2007/08 - It’s the Draw’s that kill you...

After ending 2006/07 on a high under Brian Laws and with no international tournament to dampen spirits Wednesday (or maybe just I) went into another season with relative optimism. With a mixture of experienced heads like Lee Bullen and Deon Burton, established first team players such as Glenn Whelan, Marcus Tudgay and Chris Brunt and promising young players such as Tommy Spurr and Mark Beevers in the squad it was hopeful Laws could continue the upward trajectory initially established by Paul Sturrock and maintained in Laws first months in charge and maybe launch another bid for the play-offs. 

Leaving the club was play-off hero Steve MaClean who joined Cardiff City at the end of his contract as well as Graham Coughlan, John Hills, Steve Adams, David Graham, Barry Corr and for the second time Chris Adamson. The Owls also dipped into the transfer market before the end of August to bring in Richard Hinds, Dutch winger Ettiene Esajas, striker Akpo Sodje and England international Francis Jeffers. 

The season preparations began under disruption as floods hit the Hillsborough area in July! The pitch was left underwater and large parts of the stadium were left requiring major renovation.

The clubs usually reliable pitch was left ruined to the point where it would never truly recover. The damage caused would not aid the clubs already perilous financial position. 

24th July - Chesterfield 0-2 Owls

I have no recollection of this tie whatsoever, the only reason I know of this pre-season friendly is I have a programme from it. Also my son had been born four days prior. 

11th August - Ipswich 4-1 Owls

Any early season optimism soon evaporated following a poor opening day showing against the tractor boys. Things didn’t improve much as Chris Brunt, another play off hero, left the club to sign for West Brom five days later for a fee of around £3M. It was to be the first of many setbacks for the owls in this particular season. 

28th August - Owls 2-1 Hartlepool

After overcoming Rotherham in the League Cup first round they then faced Hartlepool United in the second round on a cool August Hillsborough evening. Most of the 8,000+ crowd will have easily forgotten this drab tie in which an extra time goal from Yoan Folly settled the tie in the hosts favour. 

22nd September - Owls 1-0 Hull

A league win - Hooray!

After starting the season with six consecutive defeats in the league a first goal for expensive summer transfer Francis Jeffers settled this nervy tie for the owls. Seven days later the owls made it two in a row with a victory over Norwich city, this time Wade Small settling the televised tie. The game coincided with Jamaican centre back Michael Johnson making his debut after joining the owls on an initial months loan, a loan that was eventually extended to three. 

21st September - Graham Kavanagh joins on loan. He goes on to play 7 games during this spell, scoring once. 

26th September - Owls 0-3 Everton The League Cup run came to an end with a defeat to top flight Everton. The visitors secured victory with goals in the second half from James McFadden (2) and Yakubu. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7008021.stm

20th October - Stoke 2-4 Owls

A great win in Stoke but completely overlooked and marred by the horrible leg break sustained by Francis Jeffers following an utterly disgusting tackle from dirty bastard Ryan Shawcross, who went on to specialise in the act. 

27th October - Owls 2-1 Blackpool

After a shaky start to the season Wednesday began a run of six unbeaten with a victory against Blackpool. Richard Hinds with his first for the club securing the victory and also winning me a rare bet! 

10th November - Owls 5-0 Southampton

A fine victory for Wednesday who thoroughly deserved the points as they rolled over a limp Southampton side

During November controversial chairman Dave Allen resigned from the club, throwing the clubs future into disarray as he had loaned the club several million pounds in previous years despite his confrontational and fractured relationship with the fans. 

26th December - Burnley 1-1 Owls

We never lose at Burnley, courtesy of a Deon Burton penalty. It’s a draw this time. 

19th January - Owls 2-0 Blades

The first Sheffield derby of the season took place a long way into it! Akpo Sodje terrorised the blades all game and Marcus Tudgay wrapped up the steel city tie in our favour! This was only our second victory in 9 games!

22nd January - Owls 1-1 Derby (FA CUP) 

An FA Cup 3rd round replay was lost on penalties to Derby, Steve Watson bagging an equaliser in the tie. 

These were the early days of the January transfer window at Championship level. I went to bed fairly late on pleased that Wednesday had retained their key players. Sadly the next day I learnt that Glenn Whelan has been sold to promotion chasing Stoke City for a pittance. He was replaced by Graham Kavanagh, who returned for his second loan spell of the season. On the same date we secured the signing of striker Enoch Showumni on a two month loan from Bristol City. The Owls had already added former Manchester United midfielder Ronnie Wallwork earlier in the month on a deal until the end of the season - he went on to play only 7 games for the club. 

8th Feb - Adam Bolder - The midfielder signed on loan from QPR until the end of the season. 

21st Feb - Ben Sahar - The Chelsea striker signed on loan. He put in some mixed performances that didn’t give much of an indication to the career that he would go onto have at clubs such as Auxerre, Espanyol and Hertha Berlin. 

11th March - Colchester 1-2 Owls

Colchester is a long drive for a midweek tie! Wednesday continued their improved recent form with a win at their fellow strugglers in the tie that had seen the end of Paul Sturrock during the previous season. 

7th March - Frank Songo’o - Cameroon winger Songo’o joined the club on a short term loan from Portsmouth. He went on to represent Zaragoza and Real Sociedad before his career petered out. 

27th March - Bartosz Slusarski - The Polish U-21 striker joined the owls on loan until the end of the season and went on to score some important goals in the battle for survival. 

29th March - Owls 1-1 Stoke

Glenn Whelan returned to his former home as his new club Stoke City chased the points in their quest for promotion. Wednesday had used the funds from his sale to bring in a number of loan players and it was Cameroonian winger Frank Songo’o’s quick feet that pinched a point for the owls in a physical clash at S6. 

1st April - Owls 1-1 Coventry 

Avoiding defeat in our previous six games looked like moving Wednesday into a fairly decent position however this drab re-arranged fixture was in the middle of what was to become a horrendous run of 8 successive draws which would drag us right into the relegation battle. 

8th April - Blades 2-2 Owls

Wednesday, not for the first time, clinched a draw from the jaws of victory squandering a two goal lead. Both of goals came from loanee Adam Bolder, as we went on to draw 2-2 in the latest steel city derby. 

14th April - Owls 1-1 Plymouth

The final game in the drawing run was the re-arranged fixture with Plymouth Argyle. Wednesday struggled to break their opponents down and clinched a point with a brilliant distance volley from Tommy Spurr. Brian Laws lamented at full time that although we were unbeaten in 9 and had suffered 1 defeat in 13 it was the draws that were killing us. With three games to go Wednesday needed some big performances to drag themselves back over the line. 

26th April - Leicester 1-3 Owls

It was all on the line for the owls in this do-or-die tie with fellow struggler's Leicester who faced the prospect of relegation to the third tier under Ian Holloway. Wednesday duly did what they had to do in their striking orange away kit with goals from Slusarski, Watson and Clarke (who’s cheeky chip clinched it) putting our destiny in our own hands, sending us in the away end into celebration, whilst pushing our host into a grim situation. Sadly Lee Bullen pulled him hamstring in the game meaning he would be unable to make one final appearance at Hillsborough the following week. 

4th May - Owls 4-1 Norwich 

Wednesday had to win to guarantee our safety and in front of a packed Hillsborough the boys duly delivered despite going behind to a Darren Huckerby strike. The owls came roaring back with goals from Deon Burton (2), Sahar and Leon Clarke. All four sides of the stadium rightly stood to applaud Norwich’s former England striker Deon Dublin when he was substituted in the final game of his long career. At the final whistle the crowd cheered with relief as despite relegation fears the owls finished a respectable 16th, the form since the turn of 2007 saw the owls lose only six of the 24 games played in - just too many of those were draws! There were some tears of joy but also some tears of sadness as Wednesday’s 2005 promotion winning captain Lee Bullen bid the club a fond farewell after the game at the expiry of his contract.

This was also to be the last tie to date in which my better half was a season ticket holder as having moved into our new home during the previous season we soon took delivery of something that would change our world and influence my match going experience and habits to this day. 

20th July - Another Wednesdayite was born

2006/07 - A Law-Man In Town

My preparations for the 2006 season began with a honeymoon to Egypt with the new Mrs. M, following our wedding that July! And the major task of house hunting began... 

Paul Sturrock set about strengthening his squad on the limited budget chairman Dave Allen made available as the club continued to struggle financially. JP McGovern, David Lucas and Craig Rocastle from the victorious play off side departed along with a number of loan players who had helped us stay up the previous season. 

Back up goalkeeper Chris Adamson was released, then re-signed after the owls were left without a senior goalkeeper for pre-season!

Noticeable signings included Kenny Lunt, Yoann Folly and Wade Small on free transfers and Algerian international Madjid Bougherra. 

The owls also solved our goalkeeping issues by loaning Liverpool’s Australian youngster Brad Jones until January. 

29th July - Owls 1-2 Boro

Wednesday rounded off pre-season un-spectacularly with a home tie against the 05/06 UEFA cup finalists Middlesbrough, managed then by future England manager Gareth Southgate in his first management role. 

8th August - Owls 0-1 Luton

After failing to find the target the owls again drew a blank in a turgid home defeat. 

19th August - Plymouth 1-2 Owls

Wednesday scored their first goals in open play as they produced a surprising result, overturning Sturrock‘s old club on their own patch

23rd August - Owls 1-4 Wrexham (League Cup)

Wet. Very very wet. Lots of young lads. But very wet. 

14th October - Owls 2-1 Barnsley

Following the Plymouth victory it took six games for the owls to register their next victory. A very poor derby tie with Barnsley. Paul Sturrock, under massive pressure, was rescued by Chris Brunt’s late strike for a patched up owls side. A strike that clearly kept the Owls promotion winning manager in a job! 

18th October - Colchester 4-0 Owls

In front of just over 5k fans a gutless Wednesday slumped to a heavy defeat. 

After a poor start to the season Paul Sturrock was then relieved of his duties. Whilst in hindsight it was probably the right time the decision only heaped more criticism of the clubs chairman and prompted an impromptu Radio Sheffield's Football Heaven special. Paul was an affable guy who clearly connected with the fan base and has always been warmly welcomed back whenever he has reason to return to Hillsborough. 

21st October - Owls 3-2 QPR

A battling performance under caretaker manager Sean McAuley saw Wednesday battle to a home victory. Marcus Tudgay’s double got him off the mark for the season. 

18th November - Coventry 3-1 Owls

The owls had appointed Scunthorpe United manager Brian Laws as Sturrock’s successor after McAuley had led the owls to a mini revival. After an opening victory at Ipswich the owls slumped to a defeat on the road - with Wednesday having two men sent off in the prowess. A week later the Brian Laws led the owls in his first home tie, a goalless draw with Cardiff City 

23rd December - Owls 3-3 Southampton 

Fans were treated to a ding-dong Christmas treat of a tie. In a battling performance Wednesday dragged themselves back from a 1-3 deficit and bagged a dramatic late late equaliser via Goalkeeper Mark Crossley, the former team mate of Laws having been signed on loan in November. Wednesday fans went into the Christmas period in high spirits with the equaliser feeling like a win, and following a decent recent run of form since Laws’ arrival. 

30th December - Barnsley 0-3 Owls

A Boxing Day victory at Stoke continued the good form before a fantastic victory at Barnsley to complete the derby double. Another loanee Wayne Andrews (a Michael Antonio-lite) opened the scoring before goals from MacLean and Brunt completed the drubbing. 

7th January - Owls 1-1 Man City (FA Cup)

Another battling performance saw Steve MacLean’s penalty hold premier league Manchester City (prior to the big-bucks takeovers) at Hillsborough. Sadly the owls went down 2-1 in the replay at City, however the tie is fondly remembered for Lee Bullen’s goal in front of the travelling Wednesdayite’s. And if only Chris Brunt hadn’t slipped in the box!

20th January - Owls 2-4 Sunderland

A mini-slump (5 games without victory) continued as a rampant Sunderland, managed by Roy Keane and gunning for an instance return to the premier league, over ran the Owls with an impressive performance.

It was a mixed January transfer window for the owls with Bougherra effectively forcing through a transfer to top flight struggler's Charlton and play off hero Drew Talbot exiting to join Luton Town. Incoming were Leon Clarke from Wolves and rapid winger Jermaine Johnson from Oldham Athletic. However a single point from the turn of 2007 until the 24th Feb saw Wednesday perched in mid table prior to a home victory over Southend United which stopped the rot. 

3rd March - Leeds 2-3 Owls

A game fondly remembered by Owls fans. A bright day, a packed away end full of ale. Tudgay ridiculously sent off. Chris Brunt chipping the keeper from miles out. Happy days! And a debut for Steve Watson having joined on loan from West Brom. 

17th March - Owls 2-2 Wolves

Unbeaten since the Southend tie and having entered a run of positive form Wednesday entertained promotion chasing Wolves and Dick McCarthy. What in the record books was a decent 2-2 doesn’t note the disgusting behaviour from said Dick, who remonstrated with every decision and was successful in getting Frank Simek sent off for a tough tackle on the touch line. 

April went by in a bit of a blur for me if I'm honest as we completed the purchase of our first home. 

28th April - Birmingham 2-0 Owls

A fantastic end of season run saw us with an outside chance of making the playoffs, however that relied on us beating promotion chasing Birmingham. Sadly despite a valiant performance late goals from Cameron Jerome and Sebastian Larsson sank the owls. 

6th May - Owls 3-2 Norwich

We signed off with a final day home win over the canaries with goals from Jermaine Johnson and Deon Burton and an own goal from Kelvin Etuhu settling the result in front of a crowd of 28,287, sending the biggest crowd since January into the summer break in a positive frame of mind.

And for anyone interested - the wedding was fantastic! 

2005/06 - Sturrocks Survival Season

There would be no summer holiday of note this summer, I was far too busy saving for other stuff!

After the euphoria of the previous seasons finale it was down to business as Paul Sturrock took to the task of rebuilding the squad in his own image.

This led to a spate of arrivals in the form of Yoann Folly (initially on loan from Southampton, Graeme Coughlan and Peter Gilbert from Sturrocks previous club Plymouth, Chris Adamson, Frankie Simek from Arsenal, John Hills from Gillingham, Scotsman Burton O’Brien, Drissa Diallo, Eagles (on loan from Man United), Stephen Partridge and striker David Graham who arrived for a pretty penny from Wigan. Football genius Craig Rocastle also made his loan move permanent. Whilst outgoing we’re Patrick Collins and Matt Hamshaw amongst others. Whilst Hull City away hero James Quinn returned to his parent club, alongside a number of loanees. 

Pre-season ended with a tie with Manchester City at Hillsborough. Most remembered for Steve MacClean being crocked and pretty much putting Sturrock’s preparations on the back foot. 

6th Aug - Stoke 0-0 Owls

The opening day came around. Myself and Russell were in the packed away stand to watch a goalless draw at stoke. From memory stoke missed or had a penalty saved - ? Either way it was an eye opener to the difference in standard at that level. A decent start to the season. 

9th Aug - Owls 1-1 Hull

Three days later Wednesday hosted Hull City who were promoted alongside Wednesday. This game was somewhat closer than the previous campaign. Loanee striker Leon Best scores for owls in a cagey draw. 

13th Aug - Owls 0-1 Southampton

Relegated from the premier league Southampton we’re looking to go back up and win through a goal from Kenwyne Jones (who received a really warm welcome from the home crowd). It was a cool day not befitting an early season tie, where the shot-shy Owls failed to carve open any real chances. 

20th Sept - Owls 2-4 West Ham

I have only one memory of this League Cup and that is a decent strike from Bobby Zamora. Out of the cup, but the league to concentrate on. 

9th Nov - Owls 1-3 Cardiff

The gulf in quality had been evident all season, with the owls failing to live with the pace and the quality with most sides at times. Chris Eagles scored for Wednesday in a game where Cameron Jerome tore Wednesdays backline to bits. 

3rd Dec - Blades 1-0 Owls

I said I’d never go again after what I witnessed on my previous visit, but here I was slumming it again at the Lane. A dull derby encounter sneaked by the home side after ex-wednesday man Alan Quinn being credited with the goal despite being stood on the goal line in an offside position. I was so incensed on the way home I almost got caught out by every speed camera en route. 

31st Dec - Burnley 1-2 Owls

It’s true what they say - it really is grim up north. It was a relatively mild pleasant day. But Burnley is still grim. A patched up Wednesday came away with a shock first win in ten games. Drissa Diallo came off the bench to play central midfield at one point as we held on at what had been a relatively happy hunting ground over the last few years. 

January the first - happy new strikers day! Wednesday announced the signings of Marcus Tudgay and Deon Burton to boost the clubs firepower and add some much needed goals, and it worked immediately as the owls won the following game 3-0 at home to Crewe. 

21st Jan - Leeds 3-0 Owls

After three league wins on the bounce post Christmas we travelled in numbers to Elland Road for the Yorkshire derby. Sadly nobody told the players as the Leeds romped to a comfortable victory. Despite investing in and some evolution of the squad over the course of the season it was looking pretty bleak at this point. 

4th Feb - Millwall 0-1 Owls

Forever remembered as ‘The Bullen Game’. Travelling to our relegation rivals. Forever a patched up wednesday side lost goalkeeper David Lucas to injury and with no substitute goalkeeper defender and captain Lee Bullen chose to don the pale blue goalkeeping jersey. He managed to keep a clean sheet in a ferocious tie in which Millwall thought they had scored, only for it to be ruled out, and with the referee allowing Wednesday to play on whilst Millwall were all off celebrating we broke and Frank Simek scored his first and only goal for the club. Cue limbs in the away end! A huge victory against a rival as we looked for survival. Watch Millwall 0-1 Wednesday

We only managed three wins from our next 11 games so survival was still in the balance and as fate would dictate we travelled late in the season to Brighton for a relegation six pointer. The hosts would go down with defeat and I believe a victory would guarantee survival for us

17th Apr - Brighton 0-2 Owls

After beating Norwich 1-0 at home in the previous game Wednesday had their dancing shoes on, so Russell and I travelled to Brighton in anticipation of survival and revenge after we were relegated there three years previous. We shuffled into the ramshackle ground onto the temporary stand. The away terrace, separated from the pitch by a running track, shook when we bounced. It had the feel of a school sports day! We ran out the victors, Burton O’Brien wrapped up the victory to guarantee another season at this level, and the opportunity for us to make so progression

22nd Apr - Owls 1-1 Reading

On my birthday table topping champions Reading came to town and were held by Wednesday. Tommy Spurr made his first team debut and put in a decent display. One for the future

30th Apr - Derby 0-2 Owls

Going from Brighton to Derby really was like going from the ritz to the rubble! Got to the ground nice and early. Forgot the tickets. Drove home, raced back. Arrived just in time for kick off. Walked into the gents desperate for a pee, that was empty aside from around 20 police officers. Heard a huge cheer go up, we’d clearly scored early! I’ll always remember the copper leaning over to me and saying ‘You’ve missed that one’. Phil Brown was the derby manager (not for much longer though). Leon Best, who had returned for a second loan spell, scored a second to wrap up a good win following a decent performance, and thus became the first player for Wednesday to score the first and last goals of a season for the club. This was also to be our last victory at Derby. And as I’d been late I wasn’t able to pick up a programme either. 

Our second half of the season had seen an upturn in form aided by the addition of multiple loanees such as Gabriel Agbonlahor, Nicky Weaver, Scott Carson and Mikkel Bischoff to name just a few. 

So the season came to a close with Wednesday having managed to survive in the championship. Mission accomplished for Paul Sturrock and his team of journeymen and loanees, but it was clear that we would have to invest in the squad somehow to be able to compete in the division, or face another season of struggle. 

The summer of 2006 would see England competing in the World Cup finals and I was hopeful the ‘golden generation’ could do us proud. And there was also the small matter of a wedding taking place that summer...