RON ATKINSON walked smiling into the lion's den at Hillsborough and marched away grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Atkinson, who infuriated the Sheffield Wednesday faithful by quitting for Aston Villa in the close season, left them fuming again as his new club came back from 2-0 down to snatch fairy-tale victory.

David Hirst put Wednesday in front after just two minutes and Northern Ireland midfielder Danny Wilson added the second in the 35th minute.

The writing looked on the wall for Atkinson at that stage but his side were gifted a goal four minutes from half time when Cyrille Regis, making his debut, dived low to head home.

Six minutes after the re-start Dalian Atkinson slid in to scoop the ball home against his former club.

And with four minutes left Atkinson burst clear on the left before crossing unselfishly to the unmarked Steve Staunton, a £1.1 million buy from Liverpool, who made no mistake.

Ron Atkinson ran a gauntlet of abuse in the city that turned against him - and walked away a winner.

In a magnificent display of pride and passion, his new charges clawed their way back from two goals down and completely overran Wednesday to give him a dream start.

A few short months ago Atkinson crowned a momentous Hillsborough season by putting the Rumbelows Cup in the trophy cabinet along with a return ticket to Division One.

Weeks later he was branded 'Judas' for seemingly going back on a pledge to stay.

But yesterday those fans who once idolised him were forced to watch in disbelief as their old boss's new-look Villa, clipped the Owls' wings