As one of those who attended the 150th birthday dinner at Ponds Forge on Monday night, a big ‘well done’ to the club on what I would say was a splendid evening and a fitting way to have marked such a milestone in the history of Sheffield Wednesday.
The club has taken its fair share of off-the-field criticism in recent weeks, with the new kits fiasco and the lack of 150th anniversary merchandise at the top of the list and, it has to be said, this has surely been deserved.
However, the birthday bash was a different matter. There was an excellent cast list of ex-players and managers, a great storyline from 1867 to the current day, appearances from Dejphon Chansiri and Carlos Carvalhal and just the right mixture of interviews and footage, not to mention the unveiling of the remarkable Dream Scene painting by its artist Jamie Cooper, as pictured above.
Combine all this with the opportunity to chat with some of those ‘old faces’ during the evening and it was the recipe for a memorable night, with the overriding view from the special guests who took to the stage being one of a real affection for Sheffield Wednesday and its family club feel.
Well done to all involved with the organisation of the evening and here’s to the next 150 years of our fantastic club.
Colin Grant, Chairman, London Owls