Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday forward George Brown says scoring on his Championship debut to help the side claim their first victory of the season is "what you dream of".

Brown scored the Owls' second goal against Portsmouth on Saturday as they won 2-0 at Fratton Park.

The 19-year-old, who is enjoying his first season with the senior squad after being promoted from the under-21s, took possession when Pompey defender Conor Shaughnessy pulled up injured and finished for his maiden senior goal.

"It's what you dream of. I couldn't ask for a better day, a better performance from everyone," Brown told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"When I found out I was starting, I was obviously buzzing and the only thing that could top it was to get a goal and that happened so an incredible feeling."

It's a moment that lingers in the imaginations of many young footballers breaking through and Brown is no exception. Though, his reaction to his first goal didn't quite go to plan.

"I think since the start of the season when I've been up with the first team, I've thought about how a goal would be incredible," Brown added.

"You kind of picture it before, what you are going to do, but when it actually happens you don't actually know what to do.

"I just saw absolute mayhem in the away end so I just thought I'll celebrate with them because it's what they deserve."

Listen to the full post-match interview with Brown and more Sheffield Wednesday content on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen has said he is "very proud" of his side after they won 2-0 at Portsmouth.

In their first league win of the season, club captain Barry Bannan scored the visitors' first on 12 minutes with a fantastic 20-yard free-kick with 19-year-old striker George Brown netting the Owls other goal early in the second half.

"I'm very happy, very proud," said the Dane to BBC Radio Sheffield. "I think it was a very intensive performance today and an intensive game.

"We had some experience in the last games where we were quickly one or two nil down, [so we needed] to give ourselves a good beginning, then we should stay in the game.

"One of the key things to win the game is how many times we could play a team-mate in [at] speed behind the opponent's defending line so a big performance to have the discipline to keep up the game plan [for] 90 minutes.

"I'm so proud of the boys."

Portsmouth will seek to make it four games unbeaten when winless Sheffield Wednesday head to Fratton Park on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Pompey are seeking a fourth clean sheet in six Championship games, having won 1-0 against Preston in their last home game and drawn the south coast derby 0-0 at Southampton last Sunday.

Wednesday have lost three straight home games without scoring, culminating in the EFL Cup exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby in midweek, but did pick up their only point from their opening five league games in their most recent away game at Wrexham.

• Portsmouth remain winless in each of their last seven league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D3 L4), losing this fixture 1-2 last season.

• Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in their last five away trips to Portsmouth in the league (W3 D2), winning the last two – the Owls have never won three in a row at Fratton Park.

• No team has kept more clean sheets in the Championship this season than Portsmouth (3). Pompey are looking for three consecutive clean sheets at this level for the first time since keeping six in a row in February and March 2011.

• Sheffield Wednesday have spent 64.4% of their Championship matches (inc. injury time) losing so far this season, the highest percentage of any club. The Owls are winless in all five games (D1 L4) although they haven't been relegated in any of their last four league seasons when failing to win any of their opening five matches (2005-06, 2007-08, 2013-14 and 2023-24).

• Although he hasn't registered an assist yet, only one player has created more chances in the Championship this season than Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan (12).

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Henrik Pedersen said his side need to "find a way to stay in the game longer", but has praised their improvements in training.

Wednesday are still on the hunt for their first win of the season and are currently avoiding the bottom of the table by a point, thanks to local rivals Sheffield United who have lost all five of their games this season.

Last Saturday's defeat to Bristol City was a case in point as the Owls were 3-0 down by the interval with no hope of getting back into the contest.

"Today we have had a really good training session which is a good start," Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"We have to find a way where we can stay in the game for a little bit longer, so we don't end the half after 45 minutes at 2-0 or 3-0.

"The first step is being very solid defensively, then maybe we need to play a little bit more simple on the ball so we can minimise the number of losses in our own half, but we need some courage and we need intensity and big discipline for our game plan.

"What I saw today in the training session was a really good with lots of discipline and intensity and good structure in the team - it would be a good beginning for a good game."

On Saturday, Wednesday play Portsmouth (15:00 BST) with John Mousinho's side occupying ninth following a positive start to the season, which has seen them lose just one game out out of their opening five fixtures.

However, Pompey keeper Nicolas Schmid is out due to a broken hand, an injury he suffered in their derby game against Southampton.

The Owls boss added: "Portsmouth are one of the sides that run the most, sprint the most with their acceleration. So, we have to match this as number one.

"Two, Josh Murphy on the left side is a great player with a lot of crossing ability, which is a battle we have to win and the second ball game is another battle we have to win."

Listen to the full pre-match interview with Pedersen and more Sheffield Wednesday content on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen insisted he was still "really proud" of his young side after they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League Two Grimsby Town.

The Owls' only two wins this season have come in the competition - by virtue of penalty shootout triumphs against Bolton and Leeds - but their progress was halted by the Mariners, who shocked Manchester United in the previous round.

Pedersen, who made 10 changes to his team from the weekend, told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I'm proud of what they have done. We have played three cup games on a really, really good level.

"The boys have showed who they are and expressed themselves in the best possible way. It was a very even game in the beginning - we lost the first ball and the second ball but the boys worked their way into the game.

"George [Brown] up front was really, really strong for us. We saw Jarvis [Thornton], we saw Sean [Fusire] and Ernie [Weaver] and Cole [McGhee] - and we saw Yisa [Alao], 16 years old who came in after 35 minutes. Big respect.

"They have to develop quick because they will get playing time."

Bristol City will look to keep their unbeaten start to the Championship alive as they visit Hillsborough on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Robins have enjoyed a good opening to the season with two wins and two draws, but are nursing some transfer window disappointment after failing to sign an additional striker.

On the other hand, Sheffield Wednesday have not yet registered a league win and will hoping to do so on home soil after signing Manchester United loanee Harry Amass on transfer deadline day.

• Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in their last three league games against Bristol City (W1 D2), with both league meetings last season ending in a draw (0-0 in October and 2-2 in January).

• Since a 3-2 win against Sheffield Wednesday in December 2012, Bristol City are without a win in their last eight league trips to Hillsborough (D3 L5).

• Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last six league games (D3 L3), while they've lost seven of their previous nine at Hillsborough (W1 D1).

• Bristol City are one of four sides still unbeaten in the Championship so far this season (W2 D2); they last avoided defeat in their opening five league games of a campaign in 2020-21.

• Each of Scott Twine's three league goals for Bristol City this season have come away from home, with each of his previous seven coming on home soil. Indeed, no player has scored more often on the road in the Championship this season than Twine.

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen has said he is "really happy" with new signing Harry Amass.

The 18-year-old joined on a season-long loan from Manchester United on transfer deadline day and could be in contention to make his debut as the Owls host Bristol City on Saturday.

Amass' arrival is a significant one because, given transfer restrictions, the left-back was the only senior outfield player brought into the club over the summer window.

"He feels really well, when I speak with him and see him on the pitch, I see a concentrated and happy boy, who likes his new life in Sheffield and he's doing really well." Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"You always have expectations before when you're choosing players, but it feels like he feels really well and I'm really happy that he's in," he said.

Pedersen also expressed his gratitude to Manchester United for seeing the potential for Amass at Hillsborough.

Amass had made seven senior appearances for United and been capped from England Under-15 through to U18 level.

"I think we have to be proud, and we have to be very thankful, because what they have done for us is fantastic and big respect for what they have done," he added.

"I'm proud because they could see that Sheffield Wednesday could be a good space and a good club for Harry and the trust they have in this direction, and on the other hand what that has done for us, it's a big respect, and thanks."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday forward Bailey Cadamarteri scored his first goal for Jamaica on Tuesday in just his second senior international appearance.

The 20-year-old made his debut for the Reggae Boyz earlier in the week during their 4-0 win over Bermuda, before scoring the opener during their 2-0 victory against Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile, Coventry City teenager Kai Andrews made his senior debut for Wales during their 1-0 friendly loss to Canada.

West Bromwich Albion had an international debutant of their own after striker Aune Heggebo replaced Manchester City's Erling Haaland in added time during Norway's 11-1 thumping of Moldova, while Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth made his first start for Hungary during their 3-2 defeat by Portugal.

Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has spoken to the media for the first time since leaving the club, claiming a "lack of dialogue" led to his exit.

Rohl guided Wednesday to 12th place in the Championship last season amid financial turmoil but eventually departed in July due to a strained relationship with owner Dejphon Chansiri.

"I went days with no sleep keeping Sheffield Wednesday up," Rohl, who led the Owls to survival in 2023-24 after taking over when they were bottom and winless after 11 games, told The Times., external

"It was around the Hull game, where we lost to a very late goal," he added, referencing the 1-0 loss to Hull City in April, to pinpoint where his unhappiness began.

"We couldn't pay salaries and wages, the communication was not what I expected and there were all the small things. I fought myself, and asked myself: 'What could happen in the summer? Do I have the conviction we can make the next step?'

"I tried to speak with the club, to see if there was a dialogue, and when there wasn't I had to take a decision."

That decision led Rohl to leave the club just 12 days before the start of the 2025-26 season, with his former assistant Henrik Pedersen stepping up to lead the side.

The Owls are 23rd in the Championship with one point from four games - and will aim to get their first league win of the season when they host Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Will Sheffield United bolster their squad some more? Will Sheffield Wednesday give fans something to smile about with any new signings?

Find out in our visualised two-hour special show as we follow all of your club's deadline day business. Watch here at 18:00 BST.

Naz Premji
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Henrik Pedersen is in charge of Sheffield Wednesday, who have had the heart ripped out of the squad - he has 12 senior players, a skeleton coaching team and an owner who it seems is reluctant to sell the football club.

Dejphon Chansiri has paid the August wages, which is a relief for all those staff both on and off the field who have had months of late payments and other problems.

Despite the troubles, Pedersen has produced a side that has shown grit, battle and determination in all of their four Championship games so far, while a much changed team of youngsters beat Bolton and Premier League Leeds United in the Carabao Cup.

The way he has galvanised a team that has experienced heads like Barry Bannan, Liam Palmer and Jamal Lowe with a set of young under-21s and in some cases under-18s players is a real credit to him and shows that indeed in times of trouble there can be that siege mentality.

After a dramatic comeback at Wrexham last Saturday saw them get off the mark, and buoyed by the EFL Cup win over Leeds, Henrik Pedersen's Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to secure their first win of the Championship season as they host Swansea City team on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Swans are unbeaten since an opening day defeat to Middlesbrough, with Alan Sheehan's side picking up four points from their two league games since.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their past eight league games against Swansea City (D4 L3), though that sole victory did come in their last meeting with the Swans in February (1-0).

• Swansea City are unbeaten across their past four away league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W1 D3), their longest ever run at Hillsborough.

• Sheffield Wednesday have failed to win any of their past five home league games against Welsh opposition (D3 L2), their longest run at Hillsborough against teams from the country.

• Swansea's opening three Championship matches this season have seen themselves (2.12) and their opponents (1.33) combine to create chances worth just 3.45 xG in total, the lowest tally in the competition.

• Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan has created 10 chances and has played 36 passes into the opposition's penalty area so far in the Championship this season – both the most of any player in the competition.

James Silverwood from the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust says they are looking for potential investors to purchase the club outright from Dejphon Chansiri or invest some funds into the club.

He also said that they have looked at a subscription service in case of the club going into administration and want to give the fans a chance to invest.

"In the scenario of administration there has to be a fan investment opportunity on the table and a fan takeover on the table to stop another bad owner coming in," Silverwood told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"The reality in Championship football is that fan owned clubs are not a realistic proposition.

"What we're trying to do now is raise a sum of capital to allow us to help a consortium, the right consortium take charge of the club."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen has confirmed that everyone at the club will be paid for August and says that everyone is happy.

Pedersen adds that the club is working with the EFL and that he has told the players that they will be receiving their salary for the month but has had no new information on whether there will be any new additions before deadline day.

Wednesday host Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 BST) with another protest planned by the fans that could disrupt the game.

"I understand the protests, as long as it has no influence on the game, I understand," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I have a big respect for Swansea, they have a good manager with a clear style of play, it's a team who are very clear offensively, I'm looking forward to this test.

"I think we have some good weeks behind us, there were some really good things in the games this week."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.