On Monday, Gary Madine will face former club Sheffield Wednesday for the first time as a Sheffield United player.
Madine spent four-and-a-half years on the books at Hillsborough, helping them to promotion from League One in 2011/12.
The 28-year-old later joined Bolton Wanderers and then Cardiff City before the Blades landed him on loan in January.
Madine scored his first two goals for the club in a recent 4-0 win over Reading. Now the forward is in contention to start the Steel City Derby – and may have something to prove.
“At Wednesday, we got promoted and instead of the manager putting his arm around me, saying I needed to do this or that better, he literally shut the door on me,” Madine told BBC Radio Sheffield.
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“As a 21 or 22-year-old kid, what else am I meant to do? Some people may have done things differently. But I needed a release from football, and the only thing I knew was to go out to a bar or a nightclub.”
Madine’s issues
(photo by Nathan Munkley/Action Plus via Getty Images)
In October 2013, Madine was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assaulting two men in nightclubs.
He served four-and-a-half months of his sentence in the end, before rejoining the Owls squad upon his release.
Madine’s history ensured some controversy when it was rumoured he’d be coming to Bramall Lane. He was also filmed insulting Blades captain Billy Sharp in 2017.
Yet Sharp played a key part in Madine getting signed and the Cardiff man admits he’s made mistakes.
“When I signed I saw a few fans say that I’d rock the dressing room. But I know Chris (Wilder) did his homework on me and, believe it or not, I’m actually a nice lad,” he continued.
“Fair enough, I’ve had a bit of bother when I’ve had a drink in me but day to day, I turn up, do my work and go home without a peep.
“That’s probably why my career stalled a little bit, because I was doing that and you can’t afford to at this level.
“I’ve learned the hard way.”
