Liam Palmer entered a new pantheon of Sheffield Wednesday iconism on Saturday, making his 400th appearance for the club.
The afternoon didn’t go as planned, but it shouldn’t take away from a monumental achievement. He joins a list of only other 14 Owls players to The afternoon didn’t go as planned, but it shouldn’t take away from a monumental achievement. He joins a list of only other 14 Owls players to have achieved the feat.
The first of those 400 appearances came as Palmer made his Wednesday debut in midfield, in an August 2010 League Cup match against Bury.
The Owls won 1-0 thanks to a Giles Coke winner – but who else played in the match – and which two future Wednesday players featured for the opposition?
Here’s a run through memory lane.
1. Nicky Weaver
A Sheffield-born keeper of huge repute with the likes of Charlton Athletic and in particular Manchester City, Weaver joined the Owls on a permanent basis in 2010 after a loan stint in 2005/06. Went on to play for Aberdeen briefly. Came back to Middlewood Road in 2014 as keeper coach and is currently head of academy goalkeeping.
2. Tommy Spurr
A good friend of Palmer, Owls academy graduate Spurr made over 200 appearances for Wednesday before moving on to Doncaster Rovers in 2011. Blackburn, Preston and Fleetwood were his other clubs before retirement in 2019. Now a school teacher in Lancashire.
3. Darren Purse
Made 61 league appearances for Wednesday across two seasons, mostly as captain. Left in 2011 and went on to play for Millwall, Yeovil, Plymouth and Port Vale before a stint in Finaldn with IFK Mariehamn and a long list of clubs in non-league. Now in coaching, building a promising career with Cardiff u23s.
4. Daniel Jones
A youngster back in 2010, Jones was a bit-part in his time with the Owls before moving to Port Vale in 2013. Had success at Chesterfield and Notts County before falling into non-league. Last seen playing for Longford Town over in Ireland.
5. Mark Beevers
Another Wednesday academy alumni, Beevers was a poopular figure at S6 and has made over 100 appearances for four EFL clubs – Wednesday, Millwall, Bolton and Peterborough. Was briefly linked with a return to Hillsborough last year. Now plays in Australia with Perth Glory.
6. Jon Otsemobor
A Liverpool youth man of some repute, his career with Wednesday never quite got going – though he did have a scrap with Reda Johnson in the Middlewood Road car park. The full-back left S6 for MK Dons in 2012 and retired aged 32 two years later. Now in property development.
7. Darren Potter
Another Liverpool youth who signed for Wednesday in 2009 and made over 100 appearances. Signed for MK Dons to great success two years later, retiring after spells with Rotherham and Tranmere in 2020. Went into coaching and has held roles at Port Vale and Stoke City.
8. Liam Palmer
Operated on debut in what was then his natural position – in midfield – Palmer spent time on loan with Tranmere where he cut his teeth in 2012/13. Has the unique distinction of having played roles in two League One promotion campaigns with the Owls and celebrated his 400th appearance at Cardiff on Saturday. A club icon, Palmer entered Owls immortality last season with his 98th minute play-off goal against Peterborough.
9. Gary Teale
A former Premier League player with Wigan and Derby, Wednesday were Teale’s penultimate club. Retired as a St Mirren player in 2015 with 13 Scotland caps after his stint as caretaker manager was not extended. Was business development manager for a football training equipment company before it went bust earlier this year.
10. Neil Mellor
Son of Wednesday legend Ian Mellor, Neil was the Owls’ most recent 20-goal man before the efforts of Michael Smith last season. He retired aged just 30 with injury problems and now works in the media.
11. Paul Heffernan
A hero at Doncaster Rovers, Heffernan’s spell at Wednesday was brief before a move to Scotland where he played for Kilmarnock, Hibs and Dundee among others. Now coaching in his native Ireland with Bray Wanderers.
12. Giles Coke
On as a sub in the Bury clash, Coke left Wednesday in 2015 and went on to play for a number of clubs before finishing up with Grimsby Town last year. Is now coaching with the Mariners.
13. James O’Connor
Left Wednesday in 2011 to go Stateside, first as a player with Orlando City before going into coaching. Managed in the MLS but has since ‘gone upstairs’ as technical director with USL side Louisville City. On as a sub.
14. Clinton Morrison
A forward of some repute, arriving at S6 later in his career with World Cup appearances with the Republic of Ireland, Morrison left in 2012 and played for Colchester and Exeter before finishing up in non-league. Now a prominent pundit on Sky Sports and a regular at Owls matches.
15. Tom Lees
In the opposition for Palmer’s debut while on loan from Leeds, Lees is a former Owls captain of over 250 appearances. Left in 2021 to sign for Huddersfield, where he remains.
16. Ryan Lowe
A Bury legend, Lowe would go on to sign for the Owls the following season and help achieve promotion from the third tier. Like a few on this list, he left to sign for MK Dons and played for others including Tranmere, Crewe and Bury twice over before going into management. Now at PNE.
