More Sheffield Wednesday updates - Bannan, Lumley, transfers and more as the Ladies prepare

As always, things are happening at Sheffield Wednesday. On this week's episode of The Wednesday Word Show, Joe Crann talks through the latest on transfers, discusses a new TWW venture, and sits down with two key members of the Sheffield Wednesday Ladies setup to discuss the season ahead.

Barry Bannan, Tayo Adaramola, Joe Lumley and more are discussed as we try to keep you loop as much as possible ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Check out the new store here: https://thewednesdaywordstore.myshopify.com/ 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

This week on the Wednesday Words Show, we'll be talking all the latest on Jeffrey Wednesday transfers, Barry Bannon, Joe Lumley, introducing our brand new Wednesday Words thought. And we have two exclusive interviews with Jeffrey Wednesday ladies' first team manager, Kevin Lee, and his fielder Jody Stansel to get their thoughts on the upcoming season. Hello and welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Word Show. With me, Joe Cran. It's been another big week at Sheffield Wednesday. It does feel like I say that all the time, but it really that it really is the case at Wednesday at the moment. It feels like there's always something happening, always something going on. And uh the past week or so has not been any different. But I know why you're all here. I know why you're draw tuning into this video. You want to talk transfers, and I get it, I get it, I understand. So yeah, we'll do just that. I think with the big one at Wednesday at the moment is Barry Bannon. Um, you can't really get away from the talk over over Baz, you know, is uh he's close, you know, it's gonna happen. Um, there's been a lot of talk, there's been obviously talk of uh is his departure from Millwall in London as well. So that's the the thing. I I think it's it's probably important to point out, I did I did it so on on Twitter this week as well, is just because you know people have been seen or this has happened and that has happened, it doesn't mean that things are official and that sort of every little piece of paperwork has been been signed off. And obviously, from a club perspective, an announcement can't be made until every single T is crossed, every single I is dotted. So I think the thing I would say is just because things haven't been announced yet, don't get too worried. I know that we've had a difficult time at Wednesday. I know that under the previous owner there was always uh always a chance that things could collapse, but it doesn't feel like that is the case anymore. So yeah, just I think if if you're a little bit concerned that things haven't been officially announced yet, um just have have a little patience. It's that's all it needs, I think. Um it will happen when it happens. The other the other Baret is uh is Louis, Louis Baret. Uh that's uh another one that that I understand is is practically done. You know, I think that we'll be getting an announcement on Louis Barry at some point in the not too distant future. Hopefully this week will be nice, but you know, it it's uh again, it's just lots of lots of different bits to to finalise and get done. But I I would imagine that we'll be seeing that pretty soon. It's gonna be a permanent deal. Um, sounds like it's gonna be a a deal that has got a lot uh that could be worth uh a chunk going forward, but not too much now, which is great for Wednesday. It feels like they've got uh you know a really good deal with with the Louis Barry one, bringing him on board. Great player in League One, will be a should be a brilliant sign-in for Wednesday, and that's what I'm I'm very, very excited about. Obviously, just followed Harry uh Harry Gray just come in. So that's uh another one that's come come down a couple of divisions to come come play at Wednesday was obviously at Rotherham on loan before, but 17 years old, very talented young player, could add something a little bit different to Wednesday. Story I did yesterday, Joe Lumley. Joe Lumley, I think that one is accelerating at pace now. I think that that is um obviously all this is at the time of recording. There's a chance that something or nothing, you know, becomes official in the time it takes me to get this all uploaded and get it done. Um, but yeah, no, it's uh the Joe Lumley one is is is accelerating. I think the hope the hope is that he'll be a Wednesday player in the not so not so distant future, like I say. Sounds like it's gonna be a permanent deal from what I can from what I can gather. Uh he's uh obviously a player that knows Wednesday. He was he's there for a couple of games last season, not too much. Um but yeah, he was there for for two games. I think it was Middlesbrough and Oxford he came in for during Wednesday's goalkeeping crisis. I've looked, they'll be looking for another keeper where Joe Lumley stands in that pecking order if he's been brought in as a the the experienced number two or if he's coming as a number one. I don't know that yet. I think we'll have to wait and see. I I've not really heard of any other goalkeeper interest just yet. I know there was sort of conversations about bringing Murphy Cooper back, but by the sounds of it, I think he's on his way to Plymouth. So yeah, I think Joe Lumley that that one will happen. Um again, not sure entirely on the timeline, but yeah, keep it locked on the Wednesday word. We'll bring you uh uh updates on that when we can. And then the other one that everyone's asking about is uh Tayo Aderamola. Tao is obviously, you know, he had a great time at Wednesday last year. He made no secret of how much he'd enjoyed it. There's a few reports saying that it was practically a done deal not long back. I I'm not sure that was that was the case. I still think that that's uh well, I know that's being worked on, it's still still being discussed, but um, I'm not sure it's as far down the line as as what sort of some people have been led to believe. So yeah, Wednesday are looking to try and get something done for for Teo. The the interest is is still there. Uh but yeah, it's it's not as as far as I know, anyway, it's it's it's nothing imminent. It'd be a great sign in League One. He's he's very athletic, really got sort of a lot of potential there. So I think he could be an interesting sign for Wednesday next season if they can get that one done. Going to the training, they're obviously at St. George's Park at the moment. Um, everyone's seen the new training gear, the new Umbrus stuff. We've seen a couple of faces in there um in the in the inside training video. I think the Cameron Dawson is as as Alex Miller reported, is training with the team at the moment. Same with uh with Wanyan Marcel as well. Uh two players that are, you know, I think with probably different reasoning. You know, with with Cam, you know, he it's probably mutually beneficial when you don't have a goalkeeper or a senior goalkeeper in the ranks at the moment. So having Cam around is is probably quite handy and it means he can keep fit while he's looking for his next club. Uh with Wanyan Marcel, he's younger. You know, there's probably a potential to look at him as a actual sign in. Um, just left Leicester City. So could be an interesting one there. So Logan Stretcher is back. He's you know, it's only a few days since he's under 19's Euros campaign came to a came to an end with Wales, but I'm sure he was itching to get back with the team considering uh you know he's the most experienced contract goalkeeper at the moment, even though he's only played the one game. Talking of goalkeepers, uh, there is a certain goalkeeper going to be leaving Sheffield Wednesday. Pierce Charles, uh, you know, we understand he had his medical at Man City yesterday. That's a deal that you know, uh as I've sort of done on one of my videos before, Pierce is going to be going for a guaranteed three million. Club of hopeful, well, I think hopeful's probably less than I think they're confident that that that that fee will rise to five million, and over the course of time it could go all the way up to over 10 million pounds. So Piers Charles could potentially become Sheffield Wednesday's biggest uh biggest sale of all time. We are expecting that to get done this week. Um, you know, that's that's a move that is unfortunately. I don't think Wednesday fans are particularly surprised to see Piers go in. He's a he's a player that has got undoubted potential. Um he's a very, very good goalkeeper now, but I think you know he's for me, he's one of the one of the players with the highest ceilings I've seen at Wednesday in a long, long time. So yeah, wishing Piers all the best. It's gonna be a shame not to see him in a Wednesday shirt, but yeah, it looks like he's gonna be off to Man City. So I know that QPR are looking to try and get him in and try and get a deal done to bring him in on loan, so he'll be playing on the championship next season. I know that that is something Man City want to do. They want to get him in the championship playing regularly because you know he's he's obviously not going to be taking Donorumer's place in the Premier League just yet. A little bit, I suppose, elsewhere. The the kit, you know, we've seen a couple of pictures have got out of the kit. I I think that anyone who's waiting for that, you probably aren't going to be waiting too much longer. Can we be blue and white stripes? We don't we know that much. Uh, but yeah, I think that's something that we probably will see in the in the not too distant future again. So all that all access is underway. Um, yeah, lots happening at Wednesday. And and yeah, on that front, I think we will uh we'll see a bit of progress on on all of that stuff over the next few days. Another thing I wanted to talk to you about today is uh I'm absolutely delighted to launch the Wednesday Word store this week. Um, you'll have seen me wearing some of the gear, seen Don wearing some of the gear when we we did an episode with him. So I want to text you a little bit about it, really. What I've done with the the Wednesday Word store is it's a sort of a new venture that I've I've set up, and and a big part of it for me is is is the community that can come um as part of the Wednesday Word. You know, I've been luckily in a position to be able to hire young photographers and you know, I'm being able to pay people looking for a Wednesday ladies racher at the moment that that's going to be a paid job as well. And all of the you know, the subs that you guys pay to be part of this help contribute to that. Uh, with the Wednesday Word store, what I'm gonna be doing is is ever at two pounds from every single sale um will be going to to local Sheffield charities, picked packed, and I've picked uh the Bright Young Dreams guys who are they work with the the Sheffield Children's Hospital charity. So a pound will go to each of those um with every single sale. None not there's no exceptions. Every single sale, two pounds will be donated uh to those. And and that's something that I really want to do as part of this. But I think the other thing that I wanted to sort of discuss with the with regards to the shop is the the quality of the the gear that I'm I'm sort of producing. So I've I've I've teamed up with with some guys who are who are making the stuff for me. Lee Wildgoose has done the designs, you might recognize some of his stuff. He's Lee's been been brilliant. I mean this I think this this is probably my favorite of of the range, but there's some really good stuff on there. You know, get go check it out. It's uh the links on the the Wednesday Word store. So the links on the Wednesday Word website. So you can go find that on there. But yeah, there's some really I think there's some really nice stuff on it. And what I've done is uh the I I've I've sort of picked the higher quality gear, but I've made the prices as as low as I can I can really go. There is a 10% discount on everything at the moment, t-shirts, the hoodies, and the mugs. So that that's all available with 10% off. You can get that just at checkout. You don't need to put any voucher codes in or anything like that. But yeah, uh just being sort of upfront and and and honest about it, really, the profit margin is is not massive uh because I wanted the the clothing, the gear to be good quality, but I also didn't want to be charging um what I thought was you know potentially too much money for you guys to be paying. So yeah, if everyone who's bought stuff so far, it's it's they're made it's been amazing how many people have picked up some bits. Hopefully, when they arrive, uh you guys like them. And as always, with everything that I do, if there are any issues, um if there's anything that you want to ask me about, then uh then just ask. You know, you've got me on Substack, you've got me on Twitter. So if there's any any queries, any problems, you can always always reach out to me. And lastly, um I just want to talk about the Sheffield Wednesday ladies. So there is something coming up, um, another season. You know, they've uh had they had a good couple of campaigns, Wednesday ladies have sort of they got promoted and this sort of solidified their place in the division last year. They weren't too far away from from pushing for promotion, and that is now the goal this season. Um, I spoke to Kieran Lee, who's a first team manager, and Jodie Stansell, who's a long-serving midfielder at Sheffield Wednesday ladies, and this is what they had to say. Kieran, uh looking forward to a new season. It's uh it all seems quite exciting around Sheffield Wednesday at the moment, and that's your your side included.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

Definitely, yeah. Obviously, everything's changed with men's side. Um, we're looking forward to having a cracking season next season with Willings.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

You've got um, you know, I've spoken to Jess and Jody, and one of the things that it seems to be really exciting from both of them is the fact that you you've kept your group together from last season. You know, some some really good players that that have that did well then, and it seems like most of them are going to be sticking around.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

Yeah, we always we've always talked about having a loyal squad, having players that want to stay, players that can improve and progress in football, and and luckily for us, but that's that's what we've got this season. So 16 players re-signed. Still a little bit of movement um in squad whether we want to bring another couple in, but whether we look at the back through the club, reserves, development, and under 18s, that's something that we really look to do, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

Yeah, and you've got a nice mix as well, haven't you? You've got quite a big gap in in age group.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

Um yeah, we've definitely got some experienced players, shall we say? Yeah, and some young players coming through from um eight teams, which has been fantastic, fantastic achievement for them and and a great help for us as a squad.

SPEAKER_02 11:20

Yeah, I saw last season obviously I mean you guys rely on on sponsorships and funding from from the girls themselves. Like um it was nice to see sort of so many Sheffield Wensey fans and you know podcasts and fan groups and stuff come to the party to sort of help out and and fund a team.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

Yeah, yeah, no, that's great. It's uh these are fantastic support behind the girls. We we're always looking for more, as in sponsorship, just to get everybody sponsored and take that pressure off the girls so concentrate on training and playing. But yeah, we have had um over the last couple of seasons that have been evolved, we've had a fantastic response and uh hopefully we get that again this season, pre-season.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

How much would it help to have you know a little bit of help from the club, you know, like maybe not complete bells and whistles and everything, but you know, to just have uh a little bit of support from the actual club itself. From the club, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

Um no, it'd be fantastic, but um like I've said before, all we can do is just get our zone down and work hard and try and do the right thing, and then maybe some people might sit up and take a bit of notice, and yeah, it'd be fantastic to get a bit of help, but we've just got to focus on what we're doing and do the best we can, and then if people come in and try and help, then that'll be brilliant.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Yeah, you've got some some good goal scorers in this side. I'd yeah, we've been watching those over the last couple of seasons. Who you who are you looking to next season? Who do you think is gonna be top scorer this time around?

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Oh man, I don't know. That's a tricky one, eh? Yeah, we've got some fantastic talent going forward. Nicole's been brilliant, we've got Amy who's coming back from an injury, obviously Jody Gregory, we've got him from Donny Bell's absolutely superstar. But there's goals all over pitch. We just need to work really hard. We've just gonna be our defensive coach this season, so obviously we need to improve defensively as a team. But if we can sort that out and when we know what we've got going forward, then we've got a chance.

SPEAKER_02 13:04

Have you got a captain for the season? Have you decided who's gonna be wearing the armband?

SPEAKER_01 13:07

Um not yet, we're still looking at that. There may be some uh changes there. I want to um I shake things up a bit, but I want to come in it from a different angle. Yeah, we might we might change that this season just to freshen things up.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

And just lastly, you've got some new teams in the division, obviously, from from last year. What sort of challenge are you expecting from the the teams that are coming into the division?

SPEAKER_01 13:27

Uh it's a tough division, so anybody that comes into it uh will be a good team. They've earned the right to get into this division, so it'll be yeah, it'll be challenging. Every every game's gonna be challenging, but um we're gonna be ready for it and we're gonna be up for it, and we're gonna give it everything we've got.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Jody, we're uh we're here on a very warm evening. I suppose it's good good preparation for a tough season ahead.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

What's the sort of the mood like at the moment? I was chatting to to Jess and she's just saying what like a good group of players it is at the moment and and how much we're enjoying being around each other. Like, is that something that's sort of across the board? Like you're just all looking forward to a really fun season?

SPEAKER_00 14:05

Definitely. I think towards the end of last season, I think we all gel together and we j we just came we just came together as one team and we're just hoping to basically take it into the start of next season and just just basically follow it through and take it as far as we can.

SPEAKER_02 14:17

Yeah, and and obviously keeping the team together largely is a big thing.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

Yeah, we've had we've not really brought many players in. We're wanting to keep the squad uh pretty much similar to what we ended the season last season uh and basically go from there. I think Kieran is looking at bringing one or two uh new ones in, maybe, but we'll see that obviously in the pre-season coming up.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Kieran has uh jumped in, um you know, he's we know I know he's been here before, but like to jump in and like it at the end of the season. Was it really nice to have a familiar face to come in and sort of steady the ship a little bit?

SPEAKER_00 14:47

Oh, definitely, yeah, definitely. Kieran's obviously one of those that gets along with everybody, he knows the team very well, he knows how to gel the girls, so yeah, we're we're all very pleased that he's back.

SPEAKER_02 14:57

Yeah, so in charge. I saw some lovely pictures of the awards evening that you had. It does feel like you're a very tight-knit group of players.

SPEAKER_00 15:03

Yes, definitely. Yeah, definitely. We all get on really well. So we have we have our odd nights out together, and uh yeah, it's uh it's really good, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

Yeah, you you're one of the the more experienced players in in the group, and and there is there is a big gap now, isn't there? Like between um sort of I mean we're me and Jess were talking about Annie who's coming through at sort of 16 years old. Like is that quite a nice thing to have, you know, having having that I suppose that mix of of types of players and ages of players?

SPEAKER_00 15:29

Yeah, definitely. Uh I mean I started from a very young age, and for me to now still be playing and being the first team squad at Ship for Wednesday, um and then obviously for me to be somebody that the younger ones can look up to and think that they can they can progress and still be going at an age like mine.

SPEAKER_02 15:48

How long how long have you been playing? Like when did you actually start? Um firstly when did you start playing football? But then when did you start at Wednesday Ladies?

SPEAKER_00 15:55

No, I started at Still City to Wanderers. Um so I was just I think I was eight around eight years old and I was just kicking a ball about on the street and the manager at Sheffield at Stil City to Wanderers, sorry, came up and asked if I played for a team. Obviously I said no and he asked me to go along to train and it all it all just started from there.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Yeah, so how how did you end up here? Like when did you end up with uh Wednesday Ladies?

SPEAKER_00 16:14

So I I played for quite a few teams when I was younger. So I obviously started Still City to Wanderers, played Sheffield Wednesday uh Sheffield Rangers, uh Rotherham United, then I got into Sheffield United Academy while I was young as well. We travelled, so I played in Holland, we played in Spain, uh, and then I think it was under 18s when I first joined Sheffield Wednesday. I think I have had two spells out Wednesday where I joined Pennington for two seasons and I've been back and this is where I'll be staying.

SPEAKER_02 16:38

Yeah, are you are you a Wednesday fan?

SPEAKER_00 16:39

I am a massive Wednesday ticket.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

Because I I am right and saying you live around there as well.

SPEAKER_00 16:43

Yes, yes. I've had a season ticket since I was five, and we've still got one now. Yes, I've got it's been a family thing. Um I've been going all these years with my mum and dad. Uh I've got two little ones myself now. Uh Jensen's ten and Heidi's A. Um, they've both been since they were six weeks old. Unfortunately, I did lose my mum five years ago, but we've just carried it on as it a family thing, and that's that's how that's how it will stay. We something that we enjoy doing together.

SPEAKER_02 17:06

So how much does it mean to you to like that? As I you know, you say you had seen things since you were kidding. You know, every time you walk onto that pitch and you put on that shirt, like it must it must feel oh it is an amazing feeling.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

It is an amazing feeling. Obviously, my mum and dad they took me to all my way games, they followed me, they followed me everywhere, they were like my biggest supporters, and so yeah, obviously I'm gutted, my mum's not here now to obviously see walk on that pitch and wear the Wednesday show of pride. But I know she'll be she'll be proud. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

And you know, in in the in the grander scheme of things, obviously Wednesday are going through a few changes at the moment. There's a lot happening at the club. Um as a Wednesday fan, how how excited are you to see sort of the the new future for the club?

SPEAKER_00 17:42

I mean we've never really had the backing. Obviously, while Chansey was obviously chairman, uh, but obviously now hopefully we've got the backing that's coming and we can get obviously a bit more support behind us and get the women's side out there.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

Yeah, because obviously football in America, soccer in America is uh in the women's game is is huge, you know. You you see the support that the the women's teams get over there. Is is that sort of part of the hope? Is that you, you know, with the American owners coming in that they will see this and go, you know, there's something we can do here.

SPEAKER_00 18:09

I I really hope so. I mean, you look at the other clubs around you, like Sheffield United women, I mean you've got Chesterfield out there and they've got the backing of the man's side behind them, like they're playing the stadiums. And I just hope obviously the new chairman can obviously come and watch us one day and see that we have got potential and give us that give us that extra support and boost.

SPEAKER_02 18:26

No, absolutely. Because it it it wouldn't take a lot, would it, you know, in terms of uh just helping out? Like you know, you so much of what you do is is on you and uh ev every little helps, I suppose, in a situation like this.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

Definitely. Fingers crossed, we've all got our fingers crossed that it'll hopefully come in and give us a backing, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:42

Look into the new season, um what's the aim? Because obviously you had a you had a promotion, then you had a nice sort of survival season, then you made a bit of progress this season as well. Like, is the next another promotion?

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Is that where we're that is what we'll aim for, yes, that's definitely what we'll aim for. So yeah, I think obviously once we have a good a good pre-season, they've got the fitness back up and running. Uh I think and we've all gelled together again, and I think, yeah, hopefully promotion's what we'll look at.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

Are you looking forward to sort of a a couple of new challenges and and things like that as well?

SPEAKER_00 19:12

Oh definitely, yeah. I think we've got uh we've got a nice finance cleaf ups uh next season, which would be quite good. So yeah, I think there's I think the leagues have been shuffled around a little bit uh coming to the new season. Uh so yeah, we've got a fresh, some fresh roof challenges coming.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

You said that you know when you were starting out, you were United Academy and and things like that. How how crazy is it for you to see that the the way that the women's game has changed over the last you know 10-15 years, like the the progress that's been made, obviously with the Lionessers doing what they've done, but the just the way that the women's game is viewed now, it's it's I mean it's crazy, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 19:43

Yeah, massively. I mean, I wish now looking back at my days, I wish that obviously I I'd have carried on in that form of football. But back then, these years back when I was in the academies, it didn't it doesn't seem the same as what what it is now. I didn't enjoy my football uh and I just preferred sticking to the grassroots. Um but yeah, hopefully now obviously with the with how well the uh England women have done and the back end of the women's side, obviously the younger generation can obviously stick it out and and enjoy the academy football.

SPEAKER_02 20:13

And and you know, with what's going on here, I mean the the Wednesday ladies set up is is massive in it in terms of the age groups that are covered, the the amount of people that are that are involved in this project. How nice is it for you to be part of that, you know, to to be part of something that's so uh that means so much to a community?

SPEAKER_00 20:29

Well, yeah, massively. So obviously, like we are trying to bring obviously the younger, the younger generation in so that obviously Kieran's looking at the the younger, obviously section of the under 16s that are obviously that he thinks has got the quality, and I think a lot of footballers now at the younger age has got the quality to step up and play play adult football um and obviously uh giving that up giving them that opportunity. I think that's where it'll push it'll push the Wends Leaders first team and and become a very strong squad.

SPEAKER_02 20:57

And and just lastly, uh you're not too far from Millsbury, you can you can see it from where we're from where we're sat. How nice it would be to see you know a few more people start to come down, watch the games, and it's because it is you know it is in the community as the same way that Wednesday are. Um you know it's it's very feasible to, you know.

SPEAKER_00 21:13

Massively. I mean, I think hopefully if we get the backing from the chairman, um I think we will get a lot a lot more support down here for the women's side. I think it'd push us more if we had more people coming coming to watch us. So yeah, just get down and and support, really, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

And that's a wrap for this week's uh the Wednesday Word show. Thank you very much for joining. Thanks to everybody, as always, that's subscribed, everyone that's bought stuff from the Wednesday Wednesday Word store already. Yeah, keep it locked on all our socials. We'll have plenty more coming this week. There's a lot happening at Sheffield Wednesday, and hopefully uh we can have all that wrapped up in time because it's not too long now until Sheffield Wednesday head over to Budapest and Vienna. I will be going on that trip, so I'll be bringing you loads of inside information from there as well. But yeah, lots to do, lots to be said, lots to fix at Sheffield Wednesday. Henrik Pederson's got his hands full, but I'll speak to you very soon. Cheers.