Last time Owls lost so badly in first match they got relegated

For Barnsley it was their worst opening day for years – for Wednesday, their worst for decades!

Owls followers who shuddered at the 4-1 defeat at Ipswich, need to go back to August 1969 to find an opening day defeat to match it.

Back then Wednesday went down 4-1 at Manchester City in the old First Division – and no Wednesdayite will want reminding what happened at the end of that 1969/70 season.

Manchester City were also the last day opponents on a rainy night at Hillsborough when the Owls were beaten and were relegated, so losing their top-flight status after a run of 11 years.

But blue and white optimists looking for a better omen from a bad first day setback need look no further back than 2004.

An opening defeat then was also by a three-goal margin when going down 3-0 at home to Colchester – and Wednesday ended that season getting promotion to The Championship!

You have to go back to 1950 for anything heavier than 4-1 for openers – then it was a 4-0 defeat at Chelsea.

Barnsley’s bad start against Coventry was in front of their own fans but it was only six years ago that they got off to a worse start.

On that occasion the Reds crashed 4-0 at Bradford City in what was Division One and is now The Championship. They ended the season being relegated.