A virus, rinse and repeat and a rollercoaster - Sheffield Wednesday fans' take on a disastrous 2020

With points deductions, long winless streaks, managers being fired and much more at Hillsborough over the last 12 months, 2020 has not been a year to remember for the Wednesday faithful.

Tony Pulis’ firing by Dejphon Chansiri on Monday is probably the penultimate act of the year as the Owls prepare to take on Middlesbrough this evening under the charge of Neil Thompson, and they’ll be at least hoping to sign off the year on a bit of a high as they face off against Neil Warnock’s side in S6.

We caught up with a handful of Wednesdayites to find out their thoughts on the year that was, and it doesn’t make for pretty reading…

Here’s what three of them had to say:

Laura Lawrence (@YICETOR)

A virus is an infective agent, too small to be seen but able to multiply within a host. Symptoms for the host may appear like transfer embargoes and managers that cluster and disappear after short periods. Many players are bought as a preventative measure but nothing makes the host better. It even causes filing in the wrong tax year through morally dubious decisions.

The symptoms worsen, points are deducted, some are reinstated but the immunity barrier of winning matches, especially on a neglected Hillsborough pitch, is low to non-existent. Players go unpaid, moral hits the floor and fans just don't have the strength to take anymore.

The Chansiri virus is killing our club. 2020 has starkly highlighted the fragility of Sheffield Wednesday's internal workings. The cure of him leaving is potentially much worse.

Stevie Spence (@SteSpen5)

Our descent from promotion contention to legitimate relegation candidates has been nothing short of disastrous. After sitting in third on Christmas morning last year, a run at the play-offs seemed feasible. However a run of nine defeats in fourteen games prior to the postponement of the season in March was a much more accurate reflection of where the club was heading.

Monk’s lack of emotion when things were going wrong on the pitch led to frustration amongst the fans that was only matched when listening to his ‘rinse and repeat’ post-match analyses, which was indicative of a man struggling the squad together and playing football that would get the results needed to turn our fortunes around.

We limped over the finish line of 2019-2020 in our lowest position of the Chansiri era and yet Monk was backed when it came to bringing in his own backroom staff and had the opportunity to overhaul the squad. Despite starting the season on -12 four points against Cardiff and Watford seemed to suggest that we would be okay.

Fast forward to October and defeats against Luton, Rotherham and Wycombe – the run that was possibly the low point of the year. When Monk was relieved of his duties, the optimism of a positive appointment being made was short lived. Pulis wasn’t fans’ first choice. However his track record was unquestionable.

Unfortunately what followed was more of the same. Seven points from 30 simply wasn’t good enough.

Response on social and sporting media to Pulis’ dismissal is a further indicator that things aren’t right with the club – both on the pitch and off it. Where do we go from here? Who knows. I just hope that this time next year I am still supporting a Championship club.

Will Lowley (@LowleyW)

A global pandemic, the suspension of the beautiful game and zoom calls galore.

It’s not been easy for any of us, but Sheffield Wednesday admitted us all a ticket to its unpredictable roller-coaster.

A bewilderment of excitement (albeit not a lot of it), illation and the annihilation of manager’s contracts.

A personal highlight?

Brighton Away, 4th January 2020. A 1-0 surprise victory for SWFC began a healthy cup run, but what put the smile on most people's faces? It was Osaze Urhoghide, making his debut at 19 and exhibiting his passion for the club in an interview which went viral.

A 16th place finish later and a -12 point deduction, here we are.

Sitting 23rd in the Championship, managerless and looking for a means of survival.

We all look to 2021 with hope, not just for football, but for humanity.

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Pulis’ exit meant that he came the shortest-serving Wednesday manager of all time, taking charge of just 10 games in his 45-day tenure, and his record of just one win doesn’t make for happy browsing.

In total, the Owls won just 12 games over the course of the last 12 months – one of which was a penalty shootout victory over Walsall – as it goes down as one of the worst calendar years in the club’s long history and one that fans will be eager to put behind them.

Fingers crossed things get better from here… And we’ll be keeping an eye on what happens next as Chansiri’s hunt for Pulis’ replacement picks up some steam.

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