At half-time at Salford, I imagine there were a few Wednesday fans wondering if the trip to Moor Lane counted as community service.

Luke Garbutt had hit the bar, Salford had created the better chances, and Ben Woodburn had put them ahead. Wednesday offered very little in reply. After the two recent results at Hillsborough, the fans who made the trip wanted a response. Instead, they got 45 minutes that gave Henrik Pedersen plenty to think about.

I’ve been quick enough to question HP when I think he’s got things wrong, and that first half deserved criticism. But there was a reason he shuffled the side. This was a chance to see what some of the younger players could do, and Joel Akpobi took it.

Akpobi started the game, making his first senior appearance after joining from the XYZ Academy in December. Even while Wednesday struggled around him, he looked willing to have a go. Ten minutes into the second half, he got down the left and delivered the cross for Davis Keillor-Dunn’s equaliser. That’s what you want from a young player getting his chance: a bit of confidence, a bit of bravery and something to show for it. He was my man of the match.

It was also good to see Di’Shon Bernard back. After 591 days away from first-team football, he wasn’t going to walk straight in and look as though he’d never missed a minute. He was steady, nearly scored before half-time and got over an hour under his belt. Hopefully, this is the start of seeing him regularly in a Wednesday shirt again.

Mason Burstow’s performance was harder to take much encouragement from. This felt like the perfect fixture for him to find some confidence and get closer to match sharpness. For the third game running, though, he looked miles off it. Leggy, short of breath and, at times, almost detached from the game.

I’m not going to claim I know whether a player is interested or what’s going on in his head. I’d much rather see Burstow turn it around than be proven right about a poor run of form. But when places are tight because of the number of loanees, Pedersen has to make a choice. Unless something changes quickly, Burstow may find himself the one sitting a game out.

Wednesday’s equaliser came before the more experienced players were introduced, and Akpobi deserves full credit for his part in it. The changes later in the half helped Wednesday see the game through and go after the win. Callum Slattery won the penalty, Jamal Lowe tucked it away, and a night that had looked thoroughly grim ended with a 2–1 victory.

Pedersen deserves credit for giving Akpobi his chance and for getting the result. He also has to take the questions that come with that first half. I’m happy we won, I’m pleased Bernard is back, and I’m excited to see what Akpobi does next. I’d just quite like Wednesday to show up before half-time next time.

Dan Fudge

It feels slightly ridiculous to be talking about pressure on a manager this early in a season, particularly one who was supposedly going to be afforded time by a large section of the Sheffield Wednesday fan base.

Yet here we are.

Henrik Pedersen finds himself in a very strange position at Hillsborough. Last season, almost everything that could have been used as mitigation was available to him. This season, with every positive announcement coming out of Sheffield Wednesday, another one of those excuses disappears.

Nobody seriously expected Wednesday to brush Wolves aside. They were always going to represent a significant test and, in isolation, losing that game shouldn't cause anybody to reach for the panic button.

But the result isn't really the issue.

There are still grumblings about Pedersen's ability as a manager, and those noises aren't going away. If anything, the more the new ownership invests in the playing squad and, to some extent, the infrastructure around Hillsborough, the tighter the screw becomes.

Every signing raises expectations. Every improvement behind the scenes raises expectations. Every indication that Sheffield Wednesday is finally beginning to operate like a functioning football club again raises expectations.

And let's be fair, Wednesdayites didn't exactly require much encouragement to have lofty ambitions in the first place.

How much of last season do we write off?

There are plenty of us who genuinely understood that last season would have been difficult for anybody.

The circumstances were extraordinary. Pedersen was trying to manage a football team against a backdrop of uncertainty, instability and problems that went far beyond anything happening on the training ground.

Wednesday were even given special dispensation by the League on several occasions just to keep putting a side onto the pitch.

Nobody should pretend that was normal.

But there is another side to that argument.

The more cynical section of the fan base will tell you that, however bad the circumstances were, they still didn't see enough fight, endeavour or defiance from Wednesday.

Relegation may have been inevitable, but did we have to accept it quite so meekly?

Even with the various allowances afforded to us, Wednesday couldn't drag the fight out until March. There was a feeling among some supporters that if we were going down, we could at least have gone down kicking, screaming and making life thoroughly unpleasant for everybody we played.

Instead, too often, it simply felt like something that was happening to us.

Victim of circumstance or beneficiary of it?

This is where the debate around Pedersen becomes particularly interesting.

Over recent weeks, I've heard plenty of Wednesday supporters argue that he deserves something approaching a free pass for last season. Judge him when he's got a proper squad. Judge him when the club is stable. Judge him when the manager can concentrate on football rather than wondering what fresh disaster is waiting around the corner.

That's perfectly reasonable.

But there's another group who see things very differently.

Their argument is that Pedersen didn't simply suffer because of the unrest at Sheffield Wednesday. To some extent, he benefited professionally from it.

He found himself managing one of the biggest clubs outside the Premier League, in a prominent job in English football that, under normal circumstances, might have been considerably more difficult for him to land.

That might sound harsh, but it's part of the conversation.

And it raises a much bigger question about psychology, leadership and winning mentality. Can the man who managed Wednesday through one of the bleakest periods in the club's recent history suddenly flick the switch and lead a rejuvenated version of the same club towards success?

That's probably an article in itself.

The ten-game agreement is already wobbling

Coming into this season, there seemed to be something approaching a communal agreement among a sizeable chunk of the Wednesday faithful.

Give him ten games.

Not literally everybody, obviously. This is Sheffield Wednesday. You'd struggle to get everybody to agree what colour the sky is.

But ten games felt fair.

Give Pedersen a competitive squad, some stability and a proper football club behind him, then see what he can do with it.

The problem is that Wednesday have now faced two decent opponents at Hillsborough and that patience already seems to be dissipating.

The ten-game grace period is starting to feel considerably less secure than it did a few weeks ago.

And that's the peculiar situation Pedersen now finds himself in.

Every time the ownership strengthens the squad, it increases the expectation upon him. Every time another piece of the club is repaired, another mitigating factor disappears. The better the situation becomes at Sheffield Wednesday, the harder it becomes for the manager to point towards circumstances beyond his control.

Eventually, the conversation becomes entirely about football.

Are the players improving?

Is there an identifiable style?

Are Wednesday difficult to play against?

Can Pedersen change a game when Plan A isn't working?

And, most importantly, is this a team that looks capable of achieving what its increasingly ambitious supporters believe it should?

Nobody needs to be calling for Henrik Pedersen's head in August.

But pretending the pressure isn't beginning to build would be equally foolish.

He was afforded patience because Sheffield Wednesday was a club in chaos.

Now the chaos is beginning to clear.

And perhaps the uncomfortable reality for Henrik Pedersen is that the brighter the future at Hillsborough starts to look, the more closely the spotlight turns towards the man standing in the dugout.

Dan

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

With pre-season preparations in full swing out in Hungary this week, the wave of positivity that has engulfed Sheffield Wednesday shows no sign of dissipating. Training complex upgrades, Umbro kit reveals, new logo signage on the South and Kop (incoming), sponsorship deals, commercial partner announcements and cosmetic upgrades to Hillsborough have all contributed to this ‘unfamiliar’ feel-good factor that we find ourselves experiencing. 

The squad rebuild is underway and thus far we have welcomed nine new faces to S6. Whilst there is no doubt that there needs to be further additions to the group, the general consensus amongst fans is that up to now, the summer recruitment seems favourable - although any optimism must be tempered with a degree of pragmatism and level-headedness. This is after all Sheffield Wednesday, and there is a long way to go before we kick the season off. That said, the current position twelve months down the line from players terminating contracts, impending strikes over non-payment of salaries and pre-season friendly cancellations is a happy place to find ourselves. 

So with all of this good stuff (as Ash might say) going on around the club, there are few things that we seem to disagree with at the moment. Perhaps the biggest bone of contention at present is the issue of which player should wear the captain’s armband. Now before I go any further here, I’m going to get it out of the way - in my opinion, Liam Palmer should absolutely be the captain of Sheffield Wednesday next season. And before people roll their eyes and start ridiculing me without hearing my argument, I want to say that everything I’m about to say comes from a place of absolute objectivity. 

Of the nine new signings that have been announced, several have vast experience of captaining teams with distinction in their own context. Liam Cooper was Marcelo Bielsa’s captain as Leeds United returned to the Premier League in 2020 for the first time in 16 years. He was a key player in their three year return to the top tier as recently as three years ago. Ricardo Santos was a mountain of a central defender who was a mainstay for Bolton Wanderers as they consistently flirted with promotion from the very league that we find ourselves in over the last several seasons. And then there’s the Barry Bannan-shaped elephant in the room… 

Others have been mentioned as potential captains - Max Lowe, Jamal Lowe, DiShon Bernard and even Ernie Weaver have appeared as names that people have put forward online or in group chats as potential skippers next season - ironically in discussions opposing any decision to have Palmer or Bannan as captain. Whilst I understand the sentiment with many of these players being put forward, my assertion that Palms should be captain is based upon one very important intangible: stability. 

The decision to appoint him as captain following the departure of Bannan last season was a no-brainer. There was literally nobody else in the conversation. Svante received some advocacy at various points - which was largely substantiated by his seeming desire to put a certain Sheffield United midfielder in his place during the Steel City Derby last February, but in reality a snarl at the enemy and ultimately being selected as Player of the Season does not make you captain material. Leaving for Stoke doesn’t help either… 

Liam HAD to be captain through the second half of last season. The most experienced player, someone who had been there through the thick and thin of the previous owner’s tenureship. And given the debacle that was Sheffield Wednesday FC 2025-26, at the time it didn’t feel as though anybody had an issue with the decision.  

Fast forward to this summer. We are a club that is on the up despite having been relegated following the much-maligned ‘worst season in EFL history’. This week Palmer has been confirmed as captain of the club, with Bannan as vice and a third in command to be selected in due course. Comments online have queried the decision. It’s absolutely accurate to recognise that the naysayers’ viewpoints outweigh the support he’s received. That won’t bother Liam. He’s thick-skinned enough to cope with this. Besides, he’s living the dream. 

Let’s circle back to the point about stability. If you were to ask for a prediction for our finishing position this season, depending on whether you are glass-half-full or glass-half-empty, there may be an argument for automatics or play-offs. Some may say mid-table consolidation is the best we can hope for, however what is not up for debate is that we need to hit the ground running if we are to meet the owner’s expectations of a competitive season in 2026-27. The squad has to gel. And we can’t afford to get things wrong by taking chances for the sake of either reputation or perception.

The players we have signed do not know the club like Liam Palmer - I’d argue that not even Baz gets Wednesday in the same way (although he’s not far off). So who better to welcome new players to Sheffield? To tell them how historic our club is? To let them know what an honour it is to pull on the blue and white and wear the badge with pride? When starting a new job you’d want a leader who knows the company inside and out - right? Surely that is what leadership is all about? My point here is that as supporters we have a specific view on captaincy. He who shouts loudest, kicks the opposition the hardest, is POTM each week, or is the general all-round fan favourite/most popular is often the choice. However, what we don’t acknowledge as fans is an intangible that matters more to the players on the pitch than the optics for us spectators: respect. This is where my argument around team captain and club captain comes in as well. Club captain is an ambassador - and perhaps he should and will fulfil that role in due course, but those qualities will be needed on the pitch next season. And for right now the armband rightfully belongs to him. Once the dust has settled we can look at what a club captain and a team captain looks like, but right now, for the sake of stability lets keep them both the same.  

Liam Cooper has admittedly a higher pedigree in terms of the fact that he was a Premier League Player three years ago. His knowledge and experience will be invaluable around the group. And he could perhaps offer more in terms of a voice in difficult times, but that isn’t everything that a captain should be. He won’t welcome new recruits with the same authenticity that Palmer can. He doesn’t know the younger players or the staff like him. He can’t. And that translates onto the pitch. 

I’m of the opinion that Bannan might actually welcome the lack of the armband next season. If anything it could further disassociate him from the perception that everything has to go through him and he demands autonomy on the pitch. Baz will be okay just casually going about his business as needed next year. 

As a club right now, we need stability. A change of captaincy would represent another reset where one is not necessarily needed. The strong characters we have referenced here all have leadership characteristics that will undoubtedly be seen on the pitch next season. The cliche of eleven captains is not necessarily realistic, however three or four ‘go-tos’ on the pitch can only be a good thing.

There is an element of ill-feeling towards Palmer being announced as captain from some, as people associate the decision with him automatically being the first name on the team sheet each week. That is not necessarily going to be the case. I firmly believe that we are building a squad whereby the best eleven players are selected each week. In the short term that is likely to include him, however if you consider the other candidates, their preferred positions and the formation that we are likely to deploy this season, there are no guarantees that Cooper, Santos or even Bannan are going to be first choice every week. The announcement of an intention to have a third player identified as a potential captain lends itself to the assumption that all bases will be covered irrespective of whether Palmer or Bannan are chosen to play. 

I will trust Henrik Pedersen’s team selections, tactics and in-play decisions until he gives me a reason to no-longer do so - and I suspect that he will already be aware that there are no places for him to hide this season. Arise mean business. They don’t want to be hanging around in the third tier for too long. As such, every key decision needs to be one of substance which results in impact. 

Retaining Liam Palmer as captain might be seen as something of an easy option, but in my opinion it was the most sensible one. There is no need to rock the boat unnecessarily to ultimately appease the fan base. At the end of the day, this is only a topic being discussed by those outside of the group. We are observers. With opinions. We aren’t privy to what goes on day-to-day. The decision to keep him on as captain is highly likely to have been welcomed internally - otherwise it wouldn’t have happened. So let’s get behind him and the rest of the lads and look forward to a season of winning more games than we lose (hopefully!) for the first time in a while.   

I’m willing to concede that Liam Palmer might not be in the conversation for Player of the Year next season. Fine. But any argument offered about his leadership on the pitch is supported by a perception of his ability, which is misguided. As mentioned, he might not play week-in-week-out (or he might start every game), however Liam will not be our weak link next season. He never is. 

Stevie

Owls Gather in the Yard Again

Last year, over 1,000 Wednesdayites filled the Steelyard in Sheffield for a celebration of fandom and a small act of defiance against the off-field situation.

Well, Owls fans, things are a little bit different now, aren't they?

Join The Wednesday Week once again for Owls in the Yard – let's get this Reborn 2026 party started!

Following on from the success of last year, we have more stalls, more interactive fun and more music. And, err... less Hollie and Fudge on stage in sparkly jackets. (Boooo!)

A real highlight of last year's event was the player interviews. Lee Bullen and Lee Gregory gave up their afternoon and spent time milling around with their own families amongst the crowd.

Interviewed on stage by TWW, Lee Gregory spoke fondly about the Miracle of Hillsborough and what it meant from the players' perspective going into that game on the back of the performance at London Road.

Bully recollected, as he always does, what this club means as a community and how the city of Sheffield gets under your skin – something we can all relate to, in the good times and the bad.

Yardball provided entertainment for the kids and, alongside them, were stalls and information points from all corners of the Wednesday community.

We were even joined by Miss South Yorkshire Ellana Duncan and the outstanding Outcharms played us out with classic indie tunes in the sunshine for a fine end to a great day.

The takeaway from last year's Owls in the Yard was probably the same takeaway from the last 18 months of being a Wednesdayite: these fans are the best fans in the country and together, we're even better. Looking out across a packed yard of blue and white was a glorious sight, and there was a fantastic energy throughout the day.

After everything we've been through, we deserve a proper knees-up in the sunshine to celebrate the start of a new chapter.

This Year's Mega Line-Up

🎤 Lexi Whiteside opens the day for us. We're going in early with the big guns. You'll probably have seen Lexi keeping Irish bars bouncing with singalong classics and crowd-pleasers.

🎈 The SWFC Supporters Trust will be bringing the vibes with games and family activities.

⚽ SWFCCP will be on hand with family games and plenty to keep the youngsters entertained.

🎯 Yardball returns and, frankly, needs no introduction.

🎨 Donna's Face Painting will be there to help you show your colours.

📖 Everywhere & Nowhere returns with the relaunch of the fanzine.

🏟️ Sheffield Home of Football will be taking us on a trip down memory lane.

⚽ The Panini Sticker Swap Shop returns, much to Ash's delight.

🦉 Oscar the Owl will be making an appearance for photos and high-fives.

🎸 The Blank Expressions will once again play us into a happy stupor to round off the afternoon.

And that's not all...

We'll also be joined by local charity PACT, the brilliant Andy Slater of Reytgood Illustration, Calling Mr Meadows, supporters' groups, community projects and plenty more from across the Wednesday family.

So grab your mates, spread the word, keep your eyes peeled for further announcements and secure your tickets while you still can.

Let's fill the yard with blue and white once again.

Hollie x

For the first time in what feels like a long time, it feels great to be a Sheffield Wednesday supporter. With preseason well underway, given the last couple of years it feels almost alien to be opening up newsfeeds and seeing the club either linked with or signing players, announcing new kit partnerships, working on the infrastructure and just generally having a business model going forward.    

Under the auspices of David Storch and Arise, we seem to have astutely assembled a skeleton of an executive team that is putting their money where their mouth is. Square pegs are going into square holes and we finally have a club that has futureproofing itself a priority for both themselves from a business perspective and perhaps more importantly, for us fans as a fan base. Exciting times indeed… 

In the midst of all the positivity is the imminent re-signing of Barry Bannan. However, what for many seems to be an absolute no-brainer of a return for perhaps the most influential player we have seen in blue and white since the heady days of the Premier League, there is a pocket of Sheffield Wednesday supporters who are questioning the wisdom of returning to the Wee Scottish Man. The arguments are easy for some to make - “he’s too old”, “everything has to go through him”, or “he’s too expensive” are all assertions that I’ve heard and found myself batting away on podcasts, social media and in conversations with fellow Wednesdayites over the last few weeks since the rumours of his return surfaced. There have been times where I’ve been left contemplating how to articulate how invaluable I think his return to the club would be both on and off the pitch. I guess my first rambling for our sexy new website is as good a starting point as any. 

Barry Bannan is a ridiculously talented footballer. In a struggling team he has been a talisman on the pitch. In a disorganised football club he has been the conduit between the players we pay our money to go and support and the hierarchy that for far too long let them down. He loves our football club. So much so that truth be told, long before new owners and renewed optimism presented itself, it was clear that his reluctant departure was one filled with conflict and I dare say an element of regret. He didn’t want to leave. 

Staunch opponents to his return will present the argument that he deserted a sinking ship, but there was always more to it than that. The reality is he was doing all he could to steer that ship through the stormiest waters imaginable. And despite his best efforts, the ship was irreparably damaged under the previous regime. 

I stood in that away end at Ashton Gate in January as we lost 2-0 to Bristol City. It was one of the most surreal experiences in all of my time supporting Sheffield Wednesday. The result felt inevitable before we’d even kicked off, but even though we dug in the atmosphere was indescribable. We knew this was it. He was going. Between him and Liam Palmer, we had two ‘Wednesdayites’ who had committed to being with us until the wheels fall off. As he stood in tears applauding the travelling fans, for the first time in all of the ups and downs of ‘that’ regime, it felt like the wheels had finally dropped. 

When people present any of the aforementioned arguments regarding his return, I choose to answer them as openly and honestly as I can. In football parlance, Baz is knocking on. But I wholeheartedly believe that he is still likely to be as fit as anyone else on the pitch in blue and white next season. Age is just a number these days, and whilst respectfully I don’t hold him in the same elite category as Modric, Messi or Ronaldo; these are players who have proven that it is now possible to play into your late thirties if you are disciplined and committed enough to make the sacrifices to do so. Box ticked. 

Baz has proven that he is one of the most influential players in the EFL. Historically, when he has played well, we have done well. When we have lost games, it becomes easy to target our highest profile player. We aren’t a one man team, nor should we be; but for some reason it becomes about him and invariably his involvement when things aren’t going our way. It’s time for us to discuss the things he does well a little more. It’s time for us to have a conversation about the standard of the players around him at times - and this is not a dig at anyone else per se, it’s just a belief that he is that good.

The financial recompense is possibly the biggest discussion point among the fanbase. Ironically it’s the one I am least worried about. I’m not worried about how much money he is going to get paid, because, in the words of Dan Fudge: “it’s not my job to worry about that!”. Simon Wilson, David Bruce and their team have minimal emotional affinity to Sheffield Wednesday at this point. And that is not a negative - having spent 15 minutes in conversation with Bruce at the Supporters Trust AGM I found him to be extremely personable, charismatic and passionate. However, he’s not going to ratify a deal for Barry Bannan unless it makes both financial and footballing sense. Put simply - at this stage, if it’s good enough for Arise, it’s good enough for me. I trust the people making the big decisions, because they haven’t given me a reason not to (yet!). 

As we kick the week off, images of Baz in his training gear at St George’s Park have made the headlines. Our trusted local journalists have reported that the deal is almost done and dusted - heck, by the time you read this article he might be the latest player to have had the Pedalo RnB album cover treatment on the website. And if and when that happens, we need to welcome him home with open arms. 

I’m looking forward to seeing him back at Wednesday next season. I’m excited at the prospect of a pairing of Baz and Slattery in the engine room. With the recruitment that we have undertaken so far, there is so much to be optimistic about. And if we exceed expectations and win the league next season, there is nobody I can think of that would be more deserving of lifting that trophy than him. 

With LP2 by his side… 

Stevie Spence