Tudgay toddles off to tricky trees

Last updated : 25 November 2010 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday striker Marcus Tudgay has left the club today to join Championship side Nottingham Forest on a loan deal until January with a view to a permanent transfer.

The Owls forward was regarded as one of the hottest properties outside the top flight after a successful 2008/09 season and the club fended off interest from Premier League teams to secure his services in a new four-year contract. Since then however he has failed to find the same consistency. Despite being the club’s top scorer last season Tudgay was not at his best on a regular basis as the club were relegated from the Championship.

This season has seen him find the net just 3 times and in the past month or so he has lost his place in the starting line-up with Neil Mellor and Clinton Morrison forming an effective partnership. The move may help ease the wage bill at Hillsborough for a time though this is merely a drop in the ocean in terms of the overall financial position of the club. Although Tudgay is out of form he was still regarded as third-choice up front for Wednesday and his move leaves the Owls a little short in numbers up front, especially if they should suffer any injury or suspension problems.

Paul Heffernan is likely to become third choice now with inexperienced youngster Nathan Modest the only other recognised striker behind Mellor, Morrison and Heffernan on the first team books. Jamaican winger Jermaine Johnson has been utilised as a second striker by boss Alan Irvine in the past and could do so again if needs must though he has been suffering from injury problems so far this season.