NHOwl

Late 1970's I think. We were driving down the A1 and got to a roundabout at Stamford. There was a police car with a big sign saying "Posh Match Off". Went for fish and chips in Stamford and if I recall correctly went to see Derby vs Chelsea at the Baseball Ground.

Me too. I actually think this is worse. I was a teenager then so it seemed to last forever but we were only out of the top division for a total period of 14 years. This is never ending.

Fair. Maybe the club doesn't have to fold and start from the ashes again to exercise ghosts. I do think a new stadium needs to be part of a fresh start though, iconic though it is.

@I.T.I posted a thoughtful topic earlier on mental health and it triggered me to post but on a different topic. I'm not here a lot so apologies if it's been previously discussed. It relates to the Hillsborough disaster and whether or not the current circumstances can and should be used to make a break with the past and allow the Wednesday name, if not the current club, to move on. I am early 60's. I grew up watching Wednesday home and away in the 70's and 80's. Was at Wembley in 1991 and again in 1993. Experienced the lows and then the highs. Like many I moved away (in my case USA in the mid-1990's) but you're really no less passionate for that. I don't go now but see all the games on TV. Dad's gone but my brother and friends still watch as avidly as I do. I can't help but think that the specter of the Hillsborough disaster still hangs over the club for more people than is given credit for. I wasn't there, in fact I don't think I know anyone who was, but it was our club, and our ground where those poor people died. I've been to Hillsborough many times since of course, but it's always there and - to those of my generation anyway - it probably always will be. Which is why it's probably a topic that will split opinion by age. I know it's easy for some to rationalize - could have been anywhere, no one meant for anything to happen, you have to try to move on, bad things happen to people in other places too - but after all these years it's still a weight on the club for many and there's no denying it. Would it be better in the long run if the club folded and started again, somewhere else? Is it a factor in the club's inability to compete with clubs in peer cities? Wednesday have been a big part of life for many, many people. The club has provided some wonderful memories. And it would be tragic for many if it folded. And maybe the older ones amongst us are the last generation to have these sorts of thoughts, but I have recently wondered a lot if it might be what is needed to move on. Not really looking for a row, just some thoughtful views on a topic that has no right answer.

I'm with you on this. The game that I grew up passionate about, because it seemed your turn might eventually come if you waited long enough, has gone. The clubs with all the money have owners that really just want to play in a European league and get even more. They don't care about history, tradition, fans. Even if we survive it's just to make up the numbers. We're not members of the club, and I'm not sure how many of my generation actually want to be anyway. It's not who most of us are. I'm actually finding myself wishing it was done and dusted. It's in the blood of course but it feels like a death. Difficult to move on while there's hope. Impossible to look away. But I'm no longer sitting on the edge of my seat. Whatever. I'd like to think our demise would be a catalyst for change, but it won't be because ultimately no one who can change things cares. They are all too obsessed with the money. The same questions will be politely asked when the next one goes, which they surely will. And the viewing numbers in Asia and the Americas will get larger, and the money pot even bigger. Because that's all that matters.

Not so sure that we're going to be able to put a team out to be honest. We're still in fire sale mode and there's no guarantees that any of the current players will still be at the club.

Neither have I. But I am in the US and it's the 4th of July.

Good summary. Additional points that occurred to me: 1. It's reasonable to ask for proof of funds. It's reasonable to ask for a non-refundable deposit after a deal has been agreed in case the buyer backs out. It's not reasonable to ask for money just to talk. 2. Good news is that he appears to have accepted the need to sell. Bad news is that he appears to be out of his depth when it comes to the process of doing so, including the apparent absence of professional advisors. No idea what to think really. I'm not dreaming of the Premier League any time soon but the money at that level has ruined the game for me anyway. I guess we just wait and watch. If we "do a Bury" then so be it.

I remember being convinced Wednesday were going to win. It was 25 years after Munich and that was in the news at the time. An FA Cup tie against Wednesday was Man Utd's first game after that event, and - at the time - it just seemed fate that they'd meet in the final. As someone who started watching immediately after the 1970 relegation season, the chance of getting to Wembley felt unreal. I remember being very mad at the players afterwards for the let down and the poor quality of the performance as it was a winnable game and even on the day felt like it was there for the taking.

I'd agree with this. Knows where the goal is but I get the impression League 1 is a good level for him.

5th and 6th currently on pace for fewer than 70 points. Win 9, draw 2, lose 6 of last 17 games gets us the 29 points needed to get to 70. Not impossible. It's a point fewer than our last 17 games last season. Avoiding draws is the key.

Good signing for me. It's clear we are short of creativity when Bannon tires or is absent. A Celtic mate thinks very highly of him. I suspect it will be Bannon or Armstrong alongside Charles, rather than both of them playing at the same time, although I have no insight into this. For me it gives us the ability to have a fully functioning creative midfielder for the full 90 minutes.

My thoughts exactly.

Extrapolating out, the teams in 5th and 6th place are currently on track for 69.8 points. So 70 points might do it this year, which occasionally happens. We need 29 or more from 17 games. 9 wins, 2 draws, 6 defeats. Not impossible by any means. Last season we finished with 9 wins, 3 draws, and 5 defeats. Of those 5 defeats 3 were away at Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds. Equivalent games this season still to be played are Burnley, United and Sunderland. There's no reason we can't get 70 or 71 points and be in the mix.

Only watch on the telly these days but my view is that Smith this season is playing his most intelligent and effective football since he joined us. At the start of the season I'd have wished him well as he joined a new club. Right now he changes games and gives us options we don't otherwise have. We'd be mad to sell unless a ready made replacement comes in.

Thanks lads.

I'm not as on the ball as I used to be. But the official site just posted a picture on Bluesky of players arriving for the game https://bsky.app/profile/swfc.co.uk/post/3lgdxwef5ek2i That's Shea Charles isn't it? I thought he'd gone.

Living overseas I can only comment from the perspective of watching as a TV viewer. But I've thought for a long-time that putting away fans in the upper West Stand and leaving the lower area completely empty creates an overriding impression of a poor or dead atmosphere to viewers. If you look at how many fans most teams bring it seems like most teams would just about fill the lower level - like they do at Bramall Lane - and personally I think it would create a sense of a fuller ground and a better atmosphere if that area were filled first.

As my old man used to say, get up first and then worry about it. If I remember right, some years ago Palace got up through the play-off's having been about 14th a couple of weeks before the end of the season. And they haven't been relegated back down since. They didn't have an expensive or outstanding side, but they got up, survived and overall have done very well. So it's not impossible, but you have to be there to survive. It's clear we don't have the money to buy our way up, so we have to do it the hard way, but it's probably more sustainable if we don't make it. Right now, it's just a pleasure to be in with a shout at Christmas.

Generally I'm OK with where we are so far this season. We've lost 7 games to teams in the following positions - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 16. Yet we're still joint 9th on points. There are no "unwinnable" games through the end of the year and - while we are just as likely to be round about where we are now - we could also easily be in the top 8 come January 1. Relegation is certainly not out of the question with a bad run and some injuries/recalls, but I honestly think there at least 12 teams worse than Wednesday this season. Hull being one of them as we saw last night.

At my age I'm normally over a Wednesday loss a couple of hours after the game. Today, several hours later I'm still not happy at all. Partly because I'm sick of being behind and below United as a club. And partly because we competed but created nothing. We have 4-5 players capable of changing a game and none of them did. For me, today was a missed opportunity.

I was quite looking forward to the draw. And then on hearing it my interest just dissipated. I am sure we'll put out what we think is a strong team, give an account of ourselves, and then lose. 3-1, 4-1, whatever. It has become just so predictable and, frankly, boring. A top eight side at home would have least held some interest. Sorry to be so negative, but the years of mediocrity and the lack of any real reasons for optimism gets to you sometimes.

That's exactly where I am. We do need a Bernard or replacement and an Ugbo or replacement - and there's time for that - but looking at the squad overall it is clearly stronger overall and with more options than last year. My only concern (well more of an observation than a concern) is that we're approaching 30 players and will likely need a couple to move on or go out on loan.

Personally I'm confident. As Chris Powell said in his recent interview Wednesday had a lower championship squad of players last season. While we probably won't be signing a bunch of proven, big-name Premier League players, it's clear that the management team is aware of the type of players we do need to progress. With the utmost respect to those who have left or are about to leave and gave it their all while at Hillsborough, everything that has happened so far indicates that the club is retaining and releasing the right players. I think we're going in the right direction.

To be fair the weather has been bad, and everyone is busy these days, so the delay is understandable.