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... 

2004/05 - The Greatest Day

I thought the big day deserved a write up all of its own!

Arriving back in the early hours following the 2-1 (3-1 aggregate) semi-final win over Brentford our tired minds quickly turned to the final. Chiefly tickets and travel. This was the olden days when online ticket ordering was a pipe dream. We had to do things the old fashioned way - this involved cueing. Out the ticket office, around the car park and outside onto and along Penistone road. Thankfully, for me anyway, Russell was off work on the day tickets went on sale and he got there nice and early. 

So in the final we faced Hartlepool United. A surprise package in the division. The monkey hangers most famous probably for their presenter supporter Geoff Stelling, and forever a side in the lowest divisions. We had faced Hartlepool in the league of course - a fine 2-0 home win, but a disastrous 3-0 reverse the following April with Adam Boyd helping himself to a hat trick in the heavy rain. 

We set off for the game nice and early. 5AM in fact. Russell drove. We were nicely parked up in Cardiff by 9AM listening to the radio, chilling in the early morning sun, catching a little more sleep. 

Early morning we went for a stroll, first corner we walked around was a bloke who worked at the same place as me, stood in his Wednesday shirt - I didn’t even know he was a Wednesday fan. At some point this morning Rachel lost her scarf. Watch - Wednesdayite's Pre-Match

We went and found the stadium to get our bearings, take a few photos then helped ourselves to some refreshments, before going into the Millennium stadium fairly early. A few drinks later we were ready. Buzzing but nervous. When inside the stadium we bumped into Jon and his daughter Hannah, we had met them earlier in the season. Jon had started bringing his daughter to the games and had by chance sat next to us. They decided to sit next to us regularly and here they were in the same block at the final.

What ensued epitomised pretty much the whole season - some good football, falling asleep at the back, chucking the game away, but fighting back! 

We all know what happens next. JP’s early goal, Steve MacClean equalised from the penalty spot Watch - MacLeans Penalty, Whelan drove on to give us the lead and at the death Drewy Talbot wrapped it up! Every single player playing their part! Comeback complete - in the tie but also Promotion! After five rotten years we had taken the first step back, as captain Lee Bullen lifted the play-off trophy to signify the first move in turning the club around! Watch - Owls 4-2 Hartlepool

It had been a great day, only complicated by the problem of Russell' car having a flat battery and requiring a rolling start to get us off. If you were those fans who helped out and gave us a push - Cheers!

Anyone else used to keep scrapbooks? As a kid I used to cut out the newspaper reports. Well I decided to keep hold of as much as I could from this day, as they don’t come around very often! 

And straight away Sturrock wasted no time in beginning reshaping his squad. The side clearly needed some rebuilding but there were signs of potential. The gaffer opted to let several players go including Matt Hamshaw, who had been in and around the first team since the first season outside the top flight, yet was hampered with injuries. 

For the third time in five years the owls would be changing division, however this would be the first time we would be going UP! 

2004/05 - A New Hope

I think we all know how this one ends, but let me take you right back to the start!

The season build up began with me & Rachel spending a week being ill in Mallorca - Rachel for first three and me for the next three days! We were having the time of our lives. Working full time, living together, disposable income spent on nights out and away days - living the dream!

But onto the football. Season ticket renewed with Russell and Rachel. After an abysmal first full season under Turner we had not only failed to return to the second tier of English football but posted and embarrassing 16th place finish!

Wholesale changes were afoot! In fact very few remained from the previous campaigns. Out went the likes of Alan Quinn, Geary, Morrison & Pressman and arriving were, amongst others, a new captain Lee Bullen (whatever happened to him), strikers Steve MacLean & Lee Peacock, Paul Heckingbottom, JP McGovern and Glenn Whelan to name a few whilst goalkeeper David Lucas made his loan from Preston permanent. 

Pre-season included home friendlies against premier league opposition as Turner tried to foster that ‘big club’ spirit that would be needed. Unfortunately it didn’t really go our way. Owls 3 - 6 Everton

We’d had previously seen a season of struggle at the now re-branded ‘Coca-Cola League One’ level. With so many comings and going’s as Turner looked to re-shape his squad it was always expected that the team may take some time to gel. However come the opening day as always the expectation was building! 2004 was also the season that camera phones started permeating society, meaning match day action could now be captured or recorded in the moment by everyone.

7th Aug - Owls 0-3 Colchester United
They say sometimes things get worse before they get better, well we couldn’t have really sunk much lower on the opening day. In fairness it had been a pretty even game, both sides going close, however once the visitors took the lead the old signs of fragility amongst the squad seemed the resurface, and the visitors ran riot to sink us to a heavy home defeat! 

11th Sep - Walsall 1-1 Owls
A last minute trip to Walsall for myself, Russell and Rachel. Straight down the motorway to see a better if not disjointed performance as Glenn Whelan scored his first goal for the club. Improved - but still not great. 

18th Sep - Owls 0-1 Bournemouth
The final straw. The spotlight had been on Turner since the opening day after such an outlay on players. This was another abject performance that had become far too familiar. Turner was promptly sacked after the game, leaving us looking for our fifth manager in five years. 

The owls promptly appointed former Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock, who had recently been released by Premier League Southampton. Sturrock has built a side at Plymouth that had not only torn us apart in the fixture the previous season but that had go on to achieve automatic promotion. His first game saw us win 3-0 at Wrexham, only for him to announce in the press conference that he wanted to see more from the players. A refreshing change. 

29th Sep - Owls 1-2 Chester City
The LDV Vans Trophy first round. I quite enjoyed the cup and after reaching the northern final the year before thought if we could negotiate the early rounds utilising youngsters and squad players it’s an opportunity for a day out and a trophy. However the League Two strugglers Chester inflicted Sturrock's first defeat.

30th Oct - Owls 2-2 Chesterfield
Wednesday flattered to deceive against a plucky Chesterfield side. This result bookended the first seven games of Sturrocks tenure that had seen a real mixed bag of results.

8th Dec - Owls 2-4 Hull
Wednesday took on high flying Hull City after three straight wins in front of a bumper crowd. There were early goals and some woeful defending as we succumbed to a first defeat in five. Hull had a real cutting edge and were inspired on the night by former England international Nick Barmby. Watch: Owls 2-4 Hull

11th Dec - Owls 1-2 Brentford
Back to back defeats on the back of a three game winning run highlighted the unpredictability of this Wednesday side, who desperately needed to find some consistency. A late goal from Deon Burton if I remember correct?

Following the Bradford defeat Sturrock raided his former club Southampton for Trinidad & Tobago striker Kenwyne Jones, on a short term loan. This signing proved inspired as it kick started a run of form that would propel the mid table owls into the promotion race. 

3rd Jan - Owls 4-0 Wrexham
After four goals in his four appearances Kenwyne bagged two more as an impressive Wednesday put struggling Wrexham to the sword. From being a unknown he had quickly established himself as a bit of a hero. 

12th Feb - Owls 1-2 Bradford City
A post Kenwyne hangover? From memory a momentary lapse in concentration by Lee Bullen allowed former Wednesday man Owen Morrison to pop up with a last minute winner. Went home fuming.

19th Feb - Chesterfield 1-3 Owls
After 7 goals in 7 games Kenwyne Jones was recalled by Southampton. Unfortunately since his departure we had only managed one victory in four games. After making the short trip to Chesterfield we made up for the previous seasons abysmal showing by turning on the style, with MacLean even putting one in off his backside. 

26 Mar - Owls 2-2 Torquay
Another run of good results was rounded off with a difficult result against resolute Torquay. The recent games had seen the emergence of young striker Drew Talbot. But it was another striker, loanee Graham Barrett, who scored his only Wednesday goal in this fixture. 

9th Apr - Oldham 1-1 Owls
Two defeats had followed the Torquay game, one at home to fellow promotion chasers Tranmere after free signing Zigor Aranalde was sent off, Watch: Owls 1-2 Tranmere. But we travelled in numbers to a freezing cold Boundary Park to watch Wednesday battle our way to a point. Luke Beckett on target for the home team

The recent drop off in form had seen us go from making a late push for the top two to looking over our shoulders to even make the play-offs! A heavy defeat in torrential rain one Friday night at fellow play-off hopefuls Hartlepool was followed up by us being held to a goalless home tie with bottom of the table Stockport. That meant we needed a win with two games left to secure a play off spot, and we faced the clubs in 2nd and 7th spots! Watch: Hartlepool 3-0 Owls

30th Apr - Hull 1-2 Owls
Wednesday fans everywhere went barmy as loanee James Quinn, who arrived from on loan from Willem II to replace a Jones shaped void in the squad, scores his first goal since January to hand Wednesday a last minute victory and prompt a piss up and celebrations that resulted in very sore heads the following day! We had done it. We were in the play offs. This was the first positive finish since premier league relegation, against a back drop of financial difficulties and an injury backlog. 

Wednesday finished the season with defeat against Bristol City. Unfortunately Wednesday’s loan keeper Gallagher, brought in after an injury to David Lucas, was sent off requiring Lee Peacock to don the gloves! 

Not the actual line ups

2nd May - Making my way across the tops to Manchester, the destination Old Trafford. I have to admit I was pretty obsessive at the time. Me and Rachel went to watch a Wednesday side compete in the Reserve Cup Final against a Manchester United side that included Phil Beardsley, Daniel Jones, Louis Saha and a certain K. Lee (who was amongst the substitutes). More importantly however David Lucas fared no ill effects in his comeback from injury. Rachel dropped lost her keys during the game and former Coronation Street actor Tommy Craig found them and gave her them back (true story). Man Utd 3 - 1 Owls

Wednesday went into the play-offs in relatively poor form alongside Hartlepool United, Brentford and (favourites) Tranmere Rovers.

12th May - Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg: Owls 1-0 Brentford
Russell was late. A busy Hillsborough saw Wednesday take a first leg lead in a nervy contest courtesy of JP McGovern’s strike. Great scenes. Some bloke ran on the pitch. Home happy. But still nervous. How many times have we consistently shown our inconsistencies this season!!! Watch: Owls 1-0 Brentford

16th May - Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd Leg Brentford 1-2 Owls
We’d got there early by car, parked up in some leafy suburb and walked to the ground. After sampling a few pints we took up position, i sporting a very fashionable denim jacket! Stood behind the goal, me and Russell are on every video and photo of Chris Brunt’s free kick as we secured our route to the final. Limbs, scenes, bedlam - whatever you prefer to use, at the final whistle. Sheer elation on the terrace! Walking back to the car we were stopped by a Brentford fan to offer us congratulations and wish us good luck. We then decided to have one more for the road, stopping in a small pub where we had parked, only for John Solako (who had just played his final professional game in the match) to walk in behind us. Quick pint and an autograph and we were off home. Planning the route. The route to Cardiff. The route to a return...

And then Russell got pulled over for speeding on the M1 on the way home from the game. Back down to earth with a bump!

What happens next could go down in Wednesday history!

2003/04: Season as yet untitled...

What’s more grim than losing a relegation battle? Read on to find out!

For the owls first season in the third tier in my lifetime Chris Turner kept a good deal of the side from the previous campaign but adding Graeme Lee and Paul Smith from his previous club Hartlepool in the summer and then continuing to add to it over the course of the season, many of them gaining infamy with the Wednesday faithful. The likes of Adam Proudlock, Guylain Ndumbu Nsungu (local boy dun good?), Kim Olsen, Mark Robins, Brian Barry-Murphy and Ola Tidman arrived whilst Shefki Kuqi, Grant Holt and Lloyd Owusu departing over the course of the next 12 months. 

These summers soon roll around. I’d completed college and was looking at what my next step would be. I’d moved into a flat with the missus and we’d just returned from an excellent holiday in Zante when the owls kicked off the new season with a win at Swindon - Could it be that we'd finally turned a corner? 

The opening day Swindon victory was the first of a fine set of results in the early stages of the season giving rise to some optimism!

13th Aug - Owls 2-2 Hartlepool
We went along as it was Turners previous club. We lost on penalties. Don't worry though, as we had bigger fish to fry this season.

6th September - Just a single defeat in the first 7 games. The last of the run was a home game against Tranmere. Wednesday won 2-0 with goals from Paul Smith and former Manchester United winger Terry Cooke. It wasn’t a classic but it ushered in a belief that Wednesday could maybe mount a challenge! 

18th Oct - Owls 0-0 Rushden & Diamonds
Did that just happen? 

22nd Oct - Owls 1-3 Plymouth
Any early season optimism was soon beginning to evaporate as results began to turn. Paul Sturrock brought his table topping Argyle side to Hillsborough and played us off the park. That was a marker for how far away we truly were! 

9th Nov - FA Cup 1st round - Owls 4-0 Salisbury
Fuck knows what they were, Adam Proudlock helping himself to a hat-trick I believe! 

29th Nov - QPR 3-0 Owls
Long drive down with Russell’s dad. I think they scored early. We were never in it. 

9th Dec - LDV Vans Trophy - Carlisle 0-3 Owls
The hosts were struggling in the fourth division. I sat in a pub with home fans chatting pre-match and they already were expecting to be relegated from the football league that season (Spoiler - They were). Veteran Mark Robins and Grant Holt amongst the scorers on a night I got a phone call from work asking where I was, as I’d not turned in (I’d not checked the rota as I rarely worked midweek - Ooops). 

17th Dec - FA Cup 2nd round replay - Owls 0-0 Scunthorpe
Out of another cup on penalties. What the fuck is happening to my club? It's beginning to slip away already...

20th Dec - Owls 0-0 Chesterfield
By this stage I think I’d been to as many away games as home. The laborious nature of seeing clubs come and play up at Hillsborough in what for many of those players would probably have been their cup final was beginning to get me down. I remember being sat with a pint of Guinness pre-match chatting to James and Russell asking was there something deeply rotten at the core of the club? Like a curse or something has befallen us? The game was shite. However I was going out that night with the guys from my new employers, despite having not yet started.

Christmas 2003 - I started a new full time (proper) job on the 29th December. I also got engaged. Still no league win however since the 4th October. When we did finally win again after 12 games many, myself included, had began to seriously question the manager and the players at the club. 

January came and went in a blur. A flurry of new faces came and went as Turner tried to get the side going again. A trio of wins on the bounce in February, the last of was a 1-0 win over Bristol City courtesy of a late late Dean Smith goal (which I missed as me and the missus had left early). 

25th Feb - LDV Vans Trophy Northern Final 2nd Leg 
We’d lost the 1st leg but hopes were high as 21,000 people shuffled into Hillsborough on a cold evening in hope that we could overturn the 1-0 first leg deficit (where we’d played quite well by all accounts). Ola Tidman started in goal, his most notable contribution, aside from his fabulous hair, was failing to catch a pigeon that he tried to remove from the pitch. He got injured and was replaced by Rob Poulter for his only senior Wednesday appearance (I believe - ?). Meanwhile Kim Olsen did his best interpretation of a footballer. He really was shit. I’m sorry, but he was awful. 

7th Mar - Chesterfield 3-1 Owls
A low low moment. These truly were the end of days. Many who were there will testify it was amongst the worse performances of the season. I remember remarking that Ndumbu-Nsungu aside there wasn't an ounce of talent in the squad!

27th Mar - Owls 2-1 Brighton
Mark Robins with a late winner for Wednesday. The terrible run of form had left us sat in mid table, but with a set of winnable fixtures remaining anything was still possible! It's incredible what a result can do.

12th Apr - Notts County 0-0 Owls
The short train journey to Nottingham to face league struggler's Notts County. Stood on the away terrace, pissed up to witness another 0-0. Alan Quinn was sent off late on in another shite game. This season needed to end quickly as we were sliding down the table and we desperately needed a clear out. We should have enough points to stay up, but we weren't going up.

24th Apr - Owls 0-1 Colchester United
What the fucking hell is a Colchester? This had been a season of bleak footballing towns coming to Hillsborough and helping themselves to the points. This game stands out in my memory as I believe it was the stage for the infamous ‘black balloon protest’ organised by Owlstalk and other fans group members, against the running of the club by the board and chiefly Dave Allen, who were all complicit in seeing us sink from Premier League to close to the fourth tier of English football. However former Chelsea owner Ken Bates was believed to interested in purchasing the club - Out of the frying pan into the fryer?

8th May - Owls 1-3 QPR
Rangers secured the win they needed for promotion in our back yard in yet another dismal display. It looked like many of the players had already been told they were being moved on. This result competed a run of 7 winless games, a fourth successive defeat and a 9th defeat in 13 fixtures. Jon Shaw, the expected next big thing  scored the Wednesday goal in what turned out to be the final game for many of the squad. Kevin Pressman bowed out after a long proud career at Hillsborough as Chris Turner, who was the first Wednesday manager to survive the whole season since 1998/99, began re-shaping his squad. He’d already added goalkeeper David Lucas and a young Irish winger Chris Brunt before the season ended. But out went some of the players who’d been with the club for some time along with many of Turners own signings as he looked to overhaul a clearly mentally weak squad. 

We ended the season down in 16th. Our lowest league finish I believe (give me an 'I was there when we were shit!' badge), but we stayed up! Onwards to next season then. The summer that followed this season would not only see a huge clear out but enough optimistic words were muttered to encourage my new fiance to get a season ticket with me and Russell, however this is where James got off the Wednesday train, sadly rarely to the seen at Hillsborough again. His match day appearances had become more and more sporadic and pretty much not at all since Christmas. But this fresh start prompted the new trio to move seats from the centre to the side of the Kop, where I reside to this day.

I ended the season with a holiday to Mallorca booked and a busy summer ahead. My employers were sending me back to college to gain further qualifications and I was finding my feet in my new job.

So then - memories of this god awful season? Or has everyone managed to banish it from their minds? 

@maplo16