Another round of Mad Dog promised as Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City favourite chases ‘best feeling ever’

That’s what all-action Callum Paterson jokingly promised The Star when recently discussing the prospect of promotion back to the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday.

Images of the bustling Scot sat in a Cardiff City changing room drinking from a bottle of ‘MD 2020’ after the Bluebirds promotion to the Premier League in 2018 are popular among Owls fans on social media whenever Paterson pops up with a goal.

Though a fortified wine made in America – the MD actually stands for its manufacturer Mogen David but is better known as ‘Mad Dog’ on these shores – it’s a popular drink in his native Scotland.

Asked whether promotion with the Owls would see a reprise of his famous pose last month, a relaxed Paterson responded as you’d expect. He’s keen.

And though typically jovial in conversation, he is deadly serious about the task in hand – which will now come via the play-offs if it is to be achieved.

“The feeling after you get promoted you can’t compare to anything,” he said. “It’s the best feeling on earth and it’s something you might expect to do and getting over the line, the relief, the emotions, it’s a great feeling if it comes.

“I’ve tried to reiterate all that to the boys around the squad. A few have experienced it too.”

The point has been made by Darren Moore and a number of Paterson’s teammates that Wednesday’s fan base will have a huge part to play as the Owls look to seal promotion at Wembley on May 29.

The Scotland international has been warmly received by supporters since his return from a long lay-off with injury and was part of the Wednesday squad that were roared on by the away end in a riotous post-match show of appreciation after Saturday’s win at Shrewsbury Town.

“It’s always nice to have fans cheering your name,” Paterson said. “It’s what we’ve all dreamed of since you start kicking a ball as children. I’m thankful for that and hopefully they can keep doing it and I’ll repay them with a goal every now and again.

“They have a massive role. Everyone is allowed to have a moan and a whinge every now and again and I understand that, we all do.

“But it’s the other side of it, when they’re on top and they’re bouncing, it generates such a good feeling in the squad, it rubs off on everyone whether you’re on the park, on the bench or in the stands, it’s such an infectious thing when you hear the fans singing and cheering and all that. We need them and hopefully we can repay them.

“I’d been sat watching for months and I’d not really enjoyed myself to be honest so it’s been a sense of relief getting back out there on the park and having that winning feeling, having the fans singing, going up to see my missus after the game and she’s happy. All the boys too. It’s so nice to have been back involved.”

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