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Liam Palmer lifted the lid on how hard the summer has been at Hillsborough after the defeat at Leicester City.
Leicester City beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 on Sunday afternoon with a comeback victory for the Foxes.
Sheffield Wednesday fans protested against owner Dejphon Chansiri at the beginning of the game, and then saw the Owls went ahead thanks to a 26th-minute strike from Nathaniel Chalobah.
The tables turned in the second half for Marti Cifuentes’ side, with goals from Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes completing the comeback win.
After the game, Sheffield Wednesday star Liam Palmer lifted the lid on a “difficult” summer at Hillsborough in the build-up to the clash.
Liam Palmer comments on Sheffield Wednesday crisis after defeat vs Leicester City
Positive signs were there for the Sheffield Wednesday faithful on Sunday afternoon at Leicester, despite the turmoil that has plagued the club throughout the summer.
Goalkeeper Pierce Charles was exceptional for the Owls against Leicester, and the Sheffield Wednesday fans were “proud” after witnessing a “monumental effort” in the defeat to the Foxes.
Wednesday legend Liam Palmer played the full 90 minutes in defence, making the most tackles (four) of any player in the clash.
After the game, Palmer lifted the lid on the situation at Sheffield Wednesday. He told BBC Sport: “It’s been difficult. It’s been difficult to come in every day and, like Henrik (Pedersen) said, give your best version of yourself.
“You feel for the ones that are working down the stadium, security guards, people I’ve known for the good part of 15, if not, well, when I was a kid, still working there now.
“It was 20 years, and they’re proud to represent Sheffield Wednesday and work there. They could probably go and get a job somewhere else, but they love working for the club.
“When I go to the club shop and get the kits for my kids, like I do every year, everyone’s a bit down, and hopefully the performances we can put in can go some way to bringing that feeling back up and like you see the fans there, I’m just glad to get back playing.
“A lot’s obviously been circulating and been surrounding us the whole summer. It’s not been easy, but like I say, we’re back playing now.
“The games are coming thick and fast. We’ll go again on Wednesday, and just as quickly as we can get back in that mode of playing games for us players, the better. And hopefully, things turn around for the better.”
Sheffield Wednesday’s season has been made harder after transfer window
As a consequence of the matters off the pitch, Sheffield Wednesday have suffered in the summer transfer window with high-profile departures from the playing squad.
Josh Windass joined Wrexham after his Owls exit, Callum Paterson has joined MK Dons, and fellow Owls veteran Michael Smith departed for Preston North End.
Palmer added: “Us as players have asked questions and not quite had the answers that we probably want or expect, and that’s why you see people that have ended up leaving, which is a shame.
“I have a lot of friends that I’ve played with for five, six years, Pato (Callum Paterson), close friends at Josh’s (Josh Windass’) wedding, roomed with Smudger (Michael Smith) at St George’s, and you come in three days later and they’ve gone.
“So, it does have a big impact on the squad. That’s the nature of football. It’s not quite that extreme, but people do come and go, and I think the ones that are here now are here to work and roll their sleeves up.
“We’re under no illusion how difficult it’s going to be, but we’re representing the club and we’ll do the best we can whilst given that chance.”
The experience of Palmer and skipper Barry Bannan, who was sent off against Leicester, will be vital throughout the season to help stave off relegation to League One with a threadbare and depleted squad.