The memorable night Hillsborough literally shook and Sheffield Wednesday were 'on their way back'
It’s 10 years today since Sheffield Wednesday’s Play-Off semi-final first leg win over Brighton. Chris Holt recalls a night that will live long in the memory to those who were there.
“I thought, 'Jesus, the stand's going to come down in a minute!'”
That was Tom Lees after Sheffield Wednesday had beaten Brighton in the first leg of their Play-Off semi-final at Hillsborough, on this day in 2016. It felt exactly that way.
‘We’re Sheffield Wednesday, we’re on our way back...’ the anthem of a season, thumped through Hillsborough. A somewhat surprising charge towards a return to the Premier League had hit this moment and caused a sonic boom around S6.
An impromptu lightshow from the stands with phone torches flickering like stars, in your mind softened the noise to bring about an almost dream-like experience before yet again the din lifted and the old ground shook once more to the sound of a community rising in the belief that, yes... this is our night and yes... this could be our year.
Putting to one side what happened in the days, weeks, months and especially years after, this night at Hillsborough, however bittersweet, remains once of the most memorable in Wednesday’s recent history.
It was a night that put the Owls back on the big stage, nearly two decades after they were relegated from the top flight, and reminded the rest of the country of the club’s hidden mangitude.
They absolutely battered Brighton.
The scoreline may have read 2-0, but Carlos Carvalhal’s side were incredible, deserving of at least two more goals and the Seagulls were being shot down – almost literally in some respects as they picked up a number of injuries which really only added to the tension.
Fernando Forestieri first lifted the roof with a strike that was ultimately ruled out for offside, much to his Portuguese boss’ anger.
However, there was no frustration when just before half time, Ross Wallace jinked inside and drove beyond future Owl and promotion hero David Stockdale. Ironically, the keeper would bear witness - from the bench - to an even more memorable night at Hillsborough seven years later.
With about 20 minutes remaining in this one, Brighton on the ropes, Kieran Lee struck the decisive blow latching onto a Forestieri through ball to double the lead.
A packed-out stadium, under the Friday night lights on a mild May evening had bristled, shook and exploded throughout. Even the players admitted to having their senses heightened by what was going on around them.
“It sends a shiver down your spine. It is unbelievable,” said Lee afterwards. The fact that he even spoke about it was almost momentous in itself, such was the man with the golden touch’s media-shy nature.
"It was absolutely unreal," Tom Lees then told the press at a Hillsborough that was now empty but still felt like it was holding the noise of the previous few hours. "It was the best atmosphere I've played in by a country mile.
"The lads were saying afterwards when all the lights went on (the fans’) phones, all round the stadium, it gave us goosebumps. At one point when one side was bouncing, I could see on the pitch, the floodlights were actually moving. I thought, 'Jesus, the stand's going to come down in a minute!'
"That shows how much noise and how much passion there was."
A few days later, 2,000 Wednesdayites headed south and watched their side defend like their lives depended on it, with a 1-1 draw sealing a place at Wembley.
We all know what happened there and in the years since at Wednesday, but even still, that night of May 13 in Sheffield will remain etched in the memory of all those who were there.