Hillsborough improvements update as work begins to remove former Sheffield Wednesday badge
Sheffield Wednesday’s former badge, which was reintroduced by Dejphon Chansiri over a decade ago, is being removed from the Kop at Hillsborough.
Work to remove Sheffield Wednesday’s former badge from the side of the Kop at Hillsborough started on Thursday morning, marking another milestone in the club’s quest to put the Dejphon Chansiri era behind it.
The former badge, which was reintroduced by Chansiri in January 2016, has been present on the North Stand side of the Kop for a number of years, meaning it has been impossible for people walking or driving along Penistone Road to miss it.
Following Arise Capital Partners’ takeover of the Owls at the beginning of May, the club revealed that it would be changing its badge ahead of the 2026/27 season, reverting to the retro owl with a fresh, modern take. The new badge features on this season’s kits, the club’s social media channels and official website, while a temporary badge has also been placed on a giant flag above the main reception at the end of the South Stand bridge.
The logistics of removing the former badge from the side of the Kop meant it was never going to be an easy task, with construction workers having to close one lane of traffic on Penistone Road to carry out the work. Removing the old badge has been on a lengthy to-do list that the club has been working its way through over the summer.
The Star understands Wednesday plan to replace the old badge with the new design in a similar format. The removal of the former badge has left markings where it was positioned, which are set to be covered by the new badge.
Additionally, the temporary badge above the South Stand reception is set to be removed and replaced with a permanent fixture. It is understood work to remove the temporary badge could begin as early as today (Thursday).
Although it is not clear how soon the new badge above the South Stand reception area will be in position, it highlights Arise’s desire to press ahead with introducing new features as quickly as possible.
Cosmetic changes have been a running theme throughout the summer, both at Hillsborough and Middlewood Road. The club shared images last month of the cosmetic upgrades that had been made inside and outside the training ground.
Alongside the removal of the badge on the side of the Kop on Thursday morning, the car park adjacent to the Kop on the South Stand side of Hillsborough was a hive of activity, with vans and wagons taking up just about every inch of available tarmac. Work of some kind was also continuing on the North Stand roof.
Wednesday take on Bolton Wanderers at Hillsborough in their opening game of the 2026/27 campaign on Saturday afternoon, facing the Championship side in the first round of the Carabao Cup. Only the South Stand and the bottom half of the Kop will be open to home supporters for the fixture.