2013/14 - Change, and not a moment too soon!

After avoiding relegation on the final day of the season Dave Jones set about remodelling his squad further. Julian Bennet and Chris Lines were released along with veteran goalkeepers Nicky Weaver and Stephen Bywater. Chris O’Grady made a permanent switch to Barnsley as part of his world tour of Yorkshire, flop Nec Pečnik was released from his contract, and Danny Mayor joined Bury on a season long loan to little fan fair. The only other notable transfer out was highly rated youngster, whom the academy had very high hopes for, Hayden White walked out on the club to join Bolton at the end of his deal. 

As part of Jones new look team were a number of signings. Highly rated Jacques Maghoma came on a free from fast rising Burton Albion, former Hull defender Kamil Zayatte returned to English football on a free, whilst Austrian/Albanian/Kosovan beanpole Atdhe Nuhiu, who had previously scored against Aston Villa in a UEFA Cup game joined from Rapid Wien. Loanee Jeremy Helan made his move from Manchester City permanent, whilst youngster Rafael Floro made a free transfer move from FC Porto. 

Disconcertingly during the summer owls chairman Milan Mandaric revealed that the club was losing £5M a year and that he was actively looking for a buyer.

Preseason consisted of a few local friendlies and another trip to Portugal for matches against Sporting Braga and Hull City(!). Then on a warm July evening we entertained Scottish friends Rangers. The Owls winning 1-0 with a goal from Antonio. Mixing in the pubs with the Gers pre game there was a real partisan feel. The rangers fans filled leppings lane and made it a real site to behold. 

Our final warm up tie saw Atdhe Nuhiu debut in a game that finished Chesterfield 1-1 Owls. Maguire betting a last minute equaliser in a poor tie. 

17th Aug - Leeds 1-1 Owls

After successive defeats in our opening two games we earned our first point of the season in Leeds. Zayatte’s opener cancelled out by McCormack in the second half where we hung on for grim life!

31st Aug - Spence loan

West Ham fullback Jordan Spence, husband of actress Naomi Scott, signed on a months loan to cover for the injured Lewis Buxton. He makes his debut the same day. 

10th Sep - Taylor Out

A year after joining the club the poor Martin Taylor leaves to join Brentford on a months loan. He retires at the end of the season. Money well spent Dave Jones. 

14th Sep - Owls 1-1 Yeovil

 Atdhe Nuhiu netted his first Hillsborough goal however we were unable to break down a Yeovil team reduced to ten men in the first half, a fourth successive draw. Why always Yeovil?

16th Sep - Roger Johnson Loan

Wolves centre half Roger Johnson joins on three months loan. He makes his debut in a 4-1 defeat at Birmingham - Manchester United prospect Jesse Lingard scores all four. The game featured three Wednesday Johnson’s, Roger, Reda and Jermaine all on the pitch at the same time, to some amusement. Republic of Ireland international midfielder Stephen McPhail also made his debut after joining on a free as an out of contract player. 

28th Sep - Owls 0-1 Doncaster Rovers

If you were paying attention I think you’ll remember that I scored a couple of goals in this game. Winning the twitter competition to take part in a SRSB penalty shootout. 

I scored two. James the other winner pipped me with three. 

The game was forgettable with Frederico Macheda scoring the only goal. 

Striker Matty Fryatt makes his debut as a substitute having joined on loan from Hull City. He joins the squad just as Gary Madine is sent to prison for 18 months for general dickheadary. He is released from prison 5 months later

15th Oct - Martinez loan

Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez joins on loan. Clearly lacking experience. 

26th Oct - Midfield Recruit

More desperate transfer activity from Jones? Winless Wednesday sign out of contract veteran Nigeria midfielder Seyi Olofinjana on a free. 

1st Nov - Wickham’s Back!

Sunderland striker Connor Wickham rejoins the club on loan vowing he had unfinished business!

2nd Nov - Owls 5-2 Reading

13 games into the season and we claim our first victory! The new partnership between Fryatt and Wickham instantly bearing fruit with three goals between them. We had drawn eight of the previous 12 league ties. 

Reading was to be the last home victory Dave Jones oversaw! He was sacked after losing the next three games culminating in a lacklustre 2-0 defeat in Blackpool. He had just allowed fringe players Chris Maguire and Caolan Lavery to leave on loan - to Coventry and Plymouth respectively. The good news is we faced high flying Leicester City next. 

3rd Dec - Owls 2-1 Leicester City

Dutch defender Glenn Loovens signs on a free transfer then plays as Wednesday turn in their best performance of the season to beat the foxes, Connor Wickham scoring both goals as first team coach Stuart Gray took temporary charge. 

18th Dec - Owls A-A Wigan - Abandoned

In a fierce storm the tie is abandoned after 59 minutes with the visitors leading one nil. 

1st Jan - Owls 2-0 Blackpool

Third home win of the season. Wickham and the recalled Maguire with the goals as we welcomed in the new year still under the charge of Stuart Gray. 

7th Jan - Deji Oshilaja loan

Cardiff City youngster Oshilaja signs on a short term loan. He looks a little lost. He would return later in the season as a stop gap. 

11th Jan - Owls 6-0 Leeds

One the the single greatest results in recent Wednesday history. Where did it come from? Who knows. This was hardly a sparkling Leeds side but the demolition job by Wednesday was a joy to behold. Réda Johnson gave us the lead and Nuhiu doubled it just before half time. A stray Matt Smith elbow saw Leeds reduced to ten men before Wednesday ran riot as goals from Wickham, Maguire and a late brace from Lavery wrapped up the fine victory. 

On the same day we announced the signing of USA international central defender Oguchi Onyewu, formerly of Newcastle, AC Milan and Sporting Lisbon, from QPR on a free. 

14th Jan - Owls 4-1 Macclesfield

Wednesday made it ten goals in three days as strikes from Maguire, Maghoma, Jermaine Johnson and Llera helped us see off lowly Macclesfield in this FA Cup third round replay. 

30th Jan - Afobe In

With Connor Wickham's loan up Wednesday returned to the market to bring in young Arsenal forward Benik Afobe until the end of the season. 

1st Feb - Owls 1-0 Barnsley

Stuart Gray has added defensive stability and organisation to the side but at the expense of attacking flair. Despite being down to ten men from the half hour mark the dingles held Wednesday back. Jermaine Johnson then levelled the playing field with his 80th minute dismissal. Jacob Mellis handed us the advantage again with his 91st minute red card. 

And then jubilation! The ultimate shithouse Maguire blasts in a 97th minute scorcher to change the moods of the departing fans!

11th Feb - Owls 0-3 Wigan Athletic

After the first clash was rained off we fared little better in this re-arranged fixture as the Latics came out on top in the first ever Hillsborough league clash between these sides. Two first half goals from Nicky Maynard and a late Fortune strike saw our visitors go home happy. 

14th Feb - Reinforcements

Stuart Gray sent for reinforcements in the shape of Leon Best (what’s this his third/fourth spell) from Blackburn, and midfielders Gary Gardner from Aston Villa and Sam Hutchinson from Chelsea. Young goalkeeper Cameron Dawson has just left to finish the season on loan with Plymouth Argyle. 

18th Feb - Owls 0-1 Derby County

Patrick Bamford's goal saw our promotion chasing visitors take the points. We were second best throughout and second half we were literally hanging on until the only goal of the game settled it. 

24th Feb - Owls 1-2 Charlton

Wednesday’s re-arranged cup tie with Charlton Athletic saw us lose out to a goal clearly hand balled by Church for the visitors, although truth be told we were pretty second best throughout. Leon Best scores our goal. 

27th Mar - Clearing Out

At the end of March Stuart Gray shipped out several players in need of game time - David Prutton left for Coventry City, Gary Madine (now out of prison) returned to Carlisle whilst Rhys McCabe joined Portsmouth - all on loans for the remainder of the season. Young goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith joins Alfreton Town on a months loan

29th Mar - Owls 1-4 Watford

WHY CANT WATFORD JUST GET PROMOTED!

How come every season they come to Hillsborough and roll us over again and again! Troy Deeney and Lewis McGugan amongst the scorers. Afobe pulled one back for us at four down. 

12th Apr - Owls 3-3 Blackburn Rovers

My daughters first game. Having pulled clear of any real relegation fears I though it was time to introduce my youngest to the earth shattering disappointment that is football!

That man again Jordan Rhodes scores on fifteen minutes with what seemed like his first touch. Lewis Buxton scored an equaliser however the visitors then raced into a three one lead. Athdhe Nuhiu pulled a goal back on 72 minutes. 

Atdhe completed his brace with a late late equaliser. The marmite striker proving his worth on this occasion. 

21st Apr - Owls 2-3 Charlton

Racing into a two goal lead inside ten minutes thanks to goals from Nuhiu and Maguire I didn’t expect the collapse that followed as Charlton secured their second Hillsborough victory of the season thanks to a Marvin Sordell hat-trick. In fairness we couldn’t get near him all game. 

The season finished with defeats at home to Bolton and away at Ipswich. A bit of a damp squib you might say, as such. 

2012/13 - “Can You’s Find Someone Better?”

Who else was feeling excited following our promotion?

Manager Dave Jones set straight to the task of remoulding the squad in his image with a series of captures of Championship experienced players. 

Centre half pairing of Danny Batth and Rob Jones were (wrongly in my opinion) broken up - with Batth returning to Wolves following his loan and club captain Jones leaving for Doncaster Rovers on a free. Replacing them were Anthony Gardner, on a free from Crystal Palace, and Martin Taylor who we actually paid Watford money for!

A number of players including Clinton Morrison, Jon Otsemobor, Chris Sedgwick, Ryan Lowe, Mike Jones, Mark Beevers (initially on loan), Daniel Jones and Mark Reynolds were all allowed to leave the club, the majority for free. It was also announced that at the end of the season The Green ‘Un would no longer be produced.

Other incomings in a busy summer were former Liverpool and England international goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, Joe Mattock, Scottish shithouse Chris Maguire and Rhys McCabe. Importantly the club splashed a reported £1M to secure the services of Michail Antonio on a permanent transfer. Bolstering the squad further were youngsters Danny Mayor, Paul Corry and a rightback from Oldham named Kieran Lee. 

Adding some international flair were young Portuguese left back Diego Amodo, Slovenian Nejc Pečnik and Spanish striker Rodri who arrived on a season long loan from Barcelona B.

Preseason saw the owls take on a tour to Portugal for ties with Sporting Lisbon and Reading. This was followed up back home with a goalless draw at Doncaster. The Owls home warm up tie saw us take on premier league West Brom. Nejc Pečnik put the owls in front but we were held to a 1-1 draw.

21st Aug - Owls 3-2 Birmingham City

We had begun the season with a fantastic fight back to draw at Derby. Our first home tie back at this level saw us take on the brummies in an evening kick off. Reda Johnson’s second of the season put us one up before Rodri opened his account by lobbing Jack Butland from about three yards. Jermaine Johnson made it 3-1 on 89 minutes before a late penalty made the score line appear tighter. 

25th Aug - Owls 3-2 Millwall

It was becoming apparent that we were certainly capable of scoring goals at this level. But conversely we did look like conceding with great regularity. Jermaine Johnson put us ahead but we went in at half time behind. Miguel Llera equalised before netting again in the last minute, another dramatic afternoon at Hillsborough. 

28th Aug - Owls 1-0 Fulham (Lge cup 2)

We claimed a premier league scalp only the league cup 2nd round. Gary Madine’s second half penalty was enough to beat Martin Jol’s Cottagers to secure a trip to Southampton in round three. 

22nd Sept - Owls 1-2 Bolton

Wednesday made it four defeats in a row in a poor game. My lads first ever defeat watching Wednesday too! We were second best all over the park despite some loan additions in the shape of Ross Barkley from Everton and Jay Bothroyd, who had gained an England cap despite playing at Championship level, from QPR. 

19th Oct - Owls 1-1 Leeds

Rampant Derby day at Hillsborough in front of the sky cameras. Bothroyd put in his only decent performance, scoring the only goal in the tie. We held out until the 77th minute when ex-blade Tonge equalised. The game was overshadowed when an idiot from the away end ran on the pitch and attacked goalkeeper Chris Kirkland on the pitch. Luckily he wasn’t seriously hurt however idiotic comments from Leeds manager Neil Warthog describing Kirkland as “went down like a sack of spuds” did little to build bridges in the football community. 

27th Oct - Ipswich 0-3 Owls

After nine winless games loanee Ross Barkley, of future Chelsea and England fame, inspired Wednesday to a surprise win in Suffolk

27th Nov - Owls 1-4 Watford

This tie came 5 matches into a 7 game winless run. Dave Jones has been under mounting pressure and this dog-shite performance was the one where he lost me.

Antonio gave us an early lead but 15 minutes later Daniel Pudil pulled the ball back for Fernando Forestieri to equalise. Chris Lines has a first half penalty saved before the referee had to be replaced, Wednesday’s football probably making eyes bleed. In the second half Watford ran away with the tie for an emphatic win. After the game Jones gave an interview that was arrogance personified, insisting of referring to the club as “You’s” and stating If people think somebody else will do a better job, go get him. And if he doesn't do it, then what? Go and get someone else?’. Which for me, I now believe we should do. And after appearing to be a god signing Jay Bothroyd mouthing off at Wednesday fans when he blazed a last minute effort into the Kop just about summed him up in a blue & white shirt. Lazy with an over inflated sense of his own importance. He can go as well. 

8th Dec - Owls 2-3 Bristol City

Two goals in two minutes saw Bristol steal the win with a late Albert Adomah free kick in front of the Kop, despite Wednesday having led twice. The game turned on an incident where Wednesday were seemingly denied a penalty, resulting in a goal being chalked off after a Wednesday player grabbed the referee in frustration. In fairness the referee had clearly lost control of the game

26th Dec - Bolton 0-1 Owls

A large travelling contingent saw Wednesday make it three wins in a row in this Boxing Day fixture. Having won the previous two Christmas ties - 1-0 in the televised Barnsley derby and 2-0 at home to Charlton (McCabe and Manchester City loanee Jérémy Helan with their first goals) another loanee Mamady Sidibe, who came on a temporary deal from Stoke, scored his only goal. Sidibe came in clearly unfit and worked hard but only managed this sole goal from his 9 appearances. 

5th Jan - Owls 0-0 MK Dons (FA Cup)

An utterly dreadful game. MK could have easily won the game. I sat behind the dugout due to the Kop being closed. Abiding memory is I tweeted a young player who came off the bench to run the game, tearing Lewis Buxton apart. The players replied thanking me for my compliments, and that player was Dele Alli. 

26th Jan - Charlton 1-2 Owls

Until 2019 our last win at Charlton which was secured with a late winner from loan striker Leroy Lita on his debut after signing from Swansea City. Versatile left sided player Danny Pugh also joined on loan for the remainder of the season, from Leeds United. Jeremy Helan would extend his loan until the end of the season a few days later. 

During January Chris Lines and Chris O’Grady we’re both allowed to leave the club, initially on loans. Young striker Caolan Lavery also left on loan to gain experience at Southend United. Danny Mayor and Paul Corry would make similar moves in February. It was clear that the summer transfer business hadn’t been a particular success. 

9th Feb - Owls 2-2 Derby County

Wednesday mirrored our opening day encounter by again coming from two behind to draw with Derby - Antonio and Llera with second half strikes. Meanwhile another loanee striker made his debut - Connor Wickham, having joined on loan from Sunderland on an initial one month loan. 

9th Mar - Leicester 0-1 Owls

Loanee Connor Wickham scores his first and only goal of this loan spell as we pick up only our second win in 6 games. Form had picked up over January and early February but had begun to trail off. Despite this we remained in the unusually high patch of clubs fighting relegation. 

In the old days the end of March would be the last time clubs could add to their squads before the end of the season and Dave Jones added more reinforcements at the end of this one. Nigerian international midfielder Seyi Olofinjana of Hull City joined until the end of the season and injury plagued American international Stuart Holden of Bolton Wanderers signed one a one month loan. 37 year old experienced striker Steve Howard also joined on loan until the end of the season from Hartlepool United in what would be the final move of his long career. 

9th Apr - Millwall 1-2 Owls

Chris Maguire struck late against struggling Millwall as we came from behind in this basement tussle - ensuring pandemonium in the away stand! This result made it four wins from six games for Jones’ men post the Leicester City victory. Just a couple more results going into the final five games would be enough to keep us up. 

27th Apr - Peterborough 1-0 Owls

A win would have guaranteed survival in this tie against our fellow strugglers. Wednesday were poor and rarely threatened in this televised clash. Grant McCann scored the only goal of the game to set up a nervy final day, knowing only a win would do!

After all the hard work would we really mess it all up after one season?

4th May - Owls 2-0 Middlesborough

Survival at last! In the final game of the season Wednesday recorded our first win in five to guarantee another season in the championship. Veteran loanee striker Steve Howard with his only goal for the club early in the first half, then Leroy Lita signed off his productive loan spell on the half hour by taking advantage of a defensive mix up to fire home. Joyous scenes at the final whistle included a bit of a pitch invasion, and we finished the season in the lofty position of 18th on 58 points and strangely just ten points off of a play off spot, but having lost 20 of our 46 matches. 

Hopefully we will learn from this and now kick on and re-establish ourselves at this level proper. 

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