Currently looking to strengthen their position in the League One play-off positions, Sheffield Wednesday are eyeing up an immediate return to the Championship. 

In what was a difficult 2020/21 campaign, the Owls finished the season in 24th place, despite being just three points from safety.

This term has been a year of ups and downs, however, things have certainly looked a lot brighter in more recent weeks.

Darren Moore's side are currently fifth in the third tier standings, currently holding on to a top-six spot because of their superior goal difference over Wycombe Wanderers and Sunderland.

The Owls are also seven points off the automatic promotion positions, with two of the top three sides in the division losing at the weekend.

Whilst we wait to see what the rest of the campaign has in store for the Yorkshire outfit, here, we take a look at eight of Sheffield Wednesday's best academy graduates.

In what was almost an entire career spent in Yorkshire, Leigh Bromby came through the academy ranks at Sheffield Wednesday, progressing to appear 100 times for the Owls at first team level.

The defender went on to enjoy spells with Sheffield United (twice), Watford and Leeds United after a six year spell with Wednesday.

Remaining in Yorkshire past his playing career, Bromby is now employed as the Head of Football Operations at Championship club Huddersfield Town.

Liam Palmer features in this list as the only player who is still currently playing his football with the Owls.

Born in Worksop, Palmer started his youth career with the Owls when he was seven.

The defender made his professional debut in August 2010 after impressing within the academy, starting in a 1-0 League Cup victory over Bury.

Going on to embark on a loan spell with Tranmere Rovers back during the 2012/13 season, Palmer has now made over 300 appearances in Sheffield Wednesday colours.

Born in Barnsley, Mark Beevers started his youth career with the Owls, making his senior debut for the club in January 2007 during a 2-1 defeat to Southampton.

Going on to embark on loan spells with Millwall and MK Dons, his time at Wednesday came to an end in 2013, appearing close to 150 times.

Beevers has enjoyed spells with Millwall, Bolton Wanders and Peterborough United since moving on from Yorkshire, and he is currently playing his football with Posh.

Richard Wood becomes yet another defender to feature on this list, with the 36-year-old and broke into the senior set up at Sheffield Wednesday at the end of the 2003/03 campaign.

The centre-back made just of 200 appearances for the Yorkshire club in seven years with the Owls, with Wood joining Coventry City on loan during that time too.

Playing his football now at Rotherham United, Wood has featured 34 times for the promotion-chasing Millers, captaining the side in the process too.

Drew Talbot is another who was born in Barnsley but came through the ranks at Sheffield Wednesday, making his senior debut during the 2003/04 campaign.

After showing promising signs during the next campaign whilst at Wednesday, a back injury then forced the versatile player to play very little in a year.

Going to enjoy time with the likes of Luton Town, Chesterfield and Portsmouth, Talbot stopped his playing career back in 2019, and whilst it has been difficult to find what he is doing now, he has tweeted several times about keeping up with the Owls.

Born in Sheffield, George Hirst is a more recent Sheffield Wednesday academy graduate, with the 23-year-old signing his first professional contract with the Owls in March 2016.

After limited first team opportunities during the very early stages of his career, a move to Belgian club OH Leuven came to fruition during the summer of 2018.

In one season across the water, the young forward netted three times in 23 appearances, with Leicester City then signing the striker.

Hirst is currently on loan at Portsmouth and has netted 10 times for Pompey this season.

Being another who was born in Sheffield, Richard O'Donnell signed his first professional contract with the Owls in June 2007.

He went on to feature 20 times for the League One outfit over the next few years, signing for Chesterfield on a permanent deal ahead of the 2012/13 campaign.

Enjoying a long career that has primarily been in the Football League since then, he is currently playing his football at Bradford City, where he started the season as first-choice but has moved into a deputy role in more recent months.

Starting his senior career with Sheffield Wednesday, however, he departed for Leeds in 1991, failing to make an appearance for the now League One club.

Wetherall went on to make over 200 appearances for the Whites over the next few seasons, joining Bradford City in 1999 for a seven-figure fee.

He went on to make over 350 appearances for the Bantams after his move from Leeds and he is now head of youth development with the English Football League.