Following on from yesterday, where the former Sheffield United trainee said that team spirit was the key to Wednesday’s promotion push, today he exclusively tells Footymad his ambitions for the club.
FM…What made you join Wednesday?
CM…Simple decision really. I am a Sheffield Wednesday fan, I’m a Sheffield lad and the opportunity to play for my hometown club was too good a deal to turn down. It is the club I have followed as a youngster and it’s the first club result I look for on a Saturday afternoon so it was a straightforward choice to make.
FM…How did the transfer process go?
CM…Agents get such a bad name these days but when it comes to these sorts of matters, they come to the fore. But Chris Turner selling the club to me wasn’t a problem, although last season won’t go down as the greatest in Wednesday’s history, he told me what was going to happen in the summer, who he wanted out and who he wanted to bring in, so he has done his part, and so has the chairman, it’s now up to the players to deliver.
FM…How bad has the slide down the football league ladder been for Wednesday?
CM…It is not really fair for me to say, I haven’t been here but a few years ago, this club was in the Premiership and now they are in the second division, it has happened to quite a few other teams and Leeds may be the next one to go into difficulties. But when a club are on a spiral downwards, it can be difficult to halt it, let’s just hope we can and make sure that the only way is up. I was playing in the FA Cup final a few years ago but that doesn’t make any difference – the only club I want to play for is Sheffield Wednesday. At the moment we are a second division club and it is a challenge to get us back up into the first division at least.
FM…Is it an honour been named captain?
CM…I am very proud not only for myself but also for my family. We have a great bunch of fans and a good manager and we can only hope we are all smiling this time next year. We should be aiming for at least the play-offs.
FM…What are your opinions of how Wednesday has been run from on outsider's perspective?
CM…The chairman has put his money where his mouth is, brought in eight players with a new strikeforce to come in addition to the current players in the squad, so it is then up to the players to bond and do the business. The fans have been frustrated now but it is solely down to us to turn the fortunes of this club around. The chairman and the manager have both played their part and worked hard, last season was a big disappointment, but some say from adversity comes triumph so let’s hope we can do it this season. The fans are vital too as if we are not playing well, they will tell us but if we are doing well, they will turn out in their thousands.
The final part of the Chris Marsden interview follows tomorrow...