Sheffield Wednesday’s dreadful season took a new low when they were relegated by Steel City rivals Sheffield United on Sunday.

Wednesday’s season was always going to be difficult after losing many of their key players in the summer, but their mission of escaping relegation was rendered nearly impossible as they were docked 18 points altogether.

The Owls’ fate was decided after losing 2-1 to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday, and it was the quickest relegation in English football history, with 13 games left in the season.

With nothing left to play for on the pitch, Wednesday’s primary focus in the coming months will be to exit administration and secure new ownership, but the race to buy the club took a dramatic turn this week when James Bord’s consortium ruled themselves out of the running, despite being named the preferred bidder over two months ago.

One of the most important choices confronting whoever takes over at Hillsborough will be the future of manager Henrik Pedersen, but while many believe his resignation is unavoidable this summer, he has received support from an unlikely source.

Chris Wilder issues an impassioned Henrik Pedersen defense following Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation.

Wilder has not held back in celebrating previous Steel City derby victories, but the Sheffield United boss was surprisingly quiet following his team’s recent victory over Wednesday, and he even took a sympathetic tone in his post-match interview.

This week, the 58-year-old defended Pedersen for about six minutes, expressing respect for the Dane and discussing the obstacles he encountered at Hillsborough this season.Henrik is someone I’ve always gotten along with. Because of our media engagements, I just had 30 seconds with him after the game.

“I didn’t see him in my office, but he always comes in, which I like, and I spoke with him this morning,” Wilder said in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.People wonder if he is good on the grass. Is he good tactically? We’re all decent to get to the stage in our careers, to be good on the field, and to be tactically clever and proactive.Henrik had several offers, but chose to manage Sheffield Wednesday after the previous manager resigned.

Despite the fact that players had to leave the club to protect their careers and families at the start of the season, Henrik remained committed to the job.The team’s lack of readiness for the Championship or even League One, combined with injuries, is a constant source of frustration for the manager.

He must inspire his team every day.People notice when he goes in feeling sorry for himself. It’s not just about the grass or the tactics; it’s about inspiring others when you’re going through a difficult time. He needs to motivate his coaches, staff, players, and supporters, and they have been competitive in every game.”

Chris Wilder’s comments may rekindle Sheffield Wednesday’s respect for Henrik Pedersen.

Pedersen has come under growing scrutiny from Wednesday fans in recent weeks, with both his results and methods drawing criticism from the Hillsborough faithful.

Given that Pedersen has only won one of his 38 games in charge of the Owls, and his team is now on a 28-game winless streak in the league, including ten straight defeats, part of the criticism has been justified, but Wilder’s comments have provided a new perspective on his predicament.

Of course, a cynical view would be that Wilder does not see Pedersen as a threat, and with the balance of power in the Steel City tilting even further towards Sheffield United, the 58-year-old is much more likely to be magnanimous and supportive of the Wednesday manager.

However, Wilder is not renowned for sugarcoating his thoughts, and when discussing Pedersen this week, he provided a perspective that perhaps only a fellow manager could supply, giving those in S6 food for thought.

With a thin squad full of young players, it has long been assumed that Pedersen lacks the tools to make his side competitive in the Championship, but Wilder spoke of the motivational role he has had to play at Hillsborough this season, keeping the spirits of players and staff high while dealing with his own personal disappointment after each defeat.

It may even be argued that judging Pedersen only on results this season is unfair considering the Owls’ enormous disadvantage relative to their second-tier competitors, but there will be little room for sentiment when it comes to his future in the summer.

Pedersen is a well-regarded coach, and with a stronger squad at his disposal and a more stable environment, he may be the man to lead Wednesday to League One promotion, but even with the several mitigating conditions, sticking with him next season would be a risky move.