Sheffield Wednesday will always rue selling Michail Antonio to Nottingham Forest just as his stardust started to twinkle, so there will be an aching chapter stained into their history.
Antonio joined the Owls on loan from Reading midway through the 2011/12 League One campaign. His effect was instant, playing a key role in their promotion with five goals in only 14 matches. After they were promoted to the Championship, Wednesday signed him on a permanent basis, and he became a key member of the team in two seasons. But the summer of 2014 was the key, when Nottingham Forest came in with an offer that prompted his sale for £1.5 million.
His stint at the City Ground was brief but impactful – recording 15 goals and 12 assists in the Championship before a £7million switch to West Ham United the following season vaulted him into the Premier League stardom.
As Antonio flourished in the top tier, it was a different story for Sheffield Wednesday, who placed their fans in the position of always wondering: What if? His attacking influence was missed significantly, with the side unable to produce his returns, as was noted by fans.
Looking back on that decision, the blunder was clear: selling Antonio too soon was the first pivotal mistake. A move that Patrick begrudged massively when you consider Antonio’s impact and success at the other end and the void left in our attack. It is a sad and strange what-if that lingers amongst the fanbase; just how much better off would Sheffield Wednesday have been with a flourishing Antonio, developing into the next Bannan, or Forestieri?
Sheffield Wednesday are left lamenting about losing Michail Antonio from their ranks after watching him go on to score for Nottingham Forest and West Ham. Owls will have been particularly vexed at their decision given that Antonio’s Championship exploits at Forest saw him turn a profit for the Reds. Wednesday were left short of Antonio’s quality despite a solid finish that term. The 34-year-old forward remains an integral part of West Ham after almost a decade with the club, in which he has scored 83 goals in 320 appearances. You soon find yourself asking why the club sold him at the beginning of his career.