How The Star's Sheffield Wednesday writers (quite badly) predicted the 2017/18 season before it started

There was a lot more despair for Sheffield Wednesday than predicted by our writers

It's fair to say there was a lot more optimism from a Sheffield Wednesday perspective at the beginning of the season than, as things panned out, there should have been.

In our The Star Owls Podcast in August, Chris Holt and Dom Howson both tipped the Owls to be in the play-off positions, while Liam Hoden went even further than that and predicted a second-place finish.

Chris said: "My concern is that while Wednesday are better the teams that are beneath them are a lot better. Like Aston Villa, I feel that Derby underachieved last year and have strengthened, same with Norwich. Wolves have strengthened, too, but I don't know what they are going to be like, that's a crazy situation there. That's my concern, I just feel there are more teams challenging than last year."

Meanwhile, Dom was also making a big case for Villa, saying: "I expect Villa to be really strong. Derby I'm less sure about, I think losing Tom Ince is a big blow to them in terms of goals and assist and what he brings. They have made two of the signings of the summer in Tom Huddleston and Curtis Davies. Norwich underachieved big time and will be better

"I'm not really concerned at the three teams who have come down. I think it will be a difficult year for Sunderland. I would think Sunderland would be pushing for the top six the year after

"Of the three I would be least concerned about Sunderland."

Dom was right to be least concerned about Sunderland ... they finished bottom.

He added: "Middlesbrough, I think, will finish in the automatic positions. They overspent on Britt Assombalonga but that's the going rate but I wouldn't put it past him getting 20 goals."

Of the teams coming down, Chris said: "I think Hull will be ok, not as good as when they went up but there or thereabouts. I think they'll be comfortably in the top six."

Hull finished 18th.

Overall the predictions were:

Chris Holt - "Villa and Middlesbrough and Aston Villa in the top two, Wednesday to finish third.

Dom Howson - "Villa and Middlesbrough in the automatic promotion positions, with Wednesday fourth."

Liam Hoden - "Sheffield Wednesday second - I think Middlesbrough will run away with it."

And what about the bottom end of the table? Again, there was a fair amount of agreement.

Dom said: "DH: I think Burton will stay up. I'll go with Bolton, maybe Ipswich, unless they make a managerial change. I'm going to go with Burton, Barnsley, Bolton but I think Ipswich will be down there."

Chris' prediction was Burton, Barnsley and Bristol City and Liam went for Burton, Barnsley and Bolton.