Owls in the Yard is more than just a podcast event. It’s an opportunity for Sheffield Wednesday fans from across the city and even further afield to come together with other like-minded Sheffield Wednesday fans and enjoy an afternoon of entertainment five minutes down the road from Hillsborough Stadium. 

As we’ve mentioned previously, Owls in the Yard was born out of the idea that as a fanbase we deserved the chance to celebrate being a Wednesdayite, despite the fact that under the club’s previous regime we’d been treated with utter disregard by a chairman that by the summer of 2025 had effectively lost control of the club. The annual Owls in the Park event that had for years been endorsed by the club was a non-starter. However, in the face of adversity and frustration - and with around five weeks of actual planning and preparation, The Wednesday Week threw together an event with the generosity of Steelyard Kelham, who provided us with a space to host a gathering, with live music, player interviews and a few other bits and bobs thrown in. The result of throwing everything into the melting pot was an afternoon that we were extremely proud to have facilitated - and one that exceeded all of our expectations. 

Despite all of the positive feedback that was received, it was a stressful experience to say the least, and one that we knew we’d think long and hard about in terms of whether or not it would be something we would be doing again. 

There were lots of considerations in the proceeding months. The primary one was whether we believed we would be able to emulate the success of a one-off event that people bought into as a result of the inability of the club to host their own event. There was also the consideration of whether or not the club would be looking to bring back Owls in the Park. However, from the moment that David Bruce announced to the audience that there would not be a club-endorsed summer gathering, the wheels for OITY26 were put in motion. 

It proved to be hard work at times, however from the moment the doors opened last Sunday there was no doubt whatsoever that every second of frustrated planning was absolutely worth it. 

A lazy Sunday afternoon where people wore their Wednesday shirts with pride, drank beer, ate food and listened to live artists and anthemic background tunes would ensue. 

You might think it would be hard to write an article about a podcast-planned event without making it about us, but the reality is that Sunday wasn’t about The Wednesday Week. Alright, I’ll admit it - we sold a bit of merchandise on the day, but our stall was nicely tucked away in the corner behind the retro-merchandise behemoth that is Tom Burton (aka Mr Meadows). It was incredible to see the buzz around his stall throughout the day. 

As well as Tom’s gear, we had a range of other vendors and groups that came down to support the event and ensure that every Wednesdayite’s needs were catered for. 

The kids’ corner that was set up with giant games and activities was a massive hit with kids (and parents!) throughout the day competing against each other in games such as Kerplunk, Guess Who, Tetris and inflatable axe-throwing. These games were supplemented by Yardball providing a target game, as well as SWFCCP who were on hand with games and raffles for everybody to get involved with. TWW Mascot Oscar the Owl made an appearance and braved the heat for photo opps, high fives and dancing with youngsters throughout the afternoon. It was also great to have Ollie Owl make his way down during the afternoon, to the delight of the children that were there too. 

As the afternoon wore on, more and more people mingled through the crowd with faces painted - many adorned with Wednesday-themed artwork, alongside Ash’s homage to Young Kenny from Phoenix Nights! 

It was an honour to host Pete Holmes and the Everywhere and Nowhere Fanzine, who launched the first edition of the new season at OITY. We also had the pleasure of welcoming Andy Slater (Reytgood Illustration) who was on hand selling prints. A late addition to the event was Millie Williams, who brought her pop-up jewellery stall down to Steelyard. 

It was also a real privilege to welcome a range of supporters’ groups to the event. Having the SWFC Supporters Trust, the newly formed Wednesday Voice, Armed Forces Owls, The SWFC Women’s Supporters’ Group, Wednesdayite and Rainbow Owls present at the event was an opportunity for representation from a range of organisations who had the opportunity to network with each other and those that bought a ticket. 

PACT were on hand to promote the phenomenal work that they continue to do to support families with children and youngsters affected by cancer - a cause that we at the podcast continue to feel extremely passionate about.

Sheffield Home of Football were given a platform to advertise their initiatives and listening to people talking football history over a pint was strangely cathartic.

On stage, we had the privilege of welcoming Owls Alumni Daniel Pudil, who came down with his family to take part in the entire day. He spent the afternoon signing autographs, having his picture taken and welcoming conversations with anybody who approached him for a brief chat about what it is like to ‘live the dream’ and play for Sheffield Wednesday. He would take to the stage for an interview with Stevie where he spoke fondly of his time at the club and what it took to get to the play-offs for two seasons running. 

We also welcomed the Wednesday Legend that is Terry Curran, who spent the afternoon chatting to fans on the yard, before an unannounced but more-than-welcome appearance on stage from Yoann Folly, who reminisced about his time at Wednesday with Dan. 

The musical entertainment was provided by Lexi Whiteside and The Blank Expressions. Lexi set the tone for the day with a set packed with high-energy bangers that set the tone for the afternoon. Lexi would stick around and mingle with the crowd throughout the day. Book-ending the afternoon, The Blank Expressions brought an inimitable energy to the afternoon with a series of covers that had people dancing away as the afternoon drew to a close. 

As the vendors departed and people moved on with smiles on their faces and a dent in their bank accounts as a result of the merchandise that they couldn’t resist purchasing, a small number of us stayed back and sat in the late afternoon sun outside of Thirteen, reflecting on what had been another afternoon that once again exceeded all of our expectations. Still high on adrenaline, we had a feeling of accomplishment that would soon be replaced with melancholy at the thought of there being no more OITY to prepare for. 

Even as we were watching The Blank Expressions finishing their set, I was already nudging Dan. “Next year we need to consider ‘this’...it would be worth thinking about ‘that’”; comments that were met with a pensive “maybe” from The Boss. 

Owls in the Yard 2027? Who knows. It’s dependent on a number of variables that won’t be determined for months. We don’t know what the club has in the pipeline. Owls in the Park may be back. We can’t say for sure that there will be a clamour from Sheffield Wednesday supporters for another OITY even if the club don’t host an event. Having mediated on several occasions between Dan and Ash, I’m not sure their friendship could withstand another OITY (I’m joking here of course). That said - whatever happens going forward, The Wednesday Week put on an event that was aimed at any Sheffield Wednesday fan that wanted to come along and be part of something that helped them to feel part of this incredible community. 

Being a Sheffield Wednesday fan is special. If you’re reading this, the chances are that you get it. You understand what being a Wednesdayite is all about. We’re mostly a light-hearted, good natured bunch. We have to be - if we took ourselves too seriously, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy that thing we are all so passionate about. 

Owls in the Yard was about celebrating all of that. 

On behalf of everybody at The Wednesday Week, I just wanted to say thank you for making Sunday the incredible event that it was. 

Much love

Stevie x