Following our relegation on the final day of the season to English footballs third tier, for the second time in seven years, it would be fair to assume that confidence amongst the fan base was not particularly high.
Alan Irvine, having taken the side down, retained his job and was tasked with rebuilding for an expected promotion challenge, because Sheffield Wednesday are far too big a club for League One.
Out went former England internationals Francis Jeffers and Micky Gray along with Ettiene Esajas, Leon Clarke, Frankie Simek and Sean McAllister - all on free’s. Loan players Luke Varney, Louis Soares and Eddie Nolan all returned to their parent clubs respectively.
Also departing the club was goalkeeper Lee Grant - Sold to Burnley for around £1Million, as it turned out, to pay an outstanding tax bill. Grants sale saw Wednesday go through pre-season with no senior goalkeeper on the books, a pre-season that saw disapointing trips to Darlington and Doncaster Rovers.
Irvine however did manage to bring in fresh faces. If memory serves me correct it felt like we announced ten signings on one day! Fullbacks Daniel Jones (Wolves) and Jon Otsemebor (Liverpool), midfielder Giles Coke (Motherwell), winger Gary Teale (Derby) and another winger and Wednesday fan Chris Sedgwick joined from Preston. Irvine also looked to freshen up his forward line with the permanent signings of Paul Heffernan from Doncaster, Clinton Morrison from Coventry and the season long loan signing of Neil Mellor - the son of former wednesday striker Ian Mellor, again from Preston.
So a lacklustre pre-season against a backdrop of news reports relating to winding up orders and unpaid HMRC tax came and went. And after training all summer without being able to sign, Wednesday finally brought in goalkeeper - Nicky Weaver, another lifelong Wednesdayite, who returned for a second spell having enjoyed a loan move during the 2005/06 season.
7th Aug - Owls 2-0 Dagenham & Redbridge
Third tier footy saw a new name crop up in Wednesday’s record books as we entertained a Dagenham & Redbridge side that had risen from non- league football to League One in no time at all. There were several debuts in the side including goalkeeper Weaver who’s arrival was so late he didn’t even make it onto the matchday programme. It was a poor, uninspiring performance. We rarely got out of second gear (and rarely needed too) as a goal from Morrison and an own goal saw us start with a win. Praise and grumble on the drive home was a mix of fans bemoaning the poor spectacle and those ringing to defend the manager, stating “a wins a win”. Strange days indeed.
25th Sep - Owls 0-1 Southampton
After remaining unbeaten in August things quickly changed come September. A Lee Barnard goal condemned Irvine’s men to a fourth successive defeat in the month to give Nigel Adkins his first victory as Saints boss. Whilst the wednesday squad could boast the likes of James O’Connor, Darren Potter and Gary Teale the visitors could call upon the likes of Ricky Lambert, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jason Puncheon and a young Adam Lallana.
6th Oct - Owls 2-2 Chesterfield (JPT)
The second round of the JPT rarely stands out as a season highlight but as the sides shared four goals, Mellor & Tudgay on target for the owls, it was the ensuing penalty shoot-out that is memorable. The epic contest went all the way through the 11 players with the owls triumphing 8-7, and the winning penalty was scored by Goalkeeper Nicky Weaver.
2nd Nov - Owls 0-2 Huddersfield
Huddersfield finished the day in second whilst the owls dropped to tenth following this defeat in a game the visitors dominated. After a mini revival in early October this made it consecutive league defeats. More worrying was the off field issues that were hitting the national headlines, whilst Irvine was beginning to feel the backlash of a disappointed fan base.
7th Nov - Southport 2-5 Owls (FACup)
This televised FA Cup first round tie was a welcome distraction from a turbulent league season. Wednesday travelled to non-league Southport and twice allowed the hosts to come from behind before two goals in as many minutes by Morrison and another quick goal from Tommy Spurr wrapped up the win.
9th Nov - Winding up order
Wednesday we’re issued a winding up order over unpaid HMRC payments. Howard Wilkinson is forced to ask for an extension due to an ‘imminent takeover bid’.
17th Nov - The Big Day In Court!
Everyone knew that this was D-Day. The local rags and radio Sheffield had made a point that by this point it was too late to enter administration. I went to work as normal with no way of following the news as it unfolded. In these days before live tweeting and instant news updates I was forced into the murky world of the online chat forums trying to decipher the truth from the bullshit. Alas our day in court came - the judge muttered the immortal phrase “You are clearly trading insolvently”. The newspapers had been full of doom, and rightly so. Thankfully the club was able to successfully negotiate a 28 day extension to find a buyer and to settle the £1.1M debt to HMRC. But any new buyer would also have to negotiate the £23M owed to the Co-Op bank and with former Chairman Dave Allen, amongst others.
20th Nov - MK Dons 1-4 Owls
Against the back drop of financial meltdown Neil Mellor became the last player to score an away hat-trick, a hat-trick oh headers I might add, until 2019 as Wednesday romped to a victory in Milton Keynes.
25th Nov - Tudgay leaves for Forest
Despite the potential of a takeover on the cards unsurprisingly Marcus Tudgay was allowed to join Nottingham Forest, initially on loan.
29th Nov - Saved!
One of the most important days in the clubs history as it is reported Milan Mandaric had agreed to buy the club for £1 subject to approval. With the club having reached the end of the line with the banks. It was down to the shareholders to approve the deal at a meeting on the 14th December.
4th Dec - Swindon 2-1 Owls
Only one League One tie survived the freezing weather. And Wednesday do what Wednesday do best. It was Chris Turner’s Wednesday all over again!
11th Dec - Owls 6-2 Bristol Rovers
The ‘Milan Mandaric’ era got underway with a thrashing of Bristol Rovers moving us to second in the table. Six different scorers, however try as he might Clinton Morrison just could not score, even missing a tap in on the line when it was easier to score. But finally the club could start looking forward? Soon to be debt free, with a few quid in the bank, maybe this would be the dawn of a new era!
18th Dec - Exeter 5-1 Owls
New owner, same old issues. Going in level at half time thanks to a Tommy Miller equaliser in the only game to go ahead in the division due to bad weather again. However just before the hour we collapsed and the Grecians ran riot. 200 year old Jamie Cureton finishing the game with two goals.
25th Jan - Owls 2-2 Yeovil
Hands down one of the worse games I have ever seen. So bad the game has gone down in infamy amongst those who witnessed it, as we failed to beat a woeful nine-man Yeovil side. January signings Gary Madine and Reda Johnson both scoring equalisers, and Giles Coke missed a penalty. 5 games without a win since the Bristol Rovers game and Irvine, despite making a number of new signings, was coming under severe pressure from the fan base due to poor results and awful football.
29th Jan - Owls 4-1 Hereford (FACup)
FA Cup fourth round. Everyone was looking for a shock, and they nearly got it as the visitors took the lead. But a quick Potter equaliser settled the game and Wednesday duly dominated the rest of the tie. We went out in the fifth round with defeat at Birmingham City.
3rd Feb - All Change!
So despite backing his man in public and spending big in the transfer window on defenders Mark Reynolds, Reda Johnson & Michael Morrison along with midfielder Isiah Osbourne (loan) and striker Gary Madine, Alan Irvine was rightfully dismissed from his role following a 5-3 defeat at Peterborough. We were now winless in 6. Milan acted swiftly in appointing a successor - A man with many wednesday connections - Gary Megson!
5th Feb - Owls 2-2 MK Dons
Meggo’s first game in charge saw us draw with MK. Mellor & Morrison on the scoresheet.
5th Mar - Owls 2-4 Plymouth
The owls suffered our first reverse at Hillsborough since the 2nd November. Coke and Reda with our goals as a young Yannik Bolaise terrorised the shaky back line.
16th/17th Mar - Things to come!
A 4-1 home defeat to Peterborough was the final straw as several under performing players were replaced. Two centre halves arrived in as many days with Rob Jones, Scunthorpe, and Danny Batth, Wolves, joining on loan deals until the summer. It was clear that Milan Mandaric’s January investment had been wasted!
24th Mar - Joey O’Brien loan
Megson continued his reshaping of the squad by bringing Joey O’Brien back for a second loan spell. The midfielder having played his part in the 2004/05 promotion season from the same division. Sadly his career since had been blighted by injury and he was struggling to regain form.
2nd Apr - Owls 2-1 Colchester
A first home victory since the Bristol game on the 11th December - a run of 8 matches - was delivered with a brace from Neil Mellor. Our last home victory had seen us in 2nd place during the Christmas build up. This victory saw us consolidate in lowly 16th spot.
16th Apr - Owls 2-0 Hartlepool
A routine victory, our third in four matches, was secured by goals from Madine and Tommy Miller. Megson’s changes were beginning to take effect.
7th May - Owls 1-2 Exeter City
Final game of the season, a bumper crowd of 21,000 (the highest since the opening day) saw Wednesday give a lacklustre performance and surrender a lead given to them by Jermaine Johnson with 15 minutes to go, to end a miserable season with a defeat. I remember this day vividly as I had attended my uncles wedding that morning and driven straight to the game, and I then drove straight back to the evening reception. Dedication on my part, not so on the part of the playing staff.
Ending another season on a downer, it’s like we were forever destined to be on this endless cycle of decline and disappointment. Milan Mandaric rode in and rescued us at the 11th hour only to see his investment squandered on awful signings, many of which Megson would move on within months. As ever it was two steps forward, three steps back. But Megson was saying all the right things. He spoke with a passion for the club that really spoke to me.
We’re we shit? Yes
Was I hopeful of an improve my? Well it couldn’t get worse, could it?
Would I be back next season? Absolutely
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