Team of the Week - Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday FC were formed in 1867 (Simply as ‘The Wednesday’), making them the fifth oldest club in the English football league. However, their history can be traced back further to 1820 when the club was formed as the ‘Wednesday Cricket Club’ due to the fact that they played their matches on a Wednesday. The football club evolved out of the cricket club on Wednesday 4^th September 1867 as a way to keep the players fit through the winter. The first competitive match was played in February 1868 in the Cromwell Cup, a competition between four newly formed clubs. Wednesday won the cup, which is still held in their trophy cabinet today.

In 1882, the cricket and football clubs became separate and the football club turned professional five years later. They reached their first FA cup final in 1890, losing 6-1 to Shirley’s Blackburn. Election to the football league came to 1892 and success in the FA cup followed four years later beating Sue’s Wolves 2-1

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The clubs home was originally the Olive Grove, but in 1899 was forced to move to their present stadium Hillsborough, which was originally called the Owlerton until 1914. The first decade of the 20^th Century proved fruitful for Wednesday, winning the league twice and the FA Cup once. However, nothing was won for 20 years and the club were almost relegated in 1928, but bounced back to win the league in 1929. It was in this year the club was renamed Sheffield Wednesday. The FA cup was won for the third time in 1935.

After the war, the club bounced between the top two divisions until stabilising in the top flight in 1984. One notable incident from this period was a betting scandal in 1964 involving three of Wednesday’s players betting against their own team at a game away to Jan’s Ipswich Town (The lengths he goes to get points). The three players were convicted and banned from football for life, but were reprieved in 1971.

The Club were relegated from the top flight in 1991, but bounced back the next year where they also won the league cup. This was the last time a club from outside the top division won a domestic trophy and also the last silverware Wednesday won. Over the course of the 92-93 season, they visited Wembley four times for the league cup final, FA semi-final and the FA cup final and replay. However, both finals were lost to Arsenal. West Ham legend Paolo Di Canio joined the Owls in 1997, scoring 14 goals that season. However, the beginning of the 98/99 season was when Paolo pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground and was banned for 11 games and was sold to West Ham in January (the rest is history!)

The following season, Wednesday were relegated from the top flight in 2000 and have yet to return. They were relegated to what was division 2 in 2003 and stayed there for two years. They then dropped back into league one after a five year stay in the Championship in 2010. They were once again promoted back to the championship last year beating fierce rivals Sheffield United to the second automatic promotion spot.

This season got off to good start with a draw against Derby and victories over Birmingham and the Millwall scum. Things then went downhill rapidly with no points over September. Draws with Dave’s Leeds and Anna’s Burnley kept Wednesday off the bottom until finally, after two months and two days, Wednesday finally got three points by demolishing Jan’s Ipswich 3-0 at Portman Road. Back to back wins followed with victory against Peterborough, but usual service was resumed midweek with a 2-0 defeat to Lyn’s Blackpool.

The nickname ‘The Owls’ comes from a player presenting the club with an owl as a mascot to honour their stadium ‘The Owlerton’.

Wednesday’s greatest league victory was over Chris’ Birmingham 1930, who they beat 9-1. They also hold the record for the fastest shot ever recorded in the premier league which was by David Hirst in 1996 with a speed of 114mph. They unfortunately also hold the dubious honour of the fastest red card in British league football which was given to keeper Kevin Pressman in 2000 after a mere 13 seconds for handling the ball outside the area.