As was reported last month, Sheffield Wednesday players were snubbed by their fellow professionals when the PFA League One team of the season was announced.
At the time this seemed very harsh given the success that the team have enjoyed during the season but now with the Owls having clinched automatic promotion it will be of little significance to the squad who will be plying their trade at a higher level next season.
Players and fans alike can now afford a wry smile in respect that while they may not have received individual recognition from their peers they did the business where it really matters, as a team finishing above 22 of their 23 counterparts during the 2011/12 campaign.
The Owls were received thinly veiled criticism from opposing managers and players early in the season for being physically strong whilst other attributes of their game were overlooked which may also have influenced voting at the time.
Wednesday’s chances of getting players into the best 11 were perhaps hindered by the fact that the votes were cast well before the end of the season. Had they waited until most of the season had been completed to give a better overall picture then perhaps things would have been different. A run of 14 games unbeaten – almost a third of the league season – saw the Owls take 2nd place with an admirable tally of 93 points, just over 2 points per game on average.
Understandably the team chosen was dominated by players from Charlton who amassed over 100 points in taking the League One title. The champions had 4 players included with the rest of the team made up of Sheffield United (3), Huddersfield (2) and MK Dons (2) players. A fair few of those players are likely to remain in League One for the 2012/13 season.
The likes of Danny Batth, Miguel Llera and Jose Semedo to name just three were outstanding for Wednesday this season. They will be far from disappointed that they won’t get the chance to make next season’s League One team of the year either.