Sheffield Wednesday are leading the League One table after a stunning start to the new campaign. The Owls have won all four of their opening matches, scoring 25 goals in the process, a remarkable turnaround from the misery of last season.
This week's report from sports.yahoo.com highlights the club's perfect opening chapter under manager Henrik Pedersen. It'd be putting smiles on many fans' faces after the year from hell last season. That period saw the club go into administration, receive points deductions, and suffer from decimated squads and late staff payments under owner Dejphon Chansiri.
How has the squad been rebuilt?
Sheffield Wednesday undertook a massive overhaul this summer. They signed 18 senior players and brought in six loan additions, including young Manchester City forward Jaden Heskey. Sporting director Simon Wilson has been central to this recruitment drive. The squad now blends youth, like defender Sil Swinkels, with experienced heads such as Ricardo Santos and Liam Cooper, whose minutes will need careful management. You can view the full roster on our squad page.
EFL rules mean only five of those loan players can feature on any given matchday, presenting a selection challenge. But the new-look team has gelled instantly. They are joint-top scorers in the division with Huddersfield Town and rank third in the expected goals (xG) table, showing their attacking dominance is no fluke.
What does the perfect start look like?
The results speak for themselves. Wednesday began with a 2-1 away win at Leyton Orient. They followed that with another 2-1 victory on the road at Wycombe. A third consecutive 2-1 away triumph came at Peterborough, a traditionally tough venue. The most emphatic statement was a 7-2 demolition of Bromley at Hillsborough, their home ground.
This form is a stark contrast to their final position last term. Sheffield Wednesday finished the 2025 Championship season in 24th place, relegated with just one win, 11 draws, and 30 losses from 42 games. They conceded 82 goals and ended with a goal difference of -57, a full 90 points behind champions Coventry City. Their recent form at the end of that campaign was DDLLL. The current League One standings show how far they've come.
How does this compare to other promoted contenders?
While Wednesday fly high, other fancied teams have stumbled. Leicester City, heavily tipped for an immediate return to the Premier League, were thrashed 4-0 by Oxford United at the King Power Stadium. That result leaves them languishing in 17th place in the Championship. Birmingham City, remembered as a well-oiled machine during their own League One promotion two years ago, provide a blueprint the Owls will hope to emulate.
Manager Henrik Pedersen is keeping feet on the ground. "He deserves credit for delivering a winning start," Pedersen said of the collective effort. The focus now shifts to maintaining this momentum. The team's next challenge is to continue this form, with upcoming matches detailed on our fixtures list. Their next home game at Hillsborough is scheduled for September 20th.
