EFL make supporter statement as Sheffield Wednesday fixture change is confirmed

The Owls were due to get things underway on August 7th when their League One campaign kicks off against Charlton Athletic, however the club have now confirmed that they will now take on Yorkshire rivals, Huddersfield Town, a week earlier in the Carabao Cup.

Wednesday and Hillsborough will play host to the Terriers on August 1st and get things going at 1pm – in a game that will now see them play in front of a restriction-free crowd for the first time in almost 18 months.

A statement from the EFL’s Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, said the English Football League welcomed the government’s decision, and spoke of how much they were looking forward to getting people back in stadiums.

Not long after Boris Johnson’s announcement, Birch said, “The EFL welcomes today’s positive announcement by the Prime Minister that capacity restrictions are expected to be lifted later this month, which will allow us to finally press forward with our plans to see a full return of fans to EFL stadiums from the start of the new EFL season in just four weeks’ time.

“Football has been planning for this outcome since the outset of the pandemic and having been forced to endure empty stadiums since March 2020, the message from EFL Clubs is that we are ready to re-open and welcome fans back in numbers.

“From the EFL’s own participation in the Events Research Programme and our Club’s extensive experience built up over many years, we are confident that all our Clubs can successfully manage large scale events and we will continue to work with the Government on the guidance that will help support their matchday operations.

“Today’s developments, of course, have been made possible by the staff at the NHS and countless medical experts and scientists who have helped to develop and roll-out the vaccines. On behalf of the League and its membership, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for playing such an important role in helping re-open our sport and wider society.”

Sheffield Wednesday, wages and an embargo – what we know right now…