Josh Windass’ well-taken finish during Sheffield Wednesday’s 5-2 thrashing of MK Dons on Saturday afternoon was his 14th of the season. A ninth-minute opener which set The Owls on their way to a 20th win from 31 league games, maintaining an eight-point advantage over third-place Ipswich Town in the automatic positions.
But don’t make the mistake in assuming Windass is resting on his laurels. Wednesday are not promoted yet. And their in-form forward has a career-best tally of 18 from five years ago at Rangers firmly in his sights. It’s a tally he seems determined to surpass.
“So far I think Josh can be pleased,” manager Darren Moore tells Yorkshire Live, praising Windass’ ‘wonderful’ partnership with targetman Matt Smith at Hillsborough.
“Knowing Josh, he’ll probably feel he could have more goals and assists to add to his game. But I think where he’s at now. His contribution has been good.”
Josh Windass’ enjoying his best ever season at Sheffield Wednesday
Windass has always been a player who’s found consistency a little hard to come by. After hitting 17 for Accrington Stanley in 2015/16, he scored just once in his debut season at Ibrox. After hitting 18 for Rangers in 2017/18, he managed just five in 40 games for Wigan Athletic.
Moore, however, is hopeful that – at the age of 29 – a player approaching his peak is finally supplementing that undoubted ability with some long-awaited dependability. A leading role in a title-winning campaign would be some way for Windass to finally silence those chirping critics.
“The biggest thing for me is I see more signs of the Josh I knew he was when I first arrived at the club (two years ago); that real power and precision,” Moore adds. “He’s really starting to affect games in the manner we know Josh Windass can and we want him to do.
“But, if I know Josh, he’ll be wanting to push himself to get more goals, more assists and continue to contribute like he has been for the team.”
Since the turn of the year, Windass scored twice to put Champions League-chasing Newcastle United out of the FA Cup. He hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 obliteration of Cambridge. And, with a further three goals and two assists in his last three League One outings, he has Sheffield Wednesday hurtling towards the promised land.
Now, it’s down to Windass to prove that he can turn a four-week purple patch into a four-month one.
