The 2008–09 season was Sheffield Wednesday Football Club's 107th competitive season, their 4th consecutive season in the Championship, and their 151st year in existence as a football club.
Season summary Sheffield Wednesday achieved their first league double over city rivals Sheffield United in 95 years, but that was the highlight of a mediocre season for the Owls. Still, a final 12th-placed finish was an improvement from the relegation struggle of the previous season.
Kit Italian manufacturers Lotto remained kit manufacturers for the season, as did Sheffield-based internet service provider Plusnet for the kit sponsorship. A new kit was introduced for the season.
Key dates 1 July 2008: Sheffield Wednesday signs James O'Connor on a free transfer from Burnley. 12 August 2008: Sheffield Wednesday lost 5–3 to Rotherham United on penalties, after drawing 2–2 in the first round of Football League Cup. 16 September 2008: Sheffield Wednesday lost 6–0 away to Reading, their worst loss of the season. 19 October 2008: Sheffield Wednesday defeated Sheffield United 1–0 in the Steel City derby. 3 January 2009: Sheffield Wednesday lost 2–1 to Fulham in the third round of FA Cup. 31 January 2009: Sheffield Wednesday signs Lewis Buxton from Stoke City for a fee of £87,000. 2 February 2009: Sheffield Wednesday signs Michael Gray from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer. 7 February 2009: Sheffield Wednesday defeated Sheffield United 2–1 at Bramall Lane, their first derby double in 95 years and first competitive win at Bramall Lane in 41 years.
Squads
First team squad As per end of the season. Name Nationality Position (s) Date of Birth (Age) Signed from Goalkeepers 1 Lee Grant GK Derby County 22 Richard O'Donnell GK Sheffield Wednesday Academy 27 Arron Jameson GK Sheffield Wednesday Academy Defenders 2 Tommy Spurr LB Sheffield Wednesday Academy 3 Peter Gilbert LB Leicester City 5 Richard Hinds CB Scunthorpe United 6 Steve Watson RB West Bromwich Albion 15 Mark Beevers CB Sheffield Wednesday Academy 16 Richard Wood CB Sheffield Wednesday Academy 19 Michael Gray LB Wolverhampton Wanderers 20 Frank Simek RB Arsenal 21 Lewis Buxton RB Stoke City Midfielders 4 Kenny Lunt CM Crewe Alexandra 8 Sean McAllister CM Sheffield Wednesday Academy 10 Darren Potter CM Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 Etiënne Esajas LW Vitesse 12 Rocky Lekaj RW Sheffield Wednesday Academy 17 James O'Connor CM Burnley 23 Jermaine Johnson RW Bradford City Forwards 7 Marcus Tudgay CF Derby County 9 Francis Jeffers CF Blackburn Rovers 14 Luke Varney CF Derby County 18 Leon Clarke CF Wolverhampton Wanderers 26 Wade Small CF Milton Keynes Dons 24 Luke Boden CF Sheffield Wednesday Academy 30 Akpo Sodje CF Port Vale 32 Nathan Modest CF Sheffield Wednesday Academy
Reserve squad
Transfers In PlayerTransferred fromFeeDateSource17MF BurnleyFree transfer21DF Lewis Buxton Stoke City£87,00019DF Michael Gray Wolverhampton WanderersFree transfer
Out PlayerTransferred ToFeeDateSource2DF Lee Bullen FalkirkFree transfer8MF Burton O'Brien FalkirkFree transfer27GK Rob Burch Lincoln CityFree transfer28DF James Kay Mansfield TownFree transfer21MF ColeraineFree transfer10FW Deon Burton Charlton AthleticFree transfer
Loan out PlayerLoaned ToStart dateEnd date24FW Luke Boden Chesterfield24FW Luke Boden Rushden & Diamonds4MF Kenny Lunt Crewe Alexandra27GK Arron Jameson Gainsborough Trinity28DF Sam Liversidge Buxton26FW Wade Small Blackpool
Loan in PlayerLoaned FromStart dateEnd date14MF Jimmy Smith Chelsea Academy19DF Tony McMahon Middlesbrough29FW Bartosz Ślusarski West Bromwich Albion10MF Darren Potter Wolverhampton Wanderers14FW Luke Varney Charlton Athletic
Competitions
Overview
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Score overview
OppositionHome scoreAway scoreAggregate scoreDoubleBarnsley0–11–21–3 Birmingham City1–11–32–4 Blackpool1–12–03–1Bristol City0–01–11–1Burnley4–14–28–3Cardiff City1–00–21–2Charlton Athletic4–12–16–2Coventry City0–10–20–3Crystal Palace2–01–13–1Derby County0–10–30–4Doncaster Rovers1–00–11–1Morecambe1–31–22–5Ipswich Town0–01–11–1Norwich City2–01–03–0 Nottingham Forest1–01–42–4Plymouth Argyle0–10–40–5Preston North End1–11–12–2Queens Park Rangers1–02–33–3Reading1–20–61–8Sheffield United1–02–13–1Southampton2–01–13–1 Swansea City0–01–11–1Watford2–02–24–2Wolverhampton Wanderers0–11–41–5
Matches
League Cup
FA Cup
Statistics
Appearances and goals As of end of season.
|colspan="12"|Players who spent the season/part of the season out on loan, or left the club in January transfer window
Goalscorers As of end of season. PlayerChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal17FW Marcus Tudgay140014218FW Leon Clarke8008311MF Etiënne Esajas302542DF Tommy Spurr310458MF Sean McAllister30039FW Francis Jeffers300323MF Jermaine Johnson300386DF Steve Watson200210MF Darren Potter200214FW Luke Varney200230FW Akpo Sodje20021210FW Deon Burton100119DF Tony McMahon100121DF Lewis Buxton100126FW Wade Small100129FW Bartosz Slusarski1001Own Goals1001TOTALS511254
Clean sheets As of end of season. PlayerChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal11GK Lee Grant130013TOTALS130013
Disciplinary record As of end of season. PlayerChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal (FA Total)1MF17 James O'Connor7001000008002MF23 Jermaine Johnson5100000005103FW9 Francis Jeffers301000000301DF19 Tony McMahon301000000301DF21 Lewis Buxton400000000400DF15 Mark Beevers400000000400DF16 Richard Wood4000000004008MF8 Sean McAllister3000000003009FW7 Marcus Tudgay200000000200FW18 Leon Clarke200000000200MF10 Darren Potter200000000200FW14 Luke Varney200000000200FW30 Akpo Sodje200000000200FW10 Deon Burton200000000200DF3 Peter Gilbert200000000200MF14 Jimmy Smith10100000010114DF2 Tommy Spurr001000000001MF11 Etiënne Esajas100000000100DF6 Steve Watson100000000100GK1 Lee Grant100000000100FW24 Luke Boden100000000100TOTALS52141000005314
Overall As of end of season. Games played 48 (46 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 1 Football League Cup)Games won 16 (16 Championship)Games drawn 13 (13 Championship)Games lost 19 (17 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 1 Football League Cup)Goals scored 54 (51 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 2 Football League Cup)Goals conceded 62 (58 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 2 Football League Cup)Goal difference –8 (–7 Championship, –1 FA Cup, 0 Football League Cup)Clean sheets 13 (13 Championship)Yellow cards 53 (52 Football League Cup, 1 FA Cup)Red cards 4 (4 Football League Cup)Worst discipline James O'Connor (7 )Best result(s) W 4–1 (H) v Burnley – Championship – 9 August 2008 W 4–1 (H) v Charlton Athletic – Championship – 17 January 2009Worst result(s) L 6–0 (A) v Reading – Championship – 16 September 2008Most appearances Lee Grant with 49 appearancesTop scorer(s) Marcus Tudgay (14 goals) Top assister(s) Jermaine Johnson, Leon Clarke & Etiënne Esajas (5 assists)
References
Notes