GARY Megson has fulfilled a 25-year ambition after being named Sheffield Wednesday’s new manager.

The 51-year-old has been handed a three-and-a-halfyear contract at Hillsborough and replaces Alan Irvine, who was sacked on Thursday following a poor run of results in npower League One.

Megson has been out of work following his departure from Bolton in December 2009, but has only recently become available after an extended spell on gardening leave due to a failure to agree a compensation package with the Barclays Premier League club.

And after he followed in the footsteps of his father, Don, by pulling on the blue and white shirt during two spells in the 1980s, Megson is delighted to get the chance to manage the Owls.

‘‘It is a club I know very well, I had two spells here as a player and I thoroughly enjoyed it,’’ he said.

‘‘Before that I used to come here as a kid to watch games with my old man so it is something I have always wanted to do and I am delighted.

‘‘I have followed this football club since I have been knee-high and although I have been at other clubs, this is the first result I look for.

‘‘It’s a job where I don’t have to come up and see the area and it’s not a job where I had to listen and take 24 hours to make a decision.

This is something I knew I wanted to do 25 years ago.’’ Megson, who previously worked under Owls owner Milan Mandaric at Leicester in 2007, was a hugely unpopular figure during his twoyear stint at Bolton and failed to win over a sceptical set of supporters.

However, he is expecting the full backing of the Wednesday faithful.

‘‘I have played a lot of games for Sheffield Wednesday and know what the supporters are like,’’ he said.

‘‘When you get it right, it’s the best support you’re ever going to get.”