Sheffield Wednesday: What an EFL pundit has had to say about a potential points deduction for the Owls

The Owls were slapped with the charge on Thursday. It centres on an ongoing review of the circumstances in which the £60m sale of Hillsborough was completed and a guilty finding could see Wednesday slapped with a points deduction.

It would be the second points deduction suffered by Owls boss Garry Monk in as many seasons, after his Birmingham City side had 12 points stripped from them last season.

There are similarities between the scenarios, too. The Blues were on a charge towards the Championship play-off places in a rich vein of form before the deduction was enacted. They finished 17th and after falling out with Birmingham owner Xuandong Ren, Monk was sacked in June.

The irony of potentially having to do it all again has not been lost on Sky Sport pundit and former Sunderland forward Don Goodman, who said on Sky Sports EFL Podcast this week: “How unlucky can you be if you’re Garry Monk?

“It seems to have been a blatant disregard of the rules and that’s why they may well be hit very hard.

“You’ve got to feel for Garry Monk, you’ve got to feel for the fans.”

The Owls have been within touch of the play off places throughout the season, scaling the heights of third just over a month ago.

And with no club taking the division by storm as in previous years, Goodman is in no doubt how much a derailing deduction would hurt the club in this of all seasons.

“With Sheffield Wednesday, this season represents a wonderful opportunity for so many clubs that haven’t been around that area for quite some time and they are one of them,” he said.

“They have genuine play-off ability within that squad and Garry Monk, so any kind of points deduction is really going to hit them, you feel.”

Speaking in the days after Birmingham’s sanction was confirmed, the now-Owls boss praised his players but admitted the club had to face the consequences of their actions.

He said: “Even though they’ve had another blow with these nine points, it doesn’t change what we set out to do. It just means we have to do it all over again.

“I don’t wish any clubs to have to go through what we have gone through. But of course those rules and regulations are there for a reason. Consistency is what you expect.”