Sheffield Wednesday support has kept us smiling, says shop worker

After months of boycotts and uncertainty, Sheffield Wednesday supporters are returning to Hillsborough – not just to watch football, but to help their club survive.

The Championship side was placed into administration on Friday, bringing the curtain down on Dejphon Chansiri’s decade-long ownership and an end to a turbulent period that on occasion saw staff and players going unpaid.

Since then fans have been flocking back to the club shop to spend money and show their solidarity.

Jane Deaton, who has worked at the shop for 42 years, said the support had been “outstanding”, adding: “That’s what’s kept us all here, kept us going and kept us smiling.”

The Owls lost 2-1 to Oxford United on Saturday, in their first game since the administrators were called in.

But while defeat did nothing to put a dent in the automatic 12-point deduction for entering administration, it was a joyous moment for many as fans returned in their droves to the stands.

Administrator Kris Wigfield, who is leading the search for new ownership, said supporters have already spent more than £500,000 on tickets and in the club shop.

For Ms Deaton the response has been “very humbling”.

She said during the most recent difficult period fans had stopped by to bring food parcels, sweet treats, drinks and to make sure staff were okay.

“I can’t even put into words how every single one of us are so grateful and we all want to say [a] really heartfelt thank you because you think a football club’s about the players and they weren’t really bothered about us but we were wrong, so wrong,” she said.

She added: “Some of the players didn’t take their wages until we got ours. You would never expect that.”

Having started at the club shop when she was 18, Ms Deaton said it had always felt like more than “just a job”, with supporters often dropping by to share pictures of their holidays or grandchildren.

She said the past few years had been “mentally draining” for her and other staff, and at times she had to rely on family to help cover her bills when wages were not paid on time.

“We’re all Wednesdayites as well, so you’ve got the worry about your club and also about your employment and seeing people coming in here that we’ve known for years upset, grown men crying in front of you,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Ms Deaton said the idea of walking away had never crossed her mind – not even now when the future direction of the club remains uncertain.

“Although it still looks scary – I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t – but the main thing is we exist still as a club and that was my biggest fear because I can’t imagine my life without the club.”