dutch centre-back’s entrance couldn’t have been more tumultuous.

Dave Jones was ousted as manager just days before the club tried to sign a defender he had managed at Cardiff City, with Stuart Gray taking temporary command.

Loovens had already begun training with the club after leaving Real Zaragoza the previous summer, but he needed to get approval from the Spanish FA before signing.

Glenn Loovens was selected Sheffield Wednesday captain seven months after signing.

To begin, it’s worth remembering that the then-30-year-old came to Wednesday with a wealth of experience, having won the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord and many Scottish trophies, as well as reaching the FA Cup final with Cardiff in 2008.

So it was perhaps not surprising that he made an immediate impression in the second half of 2013/14, appearing in 26 games for the Owls in total.

His performances were so excellent that when the summer approached, Stuart Gray, the club’s permanent manager at the time, did not hesitate to grant him a fresh one-year deal.

Gray named Loovens club captain for the upcoming season, demonstrating the Dutchman’s rapid rise to prominence in South Yorkshire.Glenn’s re-signing is excellent news for us because he is a top player. “He’s a fantastic professional,” Gray told the club’s official website in July 2014.He will be my captain and an extension of my arm in the locker room. He’s a good organizer. He will soon catch up throughout preseason. He’s returned, looking lean and incredibly fit. I want Glenn out there every week because of the skills he can offer to the football field.”

Loovens plainly accepted the burden, saying, “I’ll lead the guys out and give everything for the fans.” After taking the captaincy, he expressed gratitude to Stuart Gray for providing the opportunity.As one of the team’s elder players, it is my responsibility to assist the younger guys who are rising up,” he continued.

While the player to be discussed was not precisely young or inexperienced, Loovens performed admirably when paired with Tom Lees, who was 23 years old when he joined the club from Leeds United.

Glenn Loovens helped maintain 17 clean sheets for Sheffield Wednesday in consecutive seasons alongside Tom Lees.

While Gray’s stint ended in June 2015, Loovens’ importance to the South Yorkshire club only increased under new head coach Carlos Carvalhal.

The Portuguese manager monitored Loovens as he helped Wednesday keep 17 clean sheets for the second year in a row, matching the club record set in 1978/79.

Wednesday finished sixth in the Championship at the end of the 2015/16 season before losing to Hull City in the play-off final, in which Loovens played the entire 90 minutes alongside his centre-back partner, Lees.

Yes, the next season brought more playoff heartache as Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals before losing on penalties to Huddersfield Town – but both Loovens and Lees played the entire game again.

A few years later, a Wednesdayite took to social media to express how Loovens “carried” Lees throughout their time playing together.

Ultimately, Loovens’ steadiness on the pitch over five seasons at Wednesday was astounding, given that he was only expected to be there for a few months. He appeared 150 times for the Owls across all competitions and scored one goal.

The ex-Celtic man may not have achieved his ultimate objective of joining the Premier League, but Wednesday’s straight play-off campaigns under his captaincy are the closest they’ve come to the top level in years.​