Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen has already started planning for life in League One next season.
The Owls suffered the earliest relegation in EFL history in February, amid a season of immense struggle on and off the pitch.
And while proposed takeover talks rumble on, Wednesday have been able to look ahead to their third-tier campaign for quite some time.
Taking Inspiration
Lincoln City have been the blueprint in the EFL this season for how to win promotion on a budget several times lower than some of their League One rivals. The Imps sealed Championship football on Monday afternoon with a last-gasp win at Reading. Michael Skubala’s side will play second-tier football for the first time in 65 years next season, completing their decade rise from the National League.
Lincoln will directly replace Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship next season, with the title likely to be wrapped up within the next few matches. The Owls will likely operate on a reduced budget next year, and so the Imps should be a prime example of how to get out of the division without excessive spending.
Henrik Pedersen, speaking to the Sheffield Star, revealed that he had scheduled talks with City’s sporting director, Jez George, for next week.
“We can learn from a lot of clubs. I am speaking with the sporting director from Lincoln on Wednesday. You see, he wants to learn from the Championship. I want to learn from League One. How Lincoln have done it this season in League One, we can only have respect for this.
“I am looking to speak with other people too, because I think as more we understand League One, a better chance we have to do something really good in League One.”
What Can Wednesday Expect From League One Next Year?
There has been much said this season about the quality of the third-tier being much lower compared with previous years. However, it’s always difficult to actually quantify that. While the points tally required to finish in the top six places is expected to be much lower this year, teams aiming to stay in the third tier are likely to need an extra few points.
Therefore, it’s likely that the vast majority of teams are more competitive this term. Alongside Sheffield Wednesday, another traditionally big club, Leicester City, are currently at risk of dropping into League One next season. The Foxes are expected to be in big financial trouble if that is the case. However, the race for a promotion place in the 26/27 campaign is expected to be even more fierce, as an increasing number of clubs gamble to get out of the division.
