Sheffield Wednesday column: Were season ticket holders who went on strike right to do so?

It was a debate that cropped up before the game against Bolton.
All alone Owls Manager Jos Luhukay......Pic Steve Ellis.All alone Owls Manager Jos Luhukay......Pic Steve Ellis.
All alone Owls Manager Jos Luhukay......Pic Steve Ellis.

If you had a season ticket, would you abort going?

My discussion with a fellow journalist was sparked by the lack of people milling around Hillsborough in the build-up to the game.

The reporter said that he would always make the effort to attend, regardless of what grievances he had with the running of his club, as he was a supporter of the team and not the regime.

I agreed.

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Of course plenty of Owls fans, judging by the empty seats scattered around the North Stand, South Stand and Kop, disagreed with this viewpoint and chose to give the game a miss.

So was it all purely down to the shoddy run that the team has been on lately?

It was probably a combination of supporter apathy, the cold weather starting to bite and the fact that the game was available to watch from the comfort of one's home thanks to the Sky Sports' red button scheme.

Whatever the reasons, the official attendance figure of 20,861 looked slightly generous (although it was still the lowest gate of the season).

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The decision by many fans to vote with their feet will not have gone unnoticed by the club's hierarchy.

But however strong your views are, surely aborting the game does more harm than good?

Think about it: the money has already been paid so you not attending doesn't hit the club in the pockets.

The last thing Wednesday need right now is an 'us' and 'them' mentality.

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Players owe the fans a performance but for 90 minutes supporters also owe it to the players to back them to the hilt.

If the result doesn't go your way, boo them after - not during - the game.

For those that did turn up on Tuesday, there was slightly more to cheer about than there had been the previous Saturday against Derby.

Granted, it was a wretched excuse for a football game but Wednesday ground out the win.

Job done, three points, move on.

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In times like this, supporters should be grasping on to the positives.

Hillsborough is in need of some optimism right now.

Blackburn away is the next test but they aren't exactly a team that is flying high.

And if you're looking for a good indicator ahead of the trip across the Pennines then here's one: Wednesday have won their last three games against Rovers. 

In fact, The Owls have lost just once in their last nine against Blackburn.

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Here's hoping they can seal back-to-back wins for only the second time this season.

Maybe that would go some way to getting the supporters back on-side in time for the next home match against Rotherham.