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