Sheffield Wednesday were relegated from the Championship in record time with 13 games remaining.
The Owls’ descent into League One was finalized on Sunday with a 2-1 loss to arch-rivals Sheffield United, which saw red cards for both teams.
“Bramall Pain” were the words used by former Wednesday defender Andy Hinchcliffe at full time in co-commentary. That’s to say the least.
The club was deducted 12 points on October 24 after applying for administration, and a further six points were deducted on December 1 for failing to meet its payment obligations.
They are still looking for a new owner after Digiphone Chansiri stepped down in October after a 10-year term. Since then, the club has been managed by administrators.
Sky Sports News understands that relegation to League One will not affect Hillsborough’s bid.
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Highlights of Sheffield United vs. Sheffield Wednesday in the Sky Bet Championship
“Of course we’re disappointed,” manager Henrik Pedersen told Sky Sports after the defeat at Bramall Lane on Wednesday.
“We gave it our all, but putting ourselves in that position so early in the game was a big mountain to climb at Sheffield United.
“It’s very sad that something like this has happened here and sad overall for a club like Sheffield Wednesday to be relegated in February.
“But the fans were also great. You could hear them singing and cheering us on. So the dressing room was very disappointed. We wanted to give them something.”
No team in history has ever finished a season with negative points in the top four divisions of English football. And on Wednesday, there are 13 games left for the team to avoid being in the first division.
“There are different levels of focus. One is to get back to the positive points,” Pedersen added. Wednesday’s total is now -7 points.
“In terms of football and culture, we can’t lower our standards. We have to keep working hard every day. That’s the way we want to work at Sheffield Wednesday. Relegation or not, we want to give the fans as many good performances as possible, get positive points and continue to develop our players. There’s still a lot of work to do.”
“We’re all looking forward to the next steps so that everyone has clarity and hope about the future of the club. Of course we’re looking forward to what happens next (with a potential takeover).”
Sympathy from Wilder: Wednesday ‘undercooked’
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Patrick Bamford scored just 75 seconds later to give Sheffield United an early lead and give Wednesday’s Steel City rivals a mountain to climb to avoid relegation.
Perhaps the biggest sign that Sheffield Wednesday’s season was a disaster was when they received sympathy from Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, who had no shortage of opportunities to celebrate the derby victory.
“Everyone in football is aware that Sheffield Wednesday were relegated at the start of the season,” he told Sky Sports after the match.
“I feel for Henrik and I know how much it hurts to lose one game.
“I feel for the players too. They’re being proactive and doing the right things, but the team is so unprepared for the championship that it’s scary.”
Wednesday’s season of hell ends in a truly nightmarish way.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen applauds fans after losing to Sheffield United and being relegated
Sky Sports EFL Editor Simeon Gollum:
A nightmare season has come to an end for Sheffield Wednesday. It couldn’t have been scripted better or worse, depending on which side of the Steel City you live on.
The worst season in English football history, just one win all season, a point deduction and with the club’s future still uncertain, they were sentenced to relegation at the home of their rivals – the first team to have their fate sealed in February.
Credit to Wednesday’s players. After conceding twice within 20 minutes, they could have been defeated. However, as they continued to lose this season, they rarely really broke down. Kalvin Phillips’ red card gave hope and Charlie McNeil pulled one back.
Despite the hustle and bustle, I had no intention of winning another one, let alone the two I needed to avoid seeing a big R next to my name on the championship table.
Now, the club will face its next battle. It’s about securing our future and managing to bounce back from all this, rebuild and be back in League One next season.
The club needs clarity to move forward.
Windass: Pedersen deserves a chance to rebuild
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Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen has described his reaction after the club suffered the earliest relegation in English Football League history.
Josh Windass spent over five years at Sheffield Wednesday during the Chansiri era before moving to Wrexham in the summer.
He believes Pedersen, who served as Danny Rohr’s assistant during his final two seasons at Hillsborough, deserves the opportunity to take the club forward.
“During my time there, there were months when wages were not paid on time,” Windass told Sky Sports. “But then it went to a whole new level and that’s why quite a few of us left.
“This is clearly a difficult time for the club. We hope that a deal can be reached that will give Henrik the opportunity he deserves next season as we rebuild the team and aim for promotion.”
Despite only winning once all season, fellow pundit Lee Hendry added that Pedersen, who replaced former manager Rohr in the summer, had done a great job in difficult circumstances.
“He did a great job,” Hendry said. “So when you take into account the resources he had, the players available and everything that happened at the football club.
“It was total chaos and incredibly difficult for fans, players and managers to deal with while trying to perform on the pitch.
“But they kept coming on, working hard and giving their best. You can see the difference in level when you compare them to a strong Sheffield United side who gave their all, but you have to recognize the job he did.
“He kept moving forward, handled himself well and spoke with dignity. All they need now is a clear vision of where the club is going next season.”
Sheffield Wednesday placed into administration
Chef Oued acquisition not affected by relegation
The latest from Rob Dorsett on Sky Sports News:
Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation will not affect Hillsborough’s takeover, with all involved holding long-term hopes that the person who buys the club will be in charge of the League One side next season.
Sunday’s Steel City derby defeat to arch-rivals Sheffield United confirmed their relegation from the Championship on Wednesday with 13 games remaining in the season. No EFL club has ever been relegated in February.
The team remains bottom of the table with a minus-seven point after receiving a total of 18 points for entering administration and breaching EFL rules regarding late payment of players’ wages.
Wednesday hasn’t scored a point in a championship game since Dec. 29, and their only league win of the season came back in September. The writing remained on the wall for months.
But importantly, relegation will have no impact on the club’s current revenue streams.
Sky Sports News has been told that an automatic relegation clause in player contracts will be ready by the start of next season, while broadcasting revenue and other corporate income are guaranteed for the remainder of this season, with potential owner James Board understood to be funding the club’s remaining running costs.
Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday manager Begbie Traynor is believed to be continuing to hold talks with other bidders who would like to take over the club in the event that Mr Board’s bid fails.
The deal is still being pursued under his company, Short Circuit Sciences, which is the preferred bidder.
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Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett spoke about Sheffield Wednesday’s current ownership situation and how both the EFL and the club are optimistic about a deal.
Wednesday Nightmare Season
3 June 2025: The club and then owner Digiphone Chansiri are charged with breaching EFL regulations regarding payment obligations.
June 18: The EFL on Wednesday imposes a three-window fee limit after late payments exceed 30 days between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
June 26: Chansiri says in a statement on the club’s official website that he is willing to sell the club.
27 June: New embargo imposed on club in relation to payments to HMRC.
June 30: Players and staff were not paid on time.
17 July: Josh Windass and Michael Smith leave the club by mutual consent.
29 July: Danny Rohr leaves his role as manager by mutual consent. The club has been forced to close its 9,255-seater North Stand in Hillsborough after Sheffield City Council issued a prohibition notice following a meeting with the local safety advisory group.
July 30: Players and staff were not paid on time.
July 31: Rohr’s assistant Henrik Pedersen signs a three-year contract to become the club’s new manager.
August 6: The EFL releases a statement explaining its position on the situation. “It is clear that the current owners need to deliver on their commitments to either fund the club to meet its obligations or sell it at fair market value to someone with deeper pockets, bringing an end to the current uncertainty and impasse.”
August 8: Transfer ban is lifted after outstanding payments are resolved, but fee restrictions remain in place.
August 10: The Owls lose 2-1 to Leicester in their Championship opener at the King Power Stadium.
August 13: North Stand ban notice lifted following “required professional safety assurances”.
September 4: On Wednesday, fans begin a protest against Chansiri in front of the Thai Embassy in London.
September 30th: Players and staff were not paid on time.
October 4: Wednesday lost 5-0 at home to Coventry. Kick-off was postponed after a group of fans stormed onto the Hillsborough pitch in protest against Chansiri.
October 14: Players and staff receive unpaid salaries starting in September.
16th October: News breaks that a liquidation claim of more than £1 million is imminent against HMRC.
October 22: Fans boycott home game against Middlesbrough on Wednesday. Official attendance numbers have not been announced.
October 24: Apply for administration on Wednesday and receive a 12 point deduction from the EFL. Reflecting on a “bittersweet day”, the Supporters Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted that Chansiri has left the club for good.”
October 27: Administrator and Chef Wed’s hopeful club could soon be sold to a new owner with four or five serious bidders interested.
October 30: Players and staff will receive their paychecks one day early.
December 1st: The club receives a further six point penalty for breaching specific EFL rules. Former owner Chansiri was also banned from owning or managing an EFL club for three years.
January 28: Club legend Barry Bannan heads to Millwall after playing 477 games over 10 years.
February 22: Wednesday suffered the disgrace of being relegated by their rivals. The club remains in a takeover impasse.
Wednesday’s remaining championship games
February 25: Norwich (A) – Live on Sky Sports
February 28: Southampton (H)
March 7: Derby (A)
March 10: Watford (H) – Live on Sky Sports
March 14: Ipswich (H)
March 21: Hull (A)
April 3: Stoke (A)
April 6: Leicester (H)
April 11: Coventry (A)
April 18: Charlton (H)
April 21: Middlesbrough (A)
April 25: Oxford (A)
May 2: West Brom (H)
