Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan has revealed the secret to his longevity.
With his recent outing against Stockport County, Barry Bannan rose to twentieth-place on the list of all-time Sheffield Wednesday appearance makers.
The 33-year-old has now represented the Owls on 359 occasions in all competitions, since arriving at Hillsborough Stadium on a free transfer in 2015. He has bagged 30 goals for the Yorkshire outfit in that time.
In his time at the club, Bannan has seen the Owls drop out of the Championship, but stuck around to help them secure their return to the second tier of English football via the League One play-offs last season.
The versatile attacking midfielder remains a key figure in Xisco Munoz’s squad, and will hope to make many more appearances in a Sheffield Wednesday shirt.
Maintaining his fitness will be key to Bannan extending his career even further. The 27-cap former Scotland international has made several lifestyle changes to make sure his body remains in the required condition to allow him to perform at his best on the pitch.
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Discussing his fitness with Yorkshire Live, Bannan said, “I wouldn’t say I used to drink alot but it was probably too much if I’m being honest. If I was doing what I was doing five or six years ago then there’s no way I’d have played those amount of games…a lot of it is down to cutting out alcohol.”
To compete in the top end of the Championship at 33, with the hectic schedule that comes in that division, is an impressive feat. Bannan deserves plenty of credit for prolonging his ability to perform for Sheffield Wednesday in such a manner.
Sheffield Wednesday fans will be grateful for Bannan’s commitment. He is a talismanic figure at Hillsborough Stadium, and his leadership qualities and capacity to produce moments of magic will be required over the course of what looks set to be a tough season for Munoz’s side.