Sheffield United 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday: Owls relegated as Steel City derby seals fall
Sheffield United defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the Steel City derby as the result confirmed the Owls' relegation from the Championship. The outcome leaves sheffield united with derby bragging rights while Sheffield Wednesday are relegated in February after a 2-1 defeat at Bramall Lane.
Match events and key moments
The scoreline was set early and never overturned. Bamford slotted the Blades into a second-minute lead, and Burrows fired in a superb second for Sheff Utd. McNeill pulled a goal back for Sheff Wed with a low strike, but the comeback fell short and the game finished 2-1.
Sheffield United take bragging rights
Sheffield United take the bragging rights on derby day, a result made more fractious when Blades midfielder Phillips was sent off for a high challenge. The dismissal followed the two Sheffield United goals and did not prevent the Blades holding on for victory.
Pedersen's reaction and quotes
Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen, speaking after the earliest relegation in EFL history, said: "It's so sad that it's happened here (at Bramall Lane). But the bigger picture, it's so sad that a club like Sheffield Wednesday has been relegated in February. " He added: "We have to keep on working. We have to set high standards again tomorrow and the next day. It doesn't matter if we are relegated, we want to give the fans as many good games as possible and get on plus. " On the future he said: "We are all looking forward so everyone can get an idea of what will happen with club in the future. "
Context: form, points and administration
The result hands a symbolic and painful conclusion to a season defined by off-pitch problems. Wednesday were docked 12 points for entering administration after former owner Dejphon Chansiri agreed to end his near 11 years at the helm and sell up in October. A further six points were deducted in December for repeated late payment of wages, leaving Sheffield Wednesday bottom of the Championship on minus seven points. The table on 22 February shows that Sheffield Wednesday, on minus seven points, are relegated.
Takeover, reaction and long-term concerns
Supporters and club figures remain focused on the long-term future. Steve Chu, secretary of the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust, said: "From a symbolic viewpoint, it [relegation] happening at Bramall Lane is not something we want, but most fans have been expecting relegation for some time now. " He added: "One hundred per cent of the blame [for this] lies at Mr Chansiri's door. There's been massive underinvestment in core infrastructure and we're living with the consequences. "
Chansiri's decision to sell prompted a two-month auction run by the administrator Begbies Traynor, which announced recommended preferred bidders on Christmas Eve. A three-man consortium comprising the former professional gambler James Bord, German AI entrepreneur Felix Roemer and Jordanian businessman Alsharif Faisal Bin Jamil is understood to have paid a multimillion pound deposit and agreed a fee in excess of £30m to take control at Hillsborough. That proposed takeover has still to be ratified by the EFL, with the consortium's assessment under the mandatory Owners' and Directors' Test believed to be at an early stage, and a source involved in the due diligence process has said the proposed buyout is in danger of "unravelling. "
Fan reaction and season record
There was visible resignation among supporters and commentators. Dan Fudge, host of the Wednesday Week podcast, told Nick Wylie: "If you win it'll be like kicking a cat. We've got bigger things to worry about than bragging rights. " Commentators noted the scale of the collapse: Wednesday's first goal in 11 games arrived against Millwall last Saturday, a match the club lost 2-1 and which represented their 10th consecutive defeat. Wednesday's last Championship point had been collected on 29 December in a goalless draw against Blackburn, and the season's sole league triumph was a 2-0 victory at Portsmouth in September.
The club faces the prospect of playing League One football in August after what has been described as the most wretched campaign imaginable. Manager Chris Wilder noted there is still nearly a third of the season to go, while commentary on the Championship added that there is very little time to digest events with a whole round of matches due in little more than 48 hours.
For completeness, a Sheffield United FC page returned the message: "Sorry, it looks like the page you are looking for isn't available right now. " As a neutral observer wrote after the game: Wednesday can hold their heads high; no one currently at the club is responsible for the mess the previous owner caused, and they gave their rivals a proper game given the circumstances.
The inevitable has come to pass for Sheffield Wednesday in what many described as the worst possible venue: Bramall Lane. Owls become the first EFL side to go down in February, a previously unprecedented relegation month for an English Football League club.
Closing: Sheffield United have taken the derby win and the immediate bragging rights; Sheffield Wednesday must now confront relegation, takeover uncertainty and rebuilding ahead of League One football in August.
