Season review 1998/99

New manager, same old story...
After the decision not to renew Ron Atkinsons contract at the end of the 1997/98 season, Wednesday were spending their summer frantically searching for a new manager which coincided with the World Cup being held in France.

A few names were mentioned for the Owls boss. One of the first one's was Danny Wilson - the ex-Owls midfielder who had brought Barnsley into the Premier League (they were to go straight back to Division 1). Philippe Troussier, coach of South Africa - newcomers to the World Cup, was a rumoured on a number of occasions. The stories that the South African players hated him because of his strictness and the way he treated them perhaps put off Dave Richards.

Other managers linked with the job were Bobby Robson, Martin O'Neill, Daniel Passarella (Argentina coach), Gerard Houllier and Walter Smith who pulled out of the deal at the last minute and went to Merseyside to join Everton instead.

Danny Wilson - returned to Hillsborough as manager In the end it was Danny Wilson who was given the job. Some say, with barely a few weeks before the season, it was a panic decision by the Wednesday board but Dave Richards insisted he'd 'wanted Wilson all along'. How stupid does he think Wednesday fans are? However, Wilson did seem to be a popular choice with the fans - a man who has little managerial experience but has shown potential. His appointment so close to the new season was to have affect on the team with Wilson obviously not quite ready for the season.

The season started at home to West Ham Utd. Danny Wilson played his two new signings Wim Jonk (Dutch midfielder from PSV for £2.5m) and Juan Cobian (young Argentinian full-back signed for undisclosed fee) but 30,000 Wednesday fans left dissapointed that they had lost the game to a late Ian Wright goal despite playing well.

The Owls celebrate in their impressive win at White Hart Lane Wednesday bounced back though to win convincingly and impressively against Spurs away from home with a 3-0 win. This was followed by a two successive 0-1 defeats, at the hands of Aston Villa and Derby County. But it was the same old story - Wednesday were playing well but just not chalking up victories.

September saw Wednesday's season turned on it's head - firstly with a shock exit in the 2nd round of the Worthingtons League Cup to Third Division Cambridge Utd. An early goal in the home leg cost the Owls dearly and could only manage a 1-1 draw at the Abbey Stadium as for the second season in a row the Owls were knocked out at the first hurdle by lower division opposition.

Di Canio madness saga disgraces Wednesday

Worse was to follow for Danny Wilson's side though when on September 26, in the home clash with champions Arsenal, Italian star Paolo Di Canio lost the plot an in a rush of blood pushed over referee Paul Alcock. Wim Jonk and Arsenal's Patrick Viera collided and what followed was a series of pushes and words said by both sets of players. Di Canio and Martin Keown got into a tussle and resulted in Alcock running over and flashing the red card in Di Canio's face. The tempered Italian was clearly caught up in the heat of the moment and pushed referee Alcock and stormed off, while Alcock pathetically rolled over.

What followed was a four month disapearing act performed by Paolo. After the match he was suspended by the Owls and allowed to fly home to Italy before his hearing with the FA. Almost a month later Di Canio came back to Sheffield for his punishment - 3 game suspension from the red card and a further 8 games for the referee pushing incident, a total of 11 games. He was also fined £10,000 by the FA and around £68,000 by Wednesday.

He was allowed 'compassionate leave' back to Italy before joining his teamates again in December ready for his Boxing Day comeback match against Leicester City. In a press conference he promises Wednesday fans he will see them on Boxing Day. He didn't keep his promise. Di Canio didn't return in early December as expected and was fined a further two weeks wages. Meanwhile in Italy the AWOL Di Canio claims he is suffering from stress and depression.

It's now January and still no Paolo - a further two weeks wages fined by the club, not a bad little income this one. Wednesday reluctantly send out club officials to Italy for a medical examination, which he passes. Di Canio wants back the £102,000 he's been fined while he was 'sick'. The club refuse and the future of the Italian isn't looking good.

Di-Volcanio finally ended his four month AWOL spell with a move to London Finally on January 27 the saga comes to an end as West Ham Utd sign Di Canio for an estimated £2m. The tempremental Italian ended his stay at Hillsborough with mixed emotions from the fans - a player with undoubted skill and flair but all too often let his temper get the better of him. Owls fans would soon find out there was life after Di Canio as Wednesday's other Italian, Beni Carbone, flurished without his fellow countryman.

That was all over the course of four months - in that time Owls fans went through all the emotions. Despite the crazy scenes of the Di Canio incident Wednesday went onto win that game with Arsenal 1-0 thanks to a delightful chip by Lee Briscoe in the very last minute. October saw Wednesday sink to a new low - after being thrashed 4-0 at the hands of Middlesbrough the Owls then continued their goal drought in 0-0 draws with Everton and Southampton and a 1-0 defeat against Coventry City.