Old friends link up in Owls push for promotion

Head coach David Wagner joins the celebrations after Michael Hefele’s winning goal. Inset: He and Garry Monk in the following exchange on the touchline JACK HUNT says he’s more than happy to be reunited with his old Huddersfield Town teammate Jordan Rhodes at Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

The pair played alongside each other at the John Smith’s Stadium club for three years.

Both were in the side which won promotion through the League One play-off final by beating Sheffield United in 2012.

Scotland international striker Rhodes, signed from Ipswich Town for £400,000 in July 2009, left for Blackburn Rovers in a Town-record £8m deal in August 2012.

He joined Wednesday on transfer deadline day last month having spent a year at Middlesbrough.

Right-back Hunt came through the Town academy and was a £2m sale to Crystal Palace in September 2013.

He joined the Owls in a permanent £2m deal in January 2016 after spending the first half of last season at Hillsborough on loan.

The 26-year-old, who played 121 times for Town, has made 58 Wednesday appearances.

Rhodes, who scored 87 goals for Town, moved to Hillsborough for a reported £10m, £1m more then Middlesbrough paid Blackburn.

Having slipped down the pecking order on Teesside after helping Aitor Karanka’s side win promotion to the Premier League last season, he made his Owls debut in the 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Wednesday host Birmingham City on Friday and Rhodes is aiming to add to a career tally of 188 goals at club level.

Hunt said: “I had some great times with Jordan at Huddersfield and I was delighted when we signed him.

“He’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in football. I played with him at Huddersfield for three years and I don’t think I heard him swear once!

“He’s a great guy and his record speaks for itself. He really knows how to put the ball in the back of the net.”

Beaten play-off finalists last season, the Owls are again in the promotion mix.

And Hunt continued: “I think Jordan’s going to be massive for us.

“I am quite close to Jordan. He was a big part of our success at Huddersfield and I set quite a few goals up for him there, so I’m hoping he gets some more for Sheffield Wednesday as well.

“To say he has not played much football all season, I thought he was outstanding against Wigan.

“He really put himself about. He tired towards the end but that was understandable.”