Thousands of Sheffield Wednesday supporters chose to stay away from Hillsborough, creating what was described as a “strange” and subdued atmosphere during their clash with Middlesbrough.
Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards expressed sadness over the situation after his side edged out a narrow win courtesy of Morgan Whittaker’s first-half goal. With only around 7,000 fans in attendance — and more than half of them travelling from Teesside — the ground felt unusually empty for such a historic club.
“It’s sad,” Edwards admitted. “It’s not an ideal situation for their football club. I don’t know all the details, so I don’t want to comment too much, but it did make things feel strange. In a weird way, it actually added more pressure on us. It probably felt more intense than our game at home against Ipswich. You never want to see it — Wednesday are a huge club with great tradition and a passionate fan base. We all want to play in full stadiums with great atmospheres, but tonight was very strange.”
For Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen, the challenge is even tougher — keeping the team focused amid off-field turmoil.
“We all know what Hillsborough can be like when it’s rocking,” Pedersen said. “Of course it hurts to see it like this, but I completely understand and respect the supporters. Whether they were at home or in the pubs, I know they were with us. We just have to keep that sense of togetherness. I have the utmost respect for everyone connected to the club.”
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