Marvin Johnson and Lee Gregory motivated to join Sheffield Wednesday by Darren Moore’s mentality
Johnson was speaking after becoming Moore’s tenth signing of the summer and in no time Sheffielder Lee Gregory had become number 11. The last seven have come since Tuesday of last week.
There has been a common theme to Moore’s signings, all either loans or frees because of the transfer restrictions still on the League One club – almost all have had better offers in terms of clubs higher up the league pyramid, but just about every one has cited Moore as a factor in drawing them to the Steel City.
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Hide Ad“I had quite a few options in the Championship but thinking of it as a whole and meeting the gaffer, the ambition was there and I’m an ambitious player,” said Johnson, released by Middlesbrough in the summer despite 43 appearances at left wing or wing-back last season.
“The manager probably didn’t say much he wouldn’t normally say when he wants to sign a player but he’s been brilliant, he’s foot down and there’s no finer detail he can give of what he wants from you.”
Another new signing, Olamide Shodipo, started on the left wing against Huddersfield Town in the League Cup first round but came off with what looked like a muscle injury. Johnson’s signing is not a knee-jerk reaction to this as it was already in the pipeline.
The now-30-year-old also had a loan spell at Sheffield United.
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Hide AdGregory was born in the city and will have the honour of wearing the No 9 shirt after arriving from Stoke City.
The 32-year-old, who had a prolific three years at Halifax Town after coming through at Mansfield Town, joins on a permanent basis.
He has experience of winning promotion from League One having scored 18 goals in Millwall’s 2016-17 campaign. Johnson finished just outside the play-offs with Oxford United.
The more so after this flurry of transfer activity, the aim for the Owls is to make an instant return to the Championship after last season’s relegation.
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Hide Ad“Everyone wants the same thing, we’ve all got the same objective and that’s going to play a big part,” said Johnson.
The Owls have also signed Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Lewis Wing, Florian Kamberi, Theo Corbeanu and George Byers – the first four on loan – since the middle of last week.
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