FIVE interesting facts ahead of Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with Wycombe Wanderers
and live on Freeview channel 276
It was May 5th 2012, and a packed out Hillsborough stadium watched as Michail Antonio and Nile Ranger secured a 2-0 win that sent the Owls back up into the Championship.
Now, with both teams fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the second tier, we took a look at some interesting facts surrounding the occasion…
The Gaffer
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Hide AdWycombe boss, Gareth Ainsworth, was present on that May afternoon in 2012. He actually wore the captain’s armband for the Chairboys, but they went into the game knowing that their fate had been sealed a week earlier.
Pretty remarkably, he was appointed as manager not long afterwards, and has been there ever since. He even brought himself on in a game in 2016 and got an assist.
The Run
Wednesday may have been beaten badly over the weekend, but they’re still on a four-game winning streak at home and could make it five in a row for the first time in almost a decade (October 2011).
In fact, the Owls have not won five on the bounce at Hillsborough in the second tier since their relegation from the Premier League in 2000, and another victory would be a huge three points for Neil Thompson’s side.
The Previous
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Hide AdWednesday really haven’t faced Wycombe very much over the years… This will be only the sixth meeting of the two teams, and for the third time in a row it will be the Owls at home in the return fixture.
They have now played each other in the old Division Two, League One and the Championship, with Wednesday winning three of the six matches and Wycombe getting their first victory back in October.
The Goals
Don’t expect many… Only Derby County (17) have scored less in the league this season than WWFC (18) and SWFC (19) - however they have now conceded 75 goals between them so far, which could suggest a more open game than last time out.
The Table
There’s a big 90 minutes ahead this evening, but if Wednesday manage to pick up a win when they will get themselves out of the Championship relegation zone. Even if it’s only guaranteed for a few days while Derby and Birmingham City aren’t in action. Big opportunity.