The Scots behind Sheffield Wednesday's miracle - Barry Bannan, Liam Palmer, former Hearts star, ex-Rangers man

They are calling it a miracle and it’s not hard to understand why. After all, no English club had ever overturned a four-goal play-off deficit until late on Thursday night.

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan encourages goalkeeper Cameron Dawson during the penalty shoot-out.

Step forward Sheffield Wednesday. Trailing 4-0 to Peterborough United, who lamped the Owls at London Road last weekend, Darren Moore’s team were long odds-against to turn the tie around at Hillsborough. Even though 19 points separated the two teams during the regular season, scoring four without reply would be a monumental ask of this team. But they did it. Early goals from Michael Smith and Lee Gregory got the crowd going and then, in the second half, Reece James made it 3-0 with 20 minutes to go. Wednesday pushed and pushed and, in the eighth minute of stoppage time, defender Liam Palmer – capped eight times by Scotland – bundled the ball home. Cue bedlam.

Peterborough, remarkably, managed to climb off the canvas in extra time and scored themselves thanks to an own goal by Gregory. However, you knew it was Wednesday’s night. Callum Paterson, once a Scotland squad regular and a former Hearts player, made it 5-1 and forced a penalty shoot-out, in which Wednesday prevailed 5-3 to set up a final at Wembley against either Bolton Wanderers of Barnsley a week on Monday.

The scenes of celebrations have gone viral and there is a healthy dollop of Scottish football in that Wednesday squad. Their captain is Barry Bannan, who at 33-years-old still has such an intelligent football brain and a lovely touch. Capped 27 times by Scotland, he scored one of the penalties in the shoot-out and is a darling of the support despite a sometimes turbulent relationship with the fans since his arrival way back in 2015. Palmer and Paterson are the two other Scots in the team and made such massive contributions. Paterson has been heavily linked with a return north to Scotland as Hearts have been speaking to the out-of-contract player and his performance against Peterborough shows he still has loads to offer. Two former SPFL men also played their part: ex-Rangers forward Josh Windass scored one of the penalties, as did Welshman Will Vaulks, who has play-off history with Falkirk.

Spare a thought for the one Scot on the wrong side of the result, though. Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson – son of Sir Alex Ferguson – will want to forget this night in Yorkshire very quickly.