Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has expressed compassion for Sheffield Wednesday’s current situation, stating that the club ‘can’t go out of existence’ and hopes to move on to ‘greater things’ under new ownership.
This happened after Heckingbottom’s Preston team battled with the Owls at Hillsborough last Saturday afternoon, winning 3-2 despite falling behind twice in Yorkshire.
Ben Whiteman, Lewis Dobbin, and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen all scored for the Lilywhites, who overturned an early 14-minute brace by Wednesday’s Charlie McNeill.
From Wednesday’s standpoint, it was a terrific display of fight, emotion, and commitment, but they fell short against a squad with Premier League ambitions.
However, one thing is certain about the Owls: they will fight till the end.
Relegation seems highly likely, given that the club is currently 21 points from safety with 28 games remaining in the season, but all the team can do is grind it out until the end, obtain a change of ownership, and then focus on the challenge of returning to the second division as soon as possible.
However, Wednesday are still looking for a replacement at the club’s top level after Dejphon Chansiri placed the club in administration at the end of October.
The takeover competition has taken numerous twists and turns over the last month, with former Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor and US billionaire John McEvoy mentioned in recent weeks, while an unknown Middle Eastern entity has withdrawn from the race.
Another candidate has emerged in the form of Midtylland owner Anders Holch Povlsen, while former Newcastle United manager Mike Ashley is said to have made a £20 million approach to buy the football club.
With talks heating up, it appears that the ownership competition is drawing to a close, but it must happen as soon as possible to guarantee the club has the much-needed stability to work with moving forward.
Paul Heckingbottom expressed sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday’s position.
Meanwhile, Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom, who has been on both sides of the Steel City, having played for Wednesday in the 2000s and coaching Sheffield United more recently, spoke about the Owls’ plight.
In a video uploaded on X by The Star, Heckingbottom stated that witnessing the troubles at Hillsborough this year has been unpleasant, but he believes the club will be moving towards “bigger things” once ownership changes.
When asked about Wednesday’s incident, Heckingbottom said, “Yeah, it’s not good. I live next door to a Wednesday season ticket holder, across the street from a Blade, and next door to Leeds, so it’s been a little of fun.
“But it isn’t nice and you don’t want it. I believe the size of Wednesday has brought everything home to roost.
“I believe the value of fans at a football club was demonstrated to everyone on Wednesday as well, given the size of the club. Again, no disrespect to the League Two clubs who have been through it, but Sheffield Wednesday cannot go out of business; everyone remembers Wednesday from the 1980s and 1990s.
“I believe it has placed a focus on it, and while administration is not always a good thing, it was applauded, and perhaps they are thinking about greater things.
“Who knows what they do this season with the league and the points because it isn’t the most important thing, it’s the ownership that’s the most important thing.”
Sheffield Wednesday’s plight has united the football community.
Paul Heckingbottom’s statements were both elegant and representative of how most football fans feel about what is happening at Hillsborough right now.
Some may be surprised given his previous connections to Bramall Lane, but this demonstrates how some things in sport go beyond rivalry, especially when a club is on the verge of extinction.
As Heckingbottom pointed out, it just cannot happen given Wednesday’s stature and historic history, with the club owning Premier League features such as an iconic stadium and an extremely dedicated following.
While relegation from the Championship is almost certain this season due to their points deduction, there is still hope that the club will grow from strength to strength under new leadership, securing significant investment and having a strong enough squad to gain promotion from League One on the first try.
While it is unclear whether the ownership change will have the desired impact, everyone involved with Wednesday hopes that it will serve as a spark for the team to return to England’s top flight one day.
xz
