Owls will Reach for the stars
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY forward Adam Reach would love nothing better than to be playing archrivals Sheffield United in the Premier League next season.
Wednesday have shown encouraging signs since Garry Monk took over the reins following the shock pre-season departure of boss Steve Bruce to Newcastle United.
Reach, 26, and now in his fourth season for the Owls, said: “The die-hard fans may say their ideal situation is for us to get promoted and for Sheffield United to come back down.
“But what could be better than having the Steel Derby in the Premier League, in front of the biggest audience in the world?
“They would all be hearing about the city of Sheffield.
“We talk about ‘little pockets of motivation’ and that should be one for us to try and get promoted.
“Then we’ll see who does better in the Premier League.
“It would be fantastic for the two clubs. Fingers crossed we can do that.”
Reach bagged a fine winner as the improving Owls dumped Premier League Brighton out of the FA Cup last weekend.
But the graduate of Middlesbrough’s academy is totally focused on helping drive the Owls back into the top flight for the first time since relegation in 2000.
Reach added: “There’s probably a core of 10 players, maybe more, who have been at this club at least as long as I have.
“That puts us in a good position. Together we’ve experienced the negatives, like the play-off season when we didn’t go up.
“By staying somewhere for three of four years you come to see how much it means to everyone connected to the club.
“You take it personally. We’ve got players who have over 150 appearances here – it’s not just a club that we play for, it’s a place in our hearts.”