Sheffield Wednesday have a number of players in their starting lineup currently who have been there and done that with the Owls, stalwarts who have stuck it out in South Yorkshire for a substantial portion of their careers.
Liam Palmer's name is the first one that springs to mind, the right-back going on to make 426 appearances for Wednesday ever since first emerging from the youth set-up in 2010.
Josh Windass and Marvin Johnson could also throw themselves into contention for being long-standing servants from Danny Rohl's current first-team mix – accumulating an impressive 243 combined appearances for the Owls – but there's one man in midfield that represents the beating heart of the club by remaining put through thick and thin.
Entering Hillsborough on a free transfer in 2015, Barry Bannan has done more than enough to cement himself as a club legend nine years on to make the free transfer capture look like an absolute bargain.
Barry Bannan's time at Sheffield Wednesday
Once purchased for €2.1m (£1.79m) when joining Crystal Palace all the way back in 2013, Wednesday benefitted from Barry Bannan flopping at Selhurst Park to get him in for nothing.
The Scottish creator would only manage to register a single goal and four assists playing for the Eagles in an unmemorable one-season stay in London, leaving his best for when he relocated all the way up to South Yorkshire on a free.
In three of Bannan's impactful nine seasons to date donning Wednesday blue and white, the Owls captain has managed to get to double digits with his assists – notching up 11 just last season, even as he nows reach the grand age of 34, to help his side win the League One playoffs.
It's why Rohl is scrambling around to extend his captain's contract at this moment in time, and further why ex-Owls boss Darren Moore constantly showered Bannan with praise during his time in the Hillsborough hot-seat – describing the former Aston Villa midfielder as an "intelligent" and "vital" presence on the way to promotion being sealed last season.
In retrospect, the purchase of Bannan could be viewed as more of a coup now than the deal to land former Rotherham United striker Michael Smith was in 2022 with the Scottish wizard still in and around the first-team picture whilst Smith has been reduced to a bit-part player.
Michael Smith's record for Wednesday
Once viewed as a major statement buy – with Smith turning down a chance to play in the Championship for the Millers to join Wednesday instead – the 32-year-old striker is now not as important to the Owls cause as he once was, scoring just three goals in 20 league games in 2023/24.
Linked with a move away to Derby County all through the January transfer window, Rohl and Co might be annoyed that they couldn't shift Smith off the books owing to his high wage in the end – the Rams hesitant to cough up and pay any of his £17.5k-per-week wage.
Drawing blanks currently when given a chance to shine also, Smith falling down the pecking order has further coincided with new Owls recruit Ike Ugbo finding his shooting boots with the Troyes loanee bagging five goals in his last four league games.
Whereas, Bannan – although he's been not as effective as he has been compared to the last few campaigns – has starred in glimpses for Rohl's relegation-threatened side this season.
The Scotsman picked up his second assist of the campaign against the now managerless Lions in midweek, playing a defence-splitting through ball for Anthony Musaba to slot home for 2-0.
Bannan won't want to just hang up his boots even as he does reach the twilight of his career, and if Rohl can tie the dynamic midfielder to a contract extension soon, he should remain an important cog in the Owls machine for some time yet.