Don't panic! The remarkable comparison between Sheffield Wednesday's start and their previous League One promotion seasons

After a blistering start, Sheffield Wednesday’s early season form on return to League One has taken something of a hit after back-to-back defeats at Morecambe and Plymouth Argyle that straddled an international break.

Wednesday are just six matches into the season and the message of Owls boss Darren Moore has been one of calm, with Wednesday sat in 12th place on 10 points after their six matches. It arrives at the end of a manic summer that saw an extraordinary squad turnover.

“There is another international break next month which will disrupt the programme,” said Moore. “You are going to get disruptions over the next two or three months.

“For me, you have to give it a couple of months for the league to settle down. There are a lot of teams still trying to find their rhythm and consistency.”

Moore’s men have started with a draw, three consecutive wins and those two seaside defeats. And a glance at how Wednesday started their two previous promotion campaigns from League One support the claim that there is no reason for panic.

After six league matches in the 2004/05 season that saw the Owls promoted through the playoffs, Chris Turner’s men had earned 10 points. Six years on, when Wednesday beat Sheffield United to the second automatic promotion spot, the points tally was – you guessed it – 10 points.

Both of those seasons saw Wednesday placed in ninth, three places higher than the current outfit, though it should of course be noted that Wednesday have games in hand on no fewer than six of the sides above them in the table.

Indeed, both previous promotion seasons saw what could be seen as shock defeats by ‘smaller’ clubs; 04/05 saw defeats to Colchester United and Tranmere Rovers while in 11/12 witnessed defeats to Bury and a Bournemouth side recently promoted from League Two a long time before the realisation of their Premier League glory years.

“I know the level that we need to be at,” said Moore. “Are we there as a team yet? No. Are we working to get there? Yes we are and the work will still go on. Don't worry about that.

“In recent weeks, you haven't seen me get too high or low.”