Dejphon Chansiri did irreparable damage to a part of Sheffield Wednesday’s history that wasn’t his to harm
Some have celebrated the removal of the huge Sheffield Wednesday badge that has stood outside Hillsborough for a decade, but it also comes with an element of sadness.
It was early into Dejphon Chansiri’s tenure as owner of Wednesday that he opted to get rid of the stylised Owl that had become so synonymous with this football club of ours. Many fans didn’t like the decision, but there was also acknowledgement of the fact that it was a nod to our past.
Chansiri said that the crest, which was almost identical to one used back in the 1950s, ‘fascinated’ him, and that the choice was made after ‘many conversations’ with fans of the club.
“I am extremely proud to unveil the new crest that will herald a new beginning for Sheffield Wednesday,” he said at the time. “Since taking over the club, I have enjoyed many conversations on the crest with supporters across all age groups and it soon became clear that a new crest would be better received were it in keeping with our heritage.
“Having studied at length the rich traditions of the club, the crest that stood out to me in every way was the first official design of the 1950s and I am fascinated by the fact it was never actually used on the team’s shirts.
“Therefore this vision was always in the forefront of my thoughts during the long, thorough and diligent design process.”
“The disdain with which the 1950s crest is now judged does make me quite sad…”
Fast-forward to 2025, and that badge – that part of Wednesday’s history – feels like it has been thrown onto the rubbish pile.
Though the bad times have been plenty, that badge has still been on the chests of players and fans alike during some incredible moments at Wednesday, and the fact that it’s now considered ‘his’ is something that makes me incredibly sad.
I’ve made no secret of my delight at the return of the club logo that I – in my entirely non-biased view - consider to be one of the most iconic in English football. If nothing else, it makes the tattoo on my arm relevant again…
But the disdain with which the 1950s crest is now judged does make me quite sad. Seeing the removal of it from the end of the bridge over the Don, a river that still flows the same way, feels bittersweet. It marks the end of a dismal era and the start of something entirely more hopeful - but the fact that part of our history has been almost entirely tainted by one man is just incredibly miserable.
Who knows, maybe time does heal all wounds. Maybe at some point we can look back at that badge with fondness once again. That wasn’t Chansiri’s to ruin, but in running the club the way that he did, it feels like that’s exactly what he’s done.
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