After the bitter disappointment of a second consecutive play off failure (and the only time we’ve failed to get passed the semi final stage) we were in somewhat of a state of limbo. Carlos’ contract was up, we now had an inflated squad after gambling on a promotion push and the eerie spectre of FFP was beginning to be whispered amongst the fan base. And all this in view of our 150th anniversary!
After some discussion it was late May before the announcement that Carlos would stay on for a third play off push. At the time I felt this was a good move. He’d done tried twice before but maybe a summer of working and moulding our expensive January signings would give us a march on our rivals? Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing.
As it transpires it would be a disjointed summer. The club tried and failed to suitably strengthen the squad, with Carlos staying at one point they’d looked at 200 centre backs. And the players they did bring in failed to make much of an impact, at least initially. George Boyd was the only pre-season signing - the midfielder joining from premier league Burnley on a free.
In August the club also added Dutch defender Joost Van Aken on a permanent, and loanees Frederico Venacio and Jacob Butterfield (who arrived in a bizarre loan/swap deal for Sam Winnall).
Wednesday cleared some deadwood with the release of players like Sougou, Sasso, McGugan and Dielna.
The club also finally said good bye to our promotion stalwart Jose Semedo. Well they didn’t actually, there was no announcement for the Portuguese midfielder who had been with us since 2011. It was left to him to announce he was linking up with a club in his homeland after not hearing from the club.
Supporter unrest had grumbled on through the summer. Lack of recruitment, the kits being unveiled just days before the season started (owing to Chansiri bringing the manufacturing in-house under his own Elev-8 brand), and owls in the park being pushed back into September.
Instead of the usual summer celebration of all things Wednesday we ended up with a damp day in September, an evening fire work display, and general apathy. However the massive cake ball has to go down as one of the more bizarre stunts in football history! In fairness this was followed up with a black tie evening featuring special guests from Wednesday’s history, and the unveiling of the fanatic fan made film ‘Our Wednesday’.
Preseason began with a strong team rolling out a routine 5-0 victory at Alfreton. The usual trip to Portugal followed before a promised marquee anniversary friendly transpired to be Glasgow Rangers who were given the north stand, and we played in last seasons away kit.
8th August - Owls 4-1 Chesterfield EFLC
After an uninspiring opening day defeat at Preston we welcomed the Spireites to Hillsborough for the last competitive fixture between the sides to date. A strong Wednesday side easily swept aside the recently relegated League Two side. Fletcher, Hooper, Bannan and Hutchinson with goals. Sammy even donned the goalkeeping gloves at the end of the game for a short period.
16th August - Owls 1-1 Sunderland
After failing to to beat QPR we faced recently relegated Sunderland in this evening tie. A defensive error allowed Simon Grayson’s side in to score after four minutes, however we equalised through David Jones. At the time I said that this was a good result in an encounter that we could have won, yet seeing how their season went this would probably go down as a missed opportunity.
9th Sept - Owls 3-1 Nottm Forest
Goals from Hooper, Fletcher and Kieran Lee moves us to within a point of the play off positions in the fledgling league table as we secured a win this televised Saturday evening game. Unbeaten since the opening day!
1st Oct - Owls 3-0 Leeds
Our first home game since a defeat to our local rivals saw the players to go some way to begin making amends as we hammered Leeds. Two first half goals from Gary Hooper and a Kieran Lee strike keeping us within sight of the upper reaches of the table.
1st Nov - Aston Villa 1-2 Owls
It’s hard to remember this memorable victory came from this season! Adam Reach scored one of the best goals of the season one minute into the game. Rhodes scored to make it two in a dominant first half.
15th Dec - Owls 0-1 Wolves
Moving day - We moved house on this day, luckily everything was done and sorted so that me and the lad could set off for the match in time.
A crippling injury list had seen Wednesday form drop off a cliff in November and December. As we welcomed the already run-away league leaders for this Pre-Christmas televised Friday night clash we were missing Westwood, Hunt, Lees, Bannan, Hutchinson, Forestieri and Fletcher amongst others.
We competed well in the game and arguably deserved something from the game but it was settled by a wonderful strike from the divisions most expensive player Ruben Neves. Wednesday sat fifteenth and ten points off the play offs.
A week later we were beaten at home by Middlesbrough. The following day, Christmas Eve, Carlos parted company with the club.
1st Jan - Owls 0-3 Burton
Lee Bullen had taken charge of a Boxing Day victory at Forest, and I was hoping he could be the one to unite an unhappy fan base. Sadly we were treated to one of the single most gutless, heartless performances in many years. The sight of Jacob Butterfield strolling around the pitch like we were lucky to have him will live long in my memory!
12th Jan - Blades 0-0 Owls
The first game of a new era! Wednesday unveiled unknown Dutch manager Jos Luhaky as the new man to take Hillsborough reigns. Famed for his decent record in lower league German football he caught many off guard by throwing a number of youngsters into the first team for his first tie - a steel city derby!
A nervy derby ended goalless thanks to heroic goalkeeping from Joe Wildsmith and last ditch defending. Our effort was not aided when captain Glen Loovens was sent off just after the hour!
16th Jan - Owls 2-0 Carlisle FAC
A cold Tuesday night, in one of the coldest winters for a long time - and most sensible people stayed home. We entertained Carlisle United, who had held us to a goalless draw under Lee Bullen previously. The snow fell and the wind blew hard in a game where at one point I genuinely thought we would see and abandonment.
After going into a two goal lead against our lowly opponents I took the decision to leave on 75 minutes, a good move given the amount of snow on the road during my drive home. And my lad earned his ‘cold Tuesday night FA Cup replay badge’.
After going into a two goal lead against our lowly opponents I took the decision to leave on 75 minutes, a good move given the amount of snow on the road during my drive home. And my lad earned his ‘cold Tuesday night FA Cup replay badge’.
26th Jan - Owls 3-1 Reading - FA Cup
Wednesday scored our first goals under new manager Jos on another freezing cold winters evening.
Wednesday did dip a toe into the transfer market to purchase Dutch central midfielder Joey Pelupessey from Heracles. The Dutchman was very nearly sent off on his debut after fouling on the edge of his own area after 8 minutes, but luckily only received a yellow card. Wednesday swept aside Reading - Atdhe Nuhiu scoring twice and George Boyd clinched it thanks to poor goalkeeping. A late undeserved consolation goal cake courtesy of a Dawson own goal, the ball arrowing back in off the post.
17th Feb - Owls 0-0 Swansea - FA Cup
It had to be didn’t it - after leaving Wednesday Carlos has taken over at premier league strugglers Swansea - and would you believe it we hosted them in the FA Cup fifth round. A clearly emotional Carlos rightly receive a fairly warm reception Upon his return. A tight tepid affair was played out - the highlight being a great point blank save from Cameron Dawson in the Wednesday goal. We went in to lose the replay 0-2.
30th Mar - Owls 4-1 Preston
Fernando Forestieri returned from a long injury lay off and was the catalyst for Wednesday securing a second successive win to move us 11 points clear of the relegation zone. Nuhiu, fast becoming a key part of Jos’ new look Wednesday, opened the scoring on 50 minutes and the equally improving Joao made it two merely minutes later. Preston pulled one back and pressed us hard, however a fantastic individual goal on 92 minutes gave us breathing space. The scoring wasn’t over though - Forestieri announcing his return with a great free kick on 96 minutes!
2nd Apr - Sunderland 1-3 Owls
Bank holiday Monday began with a few inch of snow on the floor. We set off for my first visit to the stadium of light to face struggling Sunderland who were scrapping to avoid successive relegations.
On arrival it was not only wet but freezing cold, and we were seated high in the roof of the stadium!
After a goalless first half Joao’s opener was cancelled out a minute later. Seven minutes after that Tom Lees gave us the lead again. We nearly allowed Sunderland to equalise straight from the kick off again! And then another seven minutes later Nuhiu wrapped up a rare victory in Sunderland!
6th May - Owls 5-1 Norwich
Having secured championship status against a back drop of poor form and injuries we faced Norwich at home on the final day.
And in the baking hot sunshine any there was witness to Atdhe Nuhiu score the perfect hat-trick in a five goal demolition of the canaries. Forestieri and Venacio the other scorers in a game in which Norwich James Maddison limped off after 11 minutes.
Our final league position was fifteenth - our lowest for some time, however given the injury situation Jos inherited he had done a decent job steadying the ship. Maybe next season we could kick on?
There’s always next year...
