Exclusive:Sheffield Wednesday points deduction revelation broke Henrik Pedersen into tears on 'amazing day'
Sheffield Wednesday’s final day of the campaign turned out to be an emotional one - for manager Henrik Pedersen as much as anyone.
Henrik Pedersen broke down in tears in the tunnel when he was told that Sheffield Wednesday would not face a points deduction heading into the next campaign.
The Danish boss, who has shepherded the crisis-stricken Owls through a season from hell and watched his side achieve only their first home win of the campaign in a 2-1 final day win over West Bromwich Albion, was told only moments before the game that the club’s new owners had come to an agreement with the EFL that would see the threat of any deduction removed.
A brutal campaign has taken its toll on all at the heart of the Wednesday struggle, with Pedersen the face of the battle throughout. The decision was taken for players and fellow staff to be shielded from media engagements, in no small part so that he could take the brunt of the public gaze, in doing so diverting attention from others.
The Dane, who was in satisfied mood speaking to The Star after they ended the Baggies’ run of 12 matches unbeaten in front of a full and vibrant Hillsborough, was pulled to one side by incoming owners David Storch, his son Michael and Tom Costin just inside the tunnel shortly before the match. Such was the magnitude of the news, Pedersen promptly burst into tears.
“I spoke with David yesterday evening,” Pedersen said some hours later. “I wouldn't ask because I thought if he would tell me, he would tell me. But I could also feel that David, Michael or Tom, they have worked so hard to get everything done. And normally when there is silence before, then you also know something has happened.
“I met him in the tunnel, three metres in, and David told me there is no point deduction, well, it was crazy. Because we all know how much this means for the new season.
“I know how much effort they have done to get to this result. And this is something that makes me proud, and makes me happy that we have new owners. They have been owners maybe for 20 or 21 hours, but before this I didn't have so much feeling, so much heart from the top for our club.
“It just makes me so happy that this is the fundamentals that they will conduct this football club. The lads are happy to start a season fresh, so we can be competitive in a fair way again.”
Pedersen is expected to take the club forward into the summer as Wednesday plot a vital summer rebuild. The club will be the subject of recruitment sanctions, though it’s understood these will be closer to those already in place for League One clubs.
Arise’s takeover has not been an easy process and much work went into discussions with the EFL and other bodies to ensure they could operate from a workable base next time out. As reported elsewhere, it is believed a lack of engagement from former chairman Dejphon Chansiri over the lowering of his creditor claim allowed the EFL to apply discretion over the sanction.
The news was delivered to the fanbase in dramatic style pre-match, with a countdown delivered on the big screen from 15 to zero. A colourful ‘Honolulu Wednesday’ theme saw an attendance of 33,750 provide the biggest crowd of the Championship campaign - and some snazzy outfits. Hillsborough was alive.
“Wow. An amazing day,” Pedersen said. “When I came out 25 minutes before the game started, it was amazing. It was wow, what an energy, what an atmosphere.
“People enjoyed, people were proud, the energy was amazing. And to see the game today, I think we played a strong game. We didn't have the ball so much, but when we had it, we were good. I said to the boys in the last week before we left the training ground, guys, it's the last time I say I'm proud of you this season. But I'm not the only one that's proud of you. There are so many people out there that are proud of you.
“That's also why the fans are coming, because it's not only about results. Results are the most important thing in football. But when we couldn't give them the result, then we couldn't give them a group who have done everything they could in a difficult situation, and the fans could identify themselves with them.
“And that's why I'm so proud of you guys. And to see there is a full house today is not normal. And of course there is a new ownership, but there are also so many people in Sheffield who would love to come here today and say, hey, thank you guys. We have big respect, but it has been an awful situation. It has been the most difficult situation maybe in English football ever. But how you have handled this, and they want to say thank you.”
Pedersen left the press conference smiling and suggesting a night on the beers was in the offing. Given the pull-and-push of one of the most turbulent seasons imaginable, you can hardly blame him.