Bannan joins Millwall after 10 years at Sheff Wed
Barry Bannan has made 477 appearances over more than 10 years at Sheffield Wednesday
- Published
Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan has joined Millwall on an 18-month deal for an undisclosed fee after more than 10 years at Hillsborough.
The 36-year-old former Scotland international has made 477 appearances for the Owls, with 428 in the league.
He was given a standing ovation by fans of both teams during his final match for the club, a 2-0 defeat at Bristol City.
"He's a player that myself, Alex [Neil, manager] and football fans all over the country have admired for many years," said Millwall director of football Steve Gallen.
"He has been an outstanding player for Sheffield Wednesday and one of the best players in the Championship for a number of years."
Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen announced Bannan wanted to leave the club after the defeat at Ashton Gate, referencing the ongoing issues that will almost certainly see the Owls relegated to League One at the end of the season.
Bannan, who has 27 Scotland caps, had told his team-mates of his intentions and that the game against the Robins would be his last for the club. His contract had been due to expire at the end of the season.
Pedersen's side have been docked 18 points after entering administration in October, bringing an end to a tumultuous 10-year era under former owner Dejphon Chansiri.
They are 20 points adrift at the bottom of the table with -7 points, 23 from safety, and are on the club's longest ever winless run of 23 matches, dating back to 20 September.
Bannan, who began his career at Aston Villa and spent time at Crystal Palace before joining the Owls in the summer of 2015, becomes Millwall's first signing of the January window.
"He is bright, sharp, intelligent and has great awareness. One of the things I like about him the most is his adaptability; he can play in a number of positions, something that Alex and I have spoken about on a number of occasions," Gallen added.
"He also brings big-game experience, which will hopefully help us between now and the end of the season. I'm delighted to bring a very good football player into the club."
Neil's Lions are fourth in the table, after thrashing London rivals Charlton Athletic 4-0 on Saturday.
