There was a winner from Jamal Lowe, with an equaliser from Davis Keillor-Dunn sandwiched in between after Ben Woodburn’s opener. It was by no means a Club Supreme performance, and

Henrik Pedersen did ring the changes, of course, with Di’Shon Bernard making his first outing in 591 days and young Joel Akpobi being handed his debut. Ashley Maynard-Brewer was also given his first appearance, with Joe Lumley being given some time to rest up.

Frankly, the less said about the first half, the better. From a Wednesday perspective, anyway. Pedersen’s Owls never really got going, they looked disjointed and disinterested, and a shabby display on the ball saw them struggle to make any sort of impact on the tie.

On the flip side, Salford looked good. They were zipping the ball around nicely, and almost opened the scoring early doors when Luke Garbutt rifled a long-range effort across the bar behind Maynard-Brewer.

The Wednesday goalkeeper was the major positive from the opening stanza, and was twice called into action as he kept out Kyrell Malcolm from both close range and from outside the box - AMB will have been pleased with both of them.

Akpobi looked bright enough on his debut, and his directness did offer a bit of respite for the visitors, and it was nice to see Bernard not afraid to throw himself into challenge after his lengthy spell out. Trusting your body in physical duels again must be a hard part of returning to fitness.

In the end, however, the pressure told for the Ammies, and it was a former Sheffield United man who’d break the deadlock. The finish was lovely, curling an effort past the Wednesday ‘keeper from the edge of the box, but Pedersen will have been frustrated with how much time he was given.

Anyone hoping for an immediate response was to left disappointed, and the home side remained on top, barring a slight increase in tempo before the break. Peter Cklamovski lead at half-time, and absolutely deserved to.

Thankfully, the second half brought with it a substantial improvement. There were no changes from the Wednesday boss, but you’d think they’d been given a rocket ahead of the restart.

It took 10 minutes for them to get level, and it was Keillor-Dunn who got himself off the mark. There was a Brilliant Link-up Together - a BLT, you could say - between Grainger and Akpobi, with the latter doing well to find DKD in the box. His placement was perfect, and header was a simple one. 1-1.

Pedersen sensed a change in momentum and sought a winner. Bernard was replaced by Gabriel Otegbayo, but then Callum Slattery and Lowe were introduced into the fray, and you might say they proved to be the sort of sub that Mike would be proud of… Super Subs, anyone?

It didn’t take long for them to make an impact. Slattery won a penalty after being brought down in the box, and his teammate was on hand to slot it home for his sixth goal in 10 games.

Other debuts came as well, with Will McPartland and Sam Duruh turning out in Owls colours for the first time, becoming the 1203rd and 1204th players to do so, and were solid.

There was to be no Number Four, but Wednesday didn’t need there to be. It definitely wasn’t a Big Kahuna of an outing, but Pedersen will loaf the fact that his team came away victorious. Three points in the bag.

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In terms of the starting XI, Mason Burstow was reinstated up front, while Ricardo Santos was paired with Liam Cooper in defence. Jaden Heskey dropped out of the squad completely as Harry Gray made the bench - the young midfielder the first victim of the fact that Wednesday have one more loanee than they’re allowed to name in their matchday squad.

Optimism surrounds Wednesday once again, and there was plenty of blue and white on show as a new flag was unfurled on a busy Kop before kick-off. Wigan had had a rough start to their 2026/27 campaign, and the hosts were hoping to add to their woes.

The first half was a lively one. Both teams had good spells as it ebbed and flowed at S6, and in the opening 15 minutes we’d seen Billy Mitchell clip the ball over the top and hit the ref in the head, Burstow crash one against the woodwork, Cooper ping a delightful diagonal ball and the visitors have a pretty decent penalty shout waved away.

Cooper was in fantastic form, getting in the way of everything that came his way. He blocked shots, cleared crosses and looked generally very tidy alongside his experienced colleague, Santos.

Another player who stood out was young Kieran Morrison, who was a constant handful down Wednesday’s right-hand side. With his stepovers and dropped shoulders he managed to get a few strikes on goal, and also put some wicked balls into the box… Unfortunately nobody was able to get on the end of them.

Big chances were few and far between, but there were saves from the Joes in goal – Lumley and Whitworth – as the two teams fought for an opener. It wasn’t to come in the opening stanza, and we were still goalless after 45 minutes.

While Wednesday probably edged the first half, it was the visiting side who looked brightest in the early stages of the second. Jensen Weir hit the post, Cooper was booked, and the Owls spent an extended period down to 10 men as Callum Slattery waited for a change of boots and then Yan Valery went down injured.

Ultimately the full-back couldn’t continue, despite trying to come back on, and was one of three changes by Henrik Pedersen with just over an hour played. Palmer replaced him, while Ali Al-Hamadi came on for Mason Burstow and Slattery went off for Davis Keillor-Dunn.

Wednesday couldn’t really get a hold on the game, and it was the Latics who looked the most likely to score. Pedersen’s men could barely get out of their own half, and the Owls boss looked to be forced into another change - this time it was Santos off for Gabriel Otegbayo.

Gray was the next one to enter the mix, taking over from Lowe, but it didn’t really look to help matters. The talented teenager showed a few nice touches, but we entered into the final five minutes of normal time with the home side still battling to create anything meaningful.

The attacker was booked as the 90-minute mark approached, going into Seb Stockbridge’s book for dissent after reacting to what did look to be a very soft foul given against him. Eight minutes were added on.

To their credit, the Owls did make a late push in search of a winner, slowly trying to turn the screw as 30,725 people watched on. It wasn’t to be, though, and Wigan were able to deal with anything that came their way. The best Wednesday chance fell to Gray after a lovely Palmer cross found him in the box, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.

In the end a draw was probably a fair result, and a last-ditch block from Otegbayo at the death made sure that that’s how it finished. Not an afternoon to remember for Wednesdayites, but they could at least head home knowing that their team is still top of the table. A first clean sheet will be welcomed, too.

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It’s hard to believe that it’s not even been four years since Peterborough’s demolition of the Owls at London Road… Since then, there’s been a Miracle of Hillsborough and a Wembley win, there’s been the firing of a promotion-winning manager and a Great Escape. There’s also been a relegation, a takeover and a whole lot more. It’s never dull at Sheffield Wednesday.

For the Posh, they’ve remained where they were, stuck in League One and - last season - were only five points ahead of the drop zone. This afternoon, with the hosts trying to get back on track and the visitors looking for another win,

‘4-0, and you f***cked it up’ was the most obvious chant, and it started well before kick-off. Another sold-out away end was always expected to be a noisy one, and they didn’t disappoint as those donned in blue, white, yellow and a new navy number sang their hearts out.

On the pitch it was more even, though, with chances at both ends. Kieran Morrison saw an excellent effort saved by Alex Bass, while David Okagbue - was an early substitute for the injured Tom O’Connor - headed not far wide… With just over half an hour played, there had already been 11 shots on goal.

Despite his excellent cameo last time out, Ernie Weaver remained on the bench for this one, and it’s probably worth mentioning that he has just come off a lengthy injury - caution is required. Liam Cooper is being managed, too, so Gabriel Otegbayo kept his place at centre-back.

Jaden Heskey was into the XI, as was new signing, Davis Keillor-Dunn (the 1,200th player to turn out for the Owls), while Billy Mitchell dropped to the bench as he was given a break after a couple of excellent performances.

With the back-and-forth, it felt like the opening goal could come from either side… As it happened, though, it was Henrik Pedersen’s men who broke the deadlock - with a little help from the home side.

A mix-up at the back saw the ball end up at the feet of Keillor-Dunn, who prodded the ball towards Barry Bannan. His effort was blocked, but only as far as Kieran Morrison, who clipped over Bass with a dainty goal-bound effort. He might have thought he’d picked up his first senior goal, but the replays show that it never actually crossed the line, with an attempted clearance hitting Josh Feeney before nestling into the back of the net.

The lead was very nearly fleeting, though. Peterborough fought back immediately, and Harry Leonard was a lick of paint away from levelling up straight away, but could only watch as his effort bounced back off the post behind Joe Lumley.

There was excellent defending from Yan Valery, Liam Cooper and Reece James as they kept the hosts at bay. They will have been delighted to hear the half-time whistle.

With the second half came a defensive change as Weaver was brought into the mix in place of Cooper, and you have to think that it’s a case of managing both of them. Otegbayo, it would seem, is the only centre-back capable of finishing 90 minutes for the time being.

And his absence was noted within moments, Ben Woods being found unmarked in the Owls’ box before hammering a bullet header past Lumley. The marking was an issue, but so was the inability to stop the cross coming in. 1-1.

Peterborough weren’t slowing down, either. A dangerous cross into the far post almost resulted in a James own goal, but Lumley did excellently to clear it off the line. The Posh kept coming, too, and 10 minutes into the second stanza it seemed that if there was to be another goal, it would be them that got it.

Something had to change, and Pedersen didn’t wait. A triple sub followed a yellow card to Heskey, with the midfielder being replaced by Mitchell as Mason Burstow and Ali Al-Hamadi came on. Jamal Lowe - who’d hit a decent chance over the bar a few minutes earlier - and Keillor-Dunn made way.

There was almost an immediate reward as well, with Wednesday breaking the hosts’ backline before Bannan was found in the box… The Owls skipper caught his strike nicely, but it flashed just past the far post and wide. Callum Slattery went into the book shortly afterwards.

The changes helped, without doubt, and Wednesday did manage to gain control of the game for a while. A sublime Al-Hamadi touch resulted in him getting a shot on goal, but it flew wide of the mark, but momentum swung to and fro in what was a consistently open game in Cambridgeshire.

Then came the moment. After one of their own periods of pressure, the Owls won a corner, and Morrison marched over to flag to take it in front of a noisy away end. His left-footer was a dangerous one, and Valery was on hand to nod it past Bass and into the back of the net. Jubilation from the travelling fans, and for the second game in a row Pedersen’s changes looked to have done the job.

As it so often the case in League One, though, the pendulum continued to swing. Lumley had to tip a misplaced cross over the bar, and another effort from the edge of the box bounced past his post.

Liam Palmer was thrown into the mix with five minutes to go as Valery made way, unable to continue after he limped off the pitch. We’ll wait to hear whether it’s anything to worry about.

Seven minutes were added once the 90 had come to an end, and squeaky-bum-time was well and truly upon us. At one point there were 10 Owls in the box for an 18-yard box scramble that thankfully ended up in Lumley’s arms. Luke Williams’ men weren’t going down without a fight.

The whistle was a relief. While the visitors held firm, it did feel like the home side would’ve got there eventually… But they didn’t, and the celebrations from the Wednesday bench and away end roared through the Peterborough air when Andrew Humphries finally called time.

Once more they’d slogged, they’d scrapped, and they got what they came for. A first win at Peterborough since Shefki Kuqi’s winner in 2003, and three away wins to start a league campaign since the same year.

We’ll have to see how long it lasts, with Huddersfield Town playing later today, but for right now the Owls are top of the table - and they’ve not hit their straps yet.

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After a few rushed phone calls not long after the starting XIs were confirmed, I rushed into action after picking up a line that Wednesday were trying to wrap up a last-gasp deal to land David Keillor-Dunn from Wrexham… It meant that I actually missed the opening goal, live anyway.

Watching it back, though - it was a bad one. Gabriel Otegbayo - who replaced Ricardo Santos in the XI - didn’t deal well with a ball over the top, heading it straight to Cauley Woodrow, who managed to slot it past Joe Lumley to give the hosts a sixth-minute lead.

The reaction, however, was strong. It took the Owls just five minutes to get themselves level, showcasing some excellent football to break on the Chairboys at pace.

It started with Jamal Lowe, who poked the ball excellently to Barry Bannan. The man with the armband picked out a gorgeous outside-of-the-booter with his first touch, sending Louie Barry galloping down the pitch…

He found Mason Burstow, who fired towards the far post, and while Conor Hazard got down well to his right, Wednesday’s number 11 was on hand to tap it into an empty net. 1-1 with 11 minutes on the clock.

Barry’s joy was short-lived, though. Moments later, while bounding down the left side, he rolled his right ankle and looks immediately uncomfortable. The attacker had to be helped off the pitch and straight down the tunnel, with Kieran Morrison being called upon to replace him.

Reece James had a curling effort saved, Callum Slattery slammed a good effort into the side-netting, but it was Wycombe who were finished the half the strongest as the visitors missed the movement of Barry and had to withstand a fair bit of pressure from the home side. Thankfully, Lumley and the backline in front of him was up to everything that came their way.

But things changed as added time got underway. Wednesday found their feet a bit more, and started to probe the hosts’ defence more and more. They earned themselves a few corners, and the last one resulted in a little scramble in the box that saw Slattery’s legs clipped… Penalty Owls.

Bannan stepped up and held onto the ball as Wycombe got their complaints out of the way, before handing it to Lowe. His confidence will be sky high, and it showed in his spot kick as he fired it into the roof of the net to make it four goals in four League One games. 2-1 just before the break.

Tempers flared after the whistle after an incident involving Woodrow and Slattery, with the teams having to be separated and ushered down the tunnel. Wycombe really weren’t happy with the penalty decision.

There were no changes ahead of the second stanza, and Wednesday looked to pick up where they’d left off. They were bright out of the blocks, and there were some nice bits of interplay in their attempts to add to their lead.

Once more the pendulum swung, though. Michael Duff’s men started to take hold of the game again, and put serious pressure on the away defence. Reece James was strong again, and Yan Valery looked excellent down the right. Wycombe did have the ball in the net at one point, but were adjudged to have handled it beforehand… It should’ve been a foul on Valery, anyway.

Jaden Heskey was brought on for his second debut as Henrik Pedersen looked to shift the momentum - and it seemed to work. The Manchester City loanee helped calm things down, and shortly afterwards Wednesday’s right back drifted up the pitch and saw a wicked strike whistle past the post.

Billy Mitchell was fantastic in the middle of the park as he helped dictate play alongside Bannan, while big Liam Cooper was a rock at the back, winning almost as many aerials on his own as the whole Wycombe side.

But the home side weren’t done. Bannan joined Slattery in the book as they made a late push, and Connor Taylor should probably have evened things up. Cooper and the Owls captain made way shortly afterwards, managing their minutes as Ernie Weaver made his long-awaited return and Ali Al-Hamadi got another runout.

Weaver didn’t take long to get in on the action, either. Within minutes he was throwing himself into blocks and diving headers, doing everything on his first game back to make sure that three points would head back to Sheffield.

And so it came to pass. Excellent at points, scrapping and growling in others. In many ways a quintessential third-tier victory. Up those second-placed Owls.

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A brilliant first half saw the Owls head into the break with a 3-0 lead, and the result never really seemed in doubt after Callum Slattery had given them the lead.

The signs were there early on, too. It was said beforehand that the Ravens could be susceptible to being caught out at the back when teams tried to play through them, and that certainly proved to be the case.

It took moments for the first chance to come, with Billy Mitchell doing brilliantly to burst forward before setting up Louie Barry, however his effort was bravely stopped by Shamal George.

The Owls kept coming, though, and Mason Burstow was the next to go close with a superbly acrobatic overhead kick after a Bromley error, but once again George was up to the challenge as he tipped over the bar.

The visitors couldn’t keep Wednesday out for long, however, and seven minutes into a first half that ended with 72% possession in the hosts’ favour, Henrik Pedersen’s men finally took the lead.

Callum Slattery, once again looking a class above, took the ball down on his chest delightfully before finding Louie Barry out wide. The number eight then ghosted into the box before being found by his teammate, and calmly slotted home. Cool as a cucumber in front of goal.

Reece James, thrown into the mix for his second league debut at Hillsborough due to an expected injury to Max Lowe, was incredibly tidy at left back, and was also involved in the second goal.

His clearance eventually ended up at the feet of Jamal Lowe, and he was composed under pressure to slot the ball through to Burstow, who made it two for the home side with a lovely finish from the edge of the box. He more than deserved it for his efforts.

Wednesday were 2-0 up as the half-time whistle loomed, but they weren’t done just yet. Again Slattery was involved, as was Barry, and the former slid the ball through to Lowe who was able to make it 3-0 - and take his tally to three across all competitions in 2026/27.

Pedersen will have been delighted at the break, but there was a change to make before the second stanza got underway. Ricardo Santos made way, with Gabriel Otegbayo taking his place.

Things couldn’t have started much better, either, with the Barries - Louie and Bannan - working together beautifully down the left-hand side before the winger cut inside and did what he’s done so many times before and slotted it past the unsighted goalkeeper. 4-0, and Wednesday were cruising.

Things couldn’t have started much better, either, with the Barries - Louie and Bannan - working together beautifully down the left-hand side before the winger cut inside and did what he’s done so many times before and slotted it past the unsighted goalkeeper. 4-0, and Wednesday were cruising.

Wednesday were running riot, and it wasn’t getting any better for Andy Woodman’s side. The Owls were having so much joy on the ball, constantly finding ways behind the visiting backline, and the Ravens simply couldn’t cope.

It wasn’t long until it was five, with Barry in on the action once again. A bit of a scramble in the box saw the ball eventually fall to the feet of Burstow, and he showed excellent composure to slide it towards the number 11. He was exactly where he needed to be, and fired home into the roof of the net in front of an ecstatic Kop.

The onslaught continued as the home side bossed every single aspect of the game, and it was very nearly six through Lowe, but his effort from the edge of the six-yard box whistled just wide of the post. Bannan made way not long afterwards, with Kieran Morrison entering the mix.

Another double change came shortly afterwards, with Liam Cooper and Mitchell having run their race - Liam Palmer and Jarvis Thornton replaced them as Pedersen looked to see out the tie with just over 20 minutes to go.

Morrison almost got in on the action, but George was up to the challenge. Wednesday were relentless, though, and kept pressing. With around 30 shots, and 70% possession, the hosts weren’t flattered by the heavy scoreline… Ali Al-Hamadi entered the fray for the final 10 minutes as Barry went off to a fully deserved standing ovation.

His exit didn’t stop the onslaught, though, as Otegbayo got amongst the goals after a lovely cross from Morrison found him at the back post. The Owls were 7-0 up, scoring seven times for the first time since 2003.

Lumley was finally called into proper action late in the day, but got down brilliantly to his right to keep the visiting side out… He wasn’t so lucky moments later, though, as Victor Adeboyejo slotted home from the penalty spot after Thornton was adjudged to have fouled him in the box.

There was another shortly afterwards, too, with Otegbayo finding the net at the other end in an unlucky manner following a dangerous cross into the box. 7-2.

While the nature of the late goals for the opponents tainted things ever-so-slightly, the Owls will take great pleasure in the way they swept aside the reigning League Town champions on a very wet afternoon at S6. They end the night in fourth place, and have now set a marker for the levels they can reach.

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Sheffield Wednesday have been through a lot over the last year or so. They’ve been through a lot over the last three decades, really…

And while a second defeat on the spin was disappointing, it felt like another evening where a bit of realism around the Owls’ current state was required. Despite the fact that Ali Al-Hamadi - who was at Hillsborough for the game - is due to become signing number 16, Wednesday still look incredibly light.

Three of their attacking four are aged 19 or under, and the man chosen to lead the line is just 23. There’s more experience in the defensive sector, which makes the nature of the goals conceded admittedly more frustrating, but it’s still a squad in the midst of a heavy transition.

Ultimately, it was a Championship team against a League One team, and for large chunks of the game it showed. Wolverhampton Wanderers were in the Premier League a few months ago, while many Owls in Henrik Pedersen’s XI are taking their first steps in the professional game.

Things couldn’t have started worse, to be honest. A cross-field ball evaded Liam Palmer in the third minute, and while Joe Lumley got in the way of Tawanda Chirewa’s shot, it ricocheted off Sil Swinkels and into the back of the net. 1-0 with not even 180 seconds on the clock.

Wednesday actually responded well to going behind, though. Will Grainger showed some nice little sparks of quality, Mason Burstow pressed well, while Kieran Morrison and Harry Gray looked a real handful at times.

The young Liverpool loanee was probably the brightest, getting off a couple of shots on goal, but Jose Sa was never really troubled. In midfield, Billy Mitchell got some more important minutes in his legs and put himself about nicely.

Jarvis Thornton was booked early on, and that didn’t help his cause against a Wolves side that handed new signing, Jordan James, his first start.

The gap in quality was clear, but the Owls held relatively firm. Reece James made one excellent tackle on his second Wednesday debut, and it looked like they’d keep the scoreline to one heading into the break.

That’s when Tommy Doyle whipped in a dangerous ball into the Wednesday box that caught out Ricardo Santos, and allowed Saheed Olagunju a free header - which he gladly took. 2-0, and already it felt like too much of a mountain to climb for the hosts.

The second half lacked any real oomph as Wolves seemed to sit on their 2-0 lead. They did bring on a host of subs that included the likes of Marshall Munetsi and Raul Jimenez, but with just over an hour gone it really did feel like it was game over.

Barry Bannan, Gabriel Otegbayo and Louie Barry came on for the Owls as Will Grainger, Ricardo Santos and Billy Mitchell soon made way, and not long afterwards we saw Max Lowe replace Swinkels at the back.

The changes did help, and the Barries didn’t take long to cause a few problems. One such case saw Bannan find his new teammate, who cut inside only to see his effort flash past the far post. It was better from the hosts, but not close enough.

Devlan Moses was the next change, coming on for Morrison a couple of days after opening his account for the season in a 1-1 draw against Bristol City’s U21s, and Wednesdayites will have liked what they saw from the man he replaced.

Jamal Lowe was the final substitution, which was allowed after Harry Gray sustained a head injury and went straight down the tunnel, but it was never going to change the result. He did have one effort on goal, but again Sa was relatively untroubled.

This season was always going to have its troubles for Wednesday, who are now able to focus on their usual 9-5 of League One after dropping out of the cup. Things will get better eventually, but it’s going to take time.

As the world mourns a musical great, I’ll end with another of her quotes: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

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The atmosphere at Hillsborough couldn’t have been much more different to a year ago when the Owls played their first home game of the 2025/26 campaign. Back then we saw protests and flyers and general sadness surround one of England’s oldest and most storied football clubs.

Tonight those things were replaced with hope, and belief, and with the likes of David Hirst, Chris Waddle, Mel Sterland and John Harkes watching on, a packed-out S6 made themselves heard. 33,138 supporters turned out for the tie, and with Mr. Sheffield Wednesday, Howard Wilkinson, in attendance, it was just the latest example of Wednesdayites feeling like they’d got their club back.

On the pitch things looked better, too - at least at first. Yan Valery returned to the starting XI, as did Liam Cooper, and there was a debut for Billy Mitchell… Louie Barry got his first start, and Kieran Morrison was named on the bench just a few hours after his loan switch from Liverpool was confirmed.

The Owls burst out of the blocks, too, and probably should’ve had the lead going into the break. Jon McCracken made a great save to keep Barry Bannan out, Callum Slattery saw an effort fly just wide of the mark, and Barry was a constant thorn in the side of the Bantams as he sought to find openings down the left-hand side.

Mitchell looked smart and Slattery continued to show glimpses of the sort of quality that has earned him rave reviews, but they weren’t able to take the chances… It’s not a story that Wednesdayites are unfamiliar with.

So for all the positivity that surrounds Wednesday at the moment, there will have been a bit of ‘I’ve seen this movie before’ from the home fans.

And so it played out. Just two minutes into the second half, the Owls’ regular Achilles heel showed itself again as they failed to deal with a set piece, and Aden Baldwin was on hand to fire home from close range after an away corner.

For a while the Bantams were in the ascendency, and Joe Lumley was called into action not long afterwards, diving to his right to make sure Graham Alexander’s side didn’t double their lead. They were on the ropes as WBC Super-Lightweight champion, Dalton Smith, watched on.

Henrik Pedersen’s men did rally, of course, with momentum swinging back and forth as the home side pushed for an equaliser, Slattery had a half-chance after being found by Max Lowe - but couldn’t get the ball out of his feet… Lumley was called into action also, though, diving to keep out a deflected effort just past the hour mark.

It was just after that that Pedersen decided he’d seen enough. On came Morrison for his debut, joined by Mason Burstow and Sil Swinkels, with Barry, Mitchell and Cooper making way.

They huffed and they puffed, but nothing was coming off for the hosts. A couple of times some nice interplay saw them work their way into the Bradford box, but the visitors looked as likely to get a second as Wednesday looked for an equaliser. There wasn’t a great deal of quality on show.

Ricardo Santos came on - another debut - as he took over from Gabriel Otegbayo, but it wasn’t a substitution likely to change things too much. McCracken was barely tested after the break, and the Owls were simply too sloppy in possession and - despite the effort of their supporters - couldn’t rise to the occasion.

This evening won’t be the last time that David Storch watches Sheffield Wednesday lose, and it’s his first taste of a Wednesdayism that we’ve all grown to know so well… He’ll get used to it.

Defeat tonight won’t define the Owls’ season, and on another night they’d have scored twice in the first half and won it. They didn’t, and they didn’t - and it ended 1-0.

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Henrik Pedersen let out a guttural roar as the final whistle was blown at Brisbane Road after goals from Callum Slattery and Jamal Lowe got them off to an excellent start down in the capital.

Yan Valery was missing from the squad altogether, and Tyler Onyango was handed his debut… The away end was - as always - packed out, and thankfully they had plenty to cheer on what was a blisteringly warm afternoon.

The first chance of the game came the way of the Owls, with Wednesday starting brightly and Jordi Liongola finding a bit of space in the box. Harry Gray slipped the ball into the middle, Slattery got a touch and it fell to the Burundian – but he couldn’t get over the ball and fired into the side netting.

For all the brightness, though, it didn’t take too long for a bitter Owls moment. Onyango - less than 15 minutes into his debut - went down holding his knee, and was unable to continue. For somebody who’s had issues over the years, it was a horrible blow so early into his SWFC career. He looked absolutely distraught as Jarvis Thornton replaced him.

Joe Lumley got down really to his left not long afterwards, tipping a deflected strike wide, and then – finally - a bit of luck…

We often say, ‘He needs one to go in off his backside’, when we talk about requiring some fortune in front of goal – and that’s exactly what Slattery got! It won’t be the way that he envisaged finding the net for the first time in Wednesday colours, but he won’t mind too much.

Nathan Baxter looked to clear the ball, but instead fired the ball right at the Owls’ number eight and could only watch as it bounced into the back of his neck. It was a lovely effort from his left cheek… A peach of a finish, you could say.

Sadly, though, their lead didn’t last long. Orient were given a drop ball after Sil Swinkels had been elbowed in the face, and as the Dutchman was waiting to come back on they looped the ball into the box that was eventually poked home by Joseph Oluwu. Defensively it left a lot to be desired, with Jaze Kabia left completely unmarked in the build-up. It was a terrible goal to concede.

The O’s remained in control for the bulk of the half, and bookings for both Swinkels and Gabriel Otegbayo left the Owls’ young centre backs walking a bit of a tightrope. Louie Barry came on at the break, taking the place of Liongola – with Gray moving over to the right.

Nothing really changed, though, and it was the hosts who remained in the ascendency. Idris El Mizouni fired a brilliant strike goalwards, but was left with his head in his hands after it rocketed back off Lumley’s post. It would’ve been a fantastic goal.

Wednesday did respond well to that scare, in fairness. Jamal Lowe even had the ball in the back of the net as he finished off a lovely Owls move, but he was judged to be offside and the score remained level.

After a quiet afternoon, Lowe seemed to come alive. That goal didn’t count, but he came close again moments later only to see Baxter claw his effort off the line… He must’ve thought it wasn’t going to happen for him, but more good work from Wednesday saw the Owls’ number nine yanked down in the box. Penalty.

Barry Bannan originally picked up the ball, but handed it to Lowe as he approached the spot. After scoring the winner against Bolton Wanderers, the attacker made no mistake from 12 yards out - sending Baxter the wrong way to make it 2-1.

What followed was a period that should have seen Wednesday home and dry. First it was Harry Gray, who was found on his own in the box but couldn’t find a way past the Orient ‘keeper, and then came an incredible miss from the most unlikely of sources…

Bannan did everything right as he clipped the ball around Baxter before bearing down on goal, but instead of rolling it into an open net he put the ball wide of the mark. We’d have put our collective houses on him finishing that off, I think.

On came Liam Cooper and Mason Burstow as Swinkels and Gray took their leave, and Wednesday looked relatively in control. Barry almost made it three, but saw his curling effort tipped wide excellently by Baxter - who’d been excellent since his early error.

Orient huffed and puffed, but Wednesday stood firm. Pedersen’s side have now won three games in a row, and - for now at least - find themselves in the top six. It wasn’t pretty, but a victory is a victory.

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Henrik Pedersen’s men came out on top at a refurbished Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon, seeing off Championship outfit, Bolton Wanderers, with a 1-0 victory.

In many ways, the first half was exactly as you’d expect from a first round Carabao Cup tie ahead of a new league campaign…

The Championship side had the better of it, the League One side had a moment or two, but ultimately it felt like the final preseason game before the real thing gets underway. Given the sheer amount of debutants from an Owls perspective, Pedersen won’t have been too upset by what he saw.

There were still some cobwebs to shake off, and you could see by some of the loose passes and loose touches that it was another step up towards properly competitive action… And that went for both teams.

Ruben Rodrigues had a couple of chances for the visitors, and Callum Slattery fired wide of the mark. Steven Schumacher’s men had some joy down Wednesday’s right-hand side, and Harry Gray started to have the same at the other end as the tie went on.

Both Slattery and Gray looked bright, showcasing some neat footwork at various different points, while Jordi Liongola has the makings of an intriguing footballer. The Burundi international didn’t have the perfect debut, but showed enough sparks of quality in the opening stanza to offer optimism for what’s to come from him.

Defensively the Owls looked shaky at times, but that shouldn’t come as a shock considering the summer of change that’s unfolded, but Joe Lumley looked solid and did everything he needed to do between the sticks.

The half-time whistle came and went, and Pedersen left things as they were after the break. It felt like the right decision, too, with the Owls coming out of the blocks brightly as they attacked the Kop end.

It didn’t take long for another flash point, either. With just under an hour played, Gray yanked at Xavier Simons’ shirt for one of the clearest fouls and bookings you’ll ever see… Simons’ reaction, though, was inexplicable.

With his right arm the midfielder swung a punch into the gut of the 17-year-old, prompting an immediate coming together of both sets of players – and there were no complaints from him as he trudged off the field having been given his marching orders. A ludicrous decision from the former Chelsea man, and the Owls had a numerical advantage.

And it didn’t take Pedersen long to react. After letting the game settle, he looked to his bench for changes. Jamal Lowe and Louie Barry came on, replacing Mason Burstow and Jarvis Thornton – more attackers on the pitch.

Lowe’s impact was almost immediate, too. Seven minutes after coming on he found himself through on goal after a sumptuous ball from Barry Bannan found him behind enemy lines, and he did brilliantly to loop the ball over Jack Bonham. It wasn’t an easy finish, but bloody hell did he take it well.

The Owls were in the ascendancy, building momentum from the sending-off, and with a stronger pool of players to delve into, Pedersen finally has the ability to affect things positively. Will Grainger and Sean Fusire came on, Harry Gray and Barry Bannan made way, with the hosts chasing a second.

Sil Swinkels went close, forcing Bonham into a save at his near post, and Bolton’s early promise had almost entirely disappeared. Barry looked a threat, and Wednesday looked organised. Liam Palmer took to the field late on as Yan Valery - whose future remains in doubt - limped off.

So much of last season felt rinse and repeat. Play ok, hold your own, run out of steam, and eventually lose… A tough season lies ahead, but it was nice to see that pattern change. Today the Owls grew into the game, got better as it went on, utilised a bolstered bench and finished the job. 1-0 and into the second round.

A home victory… Feels good doesn’t it?

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Bannan was weaving,
Shouting blokes, more minutes it brings,
The rhythm is calling,
Seestadt is a sight as the daylight brings,
A new empty stadium,
The warmth in the stands and a clear blue sky,
50 lads go the distance…

The image is one, through Pedersen’s eye,
It means nothing to me,
This result means nothing to me,
Oh, Vienna.

It’s hard not to have Ultravox running through your head when you’re in the Austrian capital, and that was certainly the case as we sat through 140 minutes of football at the OFB Campus this afternoon.

There’s certainly no need for panic as Henrik Pedersen tries out his different options, but what was glaringly apparent, however, is the need for more bodies through the door at Hillsborough.

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Wearing the number 11, the Owls academy graduate would have his hands full against a Nigerian side full of impressive young talents who are looking to stake their claim for places in Eric Chelle’s first-choice group of players.

The game took place at Charlton Athletic’s stadium in London, with The Valley hosting four games in this competition. The team in yellow were underdogs going into this one, and that came as no surprise.

It didn’t take the men in white long to make their mark in the tie, either, with Femi Azeez the man to break the deadlock - after just five minutes. The talented Millwall man, who has got plenty of potential suitors this summer, fizzed a lovely strike past Future Sibanda in goal to give the Warriors the worst possible start.

Kaitano Tembo’s men rallied well, though, and made sure the Super Eagles didn’t run away with things in the English capital. The southern Africans grew into the game as time went on, as did Fusire himself as he found more and more joy as the half went on.

Some nice touches raised some cheers from the crowd, as did a crunching tackle just before the break. He could’ve picked up an assist as well, but the on-rushing Tawanda Chirewa couldn’t convert his cutback cross.

Fusire’s first full 90 on the international stage

The Zimbabweans went into the break 1-0 down, but with plenty still to play for and a growing confidence that they could get back into the clash when they returned for the second stanza.

Tembo’s troops started brightly, too, and continued to ask questions of the Nigerians, with Fusire bombing up and down the right side energetically, but Chelle’s men held firm… Then they made it two.

It was Azeez again who got the goal, firing home from close range to put the result beyond doubt. Even with this second-string Super Eagles outfit, any sort of comeback was improbable.

The young Owl kept going, and had another half chance after some good attacking play with 20 minutes left to play - however it didn’t come to anything.

As you’d expect in a friendly encounter, the changes came thick and fast as the game wrapped up, but Fusire was one that remained, completing his first 90 minutes at international level in doing so. While a 2-0 defeat will have been disappointing, it’s more experience under the 20-year-old’s belt.

Zimbabwe will be back in action in the third-place play-off on May 30th, where they’ll go up against either India or Jamaica, with those two battling it out - also at the Valley - tomorrow night.

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Keieren Westwood was playing up front at one point, we had Danny Pudil untying opponents’ laces, Sam Hutchinson scoring a hat-trick, and Carlos Carvalhal in tears as his song echoed around S6 once again.

It’s been 10 years since *that* campaign. Since the Brightons and the Arsenals and the Birminghams. Today, so many of the great players from that side gathered in South Yorkshire to join forces with the SWFC Community Programme to raise money for the incredible Weston Park Cancer Charity.

A dinner the night before raised thousands, with fans and players delving into their pockets for an exceptional cause. Wednesdayites have a penchant for nostalgia, so when you mix the opportunity to relive one of the best seasons in recent memory with the chance to raise money, there’s zero chance of failure.

There was nothing charitable about the performance from the legends, though.

Westwood had said before the game that he’d be fuming with anything less than 15-0, and it became clear within about five minutes that he’d be going home a happy man.

Anybody who has had the chance to play against pros at any point of their life will tell you the difference in levels, but Saturday was a visual embodiment of that very fact. At one stage the community team, who donated £1,000 to take part in the fixture, had 14 players on the pitch - and still couldn’t get near their opponents.

There was tiki-taka, and dropped shoulders, and dainty chips. Stars of days gone by rolled back the years despite a night before that – for some – apparently came to an end at a local establishment at around 4pm. Class is permanent, and all that.

Amongst those playing in front of the goalkeeper were Jack Hunt, Tom Lees, Glenn Loovens and Pudil. Hutchinson – who’d promised that somebody was getting it – at last night’s dinner, started in midfield, with Kieran Lee and Ross Wallace returning alongside stalwart, Liam Palmer. Steven Fletcher and Sam Winnall led the line.

It was 5-0 within about 10 minutes. ‘Hutch’ opened the scoring before Fletcher made it two and three. By half time it was 13-1, and a big second half was going to be needed for the men in black and yellow. Chris Burns’ goal was their only finish as Sam Winnall got in on the act, Hutchinson grabbed his hat-trick and Westwood - after spending about 10 minutes up front - found the back of the net. Jordan Rhodes was also on the scoresheet, too.

The second half didn’t get any better, either. On top of those starting, we saw the likes of Lee Bullen, Giles Coke and JP McGovern get some minutes, and the goals kept flowing.

At one point there were 14 players playing for the Community XI, but they still couldn’t get near the opposition. They did get another couple of goals, with Burns getting another and Liam Mottram finding the net, but the Legends were showing no signs of slowing down.

In the end Fletcher got five, as did Wallace. Winnall and Rhodes secured their hat-tricks, too, while Lee bagged a brace and Pudil and Coke got in on the action as well. Pudil’s was especially nice given how important he’s been in putting together the event as part of the club’s community programme.

24-3 would be the final score, with referee, Harry Gee, possibly giving a pity whistle to call time on the game. Honestly, we’d almost lost count of the goals and had no idea how long had been played.

None of it matters, anyway. What matters is that a lovely day was had by all. Fans saw their former favourites back in blue and white, the players got to don Owls colours again, and the 3,000+ in attendance helped raise loads of money for a brilliant charity.

The Sheffield Wednesday family doing what they do best.

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‘Winter is coming’ was the phrase so often used in a pretty popular TV show, often in this accent of ours. Under Dejphon Chansiri, Sheffield Wednesday often felt gripped by a kind of cold authority - distant, immovable, difficult to reach. Sound familiar?

Winter didn’t come to Hillsborough, though… It settled in. For Wednesdayites, their long night consisted of unpaid wages, and walkouts, and fan forum rants. There were restrictions, and protests, and embargoes - oh so many embargoes. The disrespect shown to an already long-suffering fanbase pushed many to the edge, with several vowing never to return until that man had gone. At times the very future of their beloved football club was thrown into question.

A new dawn rises

‘Always winter, but never Christmas’, CS Lewis once wrote, and that feels fitting, too. Ten years of Chansiri brought with it few sunny days, and far too many bleak ones. Fans and staff were left out in the cold, disrespected and disregarded. Now, at last, the thaw…

On Saturday afternoon, as the biggest Championship crowd of the season filled up a stadium that was itself a victim of its former owner, light shone at S6 once again. And under the Honolulu sun, Wednesdayites started to remember what it felt like to bask in the warm embrace of something that had felt so distant for so long. Hope.

David Storch, as well as his son, Michael, and their co-owner, Tom Costin, took to the field to a gigantic roar ahead of kick-off. The American spoke of brighter days, of hot water in the stands, and how these fans would have their football club back. The old Owl will return, with a tweak or two. Those would come in the future - but there was one gift that was for the here and now…

Thousands of eyes were diverted to the big screen. On it appeared the number -15 - it needed no explanation. Down it counted, past 12, past 9, past 6. On 1 it lingered, ever so slightly, before switching to a 0 - and the cheer was deafening. Chansiri was gone, and now his shadow wouldn’t loiter over the club’s new start.

Then there was some football. Will Grainger got his first senior start, Jamal Lowe saw an early effort well-saved by Max O’Leary, and some solid defending from the Owls kept the Baggies at bay. Pierce Charles also got down low to keep out Aune Heggebo, but wasn’t really tested. Alfie Gilchrist fired in an effort, too, but the Wednesday goalkeeper was up to it once again.

West Brom had form on their side, Wednesday didn’t. On days like this, though, none of that matters. Today, for the first time in a long time, it felt like the football gods were smiling down on Hillsborough - that 2025/26 would not end winless at home.

Football loves a narrative

This sport loves a narrative, we’ve seen it plenty, and today was to be no different. First up it was Nathaniel Chalobah, bundling home from close range to take the lead. The Kop erupted, Hillsborough erupted, and in what is possibly his final game for the club, the former Chelsea man was able to create one truly unforgettable moment in what has been an incredibly difficult spell. For it to be him felt incredibly wholesome.

Up next was Liam Palmer, a man with over 500 Wednesday appearances to his name. He’s seen it all, done it all, with this football club. He’s also been so much more than a footballer far too often, having to help guide his teammates and staff members through dark waters on many an occasion. For him to find the net today, of all days - as a new era begins for his boyhood club - was poetic. He’s one of our own.

The noise was raucous. ‘Wednesday are massive’ and ‘Honolulu Wednesday’ reverberated around this storied venue, and at one point this writer could literally feel the stand shaking beneath his feet. ‘If you don’t…’

Half-time came and went, and it was more of the same in the second stanza. Jamal Lowe clipped the post with a lovely effort, and Dominic Iorfa came on for his 222nd - and potentially final - outing in a blue and white shirt. Charlie McNeill, meanwhile, replaced 17-year-old Grainger after he picked up a knock.

Karlan Grant pulled one back late on, finishing from close range, but it didn’t matter. Palmer came off to a standing ovation as ‘One of our own’ belted out from the stands. As things stand, it’s his last game too.

The final whistle went, and relief set in. Relief for three points - finally, relief for the end of this torrid campaign. Wednesday end on zero points, just like they’ll start next season. In normal circumstances, neither of those are things to brag about, but after the season from hell, zero points sounds fucking lovely.

With the likes of David Hirst and Howard Wilkinson watching on from the stands - forming part of a 33,750 crowd - Hillsborough bounced again. The sun shone down on Hawaiian shirts of every colour, songs about favourites from yesteryear filled the air, and in the director’s box Storch and Co will have grinned from ear to ear as Wednesdayites showcased the club’s greatest asset - themselves.

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‘I’m having a good time, I’m having a ball’, sang Freddie Mercury, his voice belting out from the speakers in the moments after Oxford’s relegation to League One alongside the Owls was confirmed.

For both the clubs, good times have been few and far between this season - and not many of their fans have been having a ball. Wednesday and the U’s have dropped down to the third tier of English football in very different circumstances, but neither way stings any less.

As they met at the Kassam on Saturday afternoon, with the hosts relegated due to results elsewhere, all this game would serve to be was a warm-up for League One. It should’ve been the saddest game in the Championship, but the supporters didn’t get that memo.

Bananas bounced around the away end amid a healthy dose of Hawaiian shirts, while the home fans raised to their feet as the two teams came out. 180 minutes of Championship football remained for these supporters, and they were going to enjoy what was left.

For Wednesday, another name joined the list of absentees as Gabriel Otegbayo sat the game out, but thankfully there was a return for Pierce Charles between the sticks. Dominic Iorfa returned in place of the former, while Jamal Lowe and Nathaniel Chalobah were also back in the XI.

Liam Palmer donned the captain’s armband once again, making his 508^th appearance in the colour of his boyhood club. After surpassing Jack Brown on 507, only the great Andrew Wilson (546) sits ahead of him. Whatever the circumstances, it’s one hell of an achievement.

‘We’re going to Bromley, you’re coming too’, and ‘You’re going down with the Wednesday’ chanted those from Sheffield, and they didn’t get any quieter despite falling behind within six minutes.

The goal was far too simple, with Tayo Adaramola missing the header on a cross-field ball, and Stanley Mills whipping in a cross that was nicely flicked past Pierce Charles by Will Lankshear. The former Sheffield United man did well, but the defending was sloppy.

It could’ve been two not long afterwards, as well, but Chalobah was on hand twice to scramble the ball away and make sure the visitors stayed in it. It was all Oxford in the opening stages, with Wednesday barely able to get out of their own half.

‘If you’re all gonna Bromley clap your hands…’

With the way that the two sides were playing, a second felt inevitable. Again it was Lankshear, again it was an excellent finish. This time, however, there wasn’t too much the Owls could do about it as he curled a lovely effort into the top corner from range. 2-0 to the hosts.

Meanwhile, the away end worked their way through their back catalogue. José Semedo, Atdhe Nuhiu and Fernando Forestieri got a mention, as did Carlos Carvalhal - Dom Howson is going to great lengths to promote his book.

Back on the pitch, Wednesday’s first real chance came through Adaramola, who showcased his pace to latch onto a lovely ball from Charlie McNeill, but Jamie Cumming produced a strong stop.

McNeill was again involved just before half-time, finding some space after some great footwork and firing an effort past the Oxford goalkeeper only to see it hit the upright. Signs of life from the visitors, but they had Charles to thank for it remaining 2-0 going into the break as he pulled of a brilliant save to stop Lankshear from getting his hat-trick. Henrik Pedersen raged on the sidelines, and you can’t imagine he’ll have been very complimentary during the break.

Changes were expected before the second half, but in the end it was just the one. On came Mackenzie Maltby for his Owls debut, replacing Sean Fusire. Palmer moved to right wingback, with Maltby - who is out of contract in the summer - getting a chance to impress at the heart of a back three. It felt like Pedersen giving the young centre back a chance to make his claim for a new deal.

Whatever the Dane did say in the bowels of the Kassam seemed to do the trick. Wednesday started brightly, but - as has so often been the case - were severely lacking in the final third. Jerry Yates flashed an effort wide, and even when the ball was bundled past Cumming it was ruled out for a foul. The Owls have a lot of work to do ahead of next season, but improving their attacking output should be right up there on their list.

For all their endeavour, though, it wasn’t enough. Will Grainger replaced McNeill in an attempt to change things, but moments later it was three. Will Vaulks, such a popular figure during his time at S6, fired into the top corner before rolling out his signature somersault celebration.

It was proving to be another afternoon to forget for the travelling fans, but they’d at least have something to shout about… Grainger - brought on to make an impact - did just that. The 17-year-old picked up the ball in the box and beautifully curled it into the top corner.

Delight for the teenager, who everyone hopes will sign his first professional contract over the summer, and for a couple of chuffed parents in the away end, the chants of ‘Will Grainger, he’s one of our own’ were very literal.

‘We’re going down with the Wednesday…’

Sadly the joy was short-lived, though. As it so often has been this season. Barely a minute later it was 4-1 as one-time Wednesday target, Myles Peart-Harris sliding his effort into the bottom corner and wrapping things up for Matt Bloomfield’s men. Devlan Moses came on for the final few minutes, but it wouldn’t affect the scoreline.

Grainger’s cameo was the highlight of a torrid afternoon on the field, and it does deserve to be highlighted. His finish was excellent, but the academy graduate bombed about and made more happen in his 20 minutes than others did in 90. It said a lot about the performance that despite coming on in the 72nd minute, he was Wednesday’s Man of the Match.

For Oxford, it took them being relegated, and facing the worst team in the division, to pick up their biggest win of the season.

For Wednesday, Saturday afternoon was just another step on their slow and painful march towards the hope of a brighter future. And it can’t come soon enough.

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It was always going to be difficult for the Owls as they took on a Boro side still hoping to secure promotion into the Premier League, and while the home side have been on a tough run of form they are certainly in a better place than the visitors.

So it was no surprise to see Kim Hellberg’s side come out on top in the North East, but it’s hard to argue that Wednesday weren’t the masters of their own downfall in a game where they did have some good spells.

The first blow came before a ball was even kicked, with Pierce Charles missing from the starting XI after picking up a knock over the weekend. If you recall, there was a collision in the game against Charlton Athletic that saw him go down holding his back - and that’s probably got something to do with his absence tonight. He’s not, however, been ruled out of the trip to Oxford United.

Murphy Cooper took his place, while Jarvis Thornton, Marvelous Nakamba and Charlie McNeill all entered into the side as well… Svante Ingelsson was left out again as he battles with a knee issue.

With the changes made, and the importance of the absentees, one thing the Owls could’ve done without was giving away a cheap goal. So it was incredibly frustrating for everybody of a Wednesday persuasion that that’s exactly what they did.

The visiting side hard arguably been the better side in the opening stages, pressing Boro well and forcing their way up the field. Tayo Adaramola was using his pace well, and Liam Palmer - on his 507th outing - rolled back the years with some penetrating runs forward. Jarvis Thornton was getting amongst it, too, and there was a nervousness about the out-of-form Teessiders.

Then came the moment…

Wednesday have had a rough time of things in so many ways this season, but they’ve also been the masters of their own downfall far too often. Going into this game they’d conceded 83 goals in the Championship in 2025/26, and a huge percentage of them have felt incredibly avoidable. It was certainly the case with the 84th.

Gabriel Otegbayo, not really under any pressure, tried a pass back to Cooper in goal, but massively undercooked it. Morgan Whittaker didn’t need asking twice, and nipped in to go around the Owls ‘keeper and slot into an empty net. 1-0, and it was a truly horrible way to concede.

To his credit, there was no hiding from Otegbayo after his error. The supportive response of his teammates right after it was great to see, and he got his head back in the game. A big block stopped David Strelec from making it two, and the young centre back showed character as he got back to the job at hand.

Boro had the best of it after taking the lead, and continued to push for a second, but the Owls had some moments of their own as well as the likes of Max Lowe and Thornton looked to drive them up the pitch. McNeill had a couple of efforts, but Sol Brynn was never really tested. Given the nature of the opener, going into the break at 1-0 down won’t have gone down well with Pedersen.

Gallows humour and Wednesdayites have gone hand in hand this season, and tonight was no different. ‘Bromley away olé, olé’ preceded the Spurs chant, and there were a few words for the English Football League mixed in amid ‘Wednesday are massive’ singsong.

It was more of the same as the second half got underway. Boro were a bit sloppy in possession, but Wednesday didn’t look particularly solid either. Thornton was booked for trying to pull the shirt off Adilson Malanda’s back, and a scramble in the box ensued from the resulting freekick - the hosts couldn’t make it count, though. ‘Everywhere we go’ echoed around the Riverside.

Lowe gave away the ball in a dangerous position, but Aidan Morris couldn’t take advantage as he blazed over the bar. With an hour gone, the Owls were struggling to get out of their own half - if there was to be another goal, then it felt like it wouldn’t be one that the loud away end would be celebrating.

Nathaniel Chalobah and Jamal Lowe were the first changes introduced by Pedersen, with Nakamba and McNeill making way. The Zimbabwean did pretty well on his first start, but was always unlikely to complete 90 minutes. The tidiness of his display was summed up with a 96% pass completion.

Chalobah was straight into the mix with a brilliant sliding tackle in the box moments after coming on.

Honolulu Wednesday

Thornton was the next to leave the field, with 17-year-old Will Grainger stepping into the fold after a knock to his teammate. Grainger, in his Mr. Vegas-less shirt due to rules of betting sponsors on U18s, has deserved his first team chance after some excellent showings at U21 level. It was around this time that ‘Honolulu Wednesday’ began, ‘Hark now hear’ followed.

Calls for a Wednesday penalty were waved away after Morris fell in the box before scooping the ball under the challenge of Max Lowe. Instead, the Owls defender was penalised for an apparent push… We’re not sure about that one, though, and Wednesday’s wait for a penalty continues. They haven’t had one since November, and that got missed.

Back to Grainger, and he nearly had an immediate impact. Palmer’s deflected cross landed at his feet and he caught his effort well enough - sadly Brynn was up the challenge, ruining what would’ve been an incredible moment for the talented teen.

Not long afterwards, he put Luke Ayling - who is literally twice his age - on his backside after a collision on the edge of the box. Olaf Kobacki was introduced as the Owls chased an equaliser, with Jerry Yates making way.

As they pushed, they were left a bit open at the back. Otegbayo was up to the challenge in one such case, doing brilliantly to pick the pocket of Mamadou Kaly Sene before he could pull the trigger. Cooper was quick off his line to halt another Sene chance, while Adaramola was on hand to clear a goalbound dink straight after.

In the end, though, it was a carbon copy of so many Sheffield Wednesday games this season. The Owls held their own, a mistake was punished, and they lost what was an otherwise pretty tight game… Two matches left, the end is in sight. And it can’t come soon enough.

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Gabriel Otegbayo got the goal for the hosts, prodding home from close range to cancel out Matty Godden’s opener, and the men in blue and white are now three unbeaten ahead of their final trio of fixtures.

They may have set a new record of 37 league games without a win today, but they showed their fighting spirit and character once more as they climbed to -3.

It took less than a minute for some anti-establishment sing-song to break out at Hillsborough. ‘Fuck the EFL’ was started by the home fans, but their counterparts in red wasted no time in joining in. The English Football League has a lot on its plate at the moment, with three teams potentially dropping out of the Championship due to points deductions. It’s safe to say they’re not the most popular organisation right now.

On the pitch, Wednesday started brightly. Jerry Yates clipped a ball in towards Jamal Lowe in the box, but the visitor managed to get it clear. Max Lowe got a rare shooting opportunity on the edge of the box not long afterwards after some nice build-up play, but his effort was wide of the mark. He’s a fantastic player, but his goalscoring ability isn’t something he’s known for.

While Wednesday were arguably the better side in the opening stanza, it was Charlton who came closest to scoring. Their first big chance fell to Greg Docherty after Gabriel Otegbayo gave the ball away in the box, but Pierce Charles was up to the challenge down to his left. Matty Godden clipped the crossbar with an acrobatic effort just before the break, too, with the Owls goalkeeper breathing a sigh of relief as it bounced up into the Sheffield air.

Henrik Pedersen’s men had plenty of the ball, but weren’t doing enough with it in the final third. Nathaniel Chalobah was doing his best to get the Owls up the pitch, but aside from Tayo Adaramola’s big shout for a penalty - which was given as a free kick - the hosts didn’t really threaten.

On Chalobah, the one-time England international looked a cut above for large periods once again, as he continues to showcase the qualities that saw him on the books of Chelsea for so long. You can see that his brain operates on a different level sometimes… Yes, he's had injury problems, but there's no doubting his quality. He can often be seen waiting for others to make that run - but they're just not on his wavelength.

The Addicks aren’t safe by any means, but with a six-point gap over Oxford United in 22nd they’ll be pretty confident of maintaining their place in the second tier. They were playing like it, too - and though they had a couple of chances, Wednesday edged the first 45.

But we’ve seen this movie before. Play well, look steady, build up some hope… Then concede. It took four minutes of the second half for that scenario to play out. Matty Godden got far too much time in the box, and managed to tuck it into the back of the net. 1-0 to Charlton.

No team in the Championship has conceded more second-half goals than the Owls have (45), and only a handful have conceded more in the 15 minutes directly after half-time. It’s a frustrating trait, but not a particularly surprising one.

One manager once spoke to me about ‘critical phases’ in football games - notably the five minutes after the game gets underway, after the restart, before the half-time/full time whistle, and just after a goal is scored. Wednesday have been pretty awful in all of those phases this season, and that’ll be something that Pedersen is desperate to fix down in League One.

Pedersen’s men reacted relatively well, as they so often have, but it was the visiting side that went closest to getting the second goal of the game as Sonny Carey hit the post with a good solo effort. Jaden Heskey went into the book for a late challenge, and Charlie McNeill entered into the fray in place of Olaf Kobacki as the Owls continued to push for an equaliser. Corner after corner after corner, Wednesday turning the screw slowly.

Then, 76 minutes on the clock, the home pressure finally paid off. Will Mannion fumbled the cross, Jamal Lowe wasn’t stopped, and Otegbayo was in the right place at the right time to poke the ball home in front of the Kop. A poacher’s finish, if you will. Nathan Jones will be fuming with it, but Wednesdayites won’t care - and their team were good value for their equaliser. 1-1.

Devlan Moses and Marvelous Nakamba were the next to come on, taking the place of Chalobah and Yates… A winner never came, and in the end it was probably right that it didn’t - neither side deserved to win this one, just as neither deserved to lose it.

The draw means that - as of next week - Wednesdayites will have gone an entire year without seeing their team win a league game at home. Even if you take all competitions into account, the only victory came via a penalty shootout. Not quite Fortress Hillsborough, is it?

One final chance at redemption remains on home soil, with Honolulu Hillsborough on the way against West Bromwich Albion on the final day. While zero points isn’t the sort of achievement anyone would expect to be shouting about, if the Owls pull it off after what they’ve had dumped on them this season, they’ll deserve a fair bit of credit.

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A total of 89 points separated the two teams going into today’s game - it was the biggest gap between teams in the history of the Football League… So to say that the home side were favourites would be a bit of an understatement.

Victory, alongside dropped points elsewhere, would’ve secured their long-awaited Premier League return, but the sheer bloody-mindedness of their opponents means that their champagne remained on ice for a little while longer. Wednesday are the first team in the history of the EFL to go 37 games without a win, but the only feeling that supporters should feel today is pride.

The first half didn’t offer much to write home about. The stands were loud, the sun was out, and Coventry had as much of the ball as you’d expect them to have.

The Owls held their own, though. Henrik Pedersen’s men had some tidy moments, they held their organisation in defence, and even forged a couple of chances of their own. Svante Ingelsson was in the thick of it again, clearing off the line before being booked for what looked like a perfect sliding tackle, but neither Pierce Charles nor Carl Rushworth were forced into a proper save.

Everything plus the Kitching sink

Half-time arrived, and Pedersen will have been delighted with how his side had performed. In the middle, Nathaniel Chalobah had looked composed once more, and there were no changes at the break as the Dane looked for more of the same. The big question, as always, was how long they could hold out.

Liam Palmer, making his 505th appearance for the club, led by example as he got up and down the field for the cause, but there was no lack of effort from any of the Owls out there. With five minutes of the second stanza gone, Heskey whipped a brilliant cross into the box that Jerry Yates got on the end of, but he was unlucky as his close-range effort missed the mark.

Chalobah threw himself into tackles, showing no signs of a player who has been so desperately unfortunate with injuries, and Yates chased everything. One such chase resulted in a booking for dissent, the Luton Town loanee left frustrated after a foul was given against him.

The first Wednesday change saw Ingelsson replaced by Olaf Kobacki, moments after the Swede fired a chance over the Coventry bar. Whether it was due to an empty tank or the fact that he was managing his earlier yellow, Ingelsson had run his race.

Not long afterwards it was Chalobah who made way, with Marvelous Nakamba coming on for a rare appearance. The former had put in another strong display, but this felt like a case of not pushing him too far as he continues to work his way back to full fitness.

Inevitably, the screw did start to turn as the game drew to a close. Lampard brought on millions of pounds worth of talent from the bench, and Coventry set up camp in the Wednesday half. In their way, though, was a staunch Wednesday backline led by a magnificent defence display from Max Lowe. He was throwing anything and everything in front of the ball to keep the hosts out.

Charles was booked for time-wasting, ‘Olé’ rang out from the away end with every completed pass, and Lampard prepared to throw on the kitchen sink. Tayo Adaramola maybe got away with a handball in the box, before threatening at the other end with some good footwork. Josh Eccles, meanwhile, was inches away from giving Coventry the lead with a great header late one, and Victor Torp couldn’t connect with a brilliant cross into the box.

With minutes left to play, Adaramola went down in the Wednesday box. A scuffle ensued as the Owls’ medics tried to get on to treat him, but he ultimately couldn’t continue. Cole McGhee took his place.

Ellis Simms saw an overhead kick blocked by Palmer and clip the post as the home side chased a winner, but it wasn’t to be. A roar went up from the away end as Matthew Donohue blew for the final time, and there would be no promotion celebrations today. Against all odds, the Owls had grabbed another point… -4.

Coventry could prove to be inspiration

Almost exactly nine years ago, Coventry were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Charlton Athletic. It was a result that saw their relegation into League Two confirmed, and their fans were staring the fourth tier of English football straight in the face after they dropped out of the Premier League. Their fall from the top-flight came one year after Wednesday’s.

Of all the teams that have played in the Premier League since it was formed, only Barnsley, Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town have spent longer outside of it than the Owls have. Coventry weren’t far behind him, and their now confirmed return to the Promised Land should be a signal to Wednesdayites that you can come back from the brink.

The Sky Blues were forced to groundshare with Northampton Town at one point, and Birmingham City at another. There have been protests, and bad ownership, and points deductions, and general misery, but that’s all set to be behind them now…

Though they didn’t completed the job themselves, a Middlesbrough defeat means Lampard’s men will play amongst England’s elite in 2026/27 - and while this afternoon’s away fans can’t relate to the current feeling at the CBS, they can certainly relate to what they’ve been through over the last decade.

Wednesday began their road to recovery when Dejphon Chansiri was ousted - the hope now that is David Storch and Arise can be their Doug King. Recovery can’t happen overnight, but Coventry have shown that it can definitely be achieved.

These two teams have trodden similar paths over the last quarter of a century… With City’s promotion this season, Owls fans will be hoping that the trend continues.

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They were so, so close to securing their first home victory of the campaign, but the spoils wouldn’t even have been shared if it wasn’t for the man between the sticks.

It took just over a minute for the Owls to break the deadlock. It was the second time that Wednesday had gone 1-0 up against the Foxes, and the hope was that this lead would last longer than the last one. They held on until the second half back in August, with the hosts going on to secure an 87^th-minute winner on a noisy day the King Power Stadium.

That day was a big one for Wednesdayites… It was the first day of the season and protests against their under-fire chairman were rife. The home fans showed brilliant support for their Yorkshire counterparts in Leicestershire, and as a ‘Dejphon Chansiri Out’ flyer took place overhead, there was a sense of defiance in the air.

A lot has happened since then. We’ve had two preferred bidders, a truckload of misery and plenty of drama… The sense of defiance, however, has gone nowhere. The players continue to run themselves into the ground, and frankly it’s a surprise that the fans have got any voices left.

A noisy Hillsborough once more

They were at it again at Hillsborough, as the now familiar ‘Everywhere we go’ chant echoed around their blue and white home. On the pitch there were changes, with Nathaniel Chalobah coming into the XI, and Jamal Lowe returning after international duty – Jarvis Thornton and Charlie McNeill made way. Another swap saw Tayo Adaramola replace Sean Fusire.

Elsewhere, there was no place for Joel Ndala in the squad after it was noted that he didn’t partake in the shuttle runs post-Stoke City. There’s probably more to come on that front.

Spurred on by their home fans, Wednesday burst out of the blocks. Svante Ingelsson’s early corner caused havoc in the Leicester box, Gabriel Otegbayo nudged it goalwards and Jerry Yates was on hand to poke home. It wasn’t pretty, but who cares? 1-0.

Unsurprisingly it didn’t take long for the visitors to turn the tide. The Owls have spent plenty of the season with their backs against the wall, and this was to be no different. Abdul Fatawu fired wide a few minutes later, and Henrik Pedersen’s men had to strap themselves in.

There was space for Leicester, too. And if it wasn’t for the extremely talented youngster between the posts for the Owls, they’d have found a goal or two. His first stop – and his most impressive – showcased some incredible reflexes to keep out Oliver Skipp from close range… If he hadn’t got a hand on it, it was flying into the top corner.

The Northern Ireland international went on to keep out Stephy Mavididi and Luke Thomas, and thanks to him the hosts were able to go into the break with a rare lead.

Given the quality in their squad, Leicester are massively underachieving this season – points deduction or not. So it was always expected that they’d start to turn the screw as the game went on. It was Wednesday who started the second half better, though, with Liam Palmer breaking forward only to see his clipped cross-cum-shot go wide of the mark. One goal has never been enough, but as Jordan Ayew hit the post with a header there was a growing feeling of ‘Could this finally be the one?’ for the shirt-swinging home support.

73 minutes gone, and those hopes should’ve ended. Charles was at it again, though, making a brilliant double save as neither Stephy Mavididi nor Ricardo Pereira could find a way past him.

Palmer came off for Sean Fusire not long afterwards, following on from Olaf Kobacki’s arrival in place of Nathaniel Chalobah, but Gary Rowett’s men continued to turn the screw. A looping header hit the bar, but still the home side clung on.

With 10 minutes left to go, Pedersen dug into his bench once again. This time it was Thornton and McNeill who were introduced, with Jamal Lowe and Jerry Yates having run their race. Leicester’s substitutes had 557 Premier League appearances between them – Wednesday’s had none. Squeaky bum time, then

And then the inevitable came… It was Ayew who got it, firing a brilliant strike past Charles from range. A special strike was going to be needed to beat the Owls stopper, and the Ghanaian legend certainly found one as he struck low and hard into the bottom corner. 1-1, and the hosts had some defending to do.

Leicester kept knocking, and with eight minutes added would get another chance or two. Unfortunately for them, there was a 20-year-old who had no intentions of letting them find a winner. Mouths were agape as he flew through the air to stop Ayew from grabbing a second, and that was that.

Another point for Wednesday – up those -5 Owls. They still don’t know what’s happening next season, but they do know that – for now at least – they have a very good goalkeeper to call upon.

Another packed away end sang their hearts out as they watched the 32nd defeat of a truly torrid campaign. They’re not going to let the football ruin a good day out.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Lamine Cisse got the goals as the hosts claimed a 2-0 victory, with a late rally from Henrik Pedersen’s men not enough to spark any sort of comeback.

The first important moment of the game had nothing to do with football. It was around the eighth minute when Stoke City won themselves a corner… Michael Salisbury stopped play, and all four corners of the bet365 Stadium rose to their feet, applauding in memory of young Potter, Oliver Royles.

Oliver, who led Stoke out a year ago against the Owls on Good Friday last year following the ringing of his end of treatment bell, sadly lost his battle with cancer last month after it tragically returned as leukaemia. The coming together of supporters, players and staff was a truly touching moment, and – not for the first time this season – showcased the togetherness that this sport can bring.

It came the day after supporters of Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and other rallied around Jaden Brown after a worrying social media post spoke of his struggles with gambling addiction. He spoke to The Wednesday Word this morning, confirming that he was safe and with his family – ‘God bless the football community’, he said.

Play resumed shortly after the stoppage, but neither side was able to really take ownership of the tie. Bosun Lawal drove a low effort wide of Pierce Charles’ goal, Sean Fusire picked up a booking for a late challenge, and Gabriel Otegbayo couldn’t connect with a bobbling ball in the Stoke box. Real quality was lacking, but battle wasn’t – Wednesday continued to fight their corner despite their desperate position.

But battle often isn’t enough, as we’ve seen so many times this season. In a game that had nothing in it, the hosts broke quickly after a scramble at their end, and Rak-Sakyi was left in acres of space to pick his spot past Charles and a sliding Dominic Iorfa. Jarvis Thornton had been left in a crumpled heap after a blow to the head, but the referee didn’t see any reason to stop play.

The biggest bit of quality from the opening 45 came from one of the men between the sticks… So much gets said about Charles’ quality with his feet that it often takes away from how good he is as an actual goalkeeper.

Seven minutes after their opener, Stoke found space in the box once again. Rak-Sakyi was about to peel away in celebration, only to be left with his hands on his head as the Northern Ireland starlet tipped his effort onto the post. It feels inevitable that Wednesday will have a fight on their hands this summer if they’re to try and keep hold of him.

Half-time came and went, and there were no changes from either side. The Owls haven’t fared well in second halves this season, and unfortunately that didn’t change this afternoon.

It took 12 minutes for Stoke to get a second, and it was Cisse that obliged. Charles made the save after a header on target, but it was straight to the feet of the Frenchman who couldn’t miss. 2-0, and game over… But given the racket from the away end of 3,262 Wednesdayites you’d think they’d just equalised. ‘Wednesday are massive, everywhere we go’.

Tayo Adaramola, Nathaniel Chalobah and Olaf Kobacki came before play restarted, but results this season suggested that chances of a comeback were slim to none. Max Lowe, Jarvis Thornton and Charlie McNeill made way.

Wednesday did improve, though, as the game progressed. Gavin Bazunu made himself big to keep out Kobacki, and Jaden Heskey fired an effort wide of the mark. The Pole proved to be quite a nuisance after taking to the field, but Stoke did seem quite content to see out the game with their two-goal lead.

Glances into the away end saw more and more bare chests on show, with shirts being circled aloft. Another act of defiance from a set of supporters that have had pretty much nothing to celebrate in 2025/26. ‘Everywhere we goooo’.

On the pitch their team huffed and puffed, but to no avail. Devlan Moses, who’s been in fantastic form at youth level, replaced Jaden Heskey… He’s one of 39 players that Wednesday have used in the league this season - no other team has used more.

Despite Wednesday’s pressure, it was still Stoke who went closest to getting the next goal. Once again it was Charles in the way, as he got down well to keep out Eric Bocat. Sean Fusire fizzed an effort just wide just before the final whistle, after a much-improved second half, but there was to be no sign of a comeback. 2-0 it ended, and the -6 remains.

Defeat means that the Owls are now winless in 34 matches - which is the longest of any side in English league history. Only Derby County (September 2007 - August 2008) and Macclesfield Town (January 2012 - October 2018) hold longer winless runs in the top four tiers (36)… It seems a real possibility that that unwanted record could soon be owned by the Owls’ too.

Six games to go, and the end of this season can’t come soon enough.

Tell us who your Man of the Match was in the comments.

The game went the same way as so many others have for the Owls this season. They played well for periods, they looked the better team at times even, but in the end they ran out of gas and the opponent took advantage. We’ve seen this film before.

When Jamal Lowe opened the scoring, however, there was a glimmer of hope. Wednesday are due a win - it’s now been six months since their last one. The goal was as scrappy as they come, and was deflected past Ivor Pandur, but do you think anybody in that away end cared? Nah, me neither... Shirts were off as Lowe and Co danced in front of a jubilant away end, and thousands of supporters wondered if today was the day they finally tasted victory.

The thoughts didn’t last long, though. 92 seconds to be exact. That’s how much time passed by from the minute Wednesday’s number nine hit the back of the net to when Matt Crooks did the same at the other end. He couldn’t really miss as Kyle Joseph put it on a platter for him right in front of Pierce Charles’ net. 1-1, and the joy was short-lived. Or so you’d think.

But the thing is, these fans aren’t that bothered about the results anymore. They know their team is relegated, they know there’s a chance they don’t see another win all season. Yet they still follow their team up and down the country like the fanatics that they are, because that’s what they’re really good at. Even when the chips are down, they’ll keep turning up. ‘Til the wheels fall off.

The players responded well, too. Jarvis Thornton had a low strike saved down to Pandur’s right, and - as we’ve seen so often - the Owls rallied. With the half-time whistle approaching they were heading into the break deservedly level…

One last chance for the hosts before the break, though, as Liam Palmer was penalised for an incredibly soft foul that gave Hull one last role of the dice before half-time. Set pieces haven’t been a strong suit for Wednesday, so many expected the worst.

Paddy McNair whipped in a dangerous ball, and a little knick sent it right into Dominic Iorfa’s face - and then past Charles in goal. 2-1, and it was the sort of goal that truly summed up this season for Wednesdayites. Former Blade, Ollie McBurnie, seemed to claim it as he wheeled away in celebration - but there was no chance of him being credited. 2-1.

There wasn’t much to write home about as the second half got underway, and for a while the two teams just continued to win the ball and lose the ball. Neither was able to keep hold of it too much, and the pitch was heavy - so much so that Sergej Jakirović complained about it afterwards.

It was in the 59th minute that the final blow came, with Joseph turning goalscorer after a neat little cutback from McBurnie found him in the box. It was far too easy for the hosts, and came from another Wednesday dispossession by the halfway line. An all-too-familiar occurrence, sadly.

Seven minutes later it was almost four, too, with Henrik Pedersen’s men being sliced open before Joe Gelhardt finished well past the Owls ‘keeper. The offside call was right, but it was close. It remained 3-1 and would finish that way.

That wasn’t the only noticeable thing about that point in the game, however. It was also the stage at which the 2,300 travelling Wednesdayites launched into a rendition of, ‘Wednesday are massive, everywhere we go’… It didn’t stop. Chests were out, shirts were being swung around in the March air, and they drowned out any noise made by their play-off-chasing hosts. ‘Everywhere we goooo’.

In another afternoon of limited positives, once again the away fans were a huge one. Max Lowe’s return was a big boost, and he showed in his half an hour exactly why he’s been so badly missed. But aside from that, there wasn’t much to shout about… Though that didn’t stop the shirtless wonders in the corner. So impressive were they, that their performance sparked a war of words among some home supporters online - with many of those sending praise being shot down by fellow Tigers fans (and others).

Pedersen’s side have seven games left to play before the curtain comes down on this monstrosity of a season, and then it’ll be goodbye Championship. Best believe that lot in the stands, with that Owl on their chest, won’t be going quietly.