NERVES OF STEEL

Sheffield Wednesday must take chance to make a big statement ahead of takeover

- BY JAMES WHALING

I HAVE attended the last 15 Steel City derbies home and away over a 20-year period and have never had a feeling quite like this going in.

Yes, there are the usual butterflies in my stomach. But the bigger picture of an impending takeover and who might be behind it is casting a large shadow over one of English football's fiercest rivalries.

The next few weeks are seismic in the history of Sheffield Wednesday and tomorrow's result will do little to change that.

That said, an unlikely win would give the Owls one hell of a boost and may just reaffirm the club's potential to prospective owners.

Wednesday are going down, that much we know. But three points to scare our neighbours into thinking they could join us in League One would be an almighty tonic.