Sheff Wed show ‘togetherness’ amid protests at owner

Although the relationship between Sheffield Wednesday supporters and Dejphon Chansiri’s owner may be strained, Henrik Pedersen’s team produced a Carabao Cup upset against Leeds on Tuesday, giving them a sense of pride.

Following a summer of unrest, which included the club paying wages on time for a third consecutive month and facing sanctions from the EFL, Wednesday fans have been venting their dissatisfaction with the Thai businessman.

During the opening match of the championship against Leicester on Wednesday, there were ostensible protests against Chansiri, and that trend continued into the Leeds game as thousands of supporters decided to abstain.

Instead, many people opted to watch the action at watch-a-longs in bars and clubs, where a young Wednesday side put on a show full of guts and desire.

The Owls faced Leeds, where they faced a side with four 20-year-olds, five teenagers, and an average age of 21 as a result of their difficult summer, which saw them start the season with just 12 senior players.

However, Sheffield Wednesday won 3-0 on penalties after drawing 1-1 against their Premier League rivals, showing no signs of a class division.

After the game, Pedersen addressed Sky Sports, “Really, really proud.” I’m just proud of how they managed to stay together.

Nobody could see how much they had stepped up in a game like this, and how much we respect our boys.

The fans were also able to feel the togetherness for ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who covered the game for BBC Radio 5 live.

He said, “There’s an incredible story going on at the club right now.”

Many supporters chose to stay away from the stadium and instead sided with those who did.

They finally decided against the club’s management and owner.

In response, they have begun protesting ownership in public and vocal terms.

A banner emblazoned in their opening Championship game against Leicester was displayed, and fans recently staged a mock funeral procession with a coffin, which they claimed represented “the death of the football club.”

On their website, the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust urged fans to boycott the game and instead donate the tickets to Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

Before the kick-off, BBC Radio 5 live commentator Alistair Bruce-Ball said, “I can’t imagine many Sheffield Wednesday against Leeds games that have ever been played in a Hillsborough stadium like this.”

“It was because I didn’t go to this game,” the protester said.

“I’m pretty sure that the home support may far outnumber the Leeds fans, who are about 3, 000 of them.”

Many fans have been “torn” by the protest, according to Rob Staton, a reporter for BBC Radio Sheffield.

Fans can’t attend the away games if they don’t come, he said, and that’s where the bigger protests are taking place, he continued.