Josh Windass was the man of the hour for Sheffield Wednesday on Monday afternoon, as they saw off Barnsley after extra time through Windass’ late goal after 120 minutes. And he is not the first of his family to cement their name in EFL history as his father Dean Windass posted an emotional message congratulating his son and his teammates.
It has been an up-and-down season for the Owls as many believed they had automatic promotion wrapped up, but the side went on a run of six games without a win, which included what many deemed an embarrassing loss to a Forest Green Rovers side who finished at the foot of the table. After missing out on automatic promotion the side had to go through the playoffs and they did that the hard way too. Darren Moore’s men had an insurmountable task ahead of them as they lost their first leg 4-0 to Peterborough, no side had ever overcome a three-goal deficit to come back in a two-legged playoff semi-final. That record no longer stands though, as the Owls came back to win the second leg 5-1 and snatch victory on penalties and move on to Wembley as they beat Barnsley 1-0 after a controversial red card.
Windass sunk Michael Duff’s men in extra time as the side fought valiantly, despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half after Adam Phillips was controversially sent off.
Josh’s father Dean Windass was a hero for Hull City during his second stint with the Tigers, in 2008, Dean was part of the Hull City side that was promoted to the Premier League from the Championship, with the now 54-year-old scoring the winning goal at Wembley. Dean played as both a midfielder and forward for the club, making 205 appearances and scoring 64 goals and was named in the top four of the club’s best players in their 100-year history in 2005. In the playoff semi-finals that year, Windass scored his 200th goal and netted his 201st in the final giving them a 1-0 win over Bristol City and sealing promotion to the Premier League.
Windass also went on to speak of his second son, Jordan, who plays for National League side Oldham Athletic, stating how surreal it would be if he was to become the third Windass to etch his name in the history books at the iconic Wembley stadium.
“Hopefully Jordan will be the next one – wow, that would cap it off, wouldn’t it?”
“What happens in my life man? I can’t stop crying. The winning goal at Wembley, 15 years ago, and it’s just happened to me again. It’s mad. He’s my little boy and he’s scored the winning goal at Wembley, oh my god. He was 12 years old when he watched me do it and he’s just emulated it. I just can’t believe it.”
Writer’s View
Josh Windass is a player who has been discussed in the past about being on the radar of other clubs, but it seems he is committed to Sheffield Wednesday and continuing to rise with the Owls, he has joined a very exclusive club with his Wembley winner and emulated his father’s career and who is to stop him from perhaps adding more Wembley goals to his resume?
