Some interesting names expected to line up for old Owls

Last updated : 06 June 2011 By C. Morris

The annual Yorkshire Masters football tournament takes place later this month and some of the players that have been confirmed in the Owls squad for the 6-a-side competition make interesting reading to say the least.

Sheffield Wednesday will be represented by former players including Paul Smith and Gilles De Bilde. Smith’s time at Hillsborough was an unremarkable one, starting just 19 league games in his two seasons at the club with most of the coming in the disappointing 2003/04 campaign.

It is De Bilde however who is the most surprising name on the team sheet. The former Belgium international striker joined the Owls in 1999 for a hefty fee with a salary to match. 13 league goals in 59 games hardly justified his price tag and some of the comments he was said to have made during his time in Sheffield saw him labelled as something of a mercenary.

These players represent a far cry from Owls line ups of the early years of the competition when popular figures such as Chris Waddle, John Sheridan and Carlton Palmer donned the blue and white stripes again, much to the delight of Wednesday followers.

The more popular figure of Graham Hyde has also been confirmed in the Owls squad and he could well be joined by his former team mate, popular goalkeeper Kevin Pressman. Efan Ekoku, Scott Oakes, Simon Coleman and Jon McCarthy are also included.

The event takes place at Sheffield’s Motorpoint Arena on Sunday 26th June where the Owls will line up against Leeds, Sheffield United, Doncaster, Huddersfield and last year’s winners, Barnsley.