Megson relishing Owls challenge

Gary Megson has fulfilled a 25-year ambition after being named Sheffield Wednesday's new manager.

The 51-year-old has been handed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Hillsborough and replaces Alan Irvine, who was sacked on Thursday following a poor run of results in League One. Megson has been out of work following his departure from Bolton in December 2009, but has only recently become available after an extended spell on gardening leave due to a failure to agree a compensation package with the Premier League club. And after he followed in the footsteps of his father Don by pulling on the blue and white shirt during two spells in the 1980s, Megson is delighted to get the chance to manage the Owls. "It is a club that I know very well and I had two spells here as a player and I thoroughly enjoyed it," he said. "Before that I used to come here as a kid to watch games here with my old man so it something that I have always wanted to do and I am delighted. "I have followed this football club since I have been knee-high. And although I have been away at other clubs this is the first result I look for. "It's a job where I don't have to come up and see the area and it's not a job where I had to listen and take 24 hours to make a decision. This is something I knew I wanted to do 25 years ago." Megson, who previously worked under Owls owner Milan Mandaric at Leicester in 2007, was a hugely unpopular figure during his two-year stint at Bolton and failed to win over a sceptical set of supporters. However, he is expecting the full backing of the Wednesday faithful and could not help but have a dig at Wanderers fans, referencing his achievements at the Reebok Stadium. "I have played a lot of games for Sheffield Wednesday and know what the supporters are like," he said. "When you get it right, it's the best support you're ever going to get. One of the problems I had at Bolton was when it was going right, it never seemed to be. "If I ever get to a position where I can take Sheffield Wednesday to get a point at Bayern Munich, beat Atletico Madrid over two legs, beat Manchester United for the first time in years and keep them up from a position which was the worst ever start in Premier League history, I am sure the supporters will get behind that and realise what is going on." Irvine joined a lengthy list of managers to be sacked by Mandaric and the former Leicester and Portsmouth owner was pleased to get his man in such a short space of time. "I am delighted and very pleased in Gary agreeing to join us," he said. "I couldn't find a more experienced man in football. Gary's knowledge of the game is exceptional and so his desire to win. "We needed to make changes and I am excited in convincing Gary to join us. It didn't take much, this is his club, and he knows this is his home. I am delighted he is part of this club."