Name: David Hirst

Born: 07/12/1967

Position: Attacker

Clubs: Barnsley, Wednesday, Southampton

International honours: England, three caps + one goal

David Hirst's goalscoring exploits during the early 1990s made him the idol of the Barmy Army and one of the most popular players ever to represent the club.

His attributes made him the complete forward - blistering pace, strong, good in the air and a sledgehammer shot in both feet - he was blessed with every weapon a striker should have in his armoury.

Howard Wilkinson signed Hirst in August 1986 from his hometown club Barnsley, after Hirst had gained England Youth honours. He made a sensational beginning to his Wednesday career, scoring against Everton with his first touch in front of the newly roofed Kop just a minute after coming on as a substitute.

After that flying start, Hirst encountered difficulties in gaining a regular place, although he did score a memorable winner against Manchester United in March 1987.

It was not until the latter part of the 1988/89 campaign that David made a lasting impression on the first team, registering nine goals after being given a regular run by Ron Atkinson.

The following season Hirst's 16 strikes were not enough to keep the Owls in the top flight but the disappointment was not to last for long. Wednesday gained instant promotion in 1990/91 and won the League Cup as Hirst had his best year as a marksman - blasting 32 goals in 55 games.

His form earned an England call-up against Australia, the first of his three caps - a total which would have been much higher if injuries had not taken their toll.

David amassed 21 goals as SWFC had a fantastic return to the top flight, finishing third in the league and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

In 1992/93, the Cudworth product suffered fitness problems but still netted 16 times as the Owls reached the FA and League Cup finals.

Over the next two seasons, Hirst managed only 27 outings as a series of injuries resulted in lengthy layoffs. In 1995/96 he was joint top scorer with 14 and scored his 100th league goal for the club (ironically against Everton at Hillsborough as was his first) but again encountered more injuries before his left for Southampton in October 1997.

Season      Appearances      Goals
1986-87              27                     6
1987-88              26                     4
1988-89              36                     9
1989-90              45                   16
1990-91              55                   32
1991-92              39                   21
1992-93              33                   16
1993-94              10                     1
1994-95              17                     3
1995-96              36                   14
1996-97              28                     6
1997-98                6                     0
TOTAL              358                149

Name: Martin Hodge

Born: 04/02/1959

Position: Goalkeeper

Clubs: Plymouth Argyle, Everton, Wednesday, Leicester City, Hartlepool United, Rochdale, Plymouth Argyle

International honours: None

Martin Hodge proved himself to be one of the Owls' most consistent servants and dependable goalkeepers ever, in addition to earning himself a place in the SWFC history books.

His spell of 214 back-to-back league and cup outings between August 1983 and September 1987 set a consecutive appearances record which, taking into account increased squad sizes in today's game, may never be overtaken. Such a niche in Wednesday folklore was made even more remarkable by the fact Hodge initially joined as a stopgap, but remained for five years and established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the country.

Plucked from Everton's reserves as back-up for the injured Iain Hesford in 1983, the frustration of his Goodison experience had obviously strengthened his revolve to make the most of an opportunity which came his way, as he took the chance of claiming the Owls' number one shirt with both hands.

As Wednesday tore into the First Division after storming to promotion in 1983/84, Martin was a revelation between the posts. Two memorable examples of his shot-stopping ability came in successive New Year's Day fixtures, as he saved a penalty from Manchester United's Gordon Strachan at Old Trafford in 1985 and denied Jan Molby from the spot in front of the Anfield Kop 12 months later.

His fine form put him in line for a call-up to the England squad for the 1986 World Cup but he missed out at the last minute.

Hodge's four-year spell without missing a game ended the following year when injury ruled him out of a trip to Southampton, with Kevin Pressman stepping in. Although Martin did return on regaining full fitness, his performances had begun to dip and he lost his place to Pressman towards the back end of 1987/88 before joining Leicester City that summer.

Season      Appearances      Goals
1983-84              53                     0
1984-85              52                     0
1985-86              52                     0
1986-87              52                     0
1987-88              40                     0
TOTAL              249                    0

Name: Mark Hooper

Born: 04/07/1901

Position: Attacking midfielder

Clubs: Darlington, Wednesday, Rotherham United

International honours: None

Hooper's achievements in the game earned him a tag as one of the most talented right wingers never to represent his country.

The diminutive wideman was a constant threat for any opposition defence. In addition to providing chances for the other Owls forwards, Hooper also weighed in with an impressive goal tally each season. He was renowned as a consistent performer and between April 1928 and April 1932, and clocked up 189 consecutive league and cup appearances.

Hooper managed a commendable total of 22 goals in the infamous 'Great Escape' season of 1927/28, many of which proved crucial in the fight against relegation and totals of 16 and 21 in the 1928/29 and 1929/30 Championship campaigns.

He struck a fantastic goal in a FA Cup victory over Arsenal in 1935 and notched the second in the final against West Bromwich.

With Hooper on the right flank and Ellis Rimmer on the left, Wednesday boasted a pair of wingers who were commonly regarded as the best in the country. However, his move to Sheffield came after a reversal of opinion by Owls boss Bob Brown, who had told the north easterner that he was too small to succeed in the higher division.

Brown promptly revised this view when Hooper came up against SWFC in Darlington colours in March 1926 and proceeded to torture their defence. Within ten months he was a Hillsborough man, snapped for a fee of £2,000 which proved to be money well spent.

Hooper's input into those glorious years, which saw Wednesday attain league and cup triumphs, have cemented his status as a player whose memory will live on proudly in S6.

Season      Appearances      Goals
1926-27             15                      2
1927-28             43                    22
1928-29             44                    16
1929-30             48                    21
1930-31             44                   16
1931-32             45                   12
1932-33             35                     8
1933-34             43                   13
1934-35             35                     9
1935-36             32                     9
1936-37             30                     7
1937-38               9                     1
TOTAL              423                136

Name: David Layne 

Born: 1939

Position: Attacker

Clubs: Rotherham United, Swindon Town, Bradford City, Wednesday, Hereford United

International honours: None

The impact made by Layne in a short but prolific spell at Hillsborough indicated that he might have become one of the greatest goalscorers in the club's history, had his career not been prematurely cut short.

In two seasons with Wednesday the striker averaged more than two goals in every three games, providing the firepower in the famous side of the early 1960s. His forceful style of play was simply too much for many top flight defences to handle and 'Bronco', as he was known, made even the most accomplished stoppers in the country resemble amateurs as he rattled in goals left, right and centre.

The man himself modestly gave credit for his superb strike rate to the teammates who helped create chances for him, but his determination and will to win played a huge part as he terrorised opponents.

A local product, David played alongside future teammate John Fantham for Sheffield Boys but it was with nearby Rotherham that he started out. He made his way to S6 via free-scoring spells at Swindon Town and Bradford City, from whom he joined the Owls in 1962.

A haul of 30 goals in his first team included seven doubles - one against Sheffield United - and a hat-trick against Manchester City, wowing the Hillsborough faithful as the team achieved a sixth-place finish.

The Owls were to repeat that positioning the following season with Layne's 28 goals including a further five braces and another hat-trick against Ipswich Town.

But his SWFC career was to conclude suddenly close to the end of that campaign when news broke of his involvement in a betting scandal which resulted in a life ban. After eight years he was allowed to return to Wednesday but was unable to earn a spot in the team and moved to Hereford United in late 1972.

Season      Appearances      Goals
1962-63           42                       30
1963-64           39                       28
TOTAL            81                       58

Name: Tom McAnearney 

Born: 06/01/1933

Position: Midfielder

Clubs: Wednesday, Peterborough United, Aldershot

International honours: None

McAnearney was a stalwart for the Wednesday cause during the 1950s and early 1960s, in which time he made almost 400 appearances over 13 seasons in Sheffield 6.

He was an excellent servant to the Owls, a calm and cultured performer who supplied a cool head throughout the drama of the yo-yo years, the success under Harry Catterick and Vic Buckingham and the club's first taste of European competition.

Tom was a thinking man's player whose passing abilities and reading of the game brought assurance to the wing half position.

McAnearney was recruited from hometown club Dundee St Stephen's in 1950 along with his younger brother Jim, who also made the SWFC first team. He established himself as a regular in the Second Division Championship winning season of 1955?56 after spells in and out of the side following his debut in 1952.

Tom played his part as the Owls enjoyed another Division Two title success in 1958/59, forming a formidable half back line with Peter Swan and Tony Kay towards the tail end of the season. He also became known as a penalty expert and netted twice from the spot as Wednesday progressed to the FA Cup semi finals in 1960.

The Scot missed only three games as SWFC finished Division One runners-up in 1960-61 and was club captain in the glorious early part of the decade, before joining Peterborough in 1965.

Season Appearances Goals
1952-53           5               0 
1953-54         21               0
1954-55         11               0
1955-56         27               0
1956-57         41               0
1957-58         34               1
1958-59         33               1
1959-60         44               5
1960-61         45               3
1961-62          34              4
1962-63          34              2
1963-64          38              5
1964-98          15              1
TOTAL          382           22

Name: Don Megson 

Born: 12/06/1936

Position: Defender

Clubs: Mossley, Wednesday

International honours: None
Don Megson will always be heralded as one of the greatest servants SWFC have ever had, after 18 years at Hillsborough in which he established himself both as a fine player and ambassador for the club.

He was recruited in October 1952 from Mossley - a Cheshire League outfit - for whom he had been turning out as a left winger.

In his early days at Hillsborough, Megson proved to be something of a utility player, playing in most outfield positions at some stage before he became established at centre half. However, Harry Catterick felt that Don had more to offer as a left back, and that final switch of position prompted a run of form which saw him make the step up to the first team in November 1959.

Having made that breakthrough, the Sale product quickly became a regular in the Owls' defence and his passion, enthusiasm and style made him a fans' favourite. He was chosen as successor to Tom McAnearney as  captain and skippered SWFC as they won away from home in every round to reach the 1966 FA Cup Final.

Despite the disappointment of a cruel defeat, Don led the players on a lap of honour around the stadium - the first losing captain to do so. That incident epitomised the pride which Megson felt at leading the side and indeed no player dared give less than 100 per cent when Don was around!

Megson was an ever-present in four seasons during the 1960s and made almost 450 appearances for the club before he left to become manager of Bristol Rovers in 1970.

His son Gary joined Wednesday in 1981 and followed in his father's footsteps by captaining the Owls.

Season      Appearances      Goals
1959-60              31                     0
1960-61              44                     1
1961-62              52                     2
1962-63              40                     1
1963-64              47                     0
1964-65              44                     0
1965-66              45                     1
1966-67              47                     1
1967-68              47                     1
1968-69              37                     0
1969-70                8                     0
TOTAL              442                    7

Name: Gary Megson 

Born: 02/05/1959

Position: Midfielder

Clubs: Plymouth Argyle, Everton, Wednesday, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Wednesday, Manchester City, Norwich City, Lincoln City, Shrewsbury Town

International honours: None

Megson emulated his father Don by establishing himself as a favourite with the Hillsborough crowd and captaining the Owls during two spells at the club, during which he played an instrumental part as Wednesday made their return to top-flight football.

Although born in Manchester, Gary's following of Don's career during his upbringing in Sheffield established him as a fan of the team whom he was to represent almost 300 times.

A busy and creative midfield man, the flame-haired ace joined from Everton in 1981 and was an instant hit in the SWFC engine room with his energetic probing, as Wednesday came with a whisker of promotion in his first season.

He weighed in with 10 goals in 1982/83, also skippering the Owls to a 5-0 win over Burnley as they reached the FA Cup semi final for the first time since 1966, falling to Brighton.

Megson was an ever-present in the league the following term as the team roared back into Division One. He contributed memorable long-range strikes against Chelsea and Portsmouth and his fine performances alerted Nottingham Forest, who signed him in the summer of 1984.

However, the move was to prove ill-fated and he was back in Sheffield within 18 months following a brief reunion with Jack Charlton at Newcastle.

Soon after returning, Gary suffered the heartbreak of a second FA Cup semi final defeat - former club Everton pipping SWFC in extra time.

It seemed the experience of leaving Hillsborough had proved beneficial as Megson assumed a role as one of the 'old heads' in the team, providing a steadying influence through difficult times as the side's fortunes began to slide before joining Manchester City in 1989.

Season      Appearances       Goals
1981-82              43                      5
1982-83              53                    10
1983-84              52                      5
1985-86              25                      3
1986-87              45                      7
1987-88              48                      2
1988-89              20                      1
TOTAL              286                   33