Former Sheffield Wednesday star shares staggering wage cut he was offered before leaving

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Sheffield Wednesday have seen a number of players leave the club amid their financial problems.

Josh Windass and Michael Smith terminated their contracts this summer amid the club’s failure to pay wages.

A number of other Sheffield Wednesday stars have either been sold or released in 2025.

But the Owls have had financial problems before this year, with one ex-player now sharing details of the heavily reduced contract he was offered to remain at Hillsborough.

Steven Fletcher on leaving Sheffield Wednesday

Steven Fletcher joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer from Sunderland in 2016.

He then departed the Yorkshire outfit in August 2020, signing for Stoke City.

Now, Fletcher has revealed that though he wanted to remain at Wednesday, the contract he was offered post-COVID came with around a 75% wage decrease.

He said on the Warm Up podcast: “I wanted to stay there, but obviously Covid had hit and the club was going through a [difficult period], still is.

“But he’d, the contract they’d offered me before Covid had hit, the one they’d offered me when I came back, like night and day.

“So Stoke came knocking on the door. But I just couldn’t, it was like a 75% wage cut.”

Steven Fletcher Sheffield Wednesday stats

During his four years with Sheffield Wednesday, the former Dundee United striker made 136 appearances.

The now 38-year-old only featured on more occasions for one side during his long career, Hibernian (189).

For the Owls, Fletcher netted 38 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions.

He most recently left Wrexham at the end of 2024/25 and has been a free agent since.