Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore admits he ‘100 per cent’ understands fans booing

Many of the 1,600 travelling Wednesdayites made their frustrations clear at full time on Sunday after the Owls slipped to their second consecutive loss on the road when they went down 1-0 at Shrewsbury Town.

A first-half goal from a corner kick proved the difference between the two sides in a match where Wednesday struggled to create any clear chances, despite dominating possession.

Asked if he could understand fans’ disappointment, Moore replied: “Yeah, 100 per cent. There’s so much expectancy and so much urgency at the club.

"You can understand, playing for Sheffield Wednesday, that is to be expected. If it didn’t come, you would be worried it didn’t come. The fans care, we care. They have come here today to see their team get three points but unfortunately in football I’m a firm believer that you have got to go and earn it and we have not earned it today.

"We have not done enough today to go and win the game.”

The result, which followed a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Sunderland on Thursday, leaves the Owls six points off the play-off places just past the halfway point of the season, with 22 games remaining.

They had gone 12 games unbeaten before losing to the Black Cats upon their return to league action after a Covid-19 outbreak saw Middlewood Road closed for 19 days and two festive fixtures postponed.

Moore added: “We just couldn’t find that final touch to get a goal. We huffed and puffed, they went to a low block and defended their goal resolutely.

"It was a game where we wanted a reaction results-wise. In terms of where we’ve been at, I think we’ve come off a crest of where we were at.

"Since we have had the break we’ve come back and had two losses in two games. We have to get back on the training ground and back to basics.”

Moore’s side will have a free weekend next week as they are not involved in the FA Cup third round.

The Owls return to action against Plymouth Argyle at Hillsborough on 15 January.