Barry Bannan has been left in hot water at Millwall after his wife criticised manager Alex Neil – and then suggested he wants to leave the club.
Chloe Bannan took a potshot at Neil and then hastily deleted her X account after the Lions were beaten 2-0 by Hull City in the Championship play-offs.
It has left the Bannan family with something of a PR nightmare after social media took the side of Neil, who, in guiding Millwall to third place, has given them their best season since 1994.
Midfielder Bannan appeared to take stick from supporters during the game on Monday night, leading to Chloe’s defence on him.
Replying to one Millwall fan who said Bannan had become a scapegoat, she wrote on X: ‘Always Barry’s fault [laughing emoji] a good manager would help xxx.’
A fan of Sheffield Wednesday – the club Bannan left in the winter – then piped up.
Barry Bannan’s wife Chloe (right) took aim at Millwall boss Alex Neil as they lost out to Hull in the play-offs
She also sent a crossed fingers emoji at the prospect of him returning to Sheffield Wednesday
Neil has led Millwall to their best league finish since 1994 but lost 2-0 to Hull on aggregate
‘Wouldn’t be his fault here though Chloe,’ he wrote. ‘Holiday over yet?’
To that, Chloe replied with a fingers crossed emoji – perhaps suggesting the married couple want to move back to the Owls.
She has since removed her X account.
Bannan is hugely popular at Sheffield Wednesday after 10-and-a-half seasons with them but has been a mere squad player at Millwall.
Wednesday will spend next season in League One following relegation from the Championship and a player of their ex-captain’s ilk would surely be a boost.
The Yorkshire Post reports that a move back to Wednesday is potentially back on the cards this summer.
He is contracted with Millwall until 2027 but is said to be open to the idea of moving back.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen said before his exit in January: ‘Barry wants to leave, although I don’t want to lose him.
‘I can’t say where he will be going at the moment, but we will miss him because he is a real club legend and a great leader as well as a top player.
‘The reaction of both sets of supporters said everything about how he is regarded and it was very emotional. He is a special player and a special human being, who gives without taking.’
