On a bright summers day at the end of July 2013, Sheffield Wednesday added to their attacking options.

The Owls were coming off the back of an 18th place finish in the Championship the season before with Michail Antonio, the club’s top league scorer with eight goals. 

Reinforcements were needed, and the club confirmed the signing of Atdhe Nuhiu in understated fashion on July 25, 2013.

There was little known about the Kosovo Albanian striker who joined the club from Turkish side Eskisehirspor on a free transfer, and the reaction reflected the lack of star power the striker had, with sarcastic responses upon confirmation of the deal.

Despite the underwhelming reaction to the then 23-year-old’s arrival, he immediately announced himself to the Sheffield Wednesday supporters with a goal on his debut but was unable to help his new club to a win as they went down 2-1 away to Queens Park Rangers.

Far from prolific, Nuhiu managed eight goals in his debut Championship season, just one behind top scorers that year Chris Maguire.

The following year saw a marked improvement from the striker who had a season in the second-tier to understand how to operate in it.

Nuhiu managed 11 goals in all competitions that year and was the club’s top goalscorer.

Besides the goals, it was the 6ft 4in striker’s work rate and physical presence that made him a cult hero with the fans.

His size had no bearing on his ability, and he used that to his advantage to bully defenders and get himself around the pitch.

Another season went with five more goals to his name, but having scored less than half the goals of the previous season, his influence was more towards aiding Fernando Forestieri the chance to score 15 that season.

Nuhiu managed 50 games that year but in the 16/17 season only featured 26 times scoring once.

Last year was the striker’s best season in front of goal netting 14 times in all competitions to be the club’s top scorer once more.

His presence and work rate and sheer awkwardness made him from an unknown to a fans’ favourite at Hillsborough.

The initial reaction was questionable, but he has changed the opinion the majority had of him and is now a mainstay of the Sheffield Wednesday side.

Opinion has turned positive, and the fans’ cult hero remains as popular as ever after five years in Yorkshire.