It is true that the Wednesday flag is proudly raised in Ireland in a sea of glory hunting, a level of defiance, well established over many years, that refuses to be trampled. The confusion on people’s faces when you reveal who you support never ceases to be amusing. But is there method in the madness? As a Wednesday fan from Belfast, I will try to answer that question.
There is no logic as to why, 35 years ago, I decided to become a Wednesday fan. Apparently, I saw them on TV and said, “I’ll support that team.” I don’t have a memory of this, but with no links to Sheffield and no other Wednesday fans that I knew of, there’s no other plausible theory. I’ve just always remembered supporting them, from the early days of at least following a top-flight team to the rather more depressing times since.
During my school years, my choice of team was still an odd one, I was the only Wednesday fan in school, or outside it. But I do remember running around in my replica top with the Premier League badge on it, simpler times. I did have the occasional joy of gloating when we beat a big team. I’ll use this article to recall my cousins phoning my house every time Blackburn scored as we crashed to a 7-2 defeat. I can only take solace in the fact that it was the 90s, and I hope they got in trouble when the phone bill arrived. A few years later, I remember getting on the school bus to instant laughter after that 8-0 defeat to Newcastle.
Once I went to university in Belfast, I met some fellow Irish Owls, proving I wasn’t on my own. Meeting Ronan and Garrett showed that devotion for the Owls ran in local families too, their love for the club was passed down to them from their dad at a young age, so they had no escape from the bug and remain devoted Owls fans to this day.
There is also Chris, who had his support passed down from his dad and is now representing the Owls in New Zealand. I always said we were massive in Oceania.
There are other Irish Owls I have met over the years who deserve a very honourable mention. They have the same mentality as me, support the club for whatever reason and enjoy the bumpy ride that has followed. There are adopted Irish Owls who have moved here as well, and they continue to spread the word.
Literally as I write this, I have joined the Irish Owls Facebook page to find it has 428 members. I had no idea of those sorts of numbers, and it has blown me away. It’s certainly not bad for a club that has suffered so much this century and missed out on the Premier League boom.
I have mentioned the confusion that shows on people’s faces when you tell them you support Wednesday. It is as if I have misunderstood the question and chosen an incorrect option. I have moved away from the warm release of simply supporting a “big six” team. There will be the standard questions of “why did you make that mad choice?” and declarations of admiration. It would make for much better conversation if a wider range of teams were supported here. I do know the odd person who supports a non-fashionable team, but it’s rare.
There does remain a level of respect for Wednesday from folk here, especially those who can remember the 90s. We are seen as a big club that belongs in the top flight, but ultimately others only know us as a team that routinely struggles.
There is sadness in that, and hopefully a revival at Hillsborough brings us back into the spotlight in Ireland. It would be great to have those football chats with friends and work colleagues where I’m not explaining how our season is going in the Championship or League One as they politely listen. I also love not to listen to them talking about how hard it is to support their hugely successful team. It can be rather grating as I can only dream of my team being so rubbish.
I want to be enjoying banter where we are playing those big six teams again, and I can gloat again. It has been far too long, and it would really help raise the Wednesday flag high in Ireland.
I have always found an incredibly welcoming atmosphere from fellow Owls fans whenever I go over to games. In some ways I feel like Sheffield is a second home where I have had many good times. I have also had the pleasure of making some good friends despite the “occasional” language barrier as we struggle to understand each other’s accents. If you are an Irish Owl who has never been to Sheffield and is considering it, then I would advise you to go for it. You will get a buzz every time you head to Hillsborough no matter what age you are, and will be chatting to locals in no time.
So, despite the many hard times supporting Wednesday, I am so glad I chose to be an Owl. It is certainly testing, to say the least, but it really makes the good times so much sweeter. You could support Man United, along with so many others, and see your team win countless trophies. But if you choose a team for glory, there is no real glory in supporting them.
This article is dedicated to every single Irish and adopted Irish Owl out there. WAWAW.