EFL's 'Scan to Smile' highlights community workpublished at 17:57 GMT 23 January
17:57 GMT 23 January
Image source, EFL
A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).
'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.
Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.
The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.
The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".
Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.
"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."
Pick of the stats: Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesdaypublished at 10:52 GMT 23 January
10:52 GMT 23 January
Bristol City will be favourites to end a three-match winless streak in the Championship when they host bottom side Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Wednesday's only league win of the season so far did come on the road but it was back in September when they won 2-0 at Portsmouth.
Since that day they have taken only seven points from a possible 63.
Bristol City will be looking to complete just a third ever league double over Wednesday following the 1971-72 and 2007-08 campaigns after winning the reverse fixture 3-0 back in September last year.
Wednesday have failed to score in any of their past three away league games against Bristol City, never before have the Owls failed to score in four in succession.
Bristol City have won each of their past two league games against the two teams from Sheffield (United and Wednesday) and will be looking to win three in a season against them for just the second time after doing so in the 2007-08 campaign.
Bristol City have failed to score in each of their past three league games, last having a longer run without a goal in February 2021 (4 games).
Wednesday are winless in their past 21 league games, their longest ever run (D7 L14). It is also the fourth longest run without a win in a single second tier campaign after Cambridge United (31 in 1983-84), Barnsley (23 in 1952-53) and Darwen (27 in 1898-99).
Why Sheff Wed's squad could get weaker this monthpublished at 17:54 GMT 21 January
17:54 GMT 21 January
Rob Staton BBC Radio Sheffield reporter
Image source, Shutterstock
Image caption,
Long-serving Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan has been linked with a January exit
Much of the talk this week at Sheffield Wednesday has been about potential player sales.
Several clubs are monitoring striker Bailey Cadamarteri and the Sheffield Star reported on Tuesday that Chelsea are close to signing impressive youngster Yisa Alao.
Captain Barry Bannan could leave the club in this window too. There was more than a hint of an emotional farewell when the veteran midfielder exited the pitch against Birmingham.
Fans have started to question what this means. Is it connected to the status of takeover attempts by a consortium led by James Bord?
My understanding of the situation is as follows:
It's very unlikely the EFL's owners and directors' tests will be concluded before the end of January. Nothing is imminent there.
As such, irrespective of any confidence the administrators might have in the deal being concluded, they still have to manage accordingly.
Even if their confidence was very high in everything passing smoothly, they cannot risk the alternative scenario — the test being failed and there being a sudden cashflow shortfall, with the prospective new owners no longer required to fund the losses of the club.
The only available window to prepare for that eventuality is January. Once the transfer deadline passes, there's no opportunity to raise funds through player sales.
It's far from an ideal situation but one the people tasked with keeping the club running have to contend with.
What happens to the money from player sales? My understanding is it funds cash flow, if and when necessary. Then, it would become part of something called 'administration realisations' that effectively go to creditors.
On top of this, the preferred bidder will have negotiated a clause in the agreement that means they would expect the purchase price of Sheffield Wednesday to reduce when player assets are sold.
This means for every amount raised, for example £1m on a player sale, the new owners would have to pay £1m less to buy the club.
Any add-ons attached to a transfer go towards the club after administration, not the administration estate.
Some supporters have questioned why alternative means of fundraising aren't being pursued instead - such as a ticket-sale and merchandise drive, as was the case when the club originally went into administration back in October.
In the past few weeks the club had a stall at the city's Christmas Market. Merchandise stock was reduced in price over January. Half-season tickets have been sold, along with four-match packages.
There have been other offers too for members, a £15 price cap for the Brentford FA Cup game and further offers for upcoming matches such as Millwall's visit to Hillsborough.
Player sales still need to be considered, with uncertainty over the future of the club remaining. In just over 10 days that stops being a possibility for Sheffield Wednesday when the window shuts.
It's not ideal but nothing is when a club enters administration.
It appears to be a classic case of covering all bases - hoping for the best but planning for the worst.
Norwich working on Amass loan deal from Man Utdpublished at 16:42 GMT 21 January
16:42 GMT 21 January
Image source, Shutterstock
Norwich City are working on a deal to sign teenage defender Harry Amass on loan from Manchester United.
The 18-year-old left-back spent the first half of the season on loan with the Championship's bottom side Sheffield Wednesday before returning to United earlier this month.
But it is understood Amass, who made 21 appearances for the Owls, will not be going back to Hillsborough.
Stoke City and Watford were reportedly also interested in taking the England Under-19 international on loan but a move to the Canaries is now believed to be close.
Amass won consecutive player of the month awards for November and December at Wednesday and scored one goal.
EFL games to kick off late for CPR awarenesspublished at 12:21 GMT 21 January
12:21 GMT 21 January
Image source, Shutterstock
Image caption,
Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Luton Town in December 2023
All English Football League games across a four-day period in February will begin one minute late to raise awareness for the Every Minute Matters campaign.
The initiative will be in place for 36 matches across the Championship, League One and League Two between 5 and 9 February.
EFL sponsor Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have been working together since May 2024 to highlight the importance of speed when it comes to performing live-saving CPR.
Later kick-off times will serve as "a stark reminder that every minute matters", the EFL said.
Bristol Rovers defender Tom Lockyer collapsed while playing for Luton Town eight minutes into the Championship play-off final against Coventry in May 2023.
Lockyer then suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch seven months later during a Premier League game at Bournemouth.
"What happened to me can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Lockyer, who is now a BHF ambassador.
"Every year, more than 40,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and most of them never make it home.
"I'm here today because of the transformative power of CPR as every minute matters when it comes to saving a life.
"This February, we want everyone to get behind this life-saving initiative, learn the skills and be ready to step in because your actions could give someone else the chance I was given."
Throughout February, the Every Minute Matters campaign will call on fans to learn CPR using the BHF's online RevivR, external tool.
"Each minute without CPR reduces a person's chance of survival, so we're urging fans to learn the skills now, before you ever need them," said Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF.
EFL chief executive officer Trevor Birch added: "The one minute kick-off adjustment is a simple, powerful reminder that swift CPR can be the difference between life and death."
'We gave everything' - Pedersenpublished at 23:06 GMT 20 January
23:06 GMT 20 January
Media caption,
Pedersen: 'The best pressing game we've had'
Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen has praised his side despite a 2-0 loss to Birmingham City at Hillsborough on Tuesday.
Blues broke through in the 83rd minute before doubling their lead in added time to take the three points, but the Dane was pleased with how his injury-ravaged team performed.
"I think the boys gave everything. It doesn't matter if we should come 1-0 up or 1-0 down, we should just keep going and I think the boys did that to the end today," Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"There was a much better reaction after the 1-0. We were on top of the game after the 1-0.
"One of things that was a theme before the first game was that we need to take bigger risks if we want to create more when we come high up on the pitch. So today were really aggressive in our pressing, the best pressing game we've had.
"Today we were a little bit better to keep the ball when we wanted and we were better to play with a more risk.
"We need to take more risk to create more and I thought the boys did that really well."
Teenage left-back Alao, meanwhile, could be sidelined for three weeks after coming off with an unspecified issue just after the hour in Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Portsmouth.
Wednesday are now without 14 first-team players heading into their Championship fixture with Birmingham City at Hillsborough tonight.
Pick of the stats: Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham Citypublished at 14:49 GMT 19 January
14:49 GMT 19 January
Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City will both be in desperate need of a win when they face each other at Hillsborough on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).
Blues have not won any of their past eight league games on the road, though they did end a spell of four straight away losses with a 1-1 draw against Swansea City last time out.
Whereas for the Owls, winning at all has been a rarity this season.
Their one and only league win came on the 20 September against Portsmouth and they have not tasted victory since.
This will be the 100th league meeting between Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City, with the Owls winning 35 and losing 37 of the 99 to date (D27).
Birmingham City have lost just two of their last 11 league meetings with Sheffield Wednesday (W5 D4), although one of those was their last away from home, going down 2-0 in February 2024.
Sheffield Wednesday have failed to win any of their last five league games against newly promoted sides (D3 L2), their longest run against such opposition since December 2018 (6).
Sheffield Wednesday have only lost one of their last 10 league games played on a Tuesday (W4 D5), although that was their last at home, going down 0-1 to Blackburn in December 2024.
Birmingham have won 11 of their last 14 league games played on a Tuesday (D1 L2), although did lose their last 2-1 to QPR in December.
Sheffield Wednesday striker Bailey Cadamarteri, 20, is the subject of interest from Hibernian, while fellow Scottish side Rangers are keen on 28-year-old defender Max Lowe. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
'We didn't create big chances' - Pedersenpublished at 18:16 GMT 17 January
18:16 GMT 17 January
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Sheffield Wednesday have lost 17 league games this season
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen believed his side played well in defeat to Portsmouth, but admits they need to create more chances.
Adrian Segecic's second half goal condemned the bottom club to another defeat, with Pompey, 21st in the Championship, 35 points ahead.
The Owls were facing the only team they have beaten this season, but only mustered one shot on target.
"Generally, it was very equal. First half, we brought a lot of intensity from the beginning," Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"Our pressing was really good and we brought a lot of interceptions high up the pitch. We played more transitions than normal, and we had more possibilities but we didn't create that big chance.
"We were good on the ball, maybe too brave sometimes but the boys are brave and this is what we want. We had more situations where we sped up the game and more situations around the box."
Pedersen has challenged the team to become more threatening in attack, but is encouraged by their play in possession.
"The challenge is to make possibilities into chances and chances into big chances. We need to improve that last part.
"We didn't have the power to come back in the game after the goal. I can see development with the ball, but to be effective on the ball, we have to develop how we break the lines."
Heskey joins Sheffield Wednesday on loanpublished at 17:25 GMT 16 January
17:25 GMT 16 January
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester City youngster Jaden Heskey has joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan.
The 20-year-old forward has moved to Hillsborough until the end of the season to help the Owls at the foot of the Championship.
Wednesday are bottom of the table and 32 points from safety having been deducted 18 points for going into administration and breaching EFL rules relating to payment obligations.
It is his only senior appearance, although he has played twice in the Football League Trophy this season.
He is captain of City's elite development squad this season, having won Premier League 2 last term, and had interest from a number of Championship and League One sides.
Gossip: Premier League giants eye Owls prospectpublished at 10:11 GMT 16 January
10:11 GMT 16 January
Chelsea have joined Liverpool and Manchester United in the hunt for 17-year-old Sheffield Wednesday left-back Yisa Alao, who made his Owls debut last weekend. (Sheffield Star, external)
Wednesday are closing in on the loan signings of Man City midfielder Jaden Heskey, 20, and QPR keeper Murphy Cooper, 24, who has been on loan at League One Barnsley. (Alex Miller, external)
Image source, EFL
