Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan has revealed that he had been facing several weeks on the sidelines with injury prior to the postponement of all football earlier this month.

Bannan made his 200th appearance for the club in their 5-0 defeat at Brentford in the final game before the delay to the season, and it seems the Scot was playing through the pain in order to do that.

Providing an update on a groin problem he had been dealing with during his recent outings for the club, Bannan told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It was getting to the point where I really needed (an injection)."

As a result, it seems the postponement of fixtures for the time being has actually benefitted Bannan, as discussing the length of the lay-off he would have been facing, the midfielder revealed: “I’d have had to take a few weeks out and the situation we were in, I didn’t want to be doing that.”

So far this season, Bannan has made 37 appearances in all competitions for the Owls, scoring two goals and providing seven assists for Garry Monk's side.

It had been a difficult few months for Wednesday prior to the postponement of matches, with the Yorkshire club winning just two of their last 14 league games to leave them 15th in the Championship, eight points off the play-offs and nine clear of the relegation zone.

The Verdict 

It does seem as though this is one way in which the postponement of fixtures may have actually benefitted Wednesday here.

Had Bannan been forced to undergo that treatment, it would have meant him missing some key games for Wednesday, at a time when recent results mean they were already under enough pressure as it is.

As a result, the delay in action does at least now mean that Bannan ought to be in a position where he will be ready to go again and play his part for the Owls once the season resumes.

Indeed, with Bannan's performances just before the break coming in for some scrutiny, you have to wonder whether that was a result of this problem, meaning a return to fitness could be crucial both for the club, and the player himself.