Rhys McCabe says it was a strange feeling playing against the club where he spent his formative years but one of huge enjoyment in an electric S6 atmosphere.
The Owls hosted Scottish giants Rangers in a friendly encounter on Wednesday evening and around 5,000 Gers fans contributed to a memorable evening from the stands at Hillsborough.
On the pitch, McCabe was proud to be part of the occasion.
He said: “I grew up supporting Rangers and went on to play for them, so playing against them was unusual for me.
“Their fans and ours were amazing and they turned out in good numbers and created a really good atmosphere.
“I’m down here in Sheffield trying to progress my career and I feel that playing in England is the best way to do that for me.
“I’ve still got friends and family who support Rangers and they came to the game. It was great to see the boys who I grew up with but now it’s time for me to get my head down and get ready for the start of the season.”
With pre-season approaching the latter stages, the Owls have upped the ante with their preparations for the new campaign and McCabe is counting down the days to the big kick-off on 3 August.
He added: “Everybody connected with the club is just itching to get started now.
“We’ve had a long break over the summer not playing football and with none to watch on the TV, so it’s going to be really good to get back into the swing of things.
“We’re looking forward to QPR, they have top quality players with being in the Premier League last season, so it will be good to go and play against these boys that have played at the highest level.”