Nathan Jones' comments struck a chord about Sheffield Wednesday's plight under Dejphon Chansiri
Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones went out of his way to applaud Sheffield Wednesday’s fans after Saturday’s game at The Valley.
There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes and Sheffield Wednesday supporters packing out an away end.
However, it is almost unheard of for an opposition manager to approach the travelling contingent of Owls supporters and applaud them.
Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones, however, was an exception to that rule on Saturday, making the decision to applaud the Wednesday supporters at The Valley after his side’s hard-fought 2-1 victory.
The passion-fuelled Welshman, who has done a sterling job since taking over at The Valley in February 2024, went over to the away end to applaud the travelling Wednesdayites for travelling in such terrific numbers during a time of such distress and concern.
It was discovered a little over 48 hours before kick-off in the capital that Wednesday are close to being issued with a winding-up petition by HMRC over an unpaid tax bill.
Despite the ongoing carnage off the pitch, Wednesday’s supporters are doing their very best to stay behind the team and the coaching staff trying to make the best of a bad situation on the pitch. Although the Owls suffered a second successive defeat at The Valley that saw them slip to the bottom of the table, their performance, particularly in the second half, was not without heart and determination.
Although nobody knows what the coming days, weeks or months will look like for Wednesday, it is highly likely now they have slipped to the Championship’s basement, they will be staying there. Even without the threat of administration, a points deduction is highly likely amid Dejphon Chansiri’s repeated failure to pay Wednesday’s players on time over the last few months.
With that said, not that many supporters have been brave enough to think otherwise, it is almost inevitable Wednesday will be playing in League One next season - and none of the blame lies at the feet of those who are representing the club on the pitch.
Years of mismanagement at the top have contributed to Wednesday’s decline, so much so the club’s future is now up in the air more than ever before during Chansiri’s premiership. That is why Jones’ post-match comments were so striking and reminding of what the Owls have had in the past and what the club has to offer in terms of potential.
Jones reflects on Wednesday’s past
“I know there are bigger problems in the world than football clubs and football owners,” said Jones. “I know things happen at football clubs.
“To be fair to him, Chansiri put a lot of money into Sheffield Wednesday. They had a right go at getting promoted, I remember playing against a wonderful side with Steven Fletcher and players like that and things turned.
“I have no idea why and I can’t comment because it’s not my concern. But it’s a wonderful football club with a wonderful fan base.
“I love going to Hillsborough, it has great history. Chris Waddle is my favourite-ever player. I remember those teams with John Sheridan, David Hirst. I loved watching them.
“It’s a fantastic football club and hopefully whatever has to be done can be done.”
Jones’ comments struck a chord. Wednesday’s ongoing plight under Chansiri is, among the anger and frustration, now generating an overriding feeling of sadness and helplessness.
For Wednesday fans of a certain age, the glory years of the 90s will evoke fond memories that supporters of a younger age must now be wondering if they will ever see anything comparable.
The club’s decline under Chansiri’s ownership, despite it starting so positively back in 2015/16 and 2016/17, is soul-destroying for any Wednesdayite to see. It’s painful and demoralising.
The threat of administration, although there are various factors and hoops to navigate before that possibility potentially becomes a reality, could be Wednesday’s best opportunity to escape Chansiri’s clutches. The fact it may come to that tells you all you need to know about the current feeling of desperation among the fan base.
After Coventry City boss Frank Lampard, speaking after his side’s 5-0 win at Hillsborough earlier this month, recalled the days when Wednesday had Hirst up front and were one of the country’s leading lights, Jones’ comments have only hammered home the severity of the situation Wednesday now find themselves in.
There is an outpouring of sympathy for one of English football’s most recognisable institutions, which will be welcomed by Wednesdayites, but it only further highlights the severity of the situation the club finds itself in.
Anger and frustration is now being replaced by sadness.