Henrik Pedersen hits the nail on the head as Sheffield Wednesday look to prove promotion credentials

Sheffield Wednesday have exceeded all expectations, taking 12 points from five matches to sit top of the embryonic League One table.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen is refusing to get carried away by their start to the season.

For a side still carrying the scars of last season, that is some statement.

Let’s not pretend everything is perfect. Everyone can see the weak points. Wednesday haven’t kept a clean sheet since Bolton in the Carabao Cup and the injuries at the back are piling up. Ricardo Santos, Max Lowe, Sil Swinkels and Di’Shon Bernard all missing at Peterborough? That’s a full defensive unit wiped out. The frailties are real and they will cost them at some stage.

And let’s be honest: Wednesday haven’t played well for 90 minutes yet. They’ve had spells - good spells - but they’ve also ridden their luck at Leyton Orient, Wycombe and Peterborough. But here’s the thing: they’re winning. They’re grinding. They’re finding answers while trying to integrate 18 new players after a summer that ripped the squad up and rebuilt it from scratch. The Oldham pre‑season debacle feels like it happened in another lifetime. The Pedersen‑out brigade? Very quiet now.

Pedersen himself knows the score. “It’s a good beginning but things can change quickly,” he said. He’s right. But he also talks about culture, connection, character - and you can see what he means. Wednesday didn’t just sign bodies; they signed personalities who look like they actually want to be here. That matters.

“We had a top pre-season but we have also got a lot of players who joined us after pre-season,” he said. “We need to bring everyone up to a level and we need to then have a much stronger connection. We will grow and work with the group. We must grow through the season and be much stronger than we are now.”

Pedersen deserves his due. Arise could easily have binned him after relegation. Plenty of fans wanted exactly that. Keeping him was the biggest call the new owners have made - and right now, it looks inspired. He’s earned credit. He’s earned trust. He’s earned the right to shape this team properly.

But how good are Wednesday, really? That’s still up for debate. Only one of their four wins has come against a side in the top half. They’ve put down a marker, yes, and will be overwhelming favourites to brush aside bottom-of-the-table Wigan Athletic this weekend -but the real examination arrives next week when promotion rivals Stockport County come to Hillsborough. That’s when we’ll learn something meaningful.

Last season was a slog. A bruising, joyless slog. Wednesday were the Championship’s punchbag. Everything was about survival and damage limitation. It sucked the life out of the place.

Pedersen talks about building a winning culture. That doesn’t happen overnight. There will be bumps. There will be off‑days. They will drop points when you least expect it. But they’ve made their best start in 30 years - and Wednesdayites deserve to enjoy it. This is what football is supposed to feel like. It’s about enjoying the journey. It’s about enjoying the ride.

Wednesdayites have finally got their club back.

Thanks for being part of The Wednesday Word family. Your fiver a month helps fund the entire project - whether it’s the articles, the YouTube or the social media platforms. Your support is hugely appreciated! Don’t forget you can get 10% off at the TWW store - just drop me a message for your code!