Sheffield Wednesday to launch legends effort with David Storch surprise at Dejphon Chansiri approach
A new era for Sheffield Wednesday will be influenced by its history.
Sheffield Wednesday will this evening host a get together with former players and club figures in an attempt to build bridges damaged in the last decade.
Senior club figures including chairman David Storch will host a range of iconic Wednesday names at Hillsborough stadium early evening, The Star understands, to pick their brains on the requirements of the club and in an attempt to bring them back into the fold after many felt dismissed by ousted former owner Dejphon Chansiri.
Among the figures invited include a host of recognisable names, ranging from players from the 1960s to the halcyon days of the late 1980s and some iconic figures that lifted the League Cup in 1991. One attendee told The Star he felt his ‘contribution to the club was being recognised again’ by the invite. Another described the initiative as a ‘sensible thing to do’. Newly-announced club ambassador David Hirst is expected to be there, as is ‘Mr Sheffield Wednesday’ Howard Wilkinson. Around 40 famous Owls names are believed to have been invited.
The focus of the informal meet-up is to re-engage ex-players, with the club keen to bring them in to the matchday experience and better recognise the club’s history. It was announced earlier this week that club icon Hirst will host matchdays in a reinvented 1867 Lounge space from the coming season, with the re-fitted room reimagined as ‘Hirsty’s Social’.
Speaking at a club event on Monday, chairman Storch spoke of his passion for history generally and his desire to offer a better appreciation of Wednesday’s story. Among the very many projects spoken about is a new ‘history room’, he suggested, to showcase artefacts that go back to the club’s 1867 inception. The entrance to Hirsty’s Social will include space for memorabilia.
“The history is so vital and we are going to bring the history out,” Storch said. “On the day we took over the club I was in the chairman’s office, I had never been there before and I was just checking it out. I noticed there were a bunch of trophies, plaques and so many things that record the history of the club. They’re sat there in an office where one person can see them.
“I have challenged David (Bruce, CEO) to create a history room, where fans can come by to see and contribute to the telling of the history of this club and its past accomplishments and its past records. It’s pretty remarkable, it’s something we should be proud of and it’s something we should build upon.”