A Fistful of Dollars: A Wayne Rooney Story

[RMJH4]

Chapter 2: A New Year, A New Hope.

December has been mad. Absolutely mad. But for the first time in a long while, it’s been the good kind.

When I look back at the last six games, it’s hard not to feel proud of the lads. Five wins on the bounce. From where this club was when I walked through the door — administration, an 18-point deduction, uncertainty everywhere — that run felt almost impossible. Middlesbrough brought us back down to earth, but even that one hurt because I genuinely felt we deserved something. When you’re annoyed at losing to a promotion contender away from home, you know standards have shifted.

We’ve clawed back ground on Oxford and Norwich. Not enough yet, but enough to believe. The table still doesn’t look pretty, but for the first time since October, it doesn’t feel hopeless either. The players have given the fans something back — belief, fight, and identity.

Individually, there have been some massive performances. Barry Bannan has been outstanding. He’s set the tone every day in training and dragged us through games when we needed control and calm. Ike Ugbo has been huge for us — his goals, his physical presence, his work without the ball. He’s led the line properly. Charlie McNeill has stepped up as well, scoring big goals and showing real intelligence in his movement.

At the back, the group has grown quickly. Bernard and Iorfa have been solid, brave in possession and aggressive without it. Otegbayo has surprised a few people with how quickly he’s adapted. In goal, Horvath gave us stability when we needed it most, and now Pierce Charles coming in after that loan ending is another moment for a young lad to grow fast.

The wing-backs deserve a mention too. Whether it’s Valery, Amass or Kobacki, they’ve bought into the system completely. They’re covering huge distances and giving us real width and energy. That’s not easy in a back five, especially with the schedule we’ve had.

This weekend is the FA Cup and we’ve drawn Cambridge Utd. They’re flying in League Two and playing with real confidence. I’ve told the players to enjoy it. I will probably rotate the squad a little, the FA Cup is not a priority but a win would be a nice boost for the club. These are the games you measure yourself against. No pressure — just standards.

Off the pitch, it’s been chaos again. Ruben Amorim getting sacked at United changes everything. Sounds like Ole or Michael Carrick will take it until the end of the season. You never really escape that club — it always pulls you back in somehow.

At least Ayden Heaven has so far been outstanding — calm, brave, switched on. He’s slotted straight in like he’s been here for years, and that’s not easy in this situation. He’ll be massive for us in the months ahead. Lacey was good too, but physically will need some time to find his feet.

We’re close to announcing Nathan Redmond as well. That’s a statement signing for where this club is right now. Experience, quality, leadership. Someone who’s played at the very top level and understands pressure. If all goes well, he’ll make his debut this weekend, and I’m hoping he gives us that bit of composure and threat in the final third.

There’s still a long way to go. Relegation is still the likely outcome, and I’m not pretending otherwise. But this finally feels like a team, a project, and a club moving in the same direction.

For once, it feels like we’re building — not just surviving.

[RMJH4]

Sheffield Wednesday pull off shock January move as Nathan Redmond comes out of retirement to join crisis-hit Owls

Sheffield Wednesday have completed one of the most eye-catching moves of the January transfer window by signing former England international Nathan Redmond on a deal until the end of the season.

In a bold statement of intent from new owner Mark Cuban and head coach Wayne Rooney, the 31-year-old winger has come out of retirement to help steer the Owls through a turbulent campaign following administration and a heavy points deduction.

Redmond, who last played competitively in the Premier League, had stepped away from the game earlier this year but has been tempted back by the scale of the project unfolding at Hillsborough. Sources close to the deal say Rooney personally convinced the former Birmingham, Norwich and Southampton man that he still had plenty to offer — and that his experience could prove invaluable in a relegation battle few would willingly step into.

Wednesday currently find themselves scrapping at the bottom of the Championship table after being hit with an 18-point deduction earlier in the season. While survival remains a long shot, the club’s resurgence in recent weeks under Rooney has injected belief, and Redmond’s arrival is viewed as another signal that the Owls are thinking beyond mere damage limitation.

The winger brings over a decade of top-flight experience to a squad largely made up of youngsters, loanees and academy graduates. Rooney is believed to see Redmond not just as an impact player, but as an on-field leader capable of guiding emerging talents through the pressures of senior football.

Speaking after the deal was confirmed, Rooney hinted that Redmond’s influence could stretch far beyond goals and assists.

“Nathan’s been there and done it at the highest level,” Rooney said.
“In a dressing room like ours, that kind of experience is priceless. He knows what it takes to handle pressure, criticism and expectation.”

For Redmond, the move represents an unexpected final chapter in a career that many assumed had quietly ended.

“I wasn’t looking to come back,” Redmond admitted.
“But the conversation with Wayne and the vision for the club made me feel like I could still contribute. This is about helping a group, not chasing headlines.”

Under Cuban’s ownership, Wednesday have already lifted a transfer embargo, reshaped their backroom staff and begun laying foundations for a long-term rebuild — even with relegation to League One still a strong possibility.

Redmond is expected to be available immediately and could make his debut this weekend, adding pace, composure and a calming presence to a side learning quickly what it means to fight for survival.

At a club where chaos has been the norm for much of the season, Sheffield Wednesday’s January gamble on a player pulled back from retirement feels fitting — risky, dramatic, but full of intent.

[RMJH4]

Sheffield Wednesday sell Iorfa and Valery as Cuban moves to balance books

Rob Staton, BBC Radio Sheffield reporter and Ian Woodcock, BBC Sport England
Published
4 January 2026

Sheffield Wednesday have confirmed the sales of Dominic Iorfa and Yan Valery as the Championship club continue efforts to stabilise their finances following administration earlier this season.

Defender Iorfa has joined promotion-chasing Coventry City in a deal worth £910,000, while wing-back Valery has completed a move to Dutch giants Ajax for £1.95 million. The combined fees are seen as a significant boost to Wednesday’s short-term cash flow as the club works to comply with EFL financial regulations.

The departures come less than a month after American businessman Mark Cuban completed his takeover of the Owls, inheriting a squad assembled under severe financial strain and a club operating under points deductions.

In a statement, Wednesday described the sales as “necessary and responsible decisions” aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability rather than short-term survival.

“These moves are about protecting the future of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club,” the statement read. “While losing senior players is never easy, they allow us to meet our obligations and continue rebuilding on stable foundations.”

The club remains subject to an overall 18-point deduction, including an additional six-point penalty imposed earlier this season for the late payment of player wages. However, BBC Sport understands that Cuban has now formally submitted an appeal to the English Football League, challenging the severity of that additional sanction.

Sources close to the club say Wednesday are not disputing the missed payments themselves, but believe mitigating circumstances around the takeover process and emergency funding were not fully considered when the punishment was applied.

On the pitch, head coach Wayne Rooney has publicly acknowledged that relegation remains likely, but has praised the ownership for backing a longer-term plan.

Valery’s move to Ajax represents a major step up, with the Frenchman having impressed despite Wednesday’s struggles, while Iorfa departs having made over 200 appearances for the club across multiple spells.

Sheffield Wednesday are expected to remain active in the January window, focusing on loans and free transfers as they attempt to remain competitive while continuing to balance the books under strict financial oversight. The signing of Nathan Redmond on a free transfer and Svante Ingelsson getting nearer to a return have given the squad enough strength in depth to allow both moves go through.

[RMJH4]

Bit of an update on the title of the story. Gives me a little bit more flexibility going forward! Using my work laptop just to post updates for now.

[James]

I think Redmond will be a good signing for you.

[RMJH4]

Chapter 3: The Call.

The phone rang late in the evening, long after Rooney had finished reviewing training clips and injury reports. A private number. He almost ignored it.

When he answered, he wasn’t expecting the voice on the other end.

It was the Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

The tone was polite, almost casual, but the message landed heavily. Forest were considering a change. Sean Dyche’s position, despite decent results, was being reviewed. Would Rooney be interested in taking over? Could he keep the conversation completely quiet?

Rooney was stunned. Not flattered — stunned.

Dyche, in his view, was doing a good job. Forest were competitive, organised, and difficult to play against. The idea that his job was already under discussion didn’t sit right. Rooney listened, asked a few questions, but the more the Marinakis spoke, the more uneasy he felt.

There was no long-term plan outlined. No patience. No clarity. Just urgency, pressure and expectation — all too familiar.

Rooney declined the offer of an interview. Politely. Firmly.

He explained that he had just taken on a massive challenge at Sheffield Wednesday. That he believed in what was being built. That walking away after a few weeks, especially under the circumstances, wasn’t something he could justify — to the club, the players, or himself.

Marinakis pressed once more. Rooney ended the call.

When it was over, he sat back and laughed — not out of arrogance, but disbelief.

“I’d never work for him,” Rooney muttered to himself. “Absolute loose cannon.”

And yet, beneath the shock and frustration, there was something else: excitement.

For the first time since stepping into management, Rooney was being talked about again — not as a firefighter, not as a last resort, but as someone clubs wanted. Serious clubs. Premier League clubs.

Only a few weeks into his Sheffield Wednesday job, and already the phone was ringing.

This time, though, he wasn’t chasing the next opportunity.

He was choosing the right one.

[RMJH4]

I think Redmond will be a good signing for you.

Thats the hope, experience is key.

[Soapy]

leaving already would have been hilarious lmao

[RMJH4]

Update. Back surgery recovery has not been going aswell as I'd liked. Wound still bleeding so have been in an out of hospital every 2 days getting dressed changed. Difficult to get comfortable for very long. Still have not got my laptop back. Issues with fans,ic chip, thermal paste and charger so far. Hopefully get back on track with everything next week guys.

[Agent]

Hope that recovery gets better for you man!