Sheffield Wednesday F.C.

Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club in the English Football League, based in Sheffield, UK.

History

Early Years

The club was formed in Sheffield on Wednesday 4 September 1867. The club was initially a cricket team, with the football being established for the winter months to keep the team together.

Related Topics:
Sheffield - Wednesday - 4 September - 1867 - Cricket

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However, football was quickly to eclipse the cricketing side of the club. In the summer of 1882 the two teams split permanently, and by the end of 1925 the cricket team had disbanded. The football club turned professional on April 22, 1887 following a threat by key players to walk out. The initial wages were five shillings for home fixtures and seven shillings and sixpence for away games.

Related Topics:
1882 - 1925 - April 22 - 1887 - Shilling

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In 1889, when their first application to join the Football League was rejected, the club became founder members of the Football Alliance of which they were the first champions. Wednesday were eventually elected to the Football League in 1892.

Related Topics:
1889 - The Football League - Football Alliance - 1892

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Sheffield Wednesday were last Football League Champions in 1930 and have not won the FA Cup since 1935, though they won the Football League Cup in 1991 and were on the losing side in both domestic finals in 1993.

Related Topics:
Football League Champions - 1930 - FA Cup - League Cup

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The 1980s: Resurgence

Under the management of Howard Wilkinson, Sheffield Wednesday won promotion to the First Division at the end of the 1983-84 season and would remain at this level for all but one of the next sixteen seasons. Wilkinson kept the Owls clear of relegation throughout the rest of the 1980's, and he left in September 1988 to take charge of Leeds United who were a Second Division club at the time. Within four seasons, he had taken them to the league title.

Related Topics:
Howard Wilkinson - First Division - Relegation - Leeds United - Second Division

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Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday replaced Wilkinson with his former assistant Peter Eustace in what proved to be a disastrous appointment. He was at the helm for just four months before being sacked to make way for West Bromwich Albion manager Ron Atkinson, who had lifted two FA Cups with Manchester United.

Related Topics:
Peter Eustace - West Bromwich Albion - Ron Atkinson - Manchester United

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The 1990s: Life at the top

In Atkinson's first full season as manager, 1989-90, Sheffield Wednesday finished 18th in the First Division and were relegated on goal difference. They regained promotion at the first attempt but the real highlight of the season was a League Cup final victory over Atkinson's old club Manchester United. Midfielder John Sheridan scored the only goal of the game, which delivered the club's first major trophy since their FA Cup success of 1935. Atkinson moved to Aston Villa shortly after promotion was achieved, and handed over the reins to 37-year-old striker Trevor Francis.

Related Topics:
Goal difference - Midfielder - John Sheridan - Aston Villa - Trevor Francis

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Wednesday finished third in the First Division at the end of the 1991-92 season, booking their place in the following season's UEFA Cup as well as gaining a place in the new FA Premier League.

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1992-93 was one of the most eventful seasons in the history of Sheffield Wednesday football club. They finished seventh in the Premier League and reached the finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup, but were on the losing side to Arsenal in both games. This prevented the Owls from making another appearance in European competition. Still, the 1992-93 season established Sheffield Wednesday as a top club. Midfielder Chris Waddle was voted Football Writers Player of the Year, and the strike partnership of David Hirst and Mark Bright was one of the most feared in the country. Francis was unable to achieve any more success at the club, and two seasons later he was sacked. His successor was former Luton, Leicester and Tottenham manager David Pleat.

Related Topics:
Arsenal - Midfielder - Chris Waddle - David Hirst - Mark Bright - Luton - Leicester - Tottenham - David Pleat

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David Pleat's first season as Sheffield Wednesday manager was frustrating, as they finished 15th in the Premiership despite an expensively-assembled line-up which included the likes of Marc Degryse, Dejan Stefanovic and Darko Kovacevic - who all had disappointing and short-lived tenures at the club. An excellent start to the 1996-97 season saw the Owls top the Premiership after winning their first four games, and David Pleat was credited Manager of the Month for August 1996. But the club failed to mount a serious title challenge and they faded away to finish seventh in the final table. Pleat was sacked the following November with the club struggling at the wrong end of the Premiership, and Ron Atkinson briefly returned to steer the Owls clear of relegation.

Related Topics:
Marc Degryse - Dejan Stefanovic - Darko Kovacevic - Manager of the Month

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At the end of the 1997-98 season, Ron Atkinson's short-term contract was not renewed and Sheffield Wednesday turned to Danny Wilson as their new manager. Wilson's first season at the helm brought a slight improvement as they finished 12th in the Premiership. An expensivly assembled squad including Paolo Di Canio, Benito Carbone and Wim Jonk failed to live up the massive wage bill the club was paying and things eventually came to a head when Italian firebrand Di Canio was sent off in a match against Arsenal and proceeded to push the referee on his way off. Danny Wilson was sacked the following March with relegation looking a certainty for the Hillsborough club - they had just been hammered 8-0 by Newcastle United. His assistant Peter Shreeves took temporary charge but was unable to stave off relegation.

Related Topics:
Danny Wilson - Paolo Di Canio - Benito Carbone - Wim Jonk - Newcastle United - Peter Shreeves

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The New Millennium: Going down...

Peter Shreeves remained at Sheffield Wednesday for the 2000-01 season as assistant to their new manager Paul Jewell. But Jewell was unable to mount a promotion challenge and he was sacked the following February with the Owls hovering just above the Division One relegation zone. Shreeves was given a permanent contract to take charge of the first team and he guided them to a 17th place finish. After another bad start in 2001-02, he handed the reins over to assistant Terry Yorath. Wednesday finished just two places above the Division One relegation zone and the only bright spot of the season was a run to the semi finals of the League Cup.

Related Topics:
Paul Jewell - Terry Yorath

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Yorath was sacked in October 2002 after Wednesday made a terrible start to the 2002-03 season, and in came Hartlepool manager Chris Turner - a former Owls goalkeeper - as his successor. Turner made a big effort to rejuvenate the side and there were some impressive results during the final weeks of the season, but a failure to beat Brighton in the penultimate game of the season condemned them to relegation.

Related Topics:
Hartlepool - Chris Turner - Brighton

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Turner was optimistic of an immediate return to Division One, but this was not to be. Wednesday finished 2003-04 in 16th place in Division Two, with the lowest goals tally in the division (48). He was sacked after a poor start to the 2004-05 Coca-Cola League One campaign, and replaced by former Plymouth and Southampton manager Paul Sturrock.

Related Topics:
Coca-Cola League One - Plymouth - Southampton - Paul Sturrock

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...coming up!

Sturrock revitalised Sheffield Wednesday's fortunes and they finished fifth in League One at the end of the 2004-05 season, qualifying for the promotion playoffs. They defeated Brentford 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, moving them into the playoff final on May 29, 2005 at the Millennium Stadium. 40,000+ Wednesdayites descended on Cardiff for what was the biggest game in twelve years for the club. They weren't to be disappointed as the Owls took a 1-0 lead through Jon-Paul McGovern on the stroke of halftime. However, Hartlepool fought back and took a 2-1 lead with 20 minutes of the game remaining. Sturrock made a brave triple substitution bringing on 18-year old striker Drew Talbot and the Owls' top scorer of the season, Steven MacLean. They combined with 10 minutes left as the Owls levelled the game 2-2. Talbot was pushed down inside the box and MacLean duly slotted home the resultant penalty. They went on to win 4-2 after extra time, goals from Glenn Whelan and Drew Talbot, achieving promotion to the Championship.

Related Topics:
Brentford - May 29 - 2005 - Millennium Stadium - Cardiff - Jon-Paul McGovern - Halftime - Hartlepool - Drew Talbot - Steven MacLean - Glenn Whelan

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2005-6 will see the return of the Steel City derby with Sheffield United.

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