Sheffield Wednesday flop has become a goal machine after leaving for £0

Sheffield Wednesday's main issues this season have centred on their lack of potency in front of goal, the Owls only managing to find the back of the net a meagre total of 24 times in the Championship from 31 games played. The problems at Hillsborough have only become more apparent as the season chugs along, Wednesday in danger of being cut adrift in the relegation battle with five points separating them and Huddersfield Town occupying the spot directly above the bottom three. Winning 2-0 on Friday night versus Birmingham City has at least offered up a slither of positivity, but Wednesday will still be rueing their decision to get rid of one lethal striker when they did who has since gone on to recapture his goalscoring best away from South Yorkshire. Jordan Rhodes' name is one that needs no introduction to avid fans of the EFL, the seasoned striker bagging 220 career goals predominantly switching between the comforts of Championship and League One football. Rhodes' time playing for Wednesday didn't quite go to plan for the notoriously prolific Scotsman however, who was going through a rare barren patch of his career when relocating to Hillsborough. Joining Wednesday off the back of an underwhelming time playing for Middlesbrough - where Rhodes would only muster up six goals from 24 appearances - the veteran attacker could never successfully exorcise his demons from the Riverside Stadium when donning a brand-new Owls strip. The 6 foot 1 centre-forward, who once stole the headlines for bagging 35 goals in just one season for Huddersfield Town, only managed a paltry three goals from 20 games for Wednesday before being shipped out to Norwich City after one unconvincing season. Rhodes has shown that there is life still in him at 34 years of age however with Blackpool this campaign, the Owls desperate for an attacker in the Scotsman's mould currently who can win games singlehandedly by firing in a vital strike. The intimidating talisman has found his goalscoring groove again for the Tangerines this season on loan from Huddersfield, finding himself in a golden boot race in League One even as his career nears to its conclusion. Only two strikes off the top of the charts - currently occupied by Barnsley sharpshooter Devante Cole with 17 goals - Rhodes could well spearhead Blackpool to a playoff spot regardless of any personal accolades with 15 goals next to his name from 25 third-tier appearances. League One top scorers this season
1. Devante Cole - Barnsley 17 goals 2. Jamie Reid - Stevenage 16 goals 3. Alfie May - Charlton 16 goals 4. Jordan Rhodes - Blackpool 15 goals 4. Colby Bishop - Portsmouth 15 goals Stats by BBC Sport
Rhodes cutting a revitalised figure at Bloomfield Road this campaign has seen his manager Neil Critchley single him out for praise, describing the Tangerines hero as "outstanding" last year when commenting on the 34-year-old netting a hat-trick versus Reading. Letting Rhodes leave the building on a free transfer now feels like a colossal error from those at Hillsborough, but nobody could have predicted the ageing centre-forward would go on to soar to these heights again during the twilight of his playing days. The 34-year-old will hope his loan club in Blackpool can achieve promotion up to the Championship as a direct result of his exploits in front of goal, with Wednesday in grave danger of dropping out of the second tier in contrast.