A former Sheffield Wednesday duo who didn’t really impress during their time at the club are now tearing it up in League One this season.
Sheffield Wednesday have seen a horde of players come and go in recent seasons.
The Owls have signed and loaned in plenty, eventually offloading many of them, but retaining the core of the side that’s been with them for several years now.
The likes of Cameron Dawson, Liam Palmer, Barry Bannan, and Josh Windass have all been with the club a number of years and they’re now playing their part in this upturn in form under Danny Rohl.
But back down in League One, a couple of former Sheffield Wednesday names are bang in form this season; Jordan Rhodes and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
Jordan Rhodes and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing at Sheffield Wednesday
Rhodes was often a talking point when he was at Sheffield Wednesday.
At Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers before, Rhodes was prolific; one of the most prolific in the Football League scoring a staggering 180 goals for both teams combined.
A move to Middlesbrough came about in 2016 but it didn’t work out for the now 33-year-old, then exactly a year after he signed for Boro, he was loaned to Sheffield Wednesday.
He netted a few goals in his first half season on loan before joining permanently, going on to score 20 total goals in 112 games for the Owls.
There was a sense that he never fulfilled his potential at Hillsborough, whereas Mendez-Laing showed glimpses of a promising player in his only half-season at the club.
He signed after a trial period midway through the 2021/22 campaign, going on to score twice and assist three times in 19 outings for Sheffield Wednesday before leaving as a free agent after rejecting a new contract offer.
How are they both doing this season?
So far this season, the former Sheffield Wednesday pair are shining in League One.
Rhodes is on loan at Blackpool from Huddersfield and he’s so far scored 13 goals in 17 League One appearances this season, assisting a further three to make him the joint-second top scorer in the league and the player with the most goal contributions.
Mendez-Laing meanwhile is at Derby County. He joined the club as a free agent last season and played a key role, taking his game to another level under Paul Warne this time round.
So far, the 31-year-old has scored five goals and assisted six more in 19 league appearances this season, meaning him and Rhodes have a staggering 27 goal contributions between them this season.
The pair obviously had ability when at Sheffield Wednesday, and both could yet come up against their former club next season.