As the Championship season draws to a close, Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion are both eager to put a turbulent campaign behind them. Saturday's clash at Hillsborough (12:30 BST) carries significant weight, especially for the home side, who are teetering on the edge of an unwanted piece of football history.
Sheffield Wednesday's season has been marred by off-field turmoil and ownership struggles, leading to a dismal run on the pitch. A failure to beat West Brom would make them the first team in England's top four tiers to go an entire season without a single home win. That's a stat no club wants etched into their record books, and it adds extra pressure to an already tense fixture.
West Brom, meanwhile, secured their Championship status for a second time last weekend with a draw against Ipswich, following a two-point deduction earlier in the season. While they've avoided the drop, they'll be looking to finish on a high note and build momentum for the next campaign.
History offers a glimmer of hope for the Owls, who have won their last two Championship home games against West Brom—a 3-0 victory in 2023-24 and a 3-2 thriller last season. However, the Baggies have been dominant in recent meetings overall, losing just two of their last 13 league encounters (W7 D4), including a goalless draw in the reverse fixture back in November.
Sheffield Wednesday also boast a strong record in season finales, having not lost their last league game in any of the past five seasons (W3 D2). That's their best run since an 11-match streak from 1947-48 to 1957-58. West Brom, too, have found form on the final day, winning their last two season-closing matches—a feat they haven't achieved three times in a row since 1991-92 to 1993-94.
But the stakes are higher for Wednesday. If they fail to secure a win, they would become the first side in England's top four tiers to end a season with just one league victory since Derby County's infamous 2007-08 Premier League campaign. In a 46-game season, the fewest wins on record is two, set by Rochdale in the third tier back in 1973-74. Avoiding that dubious milestone will be the top priority for the Owls as they step onto the pitch.