Sheffield Wednesday F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Sheffield Wednesday Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Owls | |||
| Short name | SWFC | |||
| Founded | 4 September 1867 as The Wednesday | |||
| Ground | Hillsborough Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 39,732 | |||
| Owner | Dejphon Chansiri | |||
| Manager | Danny Röhl | |||
| League | Championship | |||
| 2018–19 | Championship, 12th of 24 | |||
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Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football team from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They play in the EFL Championship, which is the second highest football league in England.
The club started in 1867 from The Wednesday Cricket Club. They were known as The Wednesday Football Club until 1929. Sheffield Wednesday is one of the oldest football clubs in the world. They are also the second-oldest professional football club in England. In 1868, they won the Cromwell Cup, which was only the second football tournament ever.
The Owls, as they are called, have won many important trophies. They have won four league titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup, and one FA Community Shield. They have also played in European competitions four times. In 1991, they beat Manchester United 1–0 in the Football League Cup final. At that time, they were a second-tier team. They are still the last team outside the top league to win a major English football trophy.
Since 1899, the club has played its home games at Hillsborough Stadium. This stadium can hold almost 40,000 fans. It is in the north-west Sheffield area called Owlerton. Sheffield Wednesday's biggest rivals are Sheffield United. Their matches are called the Steel City derby.
Contents
Club History
How it All Started (1867–1889)
The Wednesday Cricket Club was likely formed in 1820. The club got its name because the founding members had Wednesdays off work. They first played cricket at the Darnall New Ground and Hyde Park. In 1855, they helped build Bramall Lane stadium.
On 4 September 1867, a meeting was held to start a football club. This was to keep the cricket players fit during winter. Over 60 members joined the new football team right away. Their first football match was on 19 October 1867 against The Mechanics. They won by three goals.
Football quickly became more popular than cricket. In 1882, the two parts of the club separated. On 1 February 1868, Wednesday played their first official football match in the Cromwell Cup. They won the cup a week later, beating the Garrick club. This was one of the first times a game was decided by a "golden goal".
A very important person in the early football club was Charles Clegg. He joined in 1867 and stayed with the club his whole life. He became the club's chairman. He also became president of The Football Association. Clegg played for England in the first international match in 1872.
In 1876, the club got a Scottish player named James Lang. He was given a job by a board member with no real duties. He is now known as the first professional football player in England. With Lang, the club became very strong in the region. They won the first Sheffield FA Challenge Cup in 1877.
In 1880, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time. They became one of the most respected teams. However, the club was still officially amateur. By the mid-1880s, many of their best players left for clubs that paid them. In January 1887, they lost a game 0–16 with only 10 players. After this, the club decided to start paying its players.
Becoming Professional and Winning Trophies (1889–1939)
Becoming professional meant the club had to move from Bramall Lane. They moved to a new ground called Olive Grove. In 1889, the club helped start the Football Alliance. They were the first champions of this league. They also reached the 1890 FA Cup final, but lost to Blackburn Rovers. In 1892, they joined The Football League. They won the FA Cup for the first time in 1896, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1.
Because local railway lines were expanding, the club had to find a new home for the 1899–1900 season. They bought land in Owlerton, which was outside Sheffield at the time. A new stadium, now called Hillsborough Stadium, was built quickly. This secured the club's future. Wednesday had a great decade, winning the League in the 1902–03 and 1903–04 seasons. They won the FA Cup again in 1907, beating Everton 2–1. When football stopped in 1915 due to World War I, the club played in regional war leagues. Competitive football started again in 1919.
They were relegated from the top league for the first time in 1920. They returned in 1926. In the 1927–28 season, they almost went down again but managed to stay up. Wednesday then won the League title the next season (1928–29). This started a period where they finished in the top three almost every year until 1936. They also won the FA Cup for the third time in 1935. When World War II began, the club played in non-competitive war leagues. They returned to regular football in 1946.
Ups and Downs (1945–1959)
The 1950s were a time of "yo-yo" years for Wednesday. They struggled to stay in the top league. After being promoted in 1950, they were relegated three times. However, each time they came straight back up by winning the Second Division the next season. The decade ended well, with the team finishing in the top half of the First Division.
Back at the Top (1959–1970)
In 1961, the club was competing with Tottenham Hotspur for the league title. Wednesday was the first team to beat Spurs that season. They finished in second place, which is still their highest league finish since World War II. In 1966, the club reached its fifth FA Cup final. They lost 3–2 to Everton, even after leading 2–0.
Off the field, the club was involved in the British betting scandal of 1964. Three players, Peter Swan, David Layne, and Tony Kay, were accused of betting against their own team. They were banned from football for life after being found guilty. They were allowed to return to football in the early 1970s.
Tough Times and Comeback (1970–1984)
Wednesday was relegated at the end of the 1969–70 season. This began a difficult period for the club. They dropped to the Third Division for the first time. In 1976, they almost fell to the Fourth Division.
Things started to improve when Jack Charlton became manager in 1977. Charlton led the Owls back to the Second Division in 1980. Then, Howard Wilkinson took over and guided the club back to the top league in 1984. This was after a 14-year absence.
Premier League and European Football (1984–2000)
Wednesday did well when they returned to the top league. They finished 8th in their first season and 5th the next. This meant they qualified for European football. However, English clubs were banned from European competitions due to the Heysel Stadium disaster.
On 15 April 1989, the club's stadium, Hillsborough, was the site of a terrible tragedy. During an FA Cup semi-final, 97 Liverpool fans were fatally crushed due to overcrowding. This event led to many changes at Hillsborough and other stadiums in England. Terraces were replaced with seats, and fences were removed.
In 1989–90, Sheffield Wednesday was relegated from the First Division. But they bounced back quickly. The real highlight was winning the League Cup final against Manchester United. Midfielder John Sheridan scored the only goal. This was the club's first major trophy since 1935. They are still the last team outside the top league to win a major English trophy. Manager Ron Atkinson left for Aston Villa after this success. Trevor Francis took over as manager.
Wednesday finished third in the First Division in 1991–92. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Cup and made them a founding member of the new FA Premier League.
The 1992–93 season was very exciting for Sheffield Wednesday. They finished seventh in the Premier League. They also reached the finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup. However, they lost to Arsenal in both games. This meant they missed out on another European appearance. Still, this season showed Sheffield Wednesday was a top club. Midfielder Chris Waddle was named Footballer of the Year. The strike team of David Hirst and Mark Bright was one of the best. Francis was sacked two seasons later. David Pleat became the new manager.
David Pleat's first season was disappointing. They finished 15th in the Premiership despite having expensive players. The 1996–97 season started great, with the Owls topping the Premiership after four wins. But they couldn't keep up and finished seventh. Pleat was sacked the next November. Ron Atkinson briefly returned to help the Owls avoid relegation.
After Ron Atkinson left, Danny Wilson became the new manager in 1998. His first season saw them finish 12th in the Premiership.
Recent Highs and Lows (2000–2014)
An expensive squad with players like Paolo Di Canio and Benito Carbone did not perform well. The club faced financial problems. Danny Wilson was sacked in March 2000 as relegation seemed certain. His assistant, Peter Shreeves, took over but couldn't save them. A 3–3 draw at Arsenal in May 2000 sent the Owls down to the First Division.
After spending too much money on players, the club's finances got worse. In 2003, they were relegated again, this time to the Second Division.
The club spent two years in the third tier. Then, Paul Sturrock's team won the 2005 play-off final. They beat Hartlepool United 4–2 after extra time. This brought them back to the Championship. However, the club's money problems continued. Five years after their play-off win, the Owls were relegated to League One again.
Between 2010 and 2011, Sheffield Wednesday faced serious money troubles. The club's future was uncertain. On 29 November 2010, businessman Milan Mandarić bought the club, which helped them move forward.
Mandarić appointed former Wednesday player Gary Megson as manager. Megson stayed for a year. His team won promotion back to the Championship in May 2012, under new manager Dave Jones.
The Chansiri Era (2014–Present)
In 2014, Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri bought the club. He wanted to get the team promoted to the Premier League by the 2017–18 season. They came close a year early. New coach Carlos Carvalhal led the club to the play-offs in the 2015–16 season. Wednesday lost in the final to Hull City at Wembley. They made the play-offs again the next season but lost to Huddersfield Town.
The club was expected to be promoted in 2017–18. But injuries and poor results saw them drop in the table. Carvalhal left in December 2017. Jos Luhukay replaced him. The team finished 15th. Luhukay was sacked in December 2018. Steve Bruce took over and improved their form. However, Bruce left in July 2019 to manage Newcastle United.
On 6 September 2019, Garry Monk became the new manager. The season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, Sheffield Wednesday was found guilty of breaking league rules. They started the 2020–21 season with -12 points, later reduced to -6. Monk was sacked in November 2020. Tony Pulis replaced him but was also dismissed after only 45 days. Darren Moore became the third permanent manager in March 2021. Despite a strong effort, Moore could not prevent relegation to League One. This ended Wednesday's nine-year stay in the Championship.
After failing to win promotion in their first season back in League One, Wednesday finished third in the 2022–23 season. In the play-off semi-finals, they lost 4–0 in the first game against Peterborough United. But they won the second game 5–1 and then won on penalties. Wednesday then won promotion back to the Championship by beating Barnsley in the 2023 play-off final. Moore left the club in June.
Xisco Muñoz replaced Moore. However, he was sacked after 12 games without a win. Early in the season, the owner, Dejphon Chansiri, said he would not put more money into the club. He was unhappy with how fans treated him. In October 2023, Chansiri asked fans to help raise money for the club's finances. Danny Röhl was announced as the new manager. He helped the team improve and avoid relegation on the last day of the season.
Club Identity
Nickname
In their early years, the club was called The Blades. This name was used for any sports team from Sheffield, a city famous for its knives. This nickname is now used by Wednesday's rivals, Sheffield United.
The club's nickname changed to The Owls in 1899 after they moved to Owlerton. However, the name really stuck in 1912. That's when player George Robertson gave the club an owl mascot.
Kits
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| The Wednesday's home shirt of 1871. |
Since it started, the club has played home games in blue and white shirts. They usually have vertical stripes. But there have been some changes. An old photo from 1874 shows the team in plain dark shirts. In 1871, the club's colors were listed as blue and white hoops. A blue and white quartered design was used in 1887. A blue shirt with white sleeves was used between 1965 and 1973. Wednesday's socks have mostly been black, blue, or white.
The club's away kit has changed often. White was a common second choice. But the club has also used yellow, black, silver, green, and orange for its away strips.
Crest
Since 1912, the owl has been a key part of the club's identity. The first club crest was introduced in 1956. It showed an owl perched on a branch. The White Rose of York was below the branch, showing the club's home county of Yorkshire. The sheaves of Sheffield were on either side of the owl's head. The club's Latin motto, Consilio et Animis, was below the shield. This means "By Wisdom and Courage".
The crest changed in 1970 to a simpler design. This logo was used until 1995. Then, a design similar to the original crest was brought back. It still had an owl on a branch. The sheaves were replaced by a stylized SWFC logo. The Yorkshire Rose moved above the owl's head. The words Sheffield Wednesday were added. The word Hillsborough was curved around the top. The club motto was not on this new design. This crest was used for only a few years.
In 1999, the simpler owl design returned, but inside a crest. In 2016, the owner Dejphon Chansiri changed the crest again. He chose a design similar to the 1956 badge.
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1956–1973 -
1973–1995 -
1995–1999 -
1999–2016 -
2016–present
Mascots
Sheffield Wednesday has had several Owl-themed matchday mascots. First there was Ozzie the Owl. Later, Baz and Ollie were added. In 2006, they were replaced by Barney Owl, who looked cuter. Ozzie Owl was brought back as the main mascot in 2009. The current mascots are Ozzie and Barney Owl. In 2012, Ollie Owl also returned to help with the club's work with children.
Stadiums
Past Stadiums
Wednesday first played matches at Highfield. They moved several times before finding a permanent home. Other places included Myrtle Road, Heeley, and Hunter's Bar. Big matches were played at Sheaf House or Bramall Lane. Sheffield Wednesday's first permanent home was Olive Grove. The first game there was a 4–4 draw with Blackburn Rovers in 1887. The club had to move again in 1899 because of railway expansion.
Hillsborough Stadium
Since 1899, Wednesday has played home games at Hillsborough Stadium. It is in the Owlerton area of Sheffield. The stadium was first called Owlerton Stadium. In 1914, Owlerton became part of the Hillsborough area, and the stadium got its current name. Hillsborough has 39,732 seats. It is the 12th largest stadium in England.
The stadium has hosted World Cup games in 1966. It also hosted games for the 1996 European Championships. It has hosted 27 FA Cup semi-finals. The Kop stand at Hillsborough was reopened in 1986 by Queen Elizabeth II. It was once the largest covered stand in any European football stadium.
On 15 April 1989, a tragic event happened at Hillsborough. During an FA Cup semi-final, 97 Liverpool fans were fatally crushed due to overcrowding. This became known as the Hillsborough disaster. A report found that the main cause was the police's failure to manage the crowds. A memorial to the victims stands outside Hillsborough's South Stand. This tragedy led to major safety changes in all leading stadiums in England.
Supporters
Moving the club to Owlerton in 1899 was a risk. It was several miles from the city center. But loyal fans kept coming to the new ground. The club has been one of the best-supported teams in England ever since.
The club's highest average attendance for a season was 42,530 in 1952–53. This was when crowds across the country were at their biggest. The lowest average attendance was 10,643 fans in 1978–79.
In 1992, Wednesday was the fourth best-supported team in the country. Even after being relegated from the Premier League in 2000, the club still gets crowds of over 20,000. In 2006, they were the best-supported club outside the top league.
At the 2005 play-off final, Wednesday brought over 39,000 fans to the Millennium Stadium. In 2016, over 38,000 fans went to Wembley for a play-off final. The Owls have averaged 30,000 fans at home in the last 60 years.
Sheffield Wednesday has had many fan magazines over the years. These include Just Another Wednesday and War of the Monster Trucks. The latter got its name from a TV show that was aired instead of the celebrations after the 1991 League Cup win. There are also several online fan forums like Owlstalk.
Rivalry
Sheffield Wednesday's main rivals are their city neighbors, Sheffield United. Games between these two clubs are called Steel City derbies. This name comes from the steel industry that Sheffield is famous for.
United was formed in 1889. They started after a disagreement about pitch rent at Bramall Lane. United also took Wednesday's old nickname, The Blades. The first derby game was on 15 December 1890. Wednesday won 2–1 at Olive Grove.
A famous derby was the 1993 FA Cup semi-final. It took place at Wembley on 3 April 1993. Over 75,000 fans went to London to watch Wednesday beat United 2–1 after extra time.
A survey in 2019 showed that Wednesday fans also see other Yorkshire teams as rivals. These include Leeds United, Barnsley, Rotherham United, and Doncaster Rovers.
European Appearances
Sheffield Wednesday has played in European club competitions several times. Here is a summary of their past European matches:
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961–62 | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (Now UEFA Europa League) |
Last 32 |  Lyon |
5–2 | 2–4 | 7–6 |
| Last 16 |  Roma |
4–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | ||
| Quarter-final |  Barcelona |
3–2 | 0–2 | 3–4 | ||
| 1963–64 | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (Now UEFA Europa League) |
First round |  DOS |
4–1 | 4–1 | 8–2 |
| Second round |  Köln |
1–2 | 2–3 | 3–5 | ||
| 1986–87 | UEFA Cup (Now UEFA Europa League) |
English clubs were banned from competition. (See Heysel Stadium disaster) |
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| 1991–92 | UEFA Cup (Now UEFA Europa League) |
English clubs were banned from competition. (See Heysel Stadium disaster) |
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| 1992–93 | UEFA Cup (Now UEFA Europa League) |
First round |  Spora Luxembourg |
8–1 | 2–1 | 10–2 |
| Second round | Kaiserslautern |
2–2 | 1–3 | 3–5 | ||
| 1995–96 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | Group stage |  FC Basel |
N/A | 0–1 | N/A |
 Górnik Zabrze |
3–2 | N/A | N/A | |||
| Karlsruher SC |
N/A | 1–1 | N/A | |||
 AGF Aarhus |
3–1 | N/A | N/A | |||
Notable Managers
Here are some of the managers who have led Sheffield Wednesday for a long time:
| Name | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | L | D | Win% | ||||
| Arthur Dickinson |  |
1 August 1891 | 31 May 1920 | 919 | 393 | 338 | 188 | 42.27% |
| Robert Brown | |
1 June 1920 | 1 December 1933 | 600 | 266 | 199 | 135 | 44.33% |
| Eric Taylor | |
1 April 1942 | 31 July 1958 | 539 | 196 | 215 | 128 | 36.36% |
| Jack Charlton | |
8 October 1977 | 27 May 1983 | 269 | 105 | 77 | 87 | 39.03% |
| Howard Wilkinson | |
24 June 1983 | 10 October 1988 | 255 | 114 | 73 | 68 | 44.70% |
| Trevor Francis | |
7 June 1991 | 20 May 1995 | 214 | 88 | 58 | 68 | 41.12% |
Arthur Dickinson was in charge for 29 years. He is Wednesday's longest-serving manager. He helped build the club in the early 1900s.
Robert Brown took over from Dickinson. He was manager for 13 years. In 1930, he led the team to their most recent top division league title.
Eric Taylor became manager during World War II. He stayed until 1958. He didn't win a major trophy, even though Wednesday was in the top league for most of his time.
Jack Charlton led Wednesday out of the Third Division in 1980. In his last season, he took them to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Howard Wilkinson took over from Charlton in 1983. He was in charge for over five years before moving to Leeds United. In his first season, Wednesday was promoted to the First Division after 14 years. He guided them to a fifth-place finish in 1986.
Under Ron Atkinson, Wednesday won the League Cup. They also got promoted to the First Division. Trevor Francis then became player-manager. He guided them to third place in the league in 1992. This earned them a UEFA Cup spot. They finished seventh in the first Premier League season. They were also runners-up in the FA Cup and League Cup that year. He was sacked in 1995.
Club Records and Statistics
Wednesday's biggest recorded win was 12–0 at home against Halliwell. This was in the FA Cup on 18 January 1891. Their biggest league win was 9–1 at home to Birmingham. This happened in the First Division on 13 December 1930. Wednesday's heaviest defeat was 10–0 away to Aston Villa in 1912.
The most goals scored by the club in one season was 106. This was in the 1958–59 season. The club got its highest league points total in the 2022–23 season, with 96 points. The highest home attendance was 72,841 fans. This was for an FA Cup match against Manchester City on 17 February 1934.
The most-capped English player for the club was goalkeeper Ron Springett. He played 33 times for England while at Sheffield Wednesday. Nigel Worthington later broke this record. He played 50 times for Northern Ireland while at the club.
The fastest sending off in British league football belongs to Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Kevin Pressman. He was sent off after just 13 seconds in a game in 2000. The fastest shot ever recorded in the Premier League was by David Hirst. He hit the crossbar with a shot clocked at 114 miles per hour (183 km/h) in 1996.
Honours
Source:
League Titles
- First Division (top league)
- Champions: 1902–03, 1903–04, 1928–29, 1929–30
- Second Division (second league)
- Champions: 1899–1900, 1925–26, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1958–59
- Runners-up: 1949–50, 1983–84
- Promoted: 1990–91
- Third Division / League One (third league)
- Runners-up: 2011–12
- Promoted: 1979–80
- Play-off winners: 2005, 2023
- Football Alliance
- Champions: 1889–90
Cup Wins
- FA Cup
- Winners: 1895–96, 1906–07, 1934–35
- Runners-up: 1889–90, 1965–66, 1992–93
- Football League Cup
- Winners: 1990–91
- Runners-up: 1992–93
- FA Charity Shield
- Winners: 1935
- Runners-up: 1930
Images for kids
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A cricket match at Darnall in the 1820s, a ground laid out for The Wednesday Cricket Club.
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The Wednesday team in 1878
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Sheffield Wednesday players posing with the FA Cup won in 1896
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Chart of Sheffield Wednesday's Performances
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The coin toss before the away game in Turin versus Juventus for the 1970 Anglo-Italian Cup
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The Owls playing in their final away match of the 1999–2000 Premier League season, at Arsenal in May 2000
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Wednesday supporters celebrating on the pitch, following promotion to The Championship, on 5 May 2012
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Ozzie Owl, the primary club mascot
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Panorama of Hillsborough Stadium in 2009
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Wednesday fans at Hillsborough in 2015
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Wednesday vs United just before the 2012 league fixture at Hillsborough. Wednesday won 1–0 and went on to pip their rivals to promotion
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Historical league position since 1892–93
See also
In Spanish: Sheffield Wednesday Football Club para niños
