Wednesday -V- Middlesbrough

[SwellOwl]

A brilliant post to end the season on Lord. 
 

It will be a sad, end of the era moment, to not see Nuhiu play for us anymore. Been a good servant, NEVER injured and did his bit for the cause. The fact more people seem more upset he’s gone than the likes of Hooper, Forestieri is high praise for the mountain from Kosovo. Hope you get a start tonight big guy.

[Mr. Tom]

If we don’t win this, playoffs are going to be a tough ask.

 

I really like Atdhe and am honestly quite sad he’s going. An asset to our club in so many ways and genuinely a bright - albeit flickering weirdly at times - light in an era of much gloom and stress.

 

Wish him all the very best. Nice piece, Snoots.

[York_Owl]

A great piece on which to end the season.

 

Never been a fan of Big Dave but I am sad to see him go. 
 

As others have said thank you for doing the OMDT every week and your insightful contributions.

 

One day we will have a team to match the quality of your posts!

[doubleo]

Thanks Snoots for this season. 

[Steve Down South]

Wow, what a great read - brought a tear to my eye

[Spondon Owl]

5 hours ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

 

It seems so long ago. But, also, like so many things in life, also the blinking of an eye. Big Atdhes time at Sheffield Wednesday.  I'll be the first to acknowledge I'd never heard of him. The tall stranger now donning the famous blue and white stripes. (My, what a dreadful kit that was.) But his debut made quite the impression.

 

 

 

 Ner-Hoo-eee, Nu-hoo, Noo-High-you, Noo-oooh. 

Yes there was problems early on with his name. For some a problem that never went away. Crikey. It's been 7 years and Brian Laws is still calling him 'Newy'. 

So, Dave then. Big Dave.  Apparently he didn't like it. Then again, that's the life when it comes to nicknames isn't it?  Doesn't matter if you like them. You just get stuck with them. Bizarrely given the struggles people had with his name, I'm surprised many didn't think to just adopt his first name as their moniker of choice. 'Atty' . I mean to say, that's hardly difficult is it. 

 

He's been a player which has split opinion among the fan base like no other I can ever recall in all the years I have watched Wednesday.  Some have never rated him. Some have. Some seem to have a dislike of the lad, for reasons which have always been unfathomable to me. I don't think anyone has ever thought he's a World beater. Though I must admit myself, to sometimes defending him to a level actually greater than I actually rated him, and why? Why would I do that. Why would others do that? Well for no other reason than to simply try and balance out over-the-top criticism. When people make wild ,often hugely inaccurate claims of his terribleness,then there's no point trying to reason. None at all. No.  One may aswell play the game and  go over the top in praise. When proper fact based debate cannot be done, fight fire with fire. All completely barmy of course. And I have been as guilty as the next man. 

 

I like Atdhe Nuhiu. Maybe it's my age. Maybe it's the fact that I have seen Wednesday outside the top flight more than I have ever seen us in it. But  that being the case other things become important to me in football. Yes, I'd like to win every week. Of course I'd love,like us all, to see our famous stripes trotting out at the Nou Camp and giving Barcelona a run for their money. I'd like to see us lift the FA Cup, something many fans are actually bored of seeing their teams do. 

 

But we haven't. And in all likelyhood we wont.

Oh, we tell ourselves we need more. We want more. We deserve more. But wanting doesn't get.

Once more, for the second time in ten days I'm back to hearing the call that we shouldn't accept mediocrity. Why bother some would ask if we're to accept average. What's it all about if not wanting to be the very best? To be challenging? 

Well, ask the fans of Accrington Stanley why they bother. They're never going to win anything. Ask the fans of Derby, or  Bristol City.

 

The thing is you see. The thing about football is, it's not actually about just football is it? It might be to some, the stattos, people with some sort of disorder, people who may longer get to go along, people who only read the results. But  no, for many, many fans, not just of the Wednesday ,but of all clubs,  so much of it is more than that. It's about belonging. It's about the club. It's about the tradition.  Yes It's about getting a Beres sandwich. It's about a pint. It is about having a shop full of absolute tat.  It's about remembering Big Jack . It's about turning corners....and soon after finding another cul-de-sac.  Football is about a feeling.

 

When all is said and done we can demand, we can moan, we can cry, we can grumble. We can laugh. That's all football. The results....really?  The point is It's all football. All of it. Not just the game itself, not just the result. It's about Ross Wallace stealing the Huddersfield notes.  It's about remembering Ola Tidman rescuing a wounded pigeon.

 

 

It's about Lloyd Owusu being sick. It's about bog roll streamers being hurled down the KOP. It's about scolding tasteless tea. It's about all of those around you joining in the tannoy call not to leave via Leppings Lane with daft smirks on your faces. A shared 'in' joke that you only get in the ground. Programmes? Three quid!

 

Which brings me back to Atty. I like Atty. Big Dave. Nuhiu. I don't love him. But I like him. 

I think Like is more important than love. Love burns bright, and burns and then fizzles and sometimes leaves a nasty scar.  Liking something, someone, is what makes it last. I like Wednesday. For all the balls ups. For all the failure, the false dawns. I like Sheffield Wednesday. Life is a journey and Wednesday are like my old car. One that makes loads of clunks and clangs. And has a steaming radiator. It's a motor that has careered from one crash site to another. The windows don't wind up and it's hair raising. But I just can't trade it in. The indicators don't work. But... the gear stick is in the right place. And the glove box has plenty of room and the old bench seats are very comfortable. I've seen some real adventure with it. Not just the tourist spots, but every back alley and dead-end, every grubby estate.

 

I sigh as it splutters. But sighing is part of it. For all of it, for all the frustration i  like that old car . And woah betide anyone who slates it.

 

I've always felt that with the bigman, he's been a fellow traveller. Someone who's jumped in and joined the ride. 

He's helped get out and push when needed in the slashing rain,  as other passengers have hopped on and back off again. 

 

He actually reminds me of Wednesday old Nuhiu. He's massive. He could have potentially been better than he is. But at the same time he's actually better than other people think he is.  He's frustrated me at times. He's surprised me at times. Just like Wednesday.  Sometimes he's lumbered...and that really has reminded me of Wednesday! But also he's given me some great memories and he's given my club great service. He's been a trusty spare in the boot when the flash alloys have gone spinning off. Or been stolen.   We've shared good times and bad on the journey.

 

I like the big lad because he's honest. I like him because he didn't cost much. I like him because I never ever felt that he was taking the club , my club, for a ride. I like him because I never felt he was taking the p*ss. Is that enough for a team that 'needs to be challenging?'

Is that enough for 'where we want to go'.

Probably not, no. 

But for me i like Nuhiu and I like his type.

I like to know we have players who don't hold my club to ransom. It won't ever help us win a trophy ,I know that. 

We'll need some proper top level top class mercenaries if we're ever to do that. And if we do , I'm sure I'll get as drunk as anyone if I'm still alive, and celebrate wildly as a billionaire playboy lifts the cup on our behalf. 

 

But when I'm gibbering away in a chair, the last semblance of my life ebbing away, as some nurse spoon feeds me my gruel, and the memories of life flash before the old rheumy eyes. I'll remember Big Atty scoring from the corner flag as much as I'll remember Sheridans 'dink'. I'll remember him flattening that Leeds defender , slotting home and sliding away in the snow as much as I remember Big Nige lift the cup.  I'll remember because you take the moments. You take the places. You take and remember the feelings.

 

So thank you big man. 

Thank you for your 50 goals. 

Thank you for one of my favourite ever football related memes.

 

   

 

Thank you for not getting the lip on and disrupting the changing room when you haven't been selected.

Thank you for not vanishing of the holidays even though you knew you'd be on the bench.

Thank you for signing up till the end of the season when you could have just f*cked off or worse feigned injury to ensure you didn't jeopardise your next move.

Thank you for reminding me that some footballers, still, are normal, decent chaps who go about their jobs with a bit of integrity and honesty. Something so sadly lacking in today's game.

 

Thank you and good Luck.

 

 

---------------------------------

 

WEDNESDAY

-V-

MIDDLESBROUGH

 

-----------------------------------------

Saturday 22nd July

Kick off : 19:30
Owlerton 

---------------------------------

 

 

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Wednesday's  Kieran Lee was forced to miss out once again for the trip to Fulham, but Monk has expressed his optimism over the midfielder's availability for the final day.

A return for Lee in the starting lineup could see Joey Pelupessy drop down to the bench,  while Jacob Murphy and Atdhe Nuhiu will be hoping that their huge contributions at Craven Cottage will see them earn a start here. Esepcially Nuhiu who is likely making his last appearance for the club.

 

.

 

Wildsmith

Iorfa   Lees    Borner

Murphy    Luongo     Pelupessy     Bannan      Harris

Windass        Nuhiu

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

 

MIDDLESBROUGH

Middlesbrough boss and favourite Owls panto villain Neil Warnock is facing a selection dilemma in midfield when it comes to replacing the suspended Howson.

Patrick McNair is an option for the Boro manager having come off the bench at the weekend, but fellow midfielder Adam Clayton has struggled for game time under Warnock.

.

 

 

Pears

Dijksteel   Fry   Friend   Coulson

McNair   Saville

Spence    Wing     Tavernier

Assombalonga

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

 

Yes.

 

Thats all I can say. You've got it. Right there. Why it actually hurts that he's leaving. He's just a good lad... one of us.

[glynnb]

Great read to end a sheeite season Snoots, your posts have lifted the mood every matchday. So farewell Atty, my biggest sadness is that my family and I will not be there to applaud you as you leave the theatre of comedy for the last time. UTO 

[mcmigo]

1 hour ago, thewookieisdown said:

Bravo, My Lord. Magnificent piece. Made the eyes prickle a wee bit. 

 

My favourite Nuhiu moment perhaps the penalty against Boro in March 2014 it must have been. By and large the big man had looked out of his depth that first season, as we had all no doubt expected when he first signed. But there were flashes of promise and something too about the attitude of this man from a strange benighted corner of Europe. 

 

And then 0-0 right at the end of a dire game with relegation still on the cards we get a penalty. Nuhui steps up. 40,000 hands cover 20,000 pairs of eyes. You really feel if he doesn't score there will be no coming back.... 

 

Gosh, six years. All so long ago. My son hadn't taken his GCSEs. Now he's graduated. My daughter would have been 12. Now she's waiting on A-level results and driving a car and working in a cafe and running rings round her boyfriend. 

 

We can still talk about moments like that. 

The early days of Adthe..

 

I remember under Stuart Gray - we had a clear tactic when it came to Adthe.  He had to run himself into the ground every match from the first minute.  We weren't a possession heavy team and so much of our defensive work started with May and Nuhiu up front.  There were games when Nuhiu was subbed on about 65 minutes absolutely finished having chased a back 4 around constantly.  He worked so hard for the team in the Gray era.  It was only under the more loose training and fitness era of Carlos that he got heavier (as did all the players) and became less mobile.  

[Ethel The Tree]

Thanks for that, your lordship.  I can relate to every word

 

Sad to see Atdhe leave and sad that his seven season stint with us should end in an empty stadium with so much

sh*t flying around

Still, thanks to you, I feel he's been given a jolly good send off by this little corner of our massive fan base

 

Oh, and thanks for another seasons worth of quality OMDTs

... and dare I ask for more of the same next season?   

[Concrete Owl]

Terrific OMTD M’Lord. 

[Colin Dobson]

What a brilliant summing up of what Atdhe was all about. Always available, never seemed to be injured, cared about who he was playing for & who "was paying his wages". Personal memories include a terrific display by him in a 3-1 win at Millwall but for his goals against Leeds alone he should be fondly remembered by all Wednesday fans.

Thanks for your brilliant efforts this season M'lud - almost kept me sane in what has been a season that began with hope(the Reading win seems an awfully long time ago) & could end in catastrophe.

 

[WalthamOwl]

Brilliant OP. As Monk says we have got to finish the season with the 3 points. Not been an enjoyable season since Christmas but I am looking forward to a rebuild and seeing what we can do next season. Come on Wednesday. 

[quinnssweetshop]

COME ON WEDNESDAY !!!
STICK IT UP THAT TO55ER GIBSON AND COLIN !!!
IF ANYTHING THIS SEASON !!! 

DO THIS !!! 

THANKS ATDHE !!

Edited July 22, 2020 by quinnssweetshop

[heppers]

A nothing game for us. We are in the hands of the EFL.

[Ray Von shabba]

5 hours ago, Ian_D said:

he's still carp

 

That's a fishy comment 

[FinnishOwl]

I think you summed up Nuhiu right there. Thanks. I'm not his fan and not a hater. I just wish there were more players with attitude like his.

[striker]

Last game of the season, at last this miserable season is almost over. 

 

They are not a good team, but the Colin factor complicates matters. I've had a feeling all week that we'd win, so I'll stick with that, 1-0 Wednesday

 

In an ideal world, results go against Boro, Nuhiu comes on after 80 minutes and slots in a 94th minute penalty after Odubajo fouled (oh, the irony) to send them down 

[FinnishOwl]

Hmm.. I shoulda written "attytude"

[Nero]

Much as I want him to start. I'd quite like the feeling one more time of seeing Adthe looming on the touchline on 65 70 mins with us needing a goal. Couple of claps, pats Da Cruz on the head and lollops on pointing a bit.

Cue 20 minutes of him being assaulted, generally doing well but once losing the ball in our half and then,

as occasionally happens,

a decent cross and a towering header from an unstoppable position.

Let's have a fitting end to the weirdest season of all time.

 

[OxonOwl]

Thank you Atdhe! Good luck for the future.