Sheffield Wednesday

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Sheffield Wednesday

Is this really happening at Sheffield Wednesday?

That was the question I found myself asking as I walked out of Hillsborough after interviewing new chief executive David Bruce and chairman David Storch in front of an audience of Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust members on Tuesday.

This isn't usual for this football club. Straightforward communication, laying out the situation in understandable language. Not over-promising whilst still managing to say enough to get people excited about the future.

A plan for the commercial side of the club. A plan to improve the stadium and training ground - both badly neglected for far too long. A structure that makes sense with a CEO and sporting director working together.

Repeatedly stating that the fans are central to everything.

"Strap yourselves in" was the parting line from Bruce. You could sense a ripple of excitement in the room as he said it. It felt like the fans were hanging off every word. Someone said afterwards it was a breath of fresh air.

The new regime are still keen to let their actions speak louder than their words. There's an enormous job to do at Hillsborough just to get things ready for next season.

Yet by communicating effectively, you could sense the buy-in is there.

At one point a fan asked whether her five-year season ticket, bought two years ago under one of former owner Dejphon Chansiri's many hair-brained schemes, would be valid. Storch said more than 130 people had these tickets and he would personally make sure all were respected.

Cue a beaming smile on the face of the supporter.

Speaking to fans with respect, engaging them, revealing just enough of the plan to feel like they've got an idea of the direction of travel. It doesn't happen anywhere near enough in football, with the previous regime at Hillsborough a classic example of this.

Fans were often treated to five-hour fans forums where they were shouted at, talked down to, described as mere customers and baited to 'sell their house' when they dared to suggest Chansiri sell the club.

On this night, in front of this audience, the message being sent by the new owners was clear - things are going to be done differently now.

Storch delivered a popular line at the end of the night: "It's not uncommon to look at football clubs and hear United, City, Town. We're Wednesday. And there's a power to Wednesday."

It's a very different message to one of Chansiri's more notorious comments, "Actually, Sheffield Wednesday is not that big." He didn't need to say it - but he did. Too many missed open goals, too many baffling mistakes.

At one point Bruce reeled off five key things he thinks any club needs to be successful, going into great detail on each point. It was impressive - and set out the vision for the future.

None of this, of course, guarantees future success on the pitch. The work required at Sheffield Wednesday is substantial and this is the first step up a huge mountain for all concerned.

Yet there's a feel good factor around the club at the moment that isn't typical for this part of Sheffield. That's definitely something to build on.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There haven't been too many significant days at Hillsborough over the past 30 years.

The miracle comeback against Peterborough. Play-off semi-final victories against Brentford and Brighton (whatever happened to them?).

Saturday was significant. A sold-out crowd, ready to celebrate the end of a nightmare and the start of something new.

"A club reborn," it said on the scoreboard.

There was a totally different mood around the place. People were smiling and stopping to talk about their hopes for the future. Optimism filled the air. It felt very unlike Sheffield Wednesday.

The 33,750 crowd was the biggest in the whole of the Championship this season and speaks to the passion that still exists for this club. With 30 minutes to go until kick-off, the stands were full with people singing and chanting.

Then, the introduction.

New chairman David Storch was welcomed on to the pitch. A huge roar shook Hillsborough. Another followed when he announced on the microphone: "Today, we return the club to the fans.

"This is your club. I want you to know that we will work tirelessly to be the best stewards on your behalf."

More cheers.

"You have no idea what a huge task this has been," added Storch, before praising a number of individuals including his son Michael, Tom Costin, Asher Simons, Clive Betts MP and James Silverwood from the SWFC Supporters Trust.

He introduced former Sunderland executive David Bruce as chief executive - the kind of experienced figure the club has needed.

A video on the big screen confirmed a return to the much-loved "old badge" - the familiar Owl logo that used to make the club so instantly recognisable before it was removed by former owner Dejphon Chansiri.

The badge change is the kind of crowd-pleasing open goal that Chansiri so often missed.

Next on the big screen they put up -15 - the number of points many expected Wednesday to be deducted for next season because of EFL guidelines relating to coming out of administration. The crowd weren't aware of the EFL's decision not to impose the deduction.

One by one, the numbers ticked away and each deducted point being removed was cheered by the home crowd.

As the total turned to zero and fans realised there would be no penalty, there was the loudest roar Hillsborough has heard in a long time.

You could feel 12 months of anguish, sadness, stress and desperation being released. Supporters punched the air. Some cried.

I thought about two fans, Dean and Alex, who contacted BBC Sheffield the day before the game.

They lost their mum in January and said their dad, a Wednesdayite, had been struggling. Saturday was his 73rd birthday. He was at Hillsborough to be uplifted with so many others.

It's never just a game, is it?

To cap it all off, the Owls won for just the second time in the Championship and claimed their first league win at home for 376 days.

Club-hero Liam Palmer scored the winner in front of the Kop. It was almost scripted - and it makes you wonder what'll happen next in this story.

At the end of the game, an older gentleman who sits near the press box came up to me. I said hello and asked if he was all right.

"I am now," was his reply.

Off he went with a smile, contemplating that his club might bring him some joy again in the future.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The past 12 months have been absolute hell for a lot of people associated with Sheffield Wednesday.

The number of late-night calls with various people expressing different emotions - despair, frustration, anger, confusion, helplessness, anxiety, sadness. This has tested many people.

On multiple occasions over the past few months it's even been questioned whether the club could survive another setback. That's how serious things got.

In a world of PSG 5-4 Bayern Munich, endless VAR drama, Chelsea sacking another boss and people wondering whether Arsenal will get over the line in the title race, it's probably been lost on many that one of English football's most recognisable clubs was on the brink.

So today, to be able to talk about a brighter future - or any future at all - is such a refreshing positive for so many people.

I can well imagine a few tears have been shed already. People have suffered terribly and, frankly, unnecessarily.

There are no guarantees of future success. This takeover shouldn't automatically be talked about as the first step towards a return to glory.

There's an eye-watering amount of work to do; rebuilding, restructuring and repairing. The amount of investment required just to match Wednesday's peers will likely stretch to nine figures and the first number might not be a one.

This isn't a small job and understanding quite the extent of the work needed is important at the start of the David Storch led era at Sheffield Wednesday.

What there is, though, is hope when previously there was none. There's also a plan.

There's a determination to energise a fanbase that has remained strong and supportive throughout Wednesday's darkest year.

When I interviewed Storch earlier this year, he said: "I'm very sincere when I say the fans own this club. We will be the custodians and partners to the fans as we look to bring hope back."

Plenty will be revealed in time but I know there are ideas from the new owners that will likely invigorate Owls fans. Being a Wednesdayite might be fun again. Who won't raise a toast to that, after everything they've gone through?

If success follows on the pitch, even better. That will be the aim, obviously. For now though, with a sold-out crowd at Hillsborough for the final game against West Brom on Saturday, Wednesday fans are ready for a party.

There's a long journey ahead and it'll begin in League One. Yet there will be a few people in the stands on Saturday turning to a mate, a parent, a son or daughter, a grandchild or maybe even a complete stranger and they'll say, "We've got our Wednesday back".

That's a good start.

Both of these sides will be pleased to see the end of this season.

Sheffield Wednesday's off-field and ownership issues have led to a wretched campaign on the pitch and a failure to beat West Brom on Saturday (12:30 BST) will make them the first team in the top four tiers of English football to go a whole season without winning a home game.

West Brom secured their Championship status for a second time with a draw against Ipswich last weekend, having been deducted two points.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won both of their past two Championship home games against West Brom, winning 3-0 in 2023-24 and 3-2 last season.

• West Brom have only lost two of their past 13 league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W7 D4), with this season's reverse clash ending goalless in November.

• Sheffield Wednesday have not lost their final league game in any of the past five seasons (W3 D2), last enjoying a longer run from 1947-48 to 1957-58 (11 in a row).

• West Brom have won their final league game in both of the past two seasons, last doing so three times in a row from 1991-92 to 1993-94.

• Should Sheffield Wednesday fail to win this game, they would be the first side in England's top four tiers to end the season with one league win since Derby County in 2007-08 in the Premier League. In a 46-game season, the fewest wins is two by Rochdale in 1973-74 in the third tier.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Shutterstock

Everyone accepts this season has been a nightmare for Sheffield Wednesday. A decimated squad. Youth players thrust into action. Multiple emergency goalkeepers.

Nobody expected anything other than an almighty nine month slog.

However, with one game to go, the Owls have won only one solitary league game.

Is it good enough?

It's a question an increasing number of fans are asking, with a feeling – not confirmed – that the potential new owners will stick with boss Henrik Pedersen.

There's no doubt the players have given their all, and that's to the manager's credit. There were expectations that by November, with the season a lost cause, the hammerings would start. Instead, Wednesday have, at the very least, limited the damage.

However, only one victory is still a thing to be discussed. An argument we often get on BBC Sheffield is how would a League Two club, for example, fair if they played 45 Championship opponents. Would they get at least two wins?

The 2023-24 Rotherham United team finished bottom of the Championship, employing three different managers and a squad completely incapable of competing in the second tier. They still won five games and claimed 27 points.

The 2016-17 Millers previously held the record low points total for a Championship season with 23 points. That was the year that Alan Stubbs replaced Neil Warnock, was promptly sacked, Kenny Jackett then took over, but resigned after just 39 days. It was a mess. They also won five games.

Is it fair for Wednesday fans to wonder, despite everything, whether one solitary win after 45 games is acceptable?

Should they have at least found a way to win one or two more by now?

Being hammered by another relegated team in Oxford United on Saturday puts the question into focus. They lost 4-1, conceded poor goals, were out-shot 20 to 10, and the U's more than doubled Wednesday's xG.

Pedersen's win percentage as a manager before arriving at Hillsborough was only 29.1% in four stints. He's worked in difficult circumstances, but Wednesday now face a big summer of rebuilding.

Start next season badly, and patience will be in short supply. Fans will point to the lack of wins this season and prior spells as a boss. Can Wednesday risk having one man oversee the start of a major project, only to feel pressure to change right away if the results don't come next term?

It's a dilemma that warrants some consideration from the Storch group as they make plans for the future, whilst trying to complete a takeover.

Are they better off having a clean slate? Or would they be right to place their faith in the incumbent manager and staff? There's certainly a case to be made for stability, and they might be impressed with Pedersen's vision for the future.

For more reasons than one though, a win on the final day against West Brom is needed. To reward long-suffering, loyal fans. And to create some faith in Pedersen and his staff.