Former Liverpool star Rhian Brewster has become embroiled in a heated spat with Barry Bannan as the duo celebrated their respective side's promotions.
Brewster and Bannan play on opposite teams in the Steel City Derby, with the striker playing for Sheffield United and the latter captain of Sheffield Wednesday. Both sides have been promoted this season, with United going up from the Championship and Wednesday winning the League One play-offs.
There is no love lost between the fierce rivals, though it has been four years since they played in the same division. Both teams took shots at each other during their celebrations of getting promoted, with Bannan left furious by Brewster's actions.
The Blades secured second place in the Championship and with it automatic promotion to the top-flight. Brewster led chanting among supporters aimed towards his side's bitter rivals, with the 23-year-old asking: "What do you think of Wednesday?"
United fans replied with "s***" to which Brewster responded by asking "What do you think of s***?" He then led a chant of "We hate Wednesday, we hate Wednesday" with the Blades crowd.
That chanting did not go unnoticed on the opposite side of the Steel City, with the feud bursting into the open this week. Bannan lifted the League One Play-offs trophy on Monday as Wednesday defeated Barnsley with a dramatic 1-0 win in extra-time.
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Darren Moore's side were treated to an open-top bus tour and reception at Sheffield's town hall in the aftermath of that victory. At one point, skipper Bannan got gold on the microphone and aimed a pointed jibe at Brewster.
The Scottish midfielder was filmed saying "Rhian Brewster, you're absolutely f***ing honking son." Wednesday players then began a chant chanting "They're all f***ing w*****s at the Lane."
Brewster has struggled badly since joining the Blades from Liverpool in October 2020, scoring just five goals since his arrival at Bramall Lane. Bannan meanwhile has been at Wednesday since 2015 and is hoping for immediate promotion from the Championship.
"I know there are some big teams coming down, but we'll be a massive club in that division as well. You look at Sunderland – they got promoted last year, they went up to the Championship and they harnessed the momentum to reach the play-offs at the first attempt," he said.
"We'll be trying to take a leaf out of their book. There are teams who have done it previously (gone from League One to the Prem in two years) and when you get into a winning habit it becomes normal, you don't even think about losing.
“I've always enjoyed my time here, I've connected with the fans and I've always said I wanted to get them back to where they belong, so this is a major defining moment in my career. In the Championship, this club will still expect results and I like to take that expectation on my shoulders."
