Scotland midfielder Barry Bannan insists helping to take Sheffield Wednesday into the Premier League would be the biggest achievement of his career.
The 26-year-old was on loan to Blackpol from Aston Villa when he played in the last two minutes of the Seasiders’ memorable play-off final win over Cardiff City in 2010 but insists his return to Wembley today is even more special.
Hull City, who include Bannan’s international team-mates Allan McGregor, Robert Snodgrass, Andrew Robertson and Shuan Maloney, stand in the Owls’ way of a £170 million return to the top-flight following a 16-year absence.
Bannan pulled out of the Scotland squad for the friendlies against Italy and France due to the final and is in no doubt about the enormity of this evening’s clash.
He said: “It will be the highest achievement, no doubt about it. I’ve felt like a big part of this club since I’ve walked through the door and to help them to the best league in the world, I don’t think anything can beat it.
“Obviously, last time was still an unbelievable moment in my career. I was on loan at Blackpool at the time which makes it a little bit different as well.
“This time I’m here and going to be here for the next couple of years so it’s a big, big game for me on Saturday.
“Everyone is excited. They just want the game to come around. It’s a pain having to wait for it to come around – everyone just wants to play it.
“Every player wants to be playing in the best league in the world and that’s the Premier League.
“To come here I took a step back and said it was a big season for me. Now I’m one game away from being back to where I want to be.”
Speaking to thestar.co.uk, Bannan, who joined Wednesday from Crystal Palace last summer, added: “Hull will go rightly in as favourites because they finished above us in the league but we know what we’ve got in the changing room and what we’re capable of.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got a 50 per cent chance of winning, the same as Hull. If we do what we know we can do, then hopefully a result will be ours.
“I think that there is only one way for this club and it’s up, so hopefully we can start by getting into the Premier League on Saturday.”
