Pre-season came and went, A 2-2 home draw with Middlesbrough and a game against Newcastle the highlights.
Wednesday had ‘strengthened’ the squad adding the much maligned Jon Beswetherick and adding firepower in the shape of Brentford’s Lloyd Owusu and Chelsea loanee Leon Knight to the squad. The owls squad would evolve over the course of the season with several comings and going’s, and a host of loan signings coming into the squad to try and help the struggling owls.
10th Aug - Stoke 0-0 Owls
Newly promoted Stoke City. A goalless draw. An uneventful game which didn’t really set the scene for how the season would unfold. Wednesday would go on to fail to win a game in August, in fact they only won 1 of the first 13 league games and would only register there third win of the season on Boxing Day!
Newly promoted Stoke City. A goalless draw. An uneventful game which didn’t really set the scene for how the season would unfold. Wednesday would go on to fail to win a game in August, in fact they only won 1 of the first 13 league games and would only register there third win of the season on Boxing Day!
1st Sep - Owls 2-0 Blades
Who of a Wednesday persuasion cannot remember this game? The previous season Sheffield derbies had finished goalless. As always when the local rivals came to Hillsborough their was expectation in the air, however the game was pretty evenly balanced until the owls decided to throw on summer a signing for his debut. Striker Lord Owusu headed home with his first touch of the ball, then promptly vomited on the pitch (turns out he was allergic to our grass?), and soon after Kuqi’s flying header wrapped up a 2-0 victory for the owls over Sheffield United. Watch - Owls 2-0 Blades
Who of a Wednesday persuasion cannot remember this game? The previous season Sheffield derbies had finished goalless. As always when the local rivals came to Hillsborough their was expectation in the air, however the game was pretty evenly balanced until the owls decided to throw on summer a signing for his debut. Striker Lord Owusu headed home with his first touch of the ball, then promptly vomited on the pitch (turns out he was allergic to our grass?), and soon after Kuqi’s flying header wrapped up a 2-0 victory for the owls over Sheffield United. Watch - Owls 2-0 Blades
I’d been present for the Rotherham defeat previous, and followed that up with consecutive goalless draws against Leicester and Palace before going on an attendance hiatus. Wednesday had won only 1 more game by the time I attended the Millawall tie.
30th Oct - Owls 0-1 Millwall
The crowd were angry. The performance was poor. Millwall to be fair were equally as poor but Steve Claridge shinned in the only goal of the game which proved to be the last one of Terry Yorath’s reign, he left the club that night.
The crowd were angry. The performance was poor. Millwall to be fair were equally as poor but Steve Claridge shinned in the only goal of the game which proved to be the last one of Terry Yorath’s reign, he left the club that night.
Following the Millwall defeat Wednesday only picked up two points from the next eight games however they did appoint a new manager. Ex-Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Turner returned to the club after a successful spell managing Division 3 Hartlepool United. I remember watching his press conference on Calendar that night, then reading the transcript on the fledgling SWFC website, unable to quite get my head around his major quote. He said “The aim is to be in Europe in 5 years” - Wow!
Turners first win came on Boxing Day, and sparked a mini upturn in form of three wins four games, including the rare feat of coming back from two goals down at home to Reading to win 3-2! Did Wednesday have it in them to turn it around for the third season running?
7th Jan - Gillingham 4-1 Owls
The weather had been poor and lots of the country was covered in snow and ice. Our away tie at Gillingham had been called off and re-arranged for the Tuesday night. So we travelled down and given our poor form it was more in hope than expectation. Stood on the terrace in the cold and with snow on the floor in places spirits were as you'd expect, especially as we named a weakened (!) team. Anyway we were thoroughly outplayed in a 4-1 defeat. Long drive home that... Watch - Gillingham 4-1 Owls
17th Jan - Blades 3-1 Owls
You might think why do I point this out as a moment that sticks in my mind from this season? Well firstly we were torn apart, literally outplayed and kicked off the park by a rampant blades side chasing the play offs. It was the day I saw the truly nasty side of the game as a young girl was hit by a flare thrown from the home end close to where we were stood. And it was also the first game without talismanic striker Gerald Sibon. Despite what people’s opinions were he was the one who had that bit of something about him, that bit of magic, that may just have told in the run in.
You might think why do I point this out as a moment that sticks in my mind from this season? Well firstly we were torn apart, literally outplayed and kicked off the park by a rampant blades side chasing the play offs. It was the day I saw the truly nasty side of the game as a young girl was hit by a flare thrown from the home end close to where we were stood. And it was also the first game without talismanic striker Gerald Sibon. Despite what people’s opinions were he was the one who had that bit of something about him, that bit of magic, that may just have told in the run in.
That result was the start of a wobble that saw us take three points from the next six games. Hardly the great escape! But don’t worry as Turner was about to bring in Grant Holt, and unknown striker from non-league Barrow!
1st Feb - Owls 0-4 Wolves
Absolutely fucking dire. We followed up the Steel City Derby defeat with a spineless home defeat vs Wolves. Adam Proudlock, who had spent time early in the season on loan at Hillsborough, returned to haunt the owls and helped himself to a goal. Sad times.
1st Feb - Owls 0-4 Wolves
Absolutely fucking dire. We followed up the Steel City Derby defeat with a spineless home defeat vs Wolves. Adam Proudlock, who had spent time early in the season on loan at Hillsborough, returned to haunt the owls and helped himself to a goal. Sad times.
5th Mar - Owls 5-1 Coventry
From memory this was an evening game? And wasn’t Wednesday legend Roland Nilsson the Coventry manager? If he was he was clearly doing us a favour! Wednesday ran riot to relight the flames of hope, putting on a five star performance from start to finish, fans were leaving singing ‘the football league is upside down..’ But if I’ve not mentioned it yet, it’s the hope that kills you! We won none of our other five games in March, meaning April had to be special!
From memory this was an evening game? And wasn’t Wednesday legend Roland Nilsson the Coventry manager? If he was he was clearly doing us a favour! Wednesday ran riot to relight the flames of hope, putting on a five star performance from start to finish, fans were leaving singing ‘the football league is upside down..’ But if I’ve not mentioned it yet, it’s the hope that kills you! We won none of our other five games in March, meaning April had to be special!
So the month changed and Wednesday seemed to suddenly realise this was it - the final countdown was on. A home win over Wimbledon and a shock win at Champions Portsmouth started the month, but then a goalless home draw with bottom of the table Grimsby saw us go into the bank holiday tie at fellow struggler's Brighton having to win!
21st April - The day before my 18th Birthday. Wednesday travelled in droves. We can beat these! It’s Brighton for Christ’s sake!
Brighton 1-1 Owls
A limp, gutless performance from Wednesday. Grant Holt grabbed his first goal for the club, but the players looked clueless, like they couldn’t cope with the sheer enormity and the pressure of the situation. Big moments needed big players to step up. And sadly we had a team devoid of quality, devoid of passion and devoid of character! A squad of youngsters, misfits, freebies and loanees! At the final whistle everyone of a Blue & White persuasion was hurting. I looked around at my girlfriend stunned. Some blamed the players, some blamed the manager, others blamed the board. In three season outside the top flight we’d had four full time managers and had fallen through the trapdoor into Division 2 at the third time of asking, with two games to spare! A decade post a league cup final win and we had now slipped to the third tier of English football. Europe in 5 years, don’t make me laugh! The only way we’d be in Europe would be on a club 18-30 holiday! It was a disgrace! And everybody knew it.
The following weekend I chose not to go to Burnley for a dead rubber away game. We won 7-2. Isn’t it ironic! Watch - Burnley 2-7 Owls
We closed the season with a 2-1 home win over Walsall to once again light the flames of optimism. That premier return ticket had at least two more years to wait, but all of a sudden maybe with the right additions we could make a fist of promotion at the first attempt, I mean we’re Sheffield Wednesday we’re a massive club at that level!
We closed the season with a 2-1 home win over Walsall to once again light the flames of optimism. That premier return ticket had at least two more years to wait, but all of a sudden maybe with the right additions we could make a fist of promotion at the first attempt, I mean we’re Sheffield Wednesday we’re a massive club at that level!
After a few weeks and the dust settled I couldn’t wait for the new season. A new look Wednesday side would emerge, with one of our own Chris Turner at the helm. Chris was used to operating at a lower level having started out and been relatively successful at Hartlepool in Division 3, so could be trusted to recruit wisely.
Next year would be our year!
@maplo16
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