Wrexham announced the astute capture of Josh Windass following his departure from Sheffield Wednesday, and one thing has become apparent from his first words after joining the club.
Amid Sheffield Wednesday’s ongoing financial crisis and constant issues with paying their players, Windass decided to leave Hillsborough last week, along with teammate Michael Smith.
While Smith has signed for Preston North End, Wrexham have snapped up Windass, beating two Championship rivals to his signature.
It’s a statement of intent from Phil Parkinson’s men, who are aiming to continue their upward momentum following successive promotions.
For Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, losing their top scorer to a newly-promoted side has stung, and so will his comments after joining.
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesJosh Windass shows signs of maturity after previous Sheffield Wednesday antics
During his five-year spell at Sheffield Wednesday, the versatile Englishman produced magic on several occasions, including a last-minute winner against Barnsley in the League One play-off final in 2023.
But whilst his qualities on the pitch were undeniable, the 31-year-old has also landed himself in hot water on numerous occasions for comments he’s made.
In May, Windass publicly humiliated Joey Phuthi, a former Sheffield Wednesday youth player, after stating he was the ‘worst player ever’ on a podcast.
Windass also said he was ‘miles better’ than new Wrexham teammate Ollie Palmer in February 2024 in a discussion about how many goals he could score for Manchester City on the Pitch Side podcast.
The former Sheffield Wednesday attacker has been criticised for showing a lack of professionalism, but his first words for his new club suggest the Red Dragons could see a different side to him.
“First and foremost, I want to get into the team and earn the respect of my team-mates,” Windass told Wrexham’s official website. “I want to be professional, be someone to look up to and then get the team as high up the league as possible.”
By stating he wants to be ‘professional’ and essentially set the standard, this could imply that Windass has put his past antics behind him and is willing to change.
Windass fits perfectly into Phil Parkinson’s system
Parkinson utilises a two-striker formation, with one dropping deep and the other running in behind.
Windass possesses the skill set, as seen at Hillsborough, to be the one who can drop deep and link-up play but also ghost into the box and score goals.
In 182 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday, the maverick forward scored 53 and assisted 23, establishing himself as a quality Championship player.
Last season, Wrexham’s top scorers in League One were Elliott Lee, Steven Fletcher and Ollie Rathbone, who were all tied on eight, with Sam Smith netting seven after joining in January.
It’s clear Parkinson needed to add a Championship-level forward to his ranks, and Windass is exactly that.