Flashback: The three men who lost out on the Sheffield Wednesday job to Brian Laws

Taking the reigns from fan favourite Paul Sturrock at the breaking point of the fanbase’s increasingly turbulent relationship with owner Dave Allen and chief executive Kevan Walker was always going to be a tough task.
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Sturrock, who had presided over promotion from League One before securing Championship survival in the 2005/06 season, had his reign cut short as the pair decided he was ill-equipped for second-tier management.

What they wanted was a more attractive style of play, they said, and that they got in time, with the scot’s eventual replacement Brian Laws stolen away from Scunthorpe before enjoying three largely successful years in the Hillsborough hotseat.

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But what of the three other men who were reportedly interviewed for the role back in November 2006? Let’s take a look.

Gary Megson

A lifelong Wednesdayite born into the fabric of the club, Megson had left a stint at Nottingham Forest and was available for hire, with many expecting him to get the gig.

The son of former Owls skipper Don and a player himself of over 250 appearances over two spells, he had managerial experience in the Premier League with West Brom.

His time would come at Hillsborough when his groundwork set the foundations for League One promotion in 2012 despite his abrupt sacking after a Steel City derby win. He remains a fan favourite.

Brian Laws enjoyed three largely successful years as Sheffield Wednesday manager.Brian Laws enjoyed three largely successful years as Sheffield Wednesday manager.
Brian Laws enjoyed three largely successful years as Sheffield Wednesday manager.

Nigel Worthington

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Another former Wednesday player and popular Owls figure, Worthington was only a few weeks out of his six-year spell at Norwich boss and two years on from winning the second-tier title.

He would go on to take the Northern Ireland job six months later, guiding them through four years of growth that ended in 2011. They would qualify for Euro 2016 – their first major tournament for three decades – four years later.

Bryan Robson

A former England captain and legend of the game, Robson was fresh out of his famous stint at West Brom, who he kept in the Premier League against all odds in 2004/05 before tasting the drop the following season.

Known for an attractive playing style, he wasn’t likely to come cheap and would go on to last eight months as Neil Warnock’s replacement at Sheffield United.