There aren’t too many positives for Sheffield Wednesday fans to take from this season, but the state of the Hillsborough pitch is definitely one of them.

It’s usually around this time each year that, amid the inclement weather and heavy usage, the field of play at S6 starts to come under real strain. It’s been debated for years, and various different reasons have been suggested as to why it got as bad as it did.

This season, however, following the appointment of Lee Jackson as Head Groundsman a year ago, the Owls head into mid-February with the pitch looking lusher than it has in recent memory at this time of year. Jackson, who spent decades at Manchester City prior to joining Wednesday, has been rightly praised for the work that he and his team have done over the last 12 months.

Interestingly, when taking to social media recently, Jackson went into some detail on how the changes have been brought about, and laughed off a poll that suggested he wouldn’t make it a year in the job.

Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough pitch is in great nick

“So a full year has passed since starting at Wednesday, and it’s fair to say it’s been eventful,” he said in a post on LinkedIn last month. “When I first walked into Hillsborough I was a little taken aback as to where we were at that point, which was a million miles from where we wanted and needed to be. It was just like walking into Maine Road as a 16-year-old YTS member of staff in August 1991, except this time there was no grass. Fast forward 12 months and we’re now just half a million miles away, yet so much has been achieved by the team.

“Today is the 25th use of the stadium pitch this season (16 x first team games, 4 x under 21 games, 4 x training sessions), it hit the same usage last season a year ago tomorrow, but that’s where the similarities end. A much enhanced fertiliser and chemical programme, a more structured pattern of use of the limited light rigs we have concentrating more on the south side but slightly compromising the north, replacement of infield sprinkler heads, a far better draining surface and a partly rebuilt pitch and surrounds (not quite a ‘new’ pitch as everyone keeps referring to it as).

“We’re currently in the usual January lull where the pitch is at its worst given high usage and smaller windows for recovery but once we’re through that we’ll hopefully be in a good position for early spring recovery heading towards the season's end.

“The one thing above all the changes mentioned above and the many more I haven’t mentioned, has been the staff around me, of which two were already here and two were recruited since I started. The hunger and desire to want better and to want to be better has been special. Everything that has changed has happened with their input and involvement, giving them a real sense of belonging to what we’re trying to achieve.

“The wider support of many others around the club including the fans who have stuck with the club has also been special too, everyone has been working through exceptional circumstances but all stood together with the light at the end of the tunnel getting closer all the time. The support of our suppliers and contractors has also been invaluable, they’ve been incredibly supportive over recent months and we’re grateful to those who have stuck by us.

“Just under 12 months ago a fans forum ran a poll online asking how long I’d last (yes, really!), now that I’ve hit 12 months I’ve managed to prove over 89% of them are as bad at guessing as I am! It hasn’t all been plain sailing, and nor will it be, but the ships definitely heading in the right direction-well done doing our job!”

Wednesday have just five games left to play at S6 this season before the 2025/26 campaign comes to an end, and after doing such a sterling job maintaining it, Jackson will be hoping to see the team do achieve something on the field that’s not been done yet - win a game of football.